well i dont know about you guys in NY, but out here you would be broke if you used carved floats out here. I have used a couple of the balsa floats but at 4 bucks a pop thats a little to much.
Alot of people out here are using the B.C. style "dink" floats. They can be purchased from some local companies or make them yourselves. 1" or larger diameter backing foam ( the kind you use for insulation) take about four inches of it and put a 1/8" plastic tubing in the middle. These are a hell of alot cheaper than wood.