Years ago when I started fishing for Steelhead and Salmon I used the conventional drift fishing techniques a majority of the time. Over the years I've since switched over to float fishing and have found my success ratio has increased dramatically. I still like to drift fish for Steelhead on occasion but I find myself looking forward to picking up my float rod. The first floats I used for Steelhead were the round corks with the orange pegs jammed into the top. I've tried several other floats including sliding and fixed floats and some of them worked okay while others worked marginal at best. For me I've found corks to work best for Steelhead. When I fish jigs, I like to have the most natural presentation possible. Corks allow me to mend my line without affecting the jig and also when I reach the end of my drift, I like to swing the jig through the tailout. Some Thill floats immediately submerge under water when you retrieve them. Corks have enough weight to cast long distances and for really low water conditions they don't spook the fish like some of the bright red floats do. Especially when you're retrieving the float.
When it comes to Salmon fishing I like a sliding Thill float. I'll use the large 6" balsa float with a 1 or 2-oz cannon ball lead weight. This way I can fish depths of 12 feet or deeper.
So to all you float fisherman out there, what is your choice of float and why?
Mark

www.firstcastjigs.com

I use a sliding foam dink float with a bobber stop. I like being able to adjust the depth on the fly by just sliding the bobber stop. They're very easy to read while in water, and they only cost about a buck each.

Float fisherman = Downrigger fisherman! Nuff said!

Not enough said SalmonTackler ... you are either jesting or might be a doughball if you think negative of floatfishing! ...

I really like the natural round corks too, for all the reasons Mark mentioned. I also like the foam 'dink' floats for egg fishing like 'Fly does. The Thill torpedo sliders (as I call them) with the simulated wood is hard to beat for an all-around float; but I like the corks better for low clear water. ...

I've been working on a float that looks exactly like a tiny little duckling, for stealth affect during gin clear spring time water. In early tests the problem is that larger fish come up and engulf the fake duckling float. Back to the drawing boards?

[ 05-06-2001: Message edited by: RT 1 ]

I use the Super Float SF-225W. This is a styrofoam red/white bobber about he size of an egg, with about a 4 inch hollow plastic shaft. I remove the weight typically attached at the bottom so the bobber has almost no weight. This bobber sits vertically when fishing, and is very sensitive to anything going on at your hook end. It works better than a round bobber, which sits the same way on the water wheter your hook is on the bottom or off to the side or whatever. Any tilt in the bobber's action tells you someting. For steelhead, I jam a twig or toothpick into the tube and cast weighted marabou jigs. For salmon, I setup it up for sliding to the predetermined depth using a bobber stopper on the line.

It's colors might spook fish, but that's a risk I'm taking in order to use the best bobber I've found. If it came in *clear* finish, it would be perfect.

thill cigars for me the slip in and out. the corks make too much noise for me. for stealth i just magic marker the bright colors black. for draging bait you cant beat a dink. and when things are crystal i buble bob it. float fishing rocks. with out it i would still be catching less than 20 fish a year.

First off.... Salmontackler a dough-ball I think not!!!!!! ..Keiths a great guy.
Just because he does not follow float guys like me or legends like you and Mark

I'm using a new style float which I will talk about later....and Oh Ya.....Cork floats are for......BlueGill........Os


Silent Approach Jigs .....They say imatation is the best compliment

[ 05-07-2001: Message edited by: The Reel Osprey ]

lets see here, floatfishing, I would say I am pretty well versed in this field so I will pop off on this one. first of all for jig fishing normal winter steelhead conditions or summer conditions on larger rivers I like to use the wieghted styrofoam peg floats, the ones with the peg so you just slide it on your line, tie your jig on and set the depth with the peg. Kind of like snapping the line in a downrigger release.
For lower water or smaller streams you can not beat the round cork floats with a peg because they are very stealthy and simple to use.They also work great for blugills on my lake don't they osprey.
For fishing bait whether it is eggs or shrimp you use the dink float, that is what it was designed for, bait fishing, not jig fishing!
Peace Superfly

Well I'll tell you what if there is a legend in bobber and jig fishing it's Mark Anderson. I have had the pleasure of fishing with Mark several times and the guy is amazing. His jigs are not a copy of ANYONES!!!! I've fished with RT also and he ain't bad either and I'm sure that everyone who fishes with him would agree! If Salmontackler was putting down jig fishing then he is a doughball.

I remember another angler making fun of floats and jigs recently, but I'm sure nobody here is qualified enough to call him a 'doughball'. I believe 'Herzog' was the name of the guy. Anybody here catch enough to call Bill a 'doughball'?

Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

Sorry fellas! Just a little ribbing from a Flyfisher. "Bobbers" are obviously a very effect way to fish, ENJOY them. I think I will try some "Strike Indicators" this weekend. LOL

I beleive General Zog used the term "Training Wheels" LOL


[ 05-09-2001: Message edited by: The Reel Osprey ]

All the other things aside Os Mark DID NOT copy yours or anyone elses worm collar, it's a cheap shot to say that too because you have never met Mark to my knowledge. RT's fishing ability should be unquestioned by you becaue you do know him. I don't know of anyone who could go to a river that they are unfamiliar with and have instant success do you? As far as bobber and jig fishing being easier than say drift fishing? Yeah I would agree with that. The bobber going down definately takes a lot of the guess work out of the bite. You still have to know how to read water though and that's one of the tougher parts of steelhead fishing. www.firstcastjigs.com

For the record I question everything Rt does more fun that way :p

Imatation is still the best compliment.....I'm flattered

Silent Approach Jigs .........Os

[ 05-09-2001: Message edited by: The Reel Osprey ]

I used to just drift fish but found float fishing to be very effective. I now carry a drift rod and float rod. I prefer to use a thill slip float because I can read the depth easier than a cork. I still use cork bobbers when fishing in a crowd. That way I don't have to listen to people whine that they can't mend over a slip float especially Blue Creek.

Ooh.....gosh I guess I'd better not incure the wrath of the great Osprey.
We'll to put and end to this Os and I guess we'll just disagree. I will continue to defend my friends though when their integrity is questioned.

[ 05-07-2001: Message edited by: Steelhead Stew ]

How did this go from a fishing float survey to a judging of character???

Osprey you KNOW that I haven't copied any ideas from ANYONE. I have personally been in touch with Silent Approach and Roger KNOWS that my designs are exclusive to First Cast Jigs. Enough said.
Mark

www.firstcastjigs.com

[ 05-07-2001: Message edited by: STLHDR ]

Legend Huh, well If someone is going to say someone is a legend or great at this then I definately need to pop off once again. To Stew, I showed R.T a couple of my techniches
for float fishing this year, and he actually caught fish on them. I am not just talking bobber and jig fishing. Bobber and jig fishing is absolutley the easiest way to catch steelhead, and thank god for the person who started doing it. When ever I take new people or beginners I put a float and a jig on there rod. Mark has just worked on it more than the average guy and picks his spots on where to fish it. I have taken float fishing farther I believe because I have come up with techniches for slow water , fast water and all kinds of various conditions as well as from different types of boats. You have to be flexible and brave enough to try different things, like in any kind of fishing. But at the same time be succesful or you are no different from the next doughball.
Peace Superfly

So Joe what are your fast water techniques?
I need all the help I can get! I'm only a legend in my own mind. BTW RT always speaks well of you.

I can edit too. Os and I kissed and made up. Which is cool but I went thru a whole bottle of mouthwash after the kiss. Yuk! ... Os is a good man.

-------------
RT
Laundry Room Supervisor
Sauk River Steelhead Ranch

Ocean Pacific Pro Staff

[ 05-11-2001: Message edited by: RT 1 ]

Man! Looks like someone made RT mad. I sort of have to question exactly how a thread can go from being about what floats people prefere to use to being a big pissing match between a bunch of guys. Not trying to get all touchy feely here but it would do everyone well to remember exactly why we came to this board origionally. I'm sure that it was because we all share a love of Salmon and Steelhead fishing, not because we enjoy being pissed off at one another. By the way, I float fish almost exclusively and I prefer to use the biggest cheater I can find. Just go to the Corkie section of your local sporting goods shop and get the biggest cheaters you can find ( a lttle smaller than a golf ball) Slide one up your line and peg it with a toothpick. It works great and you can get them in about any color you want.

I thought we were discussing floats. I use a variety of floats depending on the conditions, from the New Thill Steelhead floats, corks, clear bubbles and an oval foam float I really like. Water conditions fished dictates the type of float I use.....slow water calls for a different float then fast water. It's always a good idea to carry a variety of floats for different conditions.

I use foam dinks in winter and clear bubbles in summer. I dont use slideing foats very often unless I need to go deeper than 10 feet but I dont go that deep very often.

Does anyone know where I can order the 2 and 3" foam dinks. I cant seem to find any out here on the peninsula.

The shorty foam floats are the king.....and for clear water nothing beats a Drennan, unfortunately at 5 bucks per they become costly.
On another note, I've never tried fishing a jig but will give it a shot next season, no one around here fishes jigs yet...

I think superfly hit it right on the head with the type of floats to use, although on bigger/faster water a cigar shaped corker or a foam dink can help with jig presentation as it allows you to adjust the weight to keep the jig tracking properly.

foat n blades - there are a few people using jigs on the vedder. I nailed them up there this year using jigs on day and some of your brothers took notes

Rich-
Shoot me an email because I can send out some 2 and 3 inch dink floats. I am almost sure we have some. They run $.99-$1.19

Any color preferance?

I am the one that brought out that special pink marabou that Bob gave 'ya.

[ 05-07-2001: Message edited by: RPetzold ]

Myself I use the eagle claw slip floats even though I've been having trouble finding them lately. They're cheaper than other brands but work great. I also use cotton bobber stops and a bead on the top and bottom so I can adjust the depth all day and not fray the line. I also agree on the round cork floats though for jin clear or if I have to cast further. Hope this helps.

Stadle,
No rivers in Washington to fish...you have to resort to BC's version of Blue Creek...what a gong show this year.Actually I think I saw you down there....matching camo vest and waders,8ft rod,spinning reel, bottom bouncing...was that you?
Everyone was nailing them on everything at the Vedder this year, don't be thinking your jigs were the only ticket Great year to try out new things though. Jigs are next years obsession.

Cross roads ...why do you always bring up the football thing
After all the less than friendly e-mails I received from a few Duck fans....I responded accordingly :p


untill you know all the facts don't jump to conclusions and read too much into the little smiley faces......Os

[ 05-09-2001: Message edited by: The Reel Osprey ]

Jigman had a very good point about using different floats for different conditions.Everyone seems to have their personal preference for what type of float to use and if it works for them they think it's the best.I use many different floats also but when jig fishing I usually use the plastic bubble floats pegged to my line.On a different note remember guys it's only fishing .Does it really matter who did it first ?

Geez Stew. Jumped a few feet there, didn't ya? Bobber and Jig fishing legends? ****, I bet I've caught close to a million fish on bobber and jigs, but I'm not saying steelhead. My grandfather taught me how to bobber and jig fish when I was 3 and he lived to be 80, so no telling how many fish he's caught on a bobber and jig, especially since he used that method about 10 times more than I did. So nuff talk about bobber and jig legends

And I can badmouth bobber and jig fishing so call me a doughball, PLEASE. The drawback, at about $1.70 a float and around $2 a jig, breaking off get's expensive.

Also Osprey, the complaint emails RT is receiving about you is only from me You're still here, so apparently they aren't working...muh ha ha ha ha

Coincidence? hmmmmm. It's scary.
Of course, I'm not badmouthing (other than Osprey and RT of course) just yet. www.silentapproach.com has, does, and always will get my business if I'm spending money on jigs.

I don't recall Osprey ever getting personal with the football attacks. Seems you ruffle a couple ducks' feathers, and they all come a quacking.
-----------------
I'm glad I got turned onto the thill steelie floats. Too bad it was a little too late, but I've got them for the next go 'round. Also, O's bobber idea is pretty damn kewl. Of course that friggin' doughball has %%%%%'spresident calling him.....nuff said.

[ 05-08-2001: Message edited by: THE REEL HEY_YALL ]

Blades, A little touchy about me crossin the border I see...

BTW, you may have seen me, but I was the guy with the 10.5ft loomis matched with a Shimano Calais cleaning up in the underfished runs. I found alot of those, as I noticed you guys don't like to walk very far to catch a fish . oh yeah, in case you were wondering the fish in the chehalis canyon seem to like the jigs real well also.


[ 05-08-2001: Message edited by: Stadle ]

Chill out guys. Let's take our frustrations out on salmontackler instead of each other.

Back to the matter at hand. Jigman has it right, different "strike indicators" for different conditions. I fish fixed or sliding dink floats when the water has a bit more color and I'm using fireline and I've recently been turned on to the Turbomasters when it's low and clear and I'm geared down to 10# line.

Bruce

And since we're talking again about our favorite jigs, I caught a lot this winter on Rainbow Jigs .

Must be purely coincidental then.

I wonder what the vegas guys would take on odds? Any odds takers that are fishermen from vegas?

Hey_Yall, your grandpa floatfished until he was 80, and you have since around 3 years old, and you ask someone to please call you a doughball - OK, you're a doughball. You're welcome. ...

After reading all these tips about floats I am going to expand from the 3 I mentioned I primarily use. I am particularly interested in the one that tilts and/or submerges the easiest - I think that was the Thill TurboMaster? I like Snagly's idea of using this type of float with more weight under it to improve casting and the upright stance as it drifts. I also like Shane's idea of painting the top area of cork floats (maybe around the upper 1/4th) in bright red to better follow it and also to detect movement. Seemingly, these 2 mods to those 2 type of floats would bring them close in overall effectiveness? To the river to see.

RT

Stadle...as long as you bring your wallet you're welcome to fish the Vedder anytime you please, and youre definately right about guys stacking up close to their cars...that's the beautiful thing about the Vedder, if you don't mind walking you can fish alone.Just joking about the gear... I fish a 1263 GL3 also, with an old Seldex. How far up the canyon were you fishing....the up and over or "ironman"?

Matt

Hey Float n blade,

I figured you were buzzin me about the short rod and spinning reel. I believe I was at what you refer to as "up and over" in the canyon. I did not try the billy goat (iron man) spot, maybe next year.

I will be up this fall for some salmon fishing, with the exchange rates an annual license/punchcard is pretty reasonable - or atleast compared to what the state of Wa charges it does not seem too bad to me.

You guys are not fishing floats right if you are waiting for the bobber to go down. Nine (9) times out of 10 the bobber just moves or you feel the fish take and the bobber never goes down. I don't think the type of float really matters as long as you have just enough buoyancy(sic) to float your lead or shot. The funny thing about you americans is you always try to fine tune everything instead of trying to keep it simple.

Well Cato, you bring those "simple" Canadian rigs of yours down here and we'll see how well you do. We have far less fish and far greater competition for them than you're probably used to, therefore only those that have taken their "simple" methods and improved upon them are catching more fish than the competition is.

BTW: If you don't use a float the size of a football, it WILL sink when a fish bites.......not always but most of the time.

Dan S: We still use red and whites up here. When the bobber flips over set the hook.

The float actually goes under? Wow! I would have thought with such tough fishing conditions your senses would have been so finally tuned that you would feel the fish hit before your float actually moved.

Here's another quick question for you guys; when a steelhead hits your spoon does your rod almost jump out of your hand?

I think the problem is that Canadians and Americans fish floats in completely differnt ways.

Canadians call our float fishing drift fishing because the goals of the American style is to have a drag free drift while Canadians swing their rig in like American driftfishing. So it is much easier to feel a strike if the rig is swinging in rather then just freedrifting downstream without tension.

Ok, calm down now. No more of this Canadian/American turmoil over floatfishing. And NO, not all of our takes with spoons/spinners are rod pulled out of our hands. Alot of us can tell the gentle grab of a steelhead as opposed to the natural rhythm of a spoon/spinner.

I learned how to float fish back in 1987 when I was an exchange student in Germany. Had friends who were diplomats in Parliament in Germany and arranged a few fishing trips in England for me. (They also arranged some browntrout flyfishing excursions in Europe too). Well, I can't remember the names of the rivers, but I do remember using the floats. They were a bit odd looking, but very similar to thills. It wasn't until I came back that I tried using them with bait in some slots that were way too slow for driftfishing and plugs. Just shortly after that I found a friend who was using jigs. Started running them under my floats and they started to score. So, to this day I still use the thill type floats. I just color in any light colored pieces for summer conditions.

You know, there can be a mastery of an activity. If you fish in one particular way 90% of the time you'll catch all your fish that way. I can hands down say that I've caught a hell of alot more fish driftfishing. But, I don't fish ONE particular way all the time. Limiting yourself to one style can limit your field of vision. I can catch fish in various methods (that's when I'm able to go fishing that is which is hard to do with two small kids). Right now jigs are the fad, but what's next? Oh well, I won't beat a dead horse here.

RT, knowing Os's situation, I can wholly understand him being a bit testy (that's if he's testy, looks more like Os to me). I myself was laid up with a back injury. Between being doped up with meds and literally being hit with SEVERE cabin fever I was going crazy. Having this BB as a medium to live through others helps for about 30 seconds until you realize you're NOT FISHING!!!! Man, I remember trying to fish (against doctors orders) and being absolutely miserable from pain and had to stop fishing after an hour. It sucks. If all else fails you may need to give him some slack. Once he gets a rod in his hand and gets some more time on the water he'll be fine.

Just my .02 here. Hope this may have helped a bit.

I can't believe nobody uses the same set up as I do. I get my floats from Jack-in-the box. The little white jack antena balls work great in low water and the "union 76" orange balls are great in low light conditions and are just a bit heavier for longer casting. I am experimenting with the new yellow ball from McDonalds now though. It is a big 3 in diameter one.....sure is solving the constant takedown problems I get with the smolts this time of year......takes a real fish to pull that baby under.!!

You're absoloutely right Sparkey. Our visitors from the North are confusing different types of fishing with floats.

To try and clear things up for them - we're not talking about a six-inch dink float with a dozen shot beneath it.

And I'm not going to say that one way of fishing is better than the other. They're just different.

When float fishing here in washington most people employ what is referred to as the "short float" technique especially with jig fishing. this style, with a properly balanced float or offering on a drag free (as little tension as possible from rod to float) drift will usually telegraph the bite via some type of movement of the float - down, left, right, upriver, or it may lay down.

If you are float fishing with drift gear, your have to have some tension to get the offering in front of the weight, and this tension creates the ability to feel the fish take. When float fishing by swinging through tail outs where, for example, you are adjusted to 5 ft in 4 ft of water then you are holding back alot and will again feel the take.

different techniques, but all are effective just the same.

[ 05-12-2001: Message edited by: Stadle ]

Hey O's what happened to your other post!?!?!!?!?!?!?>>>>>>TM

Sparky,

Please explain how you can achieve a drag free drift with no tension on the float. Remember that the water speed is faster on the surface than at the bottom. You guys crack me up. People in Ontario are probably the finest steelhead float fishing technicians in the world. Perhaps we could all learns something from them.

As for catching fish I don't seem to have a problem with different locales. Heavy pressure or no pressure.

Ahhh....I see the screw-up Fairy has visited us again......Os

Hey Kevin, he knows how to use his edit feature. I can edit too. Os and I kissed and made up. Which is cool but I went thru a whole bottle of mouthwash after the kiss. Yuk! ... Os is a good man, most of the time .

-------------
RT
Laundry Room Supervisor
Sauk River Steelhead Ranch

Ocean Pacific Pro Staff

Sparky,

I am looking forward to your reply. Not much to read on the last one but I am sure you will get something down by the end of the week.

:p

An empty beer can makes a great float. J/K

Seriously I've been reading the board and watching how other people fish with floats. I've watched fishermen use both the clear and dink foam type floats. I carry them with me along with a few maribou jigs. I think floats are the only way to go in slow/low water. Although I've seen fish caught in fast water with dinks.

Good post Steelheadman! I think floats can be used effectively in all types of water. In low water we regularly fish the chop with our floats. Practically the only way to fish when it gets low and clear. We have to remember that what is happening on the surface is usually a reflection of the bottom substrates. Chop is usually thrown up by faster current, higher gradient, some bigger nuggets on the bottom. Pretty much the only way to fish this type of water is to load up the lead and sink it in there. I assume Sparky has a stutter and it takes him a few posts before he blurts it out.

Suckerfish-
The reason that I am not putting much time into my posts regarding yours is because you came on this board solely to be antagonizer (sp?).
I outlined the differances in Candadian and American floatfishing and the goals of each and you came back with a smart*** answer so with that I say :p

[ 05-12-2001: Message edited by: RPetzold ]

Over the years I have done alot of experimenting with different types of floats. These are the floats I prefer:

For Summer fishing I really like the Clear plastic bubble floats. I like to paint the bottom half either black or dark brown, and the top a highly visible orange. Then I peg them to my line using a match stick. These floats have worked well for me in low clear water conditions.

For Winter fishing I prefer to use the dink float. This versitile float is great for fishing with jigs, bait or a combo of both.

For Chinook fishing I really like West coast floats. They give you a good read and slip under the surface of the water with little resistance.