Thread: DIY for better floats

Agree that most bobbers are obsolete, particulaly the red and white "cannon ball" types. The 1 exception is the "Winget" bobbers; they advertise they will cast 1/3rd farther than a common "pencil' type bobber, and are `hydrodynamic` in that they are designed to "sink" easier and with less resistance than almost any other type other than Thill`s "broom straw" style, which aren`t easy to find. They are also easy to rig as slip bobbers and are more accurate to cast into a given spot.

The people that fish this type of equipment do not shun reels. Some of the finest reels that I have used are for both types of competition. The Daiwa match reels are not even available here any more and the bait runners are all but gone. If you want some serious reels check out the sites in the EU. You can order the reels from them directly. DB4D may have links to someone here that imports them. I still have 2 new in box line alarms with ground steaks. They have some great tackle that will never sell in this country. Too hard to educate the public. For example i have a casting rod that will out perform any standard casting rod on our market but every company that put them out discontinued them due to lack of sales. They did not look traditional. Go figure.

Originally Posted by jigtosser

The people that fish this type of equipment do not shun reels. Some of the finest reels that I have used are for both types of competition. The Daiwa match reels are not even available here any more and the bait runners are all but gone. If you want some serious reels check out the sites in the EU. You can order the reels from them directly.

...They don't eschew reels. It's just that the long pole has become much more important in many matches. If you're fishing at pole distances (50' or less), the rod and reel generally can't compete with the pole. In other situations, the rod and reel shines.

The best English anglers are very good with rod and reel floats. At the international level, you have to be.

Aint that how it goes - Ive never saw much rod and reel stuff in Europe, back when I was there. Only on the coast of Spain did I see people casting much. Usually it was some clever kind of wicked long rod. I wasn't really interested in fishing then, anyway, it was just sort of in the background.
Then what do I see on these new YouTube vids? - guys casting to carp with rod and reel. Go figure!

I still have 2 new in box line alarms with ground steaks. They have some great tackle that will never sell in this country. Too hard to educate the public. For example i have a casting rod that will out perform any standard casting rod on our market but every company that put them out discontinued them due to lack of sales. They did not look traditional. Go figure.

Precisely why I'm so interested in the methods they use, like the floats. I figure one way to possibly get better results is to do something different.
By the way, thanks for the great links guys.

Originally Posted by dahut

Then what do I see on these new YouTube vids? - guys casting to carp with rod and reel. Go figure!

Precisely why I'm so interested in the methods they use, like the floats. I figure one way to possibly get better results is to do something different.

The hard-core carp guys cast to them with rod and reel for two reasons:

1) The carp are way beyond pole range -- often well over 100 yards.

2) Those guys are after BIG carp -- 20 to 40-pounders. Although you can take good-sized carp on the pole, rod and reel is better for the jumbos. (My biggest carp on the pole was around 15 pounds.)

If you're interested in this type of fishing, check out bankfisher.com. There are some really good articles on that site.

A good book is "American Coarse Angling" by Brook Landis.

Originally Posted by deathb4disco

The hard-core carp guys cast to them with rod and reel for two reasons:

1) The carp are way beyond pole range -- often well over 100 yards.

2) Those guys are after BIG carp -- 20 to 40-pounders. Although you can take good-sized carp on the pole, rod and reel is better for the jumbos. (My biggest carp on the pole was around 15 pounds.)

If you're interested in this type of fishing, check out bankfisher.com. There are some really good articles on that site.

A good book is "American Coarse Angling" by Brook Landis.

I used to fish for carp as a kid in Wisconsin, years ago. It was invariably done with rod and reel - mostly because that is what we had. The fish were considered a nuisance and we removed them from the water to die. So it goes; it was a long time ago. It wasn't a sport as much as something to do ... catching carp is better than catching nothing .

There wasn't any organization or technique as we see now with "coarse" fishing.
We just strung corn on a hook and tossed it to 'em. We didnt use bobbers or floats, because you didnt need to. These fish were impounded in large catch ponds below a dam in St. Croix Falls, WI. They were so so thick you could almost walk on them.

Ive been all over Bankfisher.com. and I appreciate the link - - Thank You. I'm mostly interested in the cross-over coarse methods found there for bluegill fishing, like the floats.
I would like to fish more for carp, but they aren't in abundance here in South Carolina. Ive heard they are in the Savannah River, not far from where I live. I may look into that. They swim in Lake Greenwood, too, I believe, although that is a good hours drive.
I'd really like to find someone around here who enjoys 'coarse' fishing, but no one fiishes for carp on purpose that I know of! :-)
What I reckon I can do is work out a hybrid plan, one that combines many of the "carpy" techniques for panfish and catfish.

Ill look for that book. Thanks again! Now, back to the floats Im working on....

dahut, learn to fish a basic waggler float. It's the most successful float design in history. I've caught bluegill, shellcracker, crappie, trout, catfish and carp on it.

BTW, I bet there are loads of carp near you. They're everywhere. The Carp Anglers Group has many South Carolina members.

Am quite certain that in Europe carp are as prized as bass are here. And I know, have heard them called a `sewer bass` and worse, BUT hook a 5lb specimen of both and even if the carp doesn`t get a second of `air time`will BET the bass is back in the water while the carp is on it`s 3rd or 4th power run; and between the 2 will bet you land the bass; the carp is several times more likely to throw the hook, or just find the weakest link in your rig and..." BINK !" Not to mention have NEVER saw a 50 lb bass; hook a MONSTER carp and the F I G H T is on, and pardon, for most of us it would be 1 of those "YOU AIN`T GONNA BELIEVE THIS, BUT...!!!" stories where the fish broke off after 10 seconds...must`a been a state record bass! as the carp swims off sporting new jaw jewelry...