Floats for jig fishing #2

[goose]

Yesterday I asked for information about which floats to use for jig fishing and received several good responses. I should have also asked, which of these floats will detect the "lift bites" that crappie are known for? Would they be necessary, or do crappie just pull the float down?

[deathb4disco]

I should have also asked, which of these floats will detect the "lift bites" that crappie are known for?

There is nothing like a waggler for showing lift bites. Theres is nothing like a waggler, period, IMO. It's the only float I use.

Would they be necessary, or do crappie just pull the float down?

All fish will take the bait and rise in the water. I've had days when the majority of bites were lift bites.

[foul hook]

I am playing with the bullet bobber. The verdict is not in yet. I have hi hopes. real world the porcupine quill will be the most sensitive.

[FroggerZack]

I saw on the Lindy website (one of the banner/sponsers on here) that they have Thill bobbers that are specific sized for for different jig weights. Saves from experimenting out on the water or in the sink.

[Dave Willis]

There is nothing like a waggler for showing lift bites. Theres is nothing like a waggler, period, IMO. It's the only float I use.





All fish will take the bait and rise in the water. I've had days when the majority of bites were lift bites.

I'm not sure I've heard of a waggler,what does it look like and is there another name for it?

[Risen a crappie fisherman]

Hey Dave here U go on that float
Cabela's -- Thill™ TG Waggler Float

[Fatman]

I use Betts Oval weighted bobbers slip and fixed. I also have some thill floats. I prefer the rubber bobber stops instead of the thread stops.

Fatman

[deathb4disco]

I'm not sure I've heard of a waggler,what does it look like and is there another name for it?

The waggler is an English float that has been adopted by all the top float fishermen in Europe. Mick Thill introduced it to America about twenty years ago. Risen posted a pic of the Thill waggler. It's the most commonly available one here in the US.

Wagglers are long and thin and are attached at the bottom only. If you search the archives for "waggler" under my name, you will find lots of info. I've posted a lot about them. They've been called wagglers since they were first invented.

[robbor]

Lift bits are shown when weight is releases from the float. The long waggler rises. You need to have all of you weight on the hook for this to be the most effective, basically jigs. I prefer smaller floats because i want to see every little tic. I want to see minnows, tiny bluegill pecking, bites on the fall, lift bites. I have used the THill mini stealth for over 10 years now, as a stream float and small bluegill float i use the MS-0 and then for normal fishing for me i use the MS-2 which is a 1/32 oz float. These are short pear shaped floats so for example on a lift bite they dont rise, they just fall over onto their side.
They are also super adjustable and small, not for long casts. I take poeple fishing all the time and one is a guy i fish with normally. I always find people trying to do the same thing, tight line a float, it makes no sense espically with these small floats. If i tight lined a float i would see my shake and movment in the float, they are that sensitive. I am normally using longer rods 7' but usually 9 or 10' so i can take up alot of line fast with just a flip of the wrist also light line my norm is 4# and 2# for the MS-0. Im always telling others i give floats to to drop their rod tips. As soon as the float hits you drop your rod tip and line to the water and the only thing you see is the action of the jig dropping and tipping the float up, if it twitches, that was a fish, If is stays on its side the fish already has it. Alot of the small fish we catch do not take the float screaming under, many times its a tap, pop, vibrate, float swimming sideways, Many times also they just take the float down a tiny bit. I am normally using floats as a search bait, so a cast and let it drop, sit for about 5-10 seconds than give it a fairly sharp pop and wait the same. I know exactly what the float is going to do and how fast its going to stand up, If i take my eyes off the the float like you would just casting a bobboer out waiting for some fish to swallow it and take it under i would miss 80% of the fish a catch. Normally im getting pecks and bites constantly if there are fish and they are active. These floats lose alot fo their associativity when you set them deep also the drag of the water on alot of line out and the resistance of the jig cause the float to go under alot, so if you want a float for say 10' deep water you would probably go with a float one size larger than the weight specified, and you will lose some sensitivity. I have also taken to spring bobbers alot for open water and vertical fishing.

[deathb4disco]

I have used the THill mini stealth for over 10 years now, as a stream float and small bluegill float i use the MS-0 and then for normal fishing for me i use the MS-2 which is a 1/32 oz float. These are short pear shaped floats so for example on a lift bite they dont rise, they just fall over onto their side.

Mick Thill based the design of the Mini Stealth (and the related Stream and Brook Master float) on an English float called the "Trent Trotter". The TT was created by Billy Lane for very shallow streams. Lane was the first English world champion and a mentor to Thill.

I don't use the mini stealths much, but they are good in certain situations. I mostly use them in very shallow water, like when the fish are spawning