The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

MaggotDrowner wrote:The only bit that slightly puzzles me is why you wind in to cock the float.

Because you are fishing so over depth there must be a lot of loose line in a bow on the surface and the line must be slack between the float and the big shot near the hook.

By reeling in are you pulling the float away from the shot, towards the rod, and straightening the line, making the float cock? If this is the case, wouldn't the line not be vertical from the shot to the float (as in the picture provided by AC) but at an angle?

You set the float about 1ft to 18in over depth and cast out (step 1) and then reel the slack in and it sets your float (step 2) and pulls the line tight to your shot. then when a fish picks up your bait and moves the shot your float rises up in the water, you strike and fish on.

Firebird wrote:The line below the float probably is close to vertical; the picture is exaggerated. You'd need a heavy float leger set up to get anywhere near the picture, and even then the line would bow.

I use this method if the water is shallow and I am fishing away from the bank, and you would be surprised just how little shot you need to tighten up to if you use the wright float and/or use some bulk shot under the float. Ideal for bream.
But if I’m fishing close in and the water isn’t too deep then I will use method 1.


But if I was to fish say a gravel pit with deep margins then I would fish method 3 as this is fish as a slider but set to touch the bottom the same as method 1. You can also fish method 3 at some distance in deep water.

I like to fish a small running lead when using the lift method for carp. It certainly gives me confidence in the hook setting and ensures the depth is set with accuracy as the line between the lead and float is bow string tight. The floats shoots upwards on a take and the game is on. Having another bash at it on Sunday

I hope to fish the lift method, on one rod, this weekend. Just been given permission to fish a pond which has some Tench in it, to a good size. The place looks fantastic, with lots of character. It is rarely fished and there is only one peg that you can dangle from, which is a shame. This swim has a lily bed directly in front, so I will need to fish with heavy tackle and not give an inch, or the Tench will be in the roots.

Should be interesting.

To those expressing concern about the weight of the shot, you can easily approach it another way. Use a nice heavy shot or even a small lead and mount your bait on a hair. You are then achieving the bolt effect and your fish is hooked by the time the float lifts (or goes under)

Blunderer wrote:To those expressing concern about the weight of the shot, you can easily approach it another way. Use a nice heavy shot or even a small lead and mount your bait on a hair. You are then achieving the bolt effect and your fish is hooked by the time the float lifts (or goes under)

Whilst I'm sure that would be effective, it's not really the way I would want to catch fish. Personally I feel the lift method is all ready very effective and doesn't need hair rigs or the bolt effect.

LuckyLuca i will go along with what you say on this mate, the lift method for Tench and carp is probably the easiest way to floatfish for them that there is, as i have said before, the tench can suck in the bait and eject it without even moving the float, and because of the way he feeds the bottom he will become horizontal once he has the bait in his mouth, and when he is at the horizontal he can only do one thing, and that is to lift the tell tale shot from the bottom, then there is only one way the float can go and that is up.
There really is no need at all for any bolt effect, well thats my view anyway, i want to catch the fish, i do not want him to catch himself.

LuckyLuca wrote:

Blunderer wrote:To those expressing concern about the weight of the shot, you can easily approach it another way. Use a nice heavy shot or even a small lead and mount your bait on a hair. You are then achieving the bolt effect and your fish is hooked by the time the float lifts (or goes under)

Whilst I'm sure that would be effective, it's not really the way I would want to catch fish. Personally I feel the lift method is all ready very effective and doesn't need hair rigs or the bolt effect.

It arguably already has the bolt effect with a swan shot and normally hooked bait.

I'm just suggesting a method to cope with wary fish.

JimmyR wrote:LuckyLuca i will go along with what you say on this mate, the lift method for Tench and carp is probably the easiest way to floatfish for them that there is, as i have said before, the tench can suck in the bait and eject it without even moving the float, and because of the way he feeds the bottom he will become horizontal once he has the bait in his mouth, and when he is at the horizontal he can only do one thing, and that is to lift the tell tale shot from the bottom, then there is only one way the float can go and that is up.
There really is no need at all for any bolt effect, well thats my view anyway, i want to catch the fish, i do not want him to catch himself.

As above. I personally believe that fish hook themselves a lot more than you think. If you fish a lead of any size in a river, or floaters for carp with a bubble float, or slow sinking bait under a waggler, or a lure for pike, or many other 'traditional" methods, then the chances are the fish hooks itself on the take.

I realise that this won't go down too well on this forum, so I say this both with respect and as someone who thinks Chris Yates is the best ambassador for fishing alive, but I think limiting yourself in this way smacks a bit of ludditism.

Of course I temper this with the fact that fishing should be enjoyed on your own terms. To each his own.

Blunderer wrote: Of course I temper this with the fact that fishing should be enjoyed on your own terms. To each his own.