Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Float setup question  (Read 2026 times)

Shinny

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 199
Float setup question
« on: November 27, 2017, 04:00:25 PM »

Question about how guys setup your floats...

When I used to fish with a bait caster (Shimano Calcutta) I would use float stop on top of the float and another under the float. So the float was always in that spot on the line but easy to adjust. If I was fishing a deep pool i could still cast pretty good even if I had like a 7 foot long float to leader swivel.


I’ve switched up to using a Centerpin this year.... i can’t cast with that same setup. Having that much line it it’s hard to get the pin to spin pre cast and your chucking a lot of Line around in the air. I started to just run a float stopper on the top of the float and nothing on the bottom. I could if I wanted run a 8ft float stopper to leader swivel and reel the float stop into the guides so I only had very little  line hanging out... hope that make sense

So I cast away and the float rides up to the top where the stopper is and does it’s thing. My question is what would be the negative effects of not having a stopper on the bottom? I don’t see too many guys doing what I’m doing. I’ve had a few guys thinking I’m only fishing a 1ft float to leader yelling “hey buddy...not going to catch anything with a 1foot float” when in reality it’s much longer if fishing a deep pool.
Logged

Spawn Sack

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1144
Re: Float setup question
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2017, 04:13:52 PM »

Nothing wrong with rigging your float this way. I know a few guys who do this and catch a lot of fish.

Personally I don't like it. IMO if you like to occasionally "hold back" on your spool a bit your float, with no stopper under it, will start to ride down your mainline. In other words, if you are trying to fish at 4 feet deep, by holding back you will soon be at 3.5....then 3....then 2.5...and so on.

I like my float to stay right where I put it but it's all personal preference.

If you are finding you cant cast far/well with your new pin, try adding a bit more lead. 3 inches of standard 1/4 inch or whatever it is lead should do it. 30-35g float. The more weight the easier it will be. 2.5 inches of pencil lead and a 1/4oz jig with a 35g float should be smooth sailing!

Ensure you are "letting go" of your pin reel a heart beat before your cast, to get it rotating before you chuck your cast. Sometimes I forget to do this and the result is usually a flaccid upstream cast that goes about 15 feet. If I let it go a half second before I lob it I usually get a nice cast.
Logged

Fish Assassin

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10803
Re: Float setup question
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2017, 04:45:08 PM »

The only drawback is that you will lose your float if your mainline breaks.
Logged

clarki

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1968
Re: Float setup question
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2017, 05:32:11 PM »

When I float fish, I use slip float almost exclusively, without a bottom stopper. And yes, you do get some looks or comments, but that just makes it all the more fun! :)

As FA said, the bottom stopper does prevent float loss. Typically your mainline will fail at the knot, so a bottom stopper a foot or so above the knot will not effect your slip floating and will provide insurance against float loss.
Logged

Shinny

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 199
Re: Float setup question
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2017, 07:01:28 PM »



If you are finding you cant cast far/well with your new pin, try adding a bit more lead. 3 inches of standard 1/4 inch or whatever it is lead should do it. 30-35g float. The more weight the easier it will be. 2.5 inches of pencil lead and a 1/4oz jig with a 35g float should be smooth sailing!

Ensure you are "letting go" of your pin reel a heart beat before your cast, to get it rotating before you chuck your cast. Sometimes I forget to do this and the result is usually a flaccid upstream cast that goes about 15 feet. If I let it go a half second before I lob it I usually get a nice cast.

Casting distance isn’t the issue, I can get to where I need to be with with a float to swivel lenght of up to about 5-6 feet, drop it down to get the spin and wip it. Any longer than that and my leaders is only like a foot off the ground, maybe less If your on a bank. With a 6ft+ float to swivel plus a leader I don’t have much room to drop the line to spin the reel, the leader would be on the ground.

Sorta sounds like the best of both worlds is a stopper on the top and bottom. If your fishing a reasonable float depth use both stoppers. If your going deep then slide the upper one to what you want and move the bottom one down in case your mainline snaps. If I’m fishing a super deep pool the water isn’t moving quick enough to need a hold back typically so the float should remain at the top. Agreed though, I definitely hold back in fast water and the float goes down the line for sure and that’s not helping maintain a depth.
Logged

Stratocaster

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 714
Re: Float setup question
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2017, 07:14:35 PM »

I hate the clicking sound when the float stop goes through the guides.  Otherwise no other drawbacks that I can see.  One benefit is that you can hide the depth at which you are fishing. 
Logged