Float fishing in windy conditions

[Paulg]

So, my latest outing to Marsh Farm,

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/195/entry-1294-9th-may-the-plan-contemplation-and-crucians/

 

The question is.....does anyone have advice on bite detection when float fishing in very windy conditions? On this visit I found it tough to see the float let alone any bites! Do people just give up and switch to ledger tactics, or is there something you do to help with float fishing when it is windy?

 

Paul

[Mat Hillman]

Usually i'd use a longer float, to get the line below the surface tow, and a thicker tip to improve visibility, but suspect both of those suggestions are of limited use when after crucians!

 

Change of swim maybe? Even on the windiest days there should be some calmer spots at marsh farm - in the Lee of the islands to instance?

[Maddog]

Hi Paul,

As Mat has written you could try longer/heavier float and perhaps placing a shot on the bottom to try to steady the rig as lift method but not sure the crucians would tolerate this.

 

Did you hear about the Crucians caught from Johnsons last Saturday. 2x 4lb 9oz and a 4lb 10oz! (apparently scales have been sent off for checking)

[Tigger]

I like to float ledger especially if the waters not too deep but you can easily set up a sliding rig.

I was using this method recently in windy conditions, it stops your float drifting and you can play about with the amount of line laying on the deck simply by moving the leger stop up or down the line. It works great on windless days also .

You can just make out my simple set up in the pic...

 

[BoldBear]

Here's what I do to combat wind when I want my float to stop drifting along with the surface film.

I move some (or all) of my bulk shot down into the undertow and use a long stemmed float. If this still is not enough I try moving a shot down onto the lake bed.

 

 

Keith

Edited May 19, 2015 by BoldBear

[Paulg]

All valid options which I know will work for such as the tench, but as you say Maddog, not so sure it would be successful for crucians. And certainly at Marsh Farm they don't seem to respond as well to a bait hard on the bottom as they do one just touching, or just off the lake bed. Although that said, they are sometimes caught on the feeder rod, last visit excluded! But then again the feeder rod is not being fished in the margins.

 

The problem with the use of a longer float, fine if in a reasonable depth of water, but it certainly wouldn't work when fishing close in, as I might be in water less than a foot deep.

 

As for finding a calm spot to fish, then I suspect I will probably not be where the fish are!

[Tigger]

You can use as small a weight and float (or peice of quill) as you like when float legering. Obviously the smaller / lighter the set up the less a fish will feel. You don't even need to cock the foat, it's having it lye flat and then to see it cock when a fish takes the bait.

You could fish with a weight directly on the end of your mainline, your float fixed at the desired depth and add a paternoster positioned so your bait is just off bottom....just a thought .

[gozzer]

If it's very windy, and the water is pretty shallow, 5 or 6 ft, then the under tow can be really strong. When it's like this, I often fish a stick/small avon float, with bulk shot below half way, a tell tale near hook, and 'trot' up wind. The fish will be used to a bait moving with the under tow, (unless it's a heavy bait), so it will be pretty natural. Not fished for crucians that often to tell whether they would take in the moving water or not, but had plenty roach, rudd, perch, and tench, fishing like this.

 

John.

[Vagabond]

You don't even need to cock the float, it's having it lye flat and then to see it cock when a fish takes the bait.

LOL Until the age of nine I had never seen or heard of split shot - for the first two years of my angling life a flat float was the only way I fished !

[Ken L]

A bodied waggler with a long thin stem, bulk shot down the line, overcasting and drawing the float back to where you want to fish and a sinking (fluorocarbon) mainline will work wonders. If the float is still drifting and you still want to use a float for indication, you're down to float ledgering.