Shotting pattern when trotting a float

[Stretpegger]

I recognise that shotting patterns need to be changed to reflect the conditions.

But shirt button style shotting is far removed from bulk shotting. Much is written and said about shotting patterns but these two styles - shirt button and bulk shotting - seem diametrically opposed to each other.

 

To answer your questions:

As to what I fish for - Chub are always welcomed and probably my number one target, big barbel are great if somewhat scary (ahh that 12lb was truly a fish of a lifetime even if I did think I'd hooked the riverbed at first until the riverbed moved...) and a two lb roach would be rather pleasant though if truth be told one and a half pounds bigger than my personal best...

Bait is generally two white maggots on a size 18 hook - at least until that stops working - talking of which does anyone know of eyed size 18 hooks which have an eye which allow the palomar knot?

 

I generally fish a swim on the Avon between four and five feet deep (quite deep compared to the river Lea swims I often inhabit), with a fast flow and I use Avon floats.

 

Occasionally I hit lucky. But only a fool would ignore the advice of his peers...

I think the popular Kamasan Animal hooks are available in a eyed version,not sure if the eye is big enough to accept the line twice through the eye for a palomar knot though.

[Dick Dastardly]

Both styles of shotting are valid in my opinion as they offer two totally different ways of presenting the bait. Only using one style would certainly affect your chances of getting the best catch possible from certain swims/conditions etc.

 

To over simplify I tend to use bulk shot in fast flowing swims where I want the bait to fish near the bottom and be held back to fish at the same speed as the current near the bottom. "shirt button" style I use when the fish are/have been encouraged to take the bait "on the drop",normally fished without being held back so hard,unless you are intentionally wanting to bring the bait up shallower for another drop down.

[Guest tigger]

Both styles of shotting are valid in my opinion as they offer two totally different ways of presenting the bait. Only using one style would certainly affect your chances of getting the best catch possible from certain swims/conditions etc.

 

To over simplify I tend to use bulk shot in fast flowing swims where I want the bait to fish near the bottom and be held back to fish at the same speed as the current near the bottom. "shirt button" style I use when the fish are/have been encouraged to take the bait "on the drop",normally fished without being held back so hard,unless you are intentionally wanting to bring the bait up shallower for another drop down.

 

 

Budgie I've found when shotting my line shirt button style my bait reaches the bottom of pretty fast flowing glides of up to 5ft deep pretty quick and holding back when shotted shirt button style it sweeps my bait up a treat. I don't usually use a float requiring more than 6/7 BB's and I don't put any shot smaller than BB's on my set up so don't have lots of shot on my line.

[tiddlertamer]

I must admit, I get in some confusion when it comes to shotting stick floats correctly. I usually favour the "bulk" method, have 3-4BB about 12 inches from the hook with a no 4 or 6 dropper about 3-4 inches. Shirt pattern just gets me in tangles =/

 

Is a dropper shot important when trotting, especially when combined with a bulk shotted Avon float. Some of my Avon floats carry up to 5AAA... I've always felt that a dust shot wouldn't help indicate a bite in such circumstances but I'm more than happy to admit I may be wrong and to give it a try. What does everyone think?

[Dick Dastardly]

Is a dropper shot important when trotting, especially when combined with a bulk shotted Avon float. Some of my Avon floats carry up to 5AAA... I've always felt that a dust shot wouldn't help indicate a bite in such circumstances but I'm more than happy to admit I may be wrong and to give it a try. What does everyone think?

 

Yes I think its still important its just that the more shot used the bigger the size of the drop shot becomes. Not much use using a No8 drop shot when holding back hard with a 3SSG Chubber for example!

 

Several people have mentioned getting tangles when using stick floats shotted "shirt button" style.This is because you are using the wrong technique.In stead of casting such a set up you need to "lay" it on the water.Hard to describe but dead easy to do and so avoid tangles+getting your rig fishing correctly quicker.

[Dan Dan]

I understand "laying on", and a lot of the time it works, it's just when I strike and miss bited (yeah I suck still) is when it seems to tangle up on itself. I read somewhere that the shot should be set out ina specific way so that they won't tangle around each other. I think the idea was to increase the distance between the shot as you go up from the hook, so as they swing round they're not catching on the one above it. does that make sense?

[Guest tigger]

I understand "laying on", and a lot of the time it works, it's just when I strike and miss bited (yeah I suck still) is when it seems to tangle up on itself. I read somewhere that the shot should be set out ina specific way so that they won't tangle around each other. I think the idea was to increase the distance between the shot as you go up from the hook, so as they swing round they're not catching on the one above it. does that make sense?

 

 

Dan if your laying on you don't spread out your weights m8, you bunch them or use one 8 inches to a foot from your hook. You fish 2 to 6 ft overdepth with your float lying flat on the water.

Edited August 23, 2008 by tigger

[Dan Dan]

Dan if your laying on you don't spread out your weights m8, you bunch them or use one 8 inches to a foot from your hook. You fish 2 to 6 ft overdepth with your float lying flat on the water.

 

ok now im confused...i thought laying on was casting the rig so the terminal tackle and float hit the water in a line and then drop down naturally...

Edited August 23, 2008 by Dan Dan

[Guest tigger]

ok now im confused...i thought laying on was casting the rig so the terminal tackle and float hit the water in a line and then drop down naturally...

 

 

 

no not quite dan. Laying on is a form of ledgering. You fish with a big enough bow in your line so as the flow of the water doesn't drag your float and weight, hook etc along. John Wilson explains it well in his books and I think it was one of his favoured ways of fishing. Your better off either looking it up on the net, looking in a book or having someone else explaining it to you as I'm hopless atexplainig things

 

Stret pegging is holding back your float lifting your bait then releasing it several times down your swim. I used to get confused with them myself infact I still am

[ayjay]

no not quite dan.

 

But I'm pretty sure that's what Budgie meant, not *laying on* as a method but how the float is cast in, it needs to be laid on the water gently rather than just chucked in.

 

Apart from not tangling it's less likely to spook the fish, which I expect to be reasonably close because despite what Colin has said I always use a bait dropper on the Avon, I never never never loose feed it, your bait will be gone 100 yards before it hits bottom (if you're lucky).