Float Fishing - Help!

Hi Folks, I would like some advice on shore fishing using a float. For the best part of my life I have fished using a basic paternoster loop in the line and 2-3oz weight with much success I might add. However, any time I use a float rig, it just comes right back in close to the waters edge. Is there any techniques I can use to get it to stay out where I want it?

hi, there could be a number of reasons. what kind of float do you use? is it a slider where the line passes throught the centre of the float or a float where the line is passed through a swivel at the end of the float? to me the most probable cause is the line is sitting on the surface of the water, and is left exposed to wind and wave action. this would cause the float to be dragged everywhere at a suprisingly fast pace. the solution is easy. cast out. stick the rod tip under the water, and crank the line back a couple of turns, which helps submerge the line and counter act wind and wave action. another tip is give the spool of line a small squirt of fairy washing up liquid, and rub it into the line, it helps degrease the line and sink better. however, even after the line is sunk, you will find that the float may travel around a bit due to swell and that, especially when fishing close in against features. so you just have to put up with it. but by sinking the line, it will help stop the float travelling back in on top of you too quickly.
also if you use a loaded float(a float that has a certain amount of lead built into the float itself) in conjuction with a vane on top(like the flight on a dart) this will help hold the floats position better int he water. it's best to buy a selection of floats rather than a few big bright ones, and experiment yourself with the conditions on the day.
try googling pike floats, and float manufacturers such as middy and drennan, there's tonnes of floats out there for every occasion.
best of luck,
Patrick

here are some of drennans range

http://www.tackleshop.co.uk/ProductsLis ... ing-tackle

the loaded vaned floats i was talking about are on this link
http://www.floatsonline.com/premier_pike_floats.html

there, that should empty your wallet suffeciently!!

Hi Patrick many thanks for your useful advice. I usually fish the north antrim coast and have been told that a float is ideal for wrasse and coalies in the rocky shores where weed gets your bottom rig too easily, until now have had no success with this method. Im goin out to portush next week, more than likely my girlfriend will have more success at catching the illusive Ballan Beast as she always does at the Blue Pool area. And to think I was teaching her to fish only last year :?

Oh one other thing, would you have any links to sites that have diagrams for rigs?

for float set ups? or conventional bottom fishing?

http://www.esoxecosse.com/float_fishing_basics.htm

this link is for pike float fishing, but all you need to do is use a hooklength of 18inches or so of 10-12lb line instead of the wire trace and treble hooks shown in the diagram. use hooks sized 1/0 to 3/0 depending on baits, and fish species(short shank hooks work well with crab baits) the normal longer shanks suit work and fish baits.
by the way the second diagram isn't of much use in the salt, the first and last diagrams are the ones you'll be interested in. another tip thay comes in very useful is the bead above the float should be a different colour. say thr float tip is orange/red. use a green bead between the float stop, and the float itself, that way you can easily see that the bait has dropped down to the correct depth, and hasn't tangled around something.
and remember to stick the rod tip under the water and wind in a couple of turns to sink the line!

good luck bosco.
Patrick

Excellent mate, I'll let you know the results next week. Thanks very much.

Hey Patrick, been a bit longer to respond than I thought, been dying with the cold after the 12th week. I took your advice on using floats, dipping the rod in the water and so on and you were right! You definitely have more control over the float. Although I didnt catch anything on float, a few other guys at potrush and ballintoy were float rigged and they caught some decent sized pollock, one of which was baited with a mackerel head!? I thought that woud only have worked for dogs and conger, but the wind blew one way and the result was pollock. I switched to sinker and caught plenty of wrasse, but at least now I can see the float method working and I now have control. Many thanks mate.

no worries at all mate. ya i've seen lads catch some fine pollack on mackeral heads, never tried it myself, must give it a go. one guy i know claims that he has had some amazing fish by either freelining or float fishing a live mackeral off rocks. to be honest i'd be scared to do it. god knows what kind of a monster would nail that one!!!