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When to use a float


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HiI'm from the UK and fishing tehre pretty much always uses a float.From my limited time fishing here, I've yet to use one.Does anyone have any general advice on when to use a float or not. Even some of teh books I've got skirt over teh issue, there great showing me what rigs to use for what fish but not if I use a float or not with them.CheersMatthew

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A float is used forcasting weightdrifting out a baitholding and releasing burleybetter presentation (finesse)suspending a bait at a particular depthindicating a biteGenerally floats are only used for surface feeding fish here is SA as the fishing pressure is much less, and the level of finesse presentations is not required. Many bottom feeding fish do not require a floating rig.I use a float for shark fishing (balloon), pencil or burley float for tommies and gar, small float with whitebait 1m under the surface for snook and small egg float for squidding.Generally whiting snapper, flathead and bream feed closer to the bottom and do not require the use of a float rig.

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Kelvins pretty spot on there Raminoz.Personally I only ever use a float if I REALLY need toA lot of my fishing is done with braid nowadays, so between that and not using a float, generally feeling/ seeing bites is just as easy, if not easier ;):) If you like your freshwater, this is a nice example of what u can get. Posted Imageor Posted ImageCant help myself :P

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I find miost rigs in books work weel, though some aren't always practical.As an example, I find the two hooks uneder a float rig for gar cumbersome and inefficient, largely because on the odd occasion you DO get a double header, more often than not, they'll tangle the rig into a mess that takes ages to undo, when you could be getting more fish :pinch:

Thats a really badly painted wall Brent!!:huh: :huh: :huh:The police are on their way to arrest you for excess use of a photo on a public forum. :lol: :pinch:

Color testing urh ;) we went through about a dozen tester pots b4 getting the right color. The joys of a house :S :whistle: The Boys in Blue will be round to see you about all those Reds u keep catching too ;) :whistle: :woohoo: :laugh:
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I reckon that's a cardboard cut out but I can't work out why you'd go to those lengths to paint and colour a crabby old "Mud Monster" on it :huh: :dry: How about making the next one with a 30 lb "Big Red" or even better' date=' a 100kg Mully :silly:OR, DARE I say, a 2 kg redfin? :laugh::laugh::laugh:[/quote']Give it time , give it time ;) I thought you were saying I was the cut-out for a sec then Tony :side: :laugh: :laugh: :clap::laugh::clap: Careful Daring anyone on the 2kilo Redfin :huh::unsure: , someone might just "out-dare" you :boot::fishing: :f :pinch: :lol:
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The only time I use a float is for live baiting for Mullies in west lakes as it gives a good visual on when the mullet gets slammed, when fishing for trout with crickets etc and I want them only under the surface by about a metre and for the obvious garfish and tommies.All the rest of my fishing is done on the humble patternoster rig or running rig. So there is definately still a lot of need for floats in australia I believe.

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catching Salmon off rock ledges' date='with a pillie on ganged 4/0's 5 feet under a polystyrene float ..........does anyone (except me)still do that? :blink:[/quote']Yep !As softy said, still plenty of applications for them, just personally I often find it better without a float, where a book might say I should have 1 ;)
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"don't believe everything you read" ;) I guess it all depends upon the conditions' date='and personal observations.......everyday and everyone is different.It's what-ever works B)[/quote']Exactly USSR.Ive found using braid has often meant I can do away with a float and fish by feel as well as sight, as braid will usually float and give a good visual anyway
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There are some really interesting unconventional rigs that use floats for bottom feeding fish.I sometimes tie clipdown pulley rigs with a breakaway impact shield and put some foam on the hook before wrapping the bait. This lifts up the bait away from crabs. Geoff Wilson has a similar rig incorporating a small water balloon and NZ snapper anglers often use small floats near their hook to lift the bait.In Canberra a really sneaky rig was to suspend two live shrimp under a crystal waggler float. This accounted for some good Callop over the years.Today I was chasing YFW and was stuck on 16 fish before they went quiet. I put my bait 1.5m under a small pencil float. This allowed it to drift with the wind and cover more water while still staying near the bottom. I caught a few more fish and completed my bag.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Caught this great bream using a simple waggler rig.Two #4 split shot either side of the float to allow for adjustment of depth as the tide came in.Size 12 hook 5 foot below float in about 8 foot of water no spilt shot down the line at all.Slither of bonito for bait.For scaling, the waggler (float) is 34cm long.

03042011012.jpg

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