dink fishing

[Vagabond]

For "dink" fishing (ie tench or anything smaller) in ponds I have always used porcupine quills, painted the top inch with fluorescent red, orange magenta,, pink or yellow model-maker's paint and attached by an eighth-inch slice of cycle valve rubber top and bottom. I acquired a lifetime's supply of valve rubber about seventy years ago from a mate whose uncle kept a cycle shop. Dusted with French Chalk and stored in a closed container in a cool cupboard, it seems to last for ever - there was about a yard of it originally, and I have about half left - so it will last me until about 2088 No problem with tangles, I usually make it my business to get close enough to the fish so that I fish under the rod tip. Yes, if you want to cast a porc, you need to realise they are heavier than your shot string - I use bird quills for longer casting of floats, ( crow duck,goose, swan etc) with appropriate shot.and am always running short of the right sized float rings for them.

[Phone]

Ayjay,

 

Nope

 

Steve, that makes total sense

 

Vagabond, I have some of the tiniest rubber bands you'll ever see. They are made for and used when kids get braces on their teeth these days. Very high quality but I don't think they are smaller than the 8 in quills?? You direct me to ""attached by an eighth-inch slice of cycle valve rubber top and bottom."". Contrary to Ajay's comment I'm gonna have to "play around" I guess. Can't fish anyway til the cold snap passes.

 

Phone

Edited October 16, 2018 by Phone

[chesters1]

Wait to you discover pole floats lol the rubbers are about .5mm internally they need to grip tight.

Easy things to make just buy a foot of silicone or rubber tube with the internal diameter half of the top (or bottom) diameter of the float and cut it into slices

The old term is float caps and you bought them in a bag of assorted sizes or as Vagabond says the valve rubbers were used for smaller sizes.now they come in boxes in lurid colours

[Vagabond]

The old term is float caps and you bought them in a bag of assorted sizes

...and the commercially made ones are just not elastic enough to grip the float firmly enough,- so you are suffering from "depth cheat" after a longish cast because the float slides along the line during the cast.

 

Better to get good quality rubber tube (model-makers' shops etc) and cut slices off it

[Phone]

All,

 

Will be out 10/18 or 10/9 and I'll let you know how I get on with this ridiculous venture. Right now I'm rather enthused but hopeful no real fishermen see me. Here's the deal - goal is 1 - 2 in of white out of the water

 

 

I have zillions of these (the little bands in various color and size.

 

 

 

They are almost unbreakable rubber bands used for an American obsession. Straightening teeth.

 

I have also acquired (by ruining the shells) some number 7 and number 6 twelve gauge (bore) shotgun shells in very soft lead. I have tediously sliced a suitable mark in them (10 ea) to go on my mainline if necessary.

 

Am I missing anything

 

I still cannot figure how to be sure the white part is going to be out of the water - and - how I am to "load" my shot at the bottom of the quill. I know, I'm horrible at visualizing - however something is getting wet this week. Ohh, these fish go nutzo for "trout chow" fishmeal pellets. Hookbait (our) probably 2 or 3 Fingerling Starter 1/16in. They are soft and sink. Wire crappie hook size #8.

 

Phone

[gozzer]

This video gives you an idea how to set up a basic waggler float Phone. It's sometimes better to actually see it, than it is to try and imagine it.

 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=waggler+float+set+up&view=detail&mid=D98719A7393751A0D118D98719A7393751A0D118&FORM=VIRE

 

We'll make a 'proper' angler of you yet.

 

John.

[Phone]

All

 

Gozzer, first, for heaven's sake, don't tell Newt.

 

The video is/was very helpful. Let me see if I have this. First I don't need the little rubber bands. I have some (couple sizes) surgical tubing (clear). I have left out of my "kit" swivels. I will need two tiny swivels for each rig. One for my hooklength and one for the quill (right?). The first swivel goes into the tubing and over the quill. Mainline will go through the eye of this swivel? The only thing "saving my quill is the tightness of the surgical tubing in contact with the swivel and quill (whew ! seems risky if I was buying the quills).

 

The second swivel - hooklength or hooklink or end tackle (whatever) I can handle.

 

He didn't have his lead "bulked up" against the float. I'll play with that.

 

If I loose a quill, I KNOW two of these indestructible tiny rubber bands OVER the tubing couldn't be pulled apart under about any circumstances. I suppose I could do the same on the "free" side of the swivel as well. I promise there would be NO swivel affect/effect - just a secure hole for my mainline. Is that right? How "tidy" must this contraption used to attach the float be? Quills seem "heavy" compared to the"other" floats of similar mass.

 

I tied a quill (10") and nothing else to my mainline (.9kg - 2lb) Berkley Nano Fil. I could consistently cast 10 - 12 yards with marginal accuracy. That's plenty of distance for what I am going to be doing to start with. Changed mainline to ManoFil - feels good in grass - Ha ha.

 

Anyone?

 

Phone

[Martin56]

Phone, you may be surprised at how well a Black tipped float shows up in the water, Bright, Fluorescent Red/Orange can dazzle in bright sunlight & after a few hours glaring at these, one can end up seeing double AND can end up with quite a headache.

 

I have quite a few Black tipped floats, which show up even better in overcast/cloudy conditions.

 

Use a waterproof/water resistant black felt tip pen if you don't want to commit to paint.

 

You should also try a rubber - Top & Bottom (stick float style) & shotting the line "Shirt Button" style, which is a good way to start with. (equally spaced down the line)

 

Also, rather than using a swivel for your hooklength, attach it "Loop to Loop". (a simple double overhand loop on the Main line & Hooklength)

Like this (The demo' is using very thick line so it shows well for the vid' - it actually lays very flat in reality!!!)

 

Just push the loops together to undo.

 

Edited October 18, 2018 by Martin56

[Steve Walker]

Phone, one option for attachment of quills to the bottom end of the float is to epoxy a tiny swivel into them.

[Phone]

All,

 

Martin, I 100% agree on "black up". Except for those I've "fingernail polished" I have either option. The one's I've painted I painted only the white end. I thought that - then said to myself - these guys already know I'm ignorant of what I'm doing. Don't make it worse. I can just see some jackass telling me my float is upside down.

 

Steve.

 

I have plenty of "super glue" and "airplane" glue. Are you saying to "split the tip of the quill and insert the swivel". First, how the 'ell do you get even a razor blade in the tip? They come down to a pretty fine point. Of course one end is slightly fatter than the sharp pointy end but looks to me like I'd split the quill all the way up???

 

On the glue, everyone knows the odor of that stuff. How many days before they are "safe" fishing equipment (no epoxy on hand) all solvent based.

 

Phone