Stick floats

[lutra]

Ive been trying to find a float that i can see on long trots and windy days. The best (biggest top) stick floats Ive been able to find in the local tackle shops are these made by Preston Innovations.

Which are great on a nice day, but on days like yesterday with a bit of extra water which was carrying my loose feed further and a wind putting a good ripple on the water, i was struggling to see my bites/float. Anyone got any ideas or know of any better floats?

 

Brian.

[MikeT]

Hi Brian.

 

Why does it have to be a stick? When I need extra-highly visible floats attached top and bottom, I use a big handmade swan quill. The top two inches are painted fluorescent red, and I can clearly see these sticking up forty or fifty yards away on a choppy surface in the semi-dark. Despite my eyes growing dim!

 

They can be surprisingly sensitive to bites, if you balance them correctly.

[Simon Fell]

Have a search around on the internet as Mike says you dont have to use a stick, I've managed to find some new style avon floats at varying weights in my local fishing shop recently, with quite bulbus tips and also some classical crow quill style avons.

 

If the conditions are as bad as stated a heavier float should give you greater control and not limit the number of bites you get.

 

Although I have got into the habbit of buying loads of different river floats recently and I dont even know when half of them should be used!

 

Has anyone produced a definative guide when to use a certain float, eg what exact conditions each different float was designed for?

 

Simon

Edited November 20, 2008 by Simon Fell

[Vagabond]

When I need extra-highly visible floats attached top and bottom, I use a big handmade swan quill.

 

Here ya go Brian

One of these will only cost you a pint.

[Simon Fell]

Love the look of those floats Vagabond, fantastic! Bet you get satisfaction from watching those drift down the river.

 

I'm really bad with making things with my hands, but maybe one day I will try and make my own floats.

 

Is it very difficult?

 

Simon

Edited November 20, 2008 by Simon Fell

[Vagabond]

Has anyone produced a definative guide when to use a certain float, eg what exact conditions each different float was designed for?

 

Billy Lane's Encyclopaedia of Float Fishing.

 

The names of the floats might have changed, but the principles haven't.

 

Takes you through from the simple crowquill in still water with no wind, to sticks, wagglers and trotters in rivers with a howling gale blowing.

 

NEVER been bettered. Diagrams, shotting patterns etc. Find one second hand, put it in your tackle box and use it BY THE WATER until you are float-literate.

[Vagabond]

Bet you get satisfaction from watching those drift down the river.

 

Its better still when they submerge.

 

one day I will try and make my own floats.

 

Is it very difficult?

No

[Simon Fell]

Strangely enough Billy Lane's float fishing encyclopedia arrived for me from ebay yesterday!

 

I shall be looking forward to my bedtime reading!

[BoldBear]

Although I have got into the habbit of buying loads of different river floats recently and I dont even know when half of them should be used!

 

Has anyone produced a definative guide when to use a certain float, eg what exact conditions each different float was designed for?

 

Simon

 

Theres a few of them about most of which are now out of print. I have a good one 'Float fishing' by the old master Billy Lane; however he didn't like the stick float design and swore that a small avon type float was better. I also have the Ivan Marks float fishing book which is also good but I prefer the Billy Lane one which I think is smaller and more concise (and on better paper). There are several Encyclopedias of float fishing by several authors, a quick search on the web should throw a few up for you.

Edited November 20, 2008 by BoldBear

[Vagabond]

'Float fishing' by the old master Billy Lane; however he didn't like the stick float design .

He didn't like the idea that the stick was the complete answer to everything. At the time, most match anglers used them, so it was not surprising that most matches were won by stick users.

 

For fishing caster when there was an upstream wind in a smooth flowing river - he said himself it was unbeatable.

 

But in Billy's view, the stick was inappropriate in many other conditions - ie he pointed out its limitations.