Float not going under

[mike1234]

on wenesday i managed to get out to a local pond for a days fishing,

 

i set up as usual and plummeted the depth and set my bottom shot about 2 or 3 inches from the bottom of the lake and my hook slightly over depth to make sure i was fishing dead on the bottom.

 

but my float seemed to move across the surface when i had a bite making it sometimes hard to know when to strike, the float was a small 3 no4 shot waggler,

 

i had some nice bream in the swim but i am sure i should have caught more if i had better bite detection, i tried shotting the line with most of the shot with in a foot under the float and one just off the bottom, and tried changing the position of the shot but the only way i knew i had a fish hooked was when i seen the float moving across the surface

 

i tried changing my float and it didnt help

 

could someone please help me where i am going wrong ?

[mjbarnes12]

your bulk shot should be nearer your hook endor little fish are towing the lineor sometimes when a fish swims into your line

[mike1234]

the fish werent too small to pull the float under most of them where between half a pound and a pound in weight, i have seen people use much larger floats when fishing for bream i was able to get away with using a light float due to the lack of wind

[BoozleBear]

your bulk shot should be nearer your hook endor little fish are towing the lineor sometimes when a fish swims into your line

 

I agree, could be line bites in a busy swim. I quite like a weighted float, always seems to go under nice and quick.

[gozzer]

Sounds to me like line bites as well, moving your tell tale shot, shallowing off, or fishing slightly closer in, are some of the things I would try.

Did these 'bites' occur just after you had put some bait in? This could be fish rising up to intercept the loose feed, and taking your falling hook bait

A bite doesn't always mean the float has to go under, it can be a slight lift, a slight dip, not settling properly, keeping still in a current or under tow, moving sideways (as yours did), in fact any unusual movement of the float could be a bite.

 

John.

Edited April 4, 2008 by gozzer

[bluerinse]

You could use a polaris float one of the smaller ones, the bites register either with a lift bite or they sink away, they wont slide or move about.

[mike1234]

Sounds to me like line bites as well, moving your tell tale shot, shallowing off, or fishing slightly closer in, are some of the things I would try.

Did these 'bites' occur just after you had put some bait in? This could be fish rising up to intercept the loose feed, and taking your falling hook bait

A bite doesn't always mean the float has to go under, it can be a slight lift, a slight dip, not settling properly, keeping still in a current or under tow, moving sideways (as yours did), in fact any unusual movement of the float could be a bite.

 

John.

 

perhaps some where line bites but mostly it was a fishing moving off with the hook bait, but i think i missed a lot of potential fish due to not knowing when to strike,

[Anderoo]

perhaps some where line bites but mostly it was a fishing moving off with the hook bait, but i think i missed a lot of potential fish due to not knowing when to strike,

 

Was there too much of the float sticking out of the water?

 

Was your hooklength too thick/heavy?

 

Was your hook too big?

 

All these would cause fish to dop the bait.

 

If you're in a situation where you can't hit bites, I'd suggest going as light as you can with line and hooks, fish with your bait just touching bottom with a bulk shot at 3/4 depth and a couple of tiny (no. 8 or 10) droppers near the hook, and dot the float right down so it's only just showing, and strike as soon as it disappears.

[ColinW]

You have to ask yourself "Why should a float EVER go under?"

If a fish picks your bait up off the bottom and swims along then there is no downward force on the float. Not unless something at the surface prevents your float moving along the surface, which might be wind, current or your rod tip. On a very calm day there is no wind or current (in a pond) so unless the line is tight to your rod (or pole) the float will tend to just move sideways. If the line is kept tight then, as long as the fish doesn't swim straight towards you, the float will go under.

[Barry C]

Have had a similar experience, very little float movement but occasionaly moving sideways. Turned out to be Crucians which hardly move the bait at all. Changed to a very sesative lift method with an insert waggler shotted down the line so the insert was showing then attatching a single BB, enough to sink the float, about 1.5-2 inches from the hook. Then set the depth so that the tip of the float is only just visible. Bites will be very slight lifts sometime no more than 6mm strike at everything. I also found I was getting bites from skimmers that I did'nt even know about.