Iam new to float fishing and i have this question for you jig fisherman....I just bought a "thill" float and the rigging seems a little awkward, with the little silicone sleeves? I thought these were "thru" floats? Does this system work well? Please any advice is appreciated,Ron

I would buy some of the "dink" floats to start off with. Dink floats are the foam ones with the florescent painted tops. The trick is to get enough weigh below the float so only about about an inch or two on a six inch float is above the water. That way the float is almost neutral so when anything touches it you will see a reaction. I use the six inch dink floats for chum with enough hollow core lead below it to weight it properly then a bead to a swivel on my main line. Then I attach different jigs/bait combos on about 16 to 24 inch clear leaders below that. If you are casting, high "vis" line and long rods are helpful in order to see that you don’t have a big belly in the line when you “pull the trigger.” Dave Vedder has a pretty good book about this matter. After you get good then buy the fancy balsa wood floats if you want. Good luck.

Beezer

Thill makes a variety of different floats and they do have the slip models. I use the "America's favorites" which are a slip model, though I like a fixed float so I modify them so I can fish them fixed. 1" is good for 1/8th oz jigs and the 1 1/8" works well for 1/4 oz jigs.

My vote goes to the Thill Turbomaster III. The silicone sleeves can be a pain to thread, but they allow for quick depth changes. The Turbomasters are better for slower water, or from a boat. The dink floats are better for heavier water or heavier baits/jigs. The America's Favorite mdel Jigman referred to is another good choice. The benefit of the lighter balsa floats is in the detection of soft bites. Any touch of your bait/jig, and they really dance.

You'll get used to the sleeves. They are actually a pretty good system if you're not using a sliding float set-up. Just make sure your float is standing straight up and down and your line isn't dragging your setup downstream.

Fish on.......

[This message has been edited by Dan S. (edited 11-07-2000).]

hey catch-N-fillet, here's a tip that has really helped my float fishing. Maybe your already aware of this but I'm sure somebody out there will find it helpful.
It's essential while float fishing that your line floats on the top of the water. If the line sinks it will make setting the hook almost impossible. My solution for this is very simple...chapstick! I've see some people coat their lines with candle wax but chapstick works really well. Just cast out and retrieve your line with the line running between your thumb and the chapstick and you have nicely coated the line with a waxy type coating that will float very well.

keep working with the floats they really do work great. I picked up 8 steelies last sunday all on jigs and floats while I never touched a fish with conventional drift gear.

Good luck,

Duke

I am new to jig fishing and also fishing sandshrimp and eggs under a bobber, how do the cork bobbers work? I usually thread the line through then stick a piece of pencil lead in the hole is this a very good method?

Ryan Sedy