New to this cool board here. As my handle suggests I love to floatfish anything that catches fish especially bait and jigs. I have a question about this type of fishing that I've heard about but haven't tried yet. I heard that floatfishing a spinner like a vibrax or Bud's under a float in the faster currents and just above bottom really works for steelhead. Maybe salmon too? It keeps you from snaging up and the current rotates the spinner blade with enough action to get strikes. Well actually I did try it a couple times with a bite but I wasn't getting bites anyway. I would like to know if anybody out there has tried this successfully and is there any tricks I need to know about it. I will try to answer back to you about floating other goodies if you have a return question.
Bobbers down!

Dinkfloat, I've heard about this too but I haven't tried it. Sounds worth a try, I think it can work in some water. I would prefer the straight line normal method of fishing blades though, because the angle and action would be better I think. We'll see. I got a question for you. Do you use dink floats? Nah, jk. My Q is do you floatfish egg clusters with the lead ticking along bottom or with it above bottom a ways? For me I like to do both ways. In faster water for steelhead I like what I call float-driftfishing, where the lead is still ticking bottom but under a float. That way you can both feel and/or see the take and set quicker. You also snag up less often. For slower water or for 'nooks I like to have the lead and bait up off bottom a foot or 2. How about you other float affectionados?

Guys run it both ways with spawn sacks here. Some will create a staggered shot pattern (large ones on top, descending in size to within about 10 inches of the hook) with a very small split shot ticking bottom. The trick is to load the float so that it becomes unstable, and dives when the fish takes the eggs. The purpose of this set up is to run the line in a straightline all the way to the bottom shot, which allows the lighter spawn sac to be in the fishes face before the sinkers get there. You don't have to tilt the float stem up river to pull this off. This is used mostly in what we call "frog water".

The other method would be to put a couple of heavier shot close to the float, and then a couple medium sized shot about a foot above the eggs. This rig is run about 6 inches off the bottom, and is used when you are putting just enough pressure on the float to lean the stem upstream. This also puts the eggs in the fishes face first, and works good in a little heavier current.

I've seen the float , spinner combo used on the Vedder with sucess for the coho.

Thank you for the responses. Rt I have never used a dinkfloat haha I will often float my eggs even further off the bottom in tidewater holes for chinooks. Otherwise I do similar to what you guys desribe.

When I float fish bait for steelhead I prefer to use dink floats but not when I am using jigs.I try to keep it close to the bottom as posssible as long as I am not getting snagged.When float fishing for chinook most of the time I will start out at around 7 ft deep even if the hole is a lot deeper than that and work my way down if I don't get any hits.Although certain holes I will start out fishing deeper based on past experience.Can't wait for the springers to get into the smaller rivers in good numbers.Bobber down!!

The spinner thing under a float also works for steelhead in the Vedder (in south BC). Have seen a number of fish taken this way up there. On that stream, folks use unweighted Colorado type spinner blades. The spinners attached to about 2-3 ft of leader, then your float weight, followed by however amount of line to your float, depending upon the depth of the drift. Free line it down slowly, leaning on the float. I've been thinking about giving this a try with dick nites for silvers this fall.

Now this is my kind of topic. I mainly fish a Colorado under a float with shot as the weight. The best blades are the gibbs'nortac real gold finished blades.I like the hammered ones. They are pricey as hell($5.50 cdn for 2), but are killer. I've had a five fish day on the Vedder this year on blades. Make sure to change the hooks cause the ones they come with are'nt as sharp as a 2/0 gammy. The funny thing about blades is that most strikes you get are at the top of your drift...you would think that the blade would fish best downstream with the blades spinning, but most of my hits are above me or directly across. This method is also killer for coho in that slack water they dig so much. As for drifting guts, i like to short drift in slow deep water and tap bottom in faster slots.

Great ideas! I love this thread too. I like other floats better than the dink floats though. Such as the Thill torpedo shaped ones with the simulated wood finish for stealth. I also like just the plain round old fashioned corks. They cast great and are naturally stealthy for gin clear water conditions. Hey Dinkfloat, would you mind e-mailing Fishheads5 some of your floatfishing tricks? I think he needs some help with his fishing

I've seen this technique used for salmon on the Vedder River and it worked rather well. They would tie a piece of colored yarn to to the hook as well.

Another technique I've seen used is floating a flatfish or hotshot. I've seen people catch fish using this at the big eddy at Tokul Creek.

Jacob, I'm confused about the floating a Flatfish part of your post. They already float by themselves, so I assume you mean using a float up the line a ways and letting the current take the Flatfish diving down below it? Maybe from the bank as you would use a Side Planer? Let us know - thanks.

RT

Well, the people I saw using this technique ran their flatfish about 8 - 10 feet below the float with about 2 - 3" of led somewhere in between. They would fish them down current, keeping it in the slower water, but close to fast water. Maybe it's just an effective way to fish the eddy there at Tokul because the water flow is pretty unique but I did see people catch fish on it.

Hey RT, if you want absolute stealth for gin clear water, try a Clear plastic Drennan float. Ask the Rat, he has some, and he likes em

I'm going to add these posts about custom float ideas to enable qucikly switching back and forth from driftfishing to floatfishing:

RT posted 04-18-2001 07:33 PM

I really like the concept of the Thill 'Steelheader' float that quickly snaps on and off, as a stationary float. This allows you to quickly switch between floatfishing egg clusters or shrimp over to driftfishing them; depending on the water fished. The problem is the biggest one offered is only about an 1 1/8th" version that is just too small to use with sufficient lead weight much of the time. They work OK for up to 1/4 oz. jigs. But they need to make a 2" version for heavier things, as mentioned. Anyone know how to contact them to suggest that to them? Any alternative ideas for a quick change snap on float option? Thanks.
RT
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Dan S.
Returning Adult
Angler # 14
posted 04-18-2001 08:06 pm

RT,
Link to Lindy Little Joe http://www.lindylittlejoe.com/products/thill/default.htm

Give them a holler. They're just now figuring out that there is a fairly large market for their floats out here and they might appreciate some feedback.

Fish on.
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dumy
Smolt
Angler # 2106
posted 04-19-2001 05:55 am

rt mick thill doesnt make thill floats for lindy anymore, he makes custom floats that are far above anything else. you can email him and maybe talk him into letting you feild test some of your ideas. he is a great guy and we should support him in his quest to make quality floats. he seperated from lindy a couple of years ago because they were not producing quality floats anymore and didnt want his name on them. i dont know his email or web site so just search mick thill.
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Jigman
Returning Adult
Angler # 19
posted 04-19-2001 04:26 pm

RT, I talked to them and they are considering working on a larger float. Hang in there!

www.rainbowjigs.com
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stever in everett
Returning Adult
Angler # 143
posted 04-19-2001 05:53 pm

Try attaching the foam type floats with two rubber bands, that will allow for a quick change over and also is easy to adjust the depth.
everett ]

smr
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RT
A Keeper
Angler # 911
posted 04-19-2001 06:08 pm

Thanks Jigman. Tell them to hurry for us before next fall on some bigger ones! ...
And Stever, that's a good idea to try some experiments with both foam and cork floats jeririgged on with a rubber band, so that it can be taken right off for driftfishing w/o having to waste time re-tying. Thanks.

RT
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RT
A Keeper
Angler # 911
posted 04-19-2001 06:38 pm

Stever, your suggestion helped me think of an idea for a float that will allow quick change back and forth from floatfishing eggs to driftfishing them (or whatever you're using).
I like the old fashioned round cork floats for both castablity and clearwater stealth. Using the plastic stem plugs at both ends of the cork will work as follows: cut about a 2" piece of 15 or 20 lb. mono and lightly plug both ends into one side of the cork and it's at your ready. When the driftfishing gets snaggy then hook on this float fixed to your mainline at the depth you want to fish by doubling about 1/4" of your mainline into the other cork hole and plugging it in with the plastic stem. Buy a cheap bag of stems because a fish on will likely pop it out into the water. An alternative to losing stems would be to paint several of them black and just run your driftfishing mainline thru it with the tapered end downward and leave it nestle against your swivel/lead. This small black stem shouldn't distract the fish and it's there to bring up the line to plug into the cork as mentioned above. Before you cast take out the short piece of line in the other cork end and encircle the mainline then plug both ends into the corkhole tightly with the plastic stem. This will retain your cork as it slides down to your swivel/lead rigup during the fish fight. The key to having it stay on is using a thicker mono (or perhaps a section of rubber band) very tightly plugged into the other hole with the plastic stem. Should work fine. Any ideas to improve this idea guys? Thanks.

RT
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hawk
Returning Adult
Angler # 59
posted 04-20-2001 04:13 am

Hey Guys. The rubber bands work great for dinks, but you have a solution for the balsa and cork stem floats right under your nose. Just cut a couple of pieces of surgical tubing about 1/4" long, and run your line throught them when you rig up. Secure them over the top and bottom stem of your float, and you have a very quick way to change depth without line abrasion, and also a quick way to switch between floats. Been doing it for years, and it works great. Also great for light line, when you got the kids out somewhere fishing for sunfish or crappies with a float. 6 inches of tubing will last you most of the year. Good luck
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smoky
Smolt
Angler # 2127
posted 04-20-2001 01:00 pm

RT:
Thanks for the skinny on the Wind.

After reading this post on bobbers I went out and grabbed a cork float and some black surgical tube.

I came up with a variation of what you and Hawk were describing that will work on the cork floats you like.

Run your main through two small pieces of tube. Snip a small section off the top of the plastic cones. Just enough to lessen the diameter so you can fit surgical tube over it. Not too much or you wont have enough for the tube to grab. Insert the cones into the bobber just enough to snug, leaving
half the cone sticking out. Slip the tube over the cones, the same way the old schoolers do with pencil lead.

Big Stew and I are going down the Wilson on Sat. Ill let you know how the bobber rig works.
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Ratherbfishin
Smolt
Angler # 1686
posted 04-20-2001 01:18 pm

Great post guys. I am fairly new to steelheading and this is the kind of info that really helps. I tried float fishing a bit this winter, but would have done so more except for having to retie the whole rig. I will definitely experiment with these ideas next time I go.
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