When I feel the need to use floats, I usually want the weight at the same time for a Looong cast. I tweek my floats a lot. This came from bank fishing gills near bottom in strip mines at 12'-16' a long cast from bank. First I buy my floats from Grizzly Jig Co in box of 3 doz. I like Carlsyle(sp?) in I think no.#738.
First I cut off the plastic, designed to cut-fail bead on top. Then I put a #8 glass bead on a doll needle to hold it while I position it properly. I put the doll needle w/bead through the float stem, put a 1/2' long piece of shrink tube over the float stem and the glass bead on top. Then I hit it with a heat gun.
The result is a so-so bobber transformed into a durable functionable one. With the addition of a large shot 6" above the jig it becomes a well balanced float that works well and casts a country mile. :D :D
Sound like a lot of trouble? Not for me! I guess I just like things that work well without paying too much for them. :D :D