The story of the Fluted Float

[Weyfarer]

Here's a fluted antenna float. I haven't a clue where I obtained this. It looks home made by someone who knows his business. My guess is the fluting is there to stabilise the float in flight and not for its trotting capabilities!

[Crazy Crab]

I am going to make me self a few fluted floats, they were me first floats I used when I started fishing

[Crucian]

Good post, thank you.
I've often wondered about the origins of these floats, now we all know.
Have made and used these for years. I use a simple method of construction, four strips of 1/4 x 1/8" balsa glued to a cane stem (bbq skewer)

[Santiago]

Fluted antenna floats are non-sensical. The fluted body will act as a hydrofoil and cause the whole float to be adversely affected by any inherent underwater drift should there be any just below the surface caused by wind, and that will affect the sensitivity at the tip which will be dragged under. The whole point of antenna floats is to counteract wind induced tow, not to enhance it. Bit of a puzzle then!

[Bobby Marlene]

Fluted floats are a nonsense. I happened across my copy of Billy Lane's float book (stuck in a cupboard) and leafing through saw that he didn't think much of them either.

I know nothing about fluted floats. But I know: Billy Lane is a hero!
Best, Bobby

[Tengisgol]

I've made and used fluted floats for many years, sticking them on a line down the far bank of the Avon or on other days, a 100yds plus down the Wye. They work. They hold a line when a non-fluted float doesn't (as easily).

Talked this all through with a mate of mine a couple of years ago and he confirmed the principle is good. He designs and manufactures monster propellers for a living, for big ships, and understands water displacement and such things. That, coupled with my experiences, was good enough for me!

[Santiago]

They're really designed for trotting from the middle to far bank of rivers that one would otherwise use an Avon float. For trotting the middle to the near bank they offer little advantage. They also offer less advantage if when fishing the far bank the angler uses one that is too small for the conditions. To achieve the best advantage out of fluted avons one has to use slightly bigger floats than one would with a normal avon. The bigger hydrofoil and the extra lead help stabilise the float and reduce drift to the near bank. My only concern with the design of many fluted floats is that I think the tips should be thicker to add a touch more buoyancy.. And I ' m wondering if fluted duckers might work!

[Match Aerial]

Its difficult to say if there any better or not. The ones I make are only small 3bb to about 6bb, in my opinion they" don't" work as well as a standard avon in the faster water but work well enough in moderate currents. Bigger float my be different of course.
Regarding sensitivity they could just have the edge again its difficult to say precisely, I have caught a lot of fish using them and after all that what counts.

There main use is to keep a line with the current ideally in an adverse cross wind. The days when your float would be blown off a straight natural drift.
Down side is they create a lot of disturbance on the strike more than a standard avon float
Worth a try if you have never used them in my opinion

[Tengisgol]

They're really designed for trotting from the middle to far bank of rivers that one would otherwise use an Avon float. For trotting the middle to the near bank they offer little advantage. They also offer less advantage if when fishing the far bank the angler uses one that is too small for the conditions. To achieve the best advantage out of fluted avons one has to use slightly bigger floats than one would with a normal avon. The bigger hydrofoil and the extra lead help stabilise the float and reduce drift to the near bank. My only concern with the design of many fluted floats is that I think the tips should be thicker to add a touch more buoyancy.. And I ' m wondering if fluted duckers might work!

Absolutely agree with that, I splice a thicker, longer tip into my floats to give both more bouyancy and ability to see it at 100yds+. There are certain places on the Wye where I fish where you can't physically get closer to the fish than that. You start catching them at that distance but with careful feeding you can then move them up the swim as they chase the loose-feed.

I have posted this before and I do things a little differently now but the link below will take you to a paper that will give some ideas for elder pith fluted floats - it's a good time of year now to go collecting!

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid= ... ZWQ4ODU5NA

[Santiago]

The most advantage can be achieved with fluted avons carrying at least 6 BB, and more if necessary! This helps reduce the conditions bullying the float.