In reply to Post #14
Better still (again if not banned ridiculously) - beachcaster method for ultra lazy mofo floater fishing . . .two rods on storm poles with gardner rests and a decent stiff material on the suspended hooklink- fools them everytime, guaranteed. Shimano TX2 12ft 3.25 and some 8000/10000 size baitrunners are perfect for this method . . .
Better still (again if not banned ridiculously) - beachcaster method for ultra lazy mofo floater fishing . . .two rods on storm poles with gardner rests and a decent stiff material on the suspended hooklink- fools them everytime, guaranteed. Shimano TX2 12ft 3.25 and some 8000/10000 size baitrunners are perfect for this method . . .
In reply to Post #8
Totally agree with you. Can't understand you wouldn't fish for them if they are in front of you or somewhere no one else is fishing. And as for someone saying your casting too much is ridiculous!
Don't be a sheep and do what everyone else is doing just crack on.
Totally agree with you. Can't understand you wouldn't fish for them if they are in front of you or somewhere no one else is fishing. And as for someone saying your casting too much is ridiculous!
Don't be a sheep and do what everyone else is doing just crack on.
In reply to Post #1
Tackle wise then a nice light rod 2.0 - 2.25 tc and a small baitrunner.
Braid for mainline is ideal but if your new to it then mono is fine, there is some dedicated floater mono's out there but it all sinks after it's been in the water for a while, I use Gardner Pro Light Blend in 10lb.
Hook links is Stroft GTM, diameter depends on whether there's any weed, snags etc, I treat it with Gink floatant but leave the last 6 inches untreated.
I use the smallest hooks I can get away with and a small cut down pop-up held tight to the shank with a piece of silicone, small 5g controller for the most part.
Bog standard mixers still work for me as does cat biscuits, I treat them with Salmon oil mixed with Marmite.
As always the biggest factor will be finding them and deciding your plan, sometimes a single hook bait flicked out is all that's required, other times it's a constant trickle or thrashing it to a foam with an Sbomb.
I always seem to do better when I think through just before I cast as to the direction of the line lay and where exactly I want the hook bait as for sure my best action has come when the bait is only in the water for the minimal time, the longer it is out there the less bites I get.
Good luck with it, it's truly exciting fishing.
Tackle wise then a nice light rod 2.0 - 2.25 tc and a small baitrunner.
Braid for mainline is ideal but if your new to it then mono is fine, there is some dedicated floater mono's out there but it all sinks after it's been in the water for a while, I use Gardner Pro Light Blend in 10lb.
Hook links is Stroft GTM, diameter depends on whether there's any weed, snags etc, I treat it with Gink floatant but leave the last 6 inches untreated.
I use the smallest hooks I can get away with and a small cut down pop-up held tight to the shank with a piece of silicone, small 5g controller for the most part.
Bog standard mixers still work for me as does cat biscuits, I treat them with Salmon oil mixed with Marmite.
As always the biggest factor will be finding them and deciding your plan, sometimes a single hook bait flicked out is all that's required, other times it's a constant trickle or thrashing it to a foam with an Sbomb.
I always seem to do better when I think through just before I cast as to the direction of the line lay and where exactly I want the hook bait as for sure my best action has come when the bait is only in the water for the minimal time, the longer it is out there the less bites I get.
Good luck with it, it's truly exciting fishing.
In reply to Post #18
. . .turned up at a local dayticket last summer for the last few hours of the evening to a lake that was black with fish on the top . . .the locals were trying to tempt them with freelined bread due to the ridiculous 'no freebie floating baits' rule . . .(why commercial fisheries are so anti floater fishing I've no idea but that's a different subject) so muggins here decides to pull a major stroke that worked ridiculously well . . .
Standard large Fox Exocet controller with a 2ft length of double strength and a small 8mm oily floater on a very short hair - golf ball sized mesh PVA bag of Nash riser pellets nicked on the hook (for every cast) and lobbed out 80yds plus into the middle of the lake.
The 'freebies' were invisible at this range but sent the fish potty . . .the shorter hooklink worked like a bolt rig and I started hauling within 10mins much to the disappointment of the locals who had been at it for most of the day . . .
Only got a bit dodge when the wind picked up and some of the previously un-munched riser pellets has started to stray into the margins / elsewhere . . .by that time however I'd had my fill of fish and buggered smuggly off . . .
Def will be using the riser pellets more this summer . . .expensive but very effective
. . .turned up at a local dayticket last summer for the last few hours of the evening to a lake that was black with fish on the top . . .the locals were trying to tempt them with freelined bread due to the ridiculous 'no freebie floating baits' rule . . .(why commercial fisheries are so anti floater fishing I've no idea but that's a different subject) so muggins here decides to pull a major stroke that worked ridiculously well . . .
Standard large Fox Exocet controller with a 2ft length of double strength and a small 8mm oily floater on a very short hair - golf ball sized mesh PVA bag of Nash riser pellets nicked on the hook (for every cast) and lobbed out 80yds plus into the middle of the lake.
The 'freebies' were invisible at this range but sent the fish potty . . .the shorter hooklink worked like a bolt rig and I started hauling within 10mins much to the disappointment of the locals who had been at it for most of the day . . .
Only got a bit dodge when the wind picked up and some of the previously un-munched riser pellets has started to stray into the margins / elsewhere . . .by that time however I'd had my fill of fish and buggered smuggly off . . .
Def will be using the riser pellets more this summer . . .expensive but very effective
Fly rod with high density black foam on a very short hair cut to resemble the silhouette of dog biscuits. It's a great way to spend the couple of hours before dark in summer.
In reply to Post #1
My best piece of advice is always be patient, observe how they react to the introduction of floaters, don't be afraid of coating the mixers in fish hydro or liver hydro, use a multitude of varying sizes and shapes which gives you options with hook baits.
Brian Skoyles has done two or three really informative floater fishing YouTube vids in the last couple of years, a very good watch.
Stroft GTM hook length material is fantastic and better than double strength.
Choose an appropriate type of controller depending on given conditions! Also don't be afraid to use super short hook lengths especially with a heavy candle type controller, sometimes it can be devastating when they're being finicky and snatching at the baits as they hit the resistance very quickly.
Always use Mucilin or Gink to keep the line buoyant and I use Xink for the last 3-6” of hook length to sink below the surface film.
My best piece of advice is always be patient, observe how they react to the introduction of floaters, don't be afraid of coating the mixers in fish hydro or liver hydro, use a multitude of varying sizes and shapes which gives you options with hook baits.
Brian Skoyles has done two or three really informative floater fishing YouTube vids in the last couple of years, a very good watch.
Stroft GTM hook length material is fantastic and better than double strength.
Choose an appropriate type of controller depending on given conditions! Also don't be afraid to use super short hook lengths especially with a heavy candle type controller, sometimes it can be devastating when they're being finicky and snatching at the baits as they hit the resistance very quickly.
Always use Mucilin or Gink to keep the line buoyant and I use Xink for the last 3-6” of hook length to sink below the surface film.
In reply to Post #2
That's a ridiculous statement to make, obviously we should always consider others and be respectful but to not fish for obvious fish wanting a bait on the surface is ludicrous, repeated casting ? Just feather the cast and it'll be far less disturbance than zipping out a 3oz lead on the bottom.
That's a ridiculous statement to make, obviously we should always consider others and be respectful but to not fish for obvious fish wanting a bait on the surface is ludicrous, repeated casting ? Just feather the cast and it'll be far less disturbance than zipping out a 3oz lead on the bottom.
In reply to Post #8
Totally agree, no more casting than feature finding or spombing !
Totally agree, no more casting than feature finding or spombing !
In reply to Post #1
If you can tempt them close enough, a freelined mixer (or trimmed down brown pop-up) works a treat.
I have actually been able to get fish feeding under the rod tip, so close I can have the bait hanging down from the rod with no free line on the surface whatsoever. I have caught numbers of fish like this from various waters.
My usual surface fishing tackle is a Barbel Specialist rod, test curve around 1.5lb, 10 or 12lb Gardner Pro light mainline, treated with Kryston Greased Lightning to help it stay afloat. Hooklink is normally Preston Reflo in 0.21 or 0.26mm, (8lb 15oz or 12lb 5oz), or I do still have some Berkley XL in 8lb.
As much as I dislike putting money in Kevin Nash's pocket, the Nash Bolt machines are decent controllers at range above freeline distance.
The hooks I use are Drennan Specimen in clear waters, Super Specialists and Solar 101's in size 8, 10 and 12. 101's in 8 and 10 only, but good near hook and hold situations. I use the same hooks for chub fishing!
Get the fish feeding confidently, I like Bakers Complete Dog biscuits, various sizes and colours, and the big meaty chunks work as good hookbaits, but 11mm Riser pellets are also good freebies.
The hard part is working out when to cast in your hookbait. Sometimes it is instantly, other times sit and wait. Constant feeding with hookbait out, or let your hookbait be the last taken.
Overcast, then sneak your bait back slowly.
Try to work with the wind coming from behind you to put freebies out to see if they will come up, you have the baits going over most of the lake that way. It can be worth drifting your hookbait with the wind, but sometimes actually fishing into the wind, so it drifts back into you.
If you can tempt them close enough, a freelined mixer (or trimmed down brown pop-up) works a treat.
I have actually been able to get fish feeding under the rod tip, so close I can have the bait hanging down from the rod with no free line on the surface whatsoever. I have caught numbers of fish like this from various waters.
My usual surface fishing tackle is a Barbel Specialist rod, test curve around 1.5lb, 10 or 12lb Gardner Pro light mainline, treated with Kryston Greased Lightning to help it stay afloat. Hooklink is normally Preston Reflo in 0.21 or 0.26mm, (8lb 15oz or 12lb 5oz), or I do still have some Berkley XL in 8lb.
As much as I dislike putting money in Kevin Nash's pocket, the Nash Bolt machines are decent controllers at range above freeline distance.
The hooks I use are Drennan Specimen in clear waters, Super Specialists and Solar 101's in size 8, 10 and 12. 101's in 8 and 10 only, but good near hook and hold situations. I use the same hooks for chub fishing!
Get the fish feeding confidently, I like Bakers Complete Dog biscuits, various sizes and colours, and the big meaty chunks work as good hookbaits, but 11mm Riser pellets are also good freebies.
The hard part is working out when to cast in your hookbait. Sometimes it is instantly, other times sit and wait. Constant feeding with hookbait out, or let your hookbait be the last taken.
Overcast, then sneak your bait back slowly.
Try to work with the wind coming from behind you to put freebies out to see if they will come up, you have the baits going over most of the lake that way. It can be worth drifting your hookbait with the wind, but sometimes actually fishing into the wind, so it drifts back into you.