Just wondering if float fishing for Steelhead is popular in your State, using balsa floats and center pin reels.

Not center pins, but float fishing must be at an all time high here. And getting even more popular every year it seems to me.

What type of floats do they use. We use balsa here for the bouyancy and we them from very large to very small, these cover off all types of water. I find float fishing a great way to fish and is extremely deadly to take fish. I do not keep fish, just catch and release if they are not injured.

I use corks, LARGE cheaters, some dink floats, even k-mart floats. It's all good.

You name it.
(Surecatch?)
Balsa wood, cork, foam of all sorts including dinks, even the red and white plastic things.
In all sizes and shapes too. Some of us aren't as defined in our float fishing as some of you folks from up north. From what I've seen on your side of the boarder anyway.
They're getting there though.

I use slipping foam floats. These seam to be the most popular. There are some people that use other floats though.

fixed 4 inch foam float for me usually with my steelhead fishing, I use a level wind reel, would like to start using the balsa floats with the wire shaft out of the bottom, supposedly their is a new float comin out that the wire shaft is plastic and doesnt break or bend, somethin like that. Tight lines and wet nets!

you're thinkin of the new steelhead stalker floats. The have a carbon fiber rod instead of a wire. They are $2.19 at Ted's.

Do you know who makes the steelhead stalker float? Thill?

Thanks...JOhn

There is an add in the new STS about those steelhead stalker floats. They are made by "Premier Plastics Inc." in Omaha Nebraska. Never used them but they look like a good big water float, since the body is made out of wood which should aid in casting distance.

The floats that are on the market today is very extensive. I use the Balsa for many reasons, they are light, they hold weight for casting and I can see the darn things with the fluorescent tops. I did a t.v. show on the Salmon river with PBS, using traditonal float rods made by me and centre pin reels. We used the blasa floats in different conditions and the way the split shot is placed will alter the flaot status on the water and how the bait acts in the depth of the runs and pools. Balsa is the choice for me.

I use the foam dinks for winter steelhead but prefer the balsa Thill floats for summer fish. I also use balsa for floating herring when beach fishing in the salt. I peg a large bright glow corkie on the top of the dink floats so I can see them early and late in the day.

I am new to the site and I am sure there are many good ideas shared here. I will check for more good stuff on Friday

Say Balsa float Drifter, did you happen to do that show with Don Messinger, can't spell that last name but he had that show rod and reel streamside? If so I saw that show with you and him on the salmon a few years back, and I have one of your 15 foot rods, fun rod for big water.

Yep, thats me. I enjoyed the show, we had lost of fish not shown on the show. It was a few years ago now.

I've been usig the stelhead stalker floats but they only come fixed right now. I'm waiting for the sliding ones also.

~steelymann~

I have a few questions about those steelhead stalker floats. First, what is the biggest size they make? They they tell you in length or by how many grams it can hold? Also are they much more durable than those turbo masters? I refuse to use those again, maybe its just be but that wire is always popping out on the first fish or bending severely. I've got a bunch of big floats already from a freind who made me up some but I'm trying to get a ton of different floats for my pilgrimage out to washington, so the more different ones I have the better.

The Stalker size floats have the oz. jig size on the side of the float. i use the 1/8 or 1/4. The pin doesn't come out of the float because it is a carbon fiber ( I believe) and that part is epoxied in there so its not going anywhere. i like them so far. But as usual there could also be some refinements. ie. More bottom gaskets because they can wear out and rip. Also maybe haing a nipple type cup on the top so the line doesn't hang up (every so often) on the top end of the float. I do like them, just still looking for the perfect thing. I think this is the next best thing.

~steelymann~

Theres a new float that is the hot ticket around these parts ,its called the Drennan Piker and is extremely senitive and very exspensive,you can tell the guys who use them as they go crashing into the water up to their neck when they break one off.They do work very well but i stick with the old foam dink floats,cheap and sufficient and spend my money where it counts on good sharp hooks and a quality reel (calcutta)

I've noticed on our Salmon River fishing discussion board (in New York state) that there are many who are converting to float fishing using center pin reels. Also, spey rods are getting a lot attention and converts.

(Loved the Rod & Reel Streamside episode about float fishing---that's where I first learned about it....I've yet to convert to center pin----but I just might try using a float this spring for steelhead!)