Float & Fly

[FishingDog]

I was just wondering how many of you use the float and fly method for crappie fishing? I know several guys that fish Dale Hollow for smallmouth, and they clain that they kill the crappie right along with the smallmouth. They use jigs with wood duck feathers in them. They swear by the Punisher brand jigs, which comes from, www.punisherjigs.com. Celina, Tenn.

[shipahoy41]

I use that method with great success all the time. Swim it slowly, then pause. Swim it slower than you did before and pause it again. I'll use a waggler or a cigar float. Let the marabou undulate, pulsate and entice those crappies.

This has worked very well for me for the past few years. Thought I'd share it on the forum.

[CrappiePappy]

I was just wondering how many of you use the float and fly method for crappie fishing? I know several guys that fish Dale Hollow for smallmouth, and they clain that they kill the crappie right along with the smallmouth. They use jigs with wood duck feathers in them. They swear by the Punisher brand jigs, which comes from, www.punisherjigs.com. Celina, Tenn.

While I don't use the FnF method often, I have used it with some success. As you may already know, and for the benefit of those that don't, the "float and fly" fishing method is a Crappie fishing original. It was adapted by Smallmouth Bass anglers, when it became known that Crappie anglers were catching alot of Smallmouth Bass while using the technique. It is simply the casting of a jig and fixed float. For Bass in general, it's a cold water technique (water temps between 40 & 55deg) ... while, for Crappie, it's not limited so much by water temp, as it is by the depth they're holding, and can be used most all year long.
I see alot of Punisher jigs, at my local tackle store ... and I think many of our own jig makers can produce as good, and in some instances, better products. And I don't think our members prices are nearly as high
I'd put my friend Grousefly's feather jigs up against Punisher's, any day. And I suspect he's probably been tying and shipping many a FnF jig, over the past couple of months :D

... cp

[deathb4disco]

I was just wondering how many of you use the float and fly method for crappie fishing?

I don't often use the float & FLY, but float & ANYTHING (jig, bait, fly, plastic) usually works very well. It's very hard to beat the presentation and bite detection you get with a good float.

[gajud]

Thanks for the site.
I would rather use only a jig. when the bite slows down the float and fly can slow down the retrive and keep the jig in the strike zone much longer. We call it dead sticking around here.

[PawPaw Gene]

My friend fishes only with float and fly, actually float and jig using plastics. He regularly catches thousands of fish a year using that method. Of course he fishes 2 or 3 times a week. I sometimes use a similar method using my fly rod by taking the smallest orange and white foam float (1") and cut it in half and peg it to my leader about 2' up and tying a very small jig or fly and fish away. A lot of fun for the fly rod enthusiast. My preferred method is using a jig only, usually marabou, a 7' ultra lite rod and casting to shoreline or structure and swimming it back to the boat. The trick is to make sure you swim it back. As soon as it hits the water start swimming it with a very small jigging motion , after a couple of feet, stop it jig it, and then swim it some more. Continue until you get to the boat, then just before picking it out of the water, jig it a couple of times more and let it sit for a few seconds before picking it up. Just cranking it in will cut down on the number of fish caught. Now we fish shallow water canals, up to 8 ' but mostly around 5' and always fish towards the bank. Just my way.
From the bayou,
PawPaw "gene"

[harleyrider04]

I use that method with great success all the time. Swim it slowly, then pause. Swim it slower than you did before and pause it again. I'll use a waggler or a cigar float. Let the marabou undulate, pulsate and entice those crappies.


By the way, the Browns did a great job this past year.

just a question, how did you get that illistration of cork and fly I'm am not very good on my
computer.

[bentpole]

I've been using a float & jig for years.Although just in the last few years have I heard it called FLOAT & FLY :D ,Use it mostly in the spring when they move up tp spawn,
I like the 11/2" weighted floats, But don't think it matters that much as long as you can tell when you get hit. I catch alot of fish with it.

[shipahoy41]

just a question, how did you get that illistration of cork and fly I'm am not very good on my
computer.

I drew it myself using "Paint" program on my computer. I then saved the picture in "My pictures" on my computer. Finally I uploaded it to Photoshop and posted it here.







You might find these threads interesting reading

http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...ighlight=Float

http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...ighlight=Float

http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...ighlight=Float




http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...ighlight=Float

[fiddlefarter]

I use a float and jig sometimes when I need to back off and bring it by cover slowly. I use a slip float rig like Shipahoy but I use a different float.

The difference in a float and jig and a Float n Fly is simple. A FnF rig for bass uses a FnF "fly". Kinda like a fiberglass boat is usually referred to as a "bass boat" lol. A crappie rig uses a crappie jig. You don't use a slip float for a FnF rig either. You use a clip on float.