I have been float fishing for a while using the standard Dink Floats. I prefer the big 6-inch long floats and I rig them with about 2.5 to 3 inches of lead underneath the float so they are neutrally buoyant. This allows me to cast them a mile and the weight actually helps slow the float down a little in heavier current.

I know to keep adjusting the float until it leans forward which would indicate the jig is dragging bottom and then bring the level of the jig back up from the bottom about 6 inches. This is how you find the zone and make sure your jig is at the proper depth. I prefer 1/8th ounce jigs and many times I have found I am dragging bottom with my jig and the float is not tilting forward. Or if the float is tilting forward it is so slight I am unable to detect it. Usually I think the tilt is do to a little excess bow in the line and the current has it. In other words the line is pulling the float slightly down stream. I am using power pro and this has remedied some of the situation greatly but still cannot determine when I am dragging bottom with my jig unless it buries itself under water.

Last weekend I was obviously dragging bottom when I snagged two Silvers in the arse with a jig under a float. Obviously this was not my intent so how do I get that jig at the correct depth and know for sure it is not dragging bottom?

lt-
dont aim for 6 inches off the bottom. aim for about 1 foot over the fishes heads. (sometimes suspended) try a 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz egg wieght instead of pencil lead. this puts all of the weight right under the float in one spot instead of spread out and makes it easier to mend the line without pulling the float out of its intended course. use atleast a 9 foot rod to make mending easier as well. keep as much of the bow in your line out of the water and flip a bit of slack upstream of the float when the float gets even with you, this will stop the bow from dragging the float downstream and lifting your jig too high.

when the jig is above the fishes head and they take it you will know without any doubt.

if you fish the jig low and he takes it as it hits him in the head, you may only see the float hesitate for a second or vibrate a little. it is much more difficult to know if its a fish or just another rock. get the jig up a bit so that any hesitation or sideways movement on the float is an automatic hookset.

once you get good at reading the dink float you might want to try a round cork float. they are better at many types of water but you must know if you are fishing correctly because it wont read like a dink

Lupo has it right. I would add that a good float rod should be at east 10 1/2 feet long, and that the very best float and jig angler I know, Nick Amato often runs his jigs as much as three to four feet off the bottom. The fish w WILL come up for a jig, so don't try so hard to be right near the bottom. Also consider what Dave Vedder describes in his book. Rig an inline slinky under the float. Make a normal slinky and attach a swivel to each end. Tie the mainline to one swivel and the leader to the other. This keeps the float perfectly upright unless you have drag from line or are dragging the bottom. Another advantage is that you can premake slinkeys that you know are weighted just right for the float and jig you plan to use.

Also consider that many baits and lures besides jigs are deadly under floats. Eggs fish really well under a float as do sand shrimp.

When fishing bait its okay to occasionally drag bottom. Many top float fishers purposely drag bottom with bait and some lures other than jigs.

Since I have a favorite stretch of river that I frequently fish with floats and know the depth I'll be fishing, I pre-tie up my floats and jigs and inline slinky for quick replacement when I hang up and lose one, (usually on a low hanging alder branch on the far side of the river from casting into a tight spot). I use a leader from the top swivel of the slinky, through the float and long enough to give me a couple of feet of adjustment for depth and tie on a swivel. I tie the mainline to this swivel.

Each rig is stored in a ziplock bag, ready to fish.

If I do lose a rig, it is much faster to replace than having to rethread a float and retie gear.

Thanks for the replies....

So it appears it is not necassary to get as close to the bottom as I have been.

I was trying to stick it right in the fishes face like when drift fishing.

I do use a 10.5 foot rod when float fishing. I run the dink float through my main line, then hollow core pencil lead, a bead and then a barrel swivel. Two feet of leader and then a jig or whatever bait I decide. This allows me to fish from 2 feet in depth to about 8 feet simply by sliding the float up the main line higher. 8 feet is about all I can cast accurately. I think the problem arises when the float is moved up to fish deeper slots and now the float is about 4-6 feet above my weight. I think that may be causing the float to lean slightly forward because the weight is separated so far from the float. Since the surface current where the float is moves faster then the current under the water where the weight is the weight in essence is dragging behind causing the float to tilt forward. What do you think can the way I have it rigged be part of the problem?

If the float is tilted forward because of the way I have it rigged I may think I am dragging bottom with my bait or jig........

Like the other folks, I like to have the jig up quite a bit. In clearer water, I like to be about 18 inches to 3 feet off of the bottom, and find that the fish will move quite a ways for the jig. I also like bigger jigs than most people use. I tie them myself, and they're about 3 inches long.

Thanks guys.....

Surecatch

I am going to try that exact setup for smaller water and save the Dink Floats for the big water.

I've float fished with Nick several times and he's one of the most proficient float fishers I've been around.

90+% of the time, he uses a Thill Turbomaster 3 with an 1/8 oz Beau-Mac bead-bodied jig. No weight, no swivel, no leader, one knot. I notice that he's not that worried about being in close proximity to the bottom all the time. Of course, that varies according to the water color. In colder or off-color water, the jig needs to be closer to the fish.

If you use the rig described above, there's gonna be water that isn't ideal to fish with your setup. Fast, rougher water for instance. But, overall, I think you'll have an effective presentation.

Dan

I had not thought about water temp, good point.

you might want to do some line mending too so your float tips upriver. You want the jig to face upriver with the hook downriver.. as that way the fish gets the hook in it's mouth first.

Zen

I do my best and have seen a great improvement since I started using power pro, although I cannot always keep all the line out of the water. At least with the power pro I do not get the massive loops I had with mono that were almost impossible to mend. I have read by others on the board that this is because the power pro floats.

If you want to use mono get a flyline cleaner and grease your mono. That will make it float.

LT,

To combat the problems of differing water speeds between the top and the bottom, you can also extend your leader a bit and use your thumb on your levelwind to slow down the float to what you approximate the speed of the deeper water to be.

It works for me, as you saw this weekend.

I like to think of it as similar to backtrolling when I'm using eggs.

I use a float to weight leader length similar to that of the water depth, then hold the float back with my thumb, allowing the weight to sit at about fishy level and the leader with eggs to drift straight back from it.

The biggest difference is that you'll have to be pretty quick on the hookset, and you'll have to pay attention to smaller movements of the float (indicating fish), as you won't always have the luxury of the float diving down with an audible "pop".

Still on for Sunday? River is dropping fast!

Todd.

Todd

I have not played with the holding back thing to much, I will have to do that some more. I was mostly under the impression the bait should travel naturally and freely with the current. I have only used the holding back method to sweep tailouts.

I will have to play with this over the weekend.

Yes we are still on I think, 4-Salt will make the final call as I have never been to this location and am not as familiar with what the water conditions should be as he is.

If we follow 4-Salts mojo we will be in the fish.

We are a go my friends! Floats? We don't need no stinking floats! Just kidding! When in Rome and all that...

I got a feelin' Todd will be mistaken for a local with his float-fishing expertise! Well... except for them eggs hangin' off his hook instead of wool eh!

4S,

Careful...you might say just enough to give up the Zipperlip

Look out you fishies...I'm hopin' for a doe, on the wool tie, eh?

Looks like Kidsauk might even join us, if'n I can get his arse outta bed that early.

Fish on...

Todd.

Todd, Zipperlip? You and 10,000 others