The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

If you have to cast any distance, Ian Heaps' loaded slider is the way to go, and even if you don't, its worth knocking up a couple of this pattern and learning the method, rather than trying to re-invent it at the waterside: http://www.fishing.co.uk/article.php3?id=323

Although this is an old post, if you are persevering with fishing a slider I have two tips that you may find useful:

a) I've adapted my sliders. I use them for bream and the river gets a lot of boat traffic. I sand the end of the tip, make a tiny hole in it and then insert a pole float insert in the hole. On top of the insert I glue a small balsa or polystyrene bead then paint the insert white and the bob yellow. Basically you get a very visible site bob that can handle the chop from the boats as they pass but there is no loss of sensitivity.

b) Instead of using the eye on the slider I whip a wire loop on. Inside the loop is 2 inches of hard plastic rig tubing. I warm this up and bend it first so it has a curve in it. You then get a slider that needs no stop knot, it locks in place like the preston/polaris ones.

I do have a couple of floats with a slider ring on the side 'a la Billy Lane', made by forming a looping around a needle with alasticum wire. This works well, but for the most part, I used whatever float works on the day, which is attached to the line with a tiny link-swivel and above this is a small black bead with a braid stop knot above that. So every float can be a slider.

Vole wrote: ↑Wed Nov 04, 2015 8:06 am If you have to cast any distance, Ian Heaps' loaded slider is the way to go, and even if you don't, its worth knocking up a couple of this pattern and learning the method, rather than trying to re-invent it at the waterside: http://www.fishing.co.uk/article.php3?id=323

I've lately taken to using olivettes with this method as the bulk load (partly to minimise the number of shot pinched on to the line). The set up (moving away from hook) is: final drop shot (BB or smaller); stop shot or stopknot +gummy bead); olivette (2 or 3 AAA); 6"-9" line; stop knot; float (mounted on line with small link swivel; bead; as much line as needed; one or two stop knots (ends trimmed very close). I'm looking forward to trying this for bream on Dam Flask soon (as you need to get the bait down quickly through the small roach that tend to shoal there mid water - tbanks to Jack White for the tip on that).

has anyone tried the Locslide floats...?
http://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/premier- ... Gwodkg4J1g

or perhaps the Polaris float system...?
http://www.polaristackle.co.uk/en/26-polaris-floats

Harry wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:07 am has anyone tried the Locslide floats...?
http://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/premier- ... Gwodkg4J1g

or perhaps the Polaris float system...?
http://www.polaristackle.co.uk/en/26-polaris-floats

I've tried both and while they're OK for float legering, either with a bomb or feeder (although I still prefer a swing-tip) they don't work well when you want to fish off the bottom in deep water.

I've had both and I found with polaris its important to get the line diameter right for the float. I prefer the locslide floats but I also found you need to use a small bomb to really get them to work well.

Another vote for using olivette's for the bulk with normal sliders, I'm also a big fan of stotz.

Firebird wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2017 5:35 pm I remember fishing a very deep lake with friends long before slider floats entered our techniques. One of us used to float leger with an ordinary float free to slide on the line. The float would surface and cock with tension in the line. So no need for these pricey "specialist" floats. Anglers have been doing it far more simply for a long long time. The standard slider works perfectly well too. Cheap to make.

I'm not sure you could use this method on moving water (or still water with any current or surface drift) without getting a load of false bites.

Firebird wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:45 pm

Stathamender wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:03 pm
I'm not sure you could use this method on moving water (or still water with any current or surface drift) without getting a load of false bites.

No you couldn't. But you wouldn't float leger on a river anyway, would you? Unless it was very slow flowing, in which case the method would be okay, more or less. Drift wouldn't be a problem - maybe worse for the locking floats.

But you often want to use a slider float on a river, those were the conditions that Lane and Heaps specifically developed their techniques for and it also doesn't deal with float fishing off the bottom.

I love a traditional slider....this one is one of Sussex Micky's porcupine beauties.....just the job for deep water tench