Avons

[oakey]

I dont think you can oakey, avons was originally used as a term for the float that billy Lane made famous in his fishing, but there has been many spin offs's a true avon if you look back the record books was made from a cork body with cane stem, nowadays the term Avon is used for many variations such as:

Balsa & Quill, Balsa & Cane, Balsa & Carbon, Balsa & wire

Cork & Cane, Cork & Quill, Cork & Carbon, Cork & wire

Pith & Cane, Pith & Quill, Pith & Carbon, Pith & wire

 

and problably even more I cant think of right now

 

although there are endless combinations they are classed under the term "avon" loosely.

 

They say Balsa/Cork & Wire stem is the more stable because of the weight of the wire pulling down on the body of the float but if the float is built properly & properly shot out down the line then I dont think there is much difference between wire to quill in my opinion.

 

Cheers George

 

I agree but what I also see is the difference in body shapes

From what I would call traditional bulbous body shapes to ultra slim designs.

The slim ones really overlap the usages more comparable to a stick float than an avon.

[chavender]

Would anyone like to categorize when individual styles of avons are used to their best advantage.

 

 

as a general rule of thumb ,you choose them by weight carrying capacity & length rather than body shape ,deeper the water the fatter the body or longer the float (whole length ) ,as you can cast ,total boyancy is by volume & mass which displaces the water ,you can thank Mr Archimedes for that ,body shape is more of a personal choice ,they come as elongated ovaloids to inverted teardrop types

 

 

i don't think i have a favourite type of body shape (although i'm rather fond of the shape of the finished float ,not really a traditional old shape more of a modern interpretation giving a nice shoulder to hold back against the flow with ) or stem material ,not too fond of wire stems though ,i tend to bend them ,i don't think the stem material matters as the main stablising factor is the bulk down shotting pattern .

[George387]

Cheers George

 

I agree but what I also see is the difference in body shapes

From what I would call traditional bulbous body shapes to ultra slim designs.

The slim ones really overlap the usages more comparable to a stick float than an avon.

 

oakey are you sure your not meaning toppers by the words you describe ultra thin ones?

 

these are a totally different ball game altogther than avons

 

This is what is a called a topper float named after its creator Topper Haskins of Bristol, he designed these to be fished in the deep waters of the Bristol Avon, allowing himself to have plenty of weight for the bait to get down as well as sensitivity and holding back capabalities. I have made different bodies to suit myself as these are the floats I prefer to use the most so are not completely true toppers.

 

 

The picture below is what is described as an Avon and is designed to be fished in an upstream wind where the depth of the water is no deeper than the length of your rod.

 

As I said earlier a lot of floats which look similar to avons have been classed as an avon through time, as not many true anglers these days choose the right type of float to fit the conditions, such as who fishes a ducker on a river in a downstream wind?? Not many we all percevere with our normal river floats.

Regards

George

[Tigger]

George, those Duckers look similar to a slider float (still water float). I like the slider floats I told you about made for John Wilson by the chap who you said was sadly now dead. They where painted orange/red at the tip and black and white under the tip (like a pelican crossing signal post). Have you seen the type I mean ?

[Toady]

Tigger, don't Drennan do something like that called "The Driftbeater"?

[Tigger]

Tigger, don't Drennan do something like that called "The Driftbeater"?

 

 

Yeah they do Toady, Middy also do one called a drift combatter and I have both but I like the look of the one's I told George about, John Wilson used them in one of his programmes where he had a bumper catch of specimine bream float fishing from a boat on a secret gravel pit (jammy bugger). There are some Ultra slider floats on the bay also but they just don't look as appealing to me.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Tigger

[chavender]

tigger do a google for ian heaps slider float ,i know he still makes them .i think its like £12 for three

 

theres this

http://www.angelfire.com/sd2/chavender/slider.html

[George387]

George, those Duckers look similar to a slider float (still water float). I like the slider floats I told you about made for John Wilson by the chap who you said was sadly now dead. They where painted orange/red at the tip and black and white under the tip (like a pelican crossing signal post). Have you seen the type I mean ?

 

I do know the type you mean Ian, andy batchelor has some on his website, which are similar to the ones you mention

Andy Batchelor

 

You just got to know where to look

[Tigger]

I do know the type you mean Ian, andy batchelor has some on his website, which are similar to the ones you mention

Andy Batchelor

 

You just got to know where to look

 

 

Yes, there are some lovely lookin floats there George. Do you have to buy the box sets or can you buy individual floats off him ?

[Tigger]

tigger do a google for ian heaps slider float ,i know he still makes them .i think its like £12 for three

 

theres this

http://www.angelfire.com/sd2/chavender/slider.html

 

 

Thank's Chav but those floats don't quite look ,like the ones I meant. The ones on the site George put up would be nice, I really like those .