TomBettle Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Hi Guys Just testing the water here. After the discussion recently over float fishing BIG live baits for Bass I have been doing some thinking. I have been using 8" cigar floats which are about as large as you can commonly buy and cost in the region of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markee_b Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Yeah...count me in Tom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Y Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Count me in too Tom - great idea. For those of us based out of Weymouth will this floatfishing work up our way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Count me in too Tom - great idea. For those of us based out of Weymouth will this floatfishing work up our way? Our resident Bass gods have apparently used them in pretty deep water (over 22m). Our patch of Bass ground (apart from along the cliffs back past Lulworth) is on the races etc and the water is deep at around 25 to 35m. Maybe if Rup or Al see this they can advise. Certainly work somewhere like the shambles and I'd love to give it a go over Alderney side. Tom I am determined to crack this floatfishing malarky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Yes please Tom More trinkets for me to look at Martin PS have you got the new 655 in Poole if so can I look plz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wedger Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 I'm in Tom....... Mi prof. chum of many year's ago used float fished liveliest lovelies to great effect, but I've yet to practice what he preached. This sounds just the job. Wedge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady jane Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 yes please, not sure how you shape them ? if they can be turned id be happy to give it a go if it would help ! cheers andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 could you use a small balloon slideing on the line? maybe small water bomb type? cheap as chips........ok, either its a good idea, or im gonna get the pi$$ ripped outa me...lol....i recon i know what the response will be, haha Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddriff Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Sound good to me as long as one of thay gin boat things dont try picking it up as a mooring keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Yes please Tom More trinkets for me to look at Martin PS have you got the new 655 in Poole if so can I look plz Martin It's just arrived in Southampton. Hoping to film a review with Sea Dangler by the end of the month. Guess I will be taking Dave Lewis to do if we can get the tides right (hence the floats). I looked over it yesterday and it is the doggies danglies. TONNES of space (at a guess about the same as an Avor 25). Loads of storage. Fantastic wheelhouse with loads of nooks and crannies, even proper rod storage. Sliding door at the back of the wheelhouse, another at the helm. Full walk around low level side decks. Cavernous rope locker. If any PBSBAC member wants to take a look please let me know first so I can register you as going, but you are all more than welcome. Ashore until early next week then afloat at Universal Marina on the Hamble. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMac Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Gnasher We tried balloons a few years ago on the ledge but were disappointed with them because it was hard to guage how much breath to put in them to fish the livebait properly (e.g. as close to the bottom for as much of the drift as possible but at the same time not creating too much resistance to the taking fish). A good idea but we found (find) it easier to fish a float, or selection of floats, that you know in respect of what size livebait and what size lead it can support. Its interesting to compare me and Rupe and our respective catches. I'm sure Rupe will agree that I probably have a bit more "finesse" about rigs than he does and if he's fishing 3ozs of lead, I'll be fishing 2oz. If Rupes fishing 2lb of lead, I'll be fishing a pound and a half. Over the course of a year there aint a jot of difference in our catches. Confidence in what your doing is the secret!! I would not use balloons again as there is too much guesswork involved and too many superior products on the market. Tom, I really think its about floats that support a healthy mackerel with between 2 and 4ozs of lead. I think that if it requires more lead than 4 oz you would probably be better bottom bouncing. The shape of the float is interesting because I personally prefer a cigar type float and Rupe prefers a pike bung type float. His preferred float will support up to 4 oz and a livebait, whereas my floats keep disappearing if I put 3ozs of lead and a bait on em. Your float is there to suspend your bait at the right depth and not really to indicate a bite, it is there as an indicator to tell you (along with your sense of feel) what your lively is doing down there and when mister bass is scaring the crap of it. I think both shapes of float have their uses and would aim for 2-4oz in both shapes. I look forward to my free sample to field test Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMac Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Just a quick post script, The only limit on depth of water that your able to fish is the length of leader that you can tie on. The lead weight involved is more to "persuade" your livebait to swim closer to the bottom rather than it swim wherever it wants. Once you've fished the method a few times you get to know what your finger tips and float are telling you about the bottom and you can work a variety of depths (within reason) with your float set at the deepest depth you drift over. Takes a bit of practice Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Al I may not have the ctaching sussed yet, but think I have sussed the float side now. Several sizes will be available from small ones the size of a normal egg for fishing live eel in shallow water and half an ounce to monsters for sharking that will take 8 oz if need be. Price will certainly be competitive with standard off the shelf floats and much cheaper than the posh Catfish ones on the net (but just as good). Price is likely to be about the same as you are paying fo yours "trade" and that will be retail. Ultimately it will be down to the cost of the raw materials and how long it takes to knock 'em up. Tom PS: Stole one of Rupert earlier for some ideas. Of course you will be receiving samples so long as I have good constructive criticism on how to improve the design... Finally, give Rupert a call about a little trip I have planned hopefully before the end of the month... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 how about using the floats they use on commercial nets- are these too big? PJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 how about using the floats they use on commercial nets- are these too big? PJ Paul Anything that floats will work to a fashion, however, if you see Alan's comments, half the battle is confidence in the equipment, knowing that wat you are using has just the right bouyancy, is set up for the job and in this instance made for the job. Again the float is used only 20% for the traditional visual "wait till it goes under" technique. The main purpose is to hold it away from the boat with the bait suspended inches off bottom vertically to minimise snags. It is highly visual so that you can see how far off your bait is and judge whether you need to hold it back slightly to lift your bait over the top of a ridge or let more line out to leave it in the strike zone. Most of the "feel" still comes through the rod, with the float being bouyant enough not to keep dissapearing with the bait alone, but still sensitive enough to not spook the Bass when it takes. I will be experimenting with different sizes so that I know exactly what pressure is required to cock the float and what is required to sink the float. The float I stole off Rupert cocks at 94g (a 3oz lead, swivels, hooks etc) and remember your bait doesn't add to this weight as it is neutrally bouyant (until it dives). Much bigger than 94g for live mackerel, this trace set-up and Bass as the target would be overkill, much smaller and the float doesn't have the oomph to keep the bait up. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wedger Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Interesting thought Paul. I have a chum in the net making industry, I'll see what sizes of float are available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 I think the key word is 'when the float go under and stay under!' If you fish it like we do with a carp or chub then it won't work cos the livebait can take the float under for a second or 2 when it try but it can't stay down longer. When a bass take it, it will go under and stay under (not to mention line will start disappearing). I have fished the float a few time and caught a number of fish ( no double figure yet) but haven't really have any trouble with the mackeral taking the float down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Is it really worth the faffing around to save 2/3 quid? I thought the beauty of the float was that you rarely loose any gear, and anyway even if you do the float stays floating - just motor over and pick it up?.... Dont be so tight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 What use up time and fuel just to go and recover a float? Come on Adam don't be so tight.......... ps I think you will find the float will be lost unless it's the snood that fails - if the lead gets trapped the braid to leader knot should fail but the stop knot will retain the float and leave it held under in the tide waiting to get back up just under the surface on the next LW slack and catch someones prop, wind round the prop shaft, take out the rubber seals.............he's going to be so hapy to have got himself a free float.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 ....True, point taken ...thats why I stick to the good ol' fashioned lead set up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 to be honest trying the float and ledgering i did find the ledgering easier but not successful yet for me sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted July 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 .....me thinks everyone is still missing the point of this float fishing for Bass malarky. It isn't like traditional float fishing. The float is not used so much as a bite indicator, in fact it is approaching the lines of the carp fishermans bait boat or bait dropper. Invariably it is the hook that gets snagged so if set up correctly you should only lose a hook. Floats do occasionally get lost, but more often than not when you use a cigar float that the macky can take down to and get some terminal gear caught up on the bottom. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 No, not missing the point - the float is used to hold the bait at a set depth, or slightly over depth, you then trot the bait over the mark feeling the bottom with your rod and hand - I stand to very very much corrected and will happilly eat humble pie when Al teaches me. However, until then a small light lead that isnt quite enough to hold bottom on a portland rig does it for me, I can still trot the bait, but just LOVE it when the bass hit, and IMO the fight is better as you are unhindered with floats etc on the line. If float fishing for bass is akin to stret pegging on a river, then fishing the lead is like rolling a bunch of swan shot for barbel..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 I love using the portland rig, it's so simple and user friendly but sometime on the bigger tide, I have to go as much as 12 oz. However with a float I can use the tiniest spinning rod with a fixed spool which I rack the sportiest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boybilly Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Panda Pop bottle half full of water, problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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