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Casting "Floats"


Guest Mike Connor

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Guest Mike Connor

These "floats" originated in Italy, and are used for a wide range of purposes. They have now become extremely popular in mainland Europe, most especailly for catching trout in "put and take" lakes. Most experts at this particular form of angling use livebait, usually maggots, meal worms, tebo grubs, and similar stuff. Flies are also extremely successful.

 

Originally known as "Bombardas", and a host of other rather fanciful Italian names, depending on the particular type, they resemble streamlined pre-weighted floats.

 

In the meantime, they are produced by quite a few firms, and a large range of weights and types is available.

 

There are the original floating models, and a whole host of newer models with various characteristics, and properties. Intermediate, ( neutral density), slow sinking, medium sinking, fast sinking, etc etc being just a few.

 

There are models which are made of special plastic materials, which renders them more or less invisible in water.

 

They are practically indestructible in use.

 

The original floating models function much like the old "bubble float", but are much more accurate, the weight and density is consistent, they are much easier to cast, and due to their design, cause very little surface disturbance when retrieved.

 

They are available in weights from 3g to 60g, from various manufacturers.

 

My own "set", is made up of a range of various types, which starts at 25g, and ends at 40g. There is no reason for me to use any much finer/heavier gear, for my particular purposes. ( Mainly fishing the Baltic).

 

They can be used to present a whole host of things to the fish, very accurately, and with perfect control.

 

For presenting flies, rubber worms, muppets, and various other lures and live bait, they are unbeatable.

 

One may fish very slowly, just as with a fly-line, and the presentation is excellent.

 

Casting restrictions which might cause problems with a fly-line, like trees, bushes, etc at ones back, are no longer a problem. Casting is of course simplicity itself, there is no need to learn any complicated ( and exhausting!!!), casting techniques, like double hauling etc.

 

They are of course very much cheaper than fly-lines, and far more versatile.

 

I prefer "active" angling methods, to "static" ones. That is to say, that I prefer fly-fishing or spining, etc to just sitting and watching a rod top, or a float. This equipment lends itself to a whole host of "active" presentations.

 

There are only three knots in the system, leader to fly, leader to multi-swivel,

 

( usually a treble-swivel is used when using livebait like grubs etc, and these are mounted on the hook in such a way that they revolve slowly when retrieved, this has proved irresistible to trout),

 

A normal swivel may be used for pure fly fishing, the "Float" is threaded onto the main line through its central stem, ( usually of clear flexible plastic), at this point I usually add a synthetic rubber "Shock bead", and the line is then knotted to the swivel.

 

I use tucked half blood knots for this, ( I can tie them blind, or with freezing fingers! Posted Image)and have never had a problem.

 

These things may of course be used with practically any rod, but for my specific purposes, I have found a thirteen foot light carp rod most useful, as this also allows me to use other methods, if I feel like it.

 

Top experts with these things also use what resemble match rods with a special action, ( mainly for "put and take" fishing), and use very fine lines and small "floats".

 

The method is quite deadly, and has to be seen to be believed. I watched such an expert who had taken a "bet" from one of the leading angling magazines here, ( I was invited as an observer, and because quite a few people know I use this method on the Baltic), catch fifty trout in slightly over an hour. It was quite astounding, he cast, started his extremely slow retrieve, ( he was using meal worms), struck, and had a fish. EVERY CAST!!!!!

 

It was mechanical and monotonous, but a rare display of perfect sheer skill as well.

 

It is even more astounding, when one knows that the fifty fish had been taken from a stew pond and released into the lake less than two hours before he started fishing!!!!

 

I did not say what the "bet" actually was. It was that he could not catch "every fish in the lake" using the method.

 

He did, and very quickly indeed!

 

If anybody is unable to find these things, and wishes to try them, drop me a mail, and I will do my best to obtain them for you, or supply adresses etc.

 

One last point! I used this gear on one of my club waters, at a "trout match" this is basically a friendly gathering, which occurs once a year. I do not otherwise fish any competitions at all. I caught forty fish, in just under two hours, using flies, and then ceased fishing. The method was promptly banned by the club committee!!

 

It may also be illegal to use such equipment on some fly-water. Check the regulations before you do so. Some people take a very narrow view of fly-fishing!

 

TL

MC

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Guest Mike Connor

For a picture of a typical "trout" rig ( works very well indeed for perch and other fish of course ), go here:

www.forellenteichangeln.de/Methoden...leppangeln.html

 

The other name for these things is "Sbirulinos".

 

TL

MC

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Guest Mike Connor

Here are a few more pictures etc. The wallet is the same one I use. I have nothing to do with the shops etc. I dont sell tackle at all.

http://www.michaels-angelshop.de/p186.html

http://www.broesel-online.de/sbiru.htm

 

I have not found any English sites with this info. If anybody does find one, please let me know.

 

If there is sufficient interest, I will write an article with photis etc, and post it to Elton.

 

TL

MC

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Guest Cranfield

Thanks for that Mike.

 

I appreciate the work that went in to assembling that info.

 

Eltons on holiday, but I am sure he would like to hear from you when he returns.

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Guest Mike Connor

Originally posted by Cranfield:

Thanks for that Mike.

 

I appreciate the work that went in to assembling that info.

 

Eltons on holiday, but I am sure he would like to hear from you when he returns.

My pleasure. Glad to be of help if I can.

 

I know he is on holiday, I had a word with him before he left. Added to the panic I think ! Posted Image

 

TL

MC

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Guest Nightwing

In what can only be explained by convergent evolution, an almost identical system of floats/strike inticators is used here in the U.S. It is most popular in the upper midwestern states(Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio), as well as PA. and New York state. Used mostly for steelhead and other trout. We usually use small jigs tiped with maggots or waxworms as the terminal bait, but flies are common enough also. The floats are of local design, and are made by several regional companies here. I don't know if we have quite as many different sizes, but I myself have about a dozen different sizes/styles of floaters, as well as several slow and med. sinking and neutraly boyant types. One difference in technique is that we still use a fly rod, but instead of a standar floating or sinking line, we use a stiff mono running line as the primary line, with a lighter mono terminal line of about 20 feet or so.

A tribute to tradition, I suppose. I learned the system back in my formative steelhead years in the early 80's, but it was already in fairly common use then.

BTW, they work great for carp in Lakes also!

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I wandered into this section expecting to find something about fly fishing...Hmmmm...

Never mind. However, the good thing is that there is some good information here about casting floats, something I discovered when reading up about sea trout before my trip to Denmark this summer, but never actually found when I got there. I now realise they may have been right in front of me in the shops but I never recognised them. Bummer!!! Posted Image I wanted to try them for bass and mullet close inshore in the UK. Can anyone tell me where I can buy them mail order, on an English language site? As you can see from the Sea Angling section I am not averse to paying airmail costs for things I badly want!

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Mike - below is a picture of the floats you are speaking of (from the first site you listed).

 

Posted Image

 

My reading knowledge of German is somewhere around zero at this point so thought I'd ask you my questions/

 

1. Why the super long stem at the top? Do they float with just the stem section above water or is the body also on top?

 

2. Do you use a stop knot and small bead on the line to control depth or is there some feature I'm not seeing?

 

3. Several of them do look as if the body is pretty clear (as in transparant) as you noted. Other though (the ones that appear weighted at the bottom) are not at all clear but solid colors.

 

Interesting stuff here.

 

Salar it does pay to look around, doesn't it? Posted Image

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Guest Mike Connor
Originally posted by Newt:

Mike - below is a picture of the floats you are speaking of (from the first site you listed).

 

On the floating varieties, the long central stem is crucial to the operation of the float. Coupled with the streamlined body it ensures that the floats may be retrieved with little or no surface disturbance. The stem, which is hollow flexible plastic, and which the line is fed through, is above the water in this case.

 

On other floats ( sinkers etc) the stem allows a more controlled retrieve.

 

You can order these floats in English, from the site I posted. I know of no UK based sites with this equipment, or any other English speaking sites.

 

If people would like to order these things, then drop me a mail, and I will do it for you if necessary.

 

For methods etc, see here: http://www.visitfyn.com/gb/seatrout/methods.php

 

For "Bubble floats", read, "Casting floats"

 

The floats are threaded on to the reel line. Then a shock bead ( mainly to protect the knot) is threade on. Then a swivel is tied on.

 

The leader is tied to the other end of the swivel.

 

That is it. The rig is simplicity itself. These floats work well for most species of fish, and are better than fly-lines in many cases.

 

They come in the same "types" as fly-lines. Floating, neutral density, slow sinking, medium sinking, fast sinking, etc and in a large range of weights.

 

Small sizes are good for trout or perch fishing etc. the larger sizes are excellent for ocean work or long distance work on large waters.

 

They work well on seatrout, mackerel and garfish, ( with the appropriate flies, and doubtless for bass mullet and other species as well.

 

TL

MC

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