Has float fishing becoming a dying art?

[Dave H]

Since coming back into fishing i have noticed much change for good and bad. I was talking to a tackle shop owner i had known for 30 years but obviously not for the last decade+ He said he now sells half the amount of float tackle. Now i respect online buying but even then less float tackle is being bought?

 

Float fishing is still my favourite as i think it brings more of a kid out of me but on hand watching that float judder with bubbles around it the excitement still gets me and when it pops under is better than any buzzer going off in my view anyway.

 

Do you think it has become a dying art?. Just throwing the thread into the pot on a boring afternoon.

[viney]

In a word, yes. In the time that I have been fishing I can only recall one or two Children/teenagers float fishing.


Edit: In fact I can't remember the last time I saw anyone float fishing other than myself!

Edited July 11, 2013 by viney

[AddictedToScopex]

I almost exclusively float fish as I find it far more involved and enjoyable compared to sitting behind buzzers watching dvd's etc like some do. I do think though that as usual it comes down to the accepted 'norm' these days where those new to angling see ledger tactics all over the press and an abundance of ledger tackle pushed left right and centre. I definitely think there has been a shift towards sitting behind alarms etc. Its not for me though.

[Dick Dastardly]

Dave nearly 20 years ago a tackle dealer told me the only people who buy floats are kids and old men! Now I suspect its just old men :-(

[AddictedToScopex]

Dave nearly 20 years ago a tackle dealer told me the only people who buy floats are kids and old men! Now I suspect its just old men :-(

And a few of us younger adults lol

Edited July 11, 2013 by AddictedToScopex

[Andy_1984]

The majority of my angling is with a waggler but ive noticed an increase in bubble floats round my parts..... for roach.............

[wotnobivvy]

Dave nearly 20 years ago a tackle dealer told me the only people who buy floats are kids and old men! Now I suspect its just old men :-(

 

I too am one of the old men who use a float. I taught my lad the art, but gave him a large supply of floats that I have accumulated over the years. Thus hw does not need to buy any, just robs more off me !!

[Vagabond]

Do you think it has become a dying art?. .

Not while I can stagger to the waterside !

 

...but yes, my local tackle shop is bursting with boilies, bolt rigs, buzz bars, bivvys, baitrunners and bloody halibut pellets.

Split shot and floats are hidden in two tiny drawers !

 

Because I like to actively fish, then spinning, fly fishing, float fishing and freelining are my methods of choice rather than sitting beside three set lines. (Tin hat on )

[AddictedToScopex]

I cant think of anything more boring than sitting behind inactive rods. I have tried it a few times in the last 2 years and at no point did I get in the car afterwards and say to myself that I had a great time, with the exception of night fishing for barbel on the river.

Edited July 11, 2013 by AddictedToScopex

[Dales]

I don't think its a dying art and I come across loads of people float fishing. Like a lot of things its very easy to be influenced by what you see in your own world and multiple/apply that to all situations. I think venue and length of time you plan to fish effect what method gets used, those fishing short sessions or on the move will often opt for float fishing simply because it is a very practical way to fish.

 

Wander on to a still water that mainly gets session fished and then you may find that 100% of the anglers are ledgering. Even the most hardened fans of the float would struggle to watch a float for 48 to 72 hours.

 

I guess this may be another one of those threads where we can look down on others fishing. Those who don't fish the proper way with floats, most tackle shops I have been in to carry huge amounts of floats that seem to sell very well. But I guess we are not counting Pellet Wagglers etc as thats not real fishing.

 

Carp is King and as they are the number 1 species with the most followers and ledgering is a very good way to catch them it can appear that float fishing is dying out. But there are still loads of Chub, Perch, Roach, Rudd, Dace anglers who fish very well with a float as do thousands of match anglers and mobile Pike anglers.

 

Are bubble floats classed as float fishing or method floats?

 

You just need to look in the right places to see all the float anglers.