The overshotted float, Thames style.
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:46 am
Not quite stret-pegging, because the bulk shot is kept off the bottom, not quite laying-on, 'cos it can move: I posted my memories of this old method , which I saw matchmen using on the Tidal Thames in the early seventies, elsewhere; but thought it might deserve a thread of its own:
The Overshotted Float
An attempt to write down what we used to do before I completely forget it.
When the Thames is nearly in flood, and the tide is ebbing, it moves through Richmond a bit quickish.
This pushes the fish into the slower water near the bank, and the “Overshotted Float” used to be a favourite method of trying for them.
The first job was to find out how much shot was needed to keep the line within about ten degrees of vertical*, with the weight just off the bottom.
No, it wasn’t. the first job was to thread a couple of float rubbers on the line. Then you find out how much shot is needed to keep the line within about ten degrees of vertical, with the weight just off the bottom.
Next, take a ludicrously small float, and attach it at dead depth minus two inches . Lower it in, and hold it still. If it sinks, try a bigger one. The push of the fast, surface water against the float will enable it to carry far more shot than it’s usual capacity. In fast (a la Tidal) water, we often only needed a 3BB porcupine to hold up 3 swan shot.
Now try holding it in the fishing position, just downstream of the rod top. If it bends round like a quiver-tip, any fish biting is going to feel a thump as soon as it touches the bait, so to put a shock-absorbing angle in the line, add a shot above the float - this should stay out of the water. A swan-shot isn’t too big in really hard flows.
Now add the hook length, with a couple of no. 8’s on it, dropper in a couple of loads of feed, bait up and start fishing. Lower away, hold static, rod laying on leg; if no offers, lift the rod by going on tip-toe with that leg, and pay out a bit of line…
Once you get the geometry sorted, you can use a rod rest.
* Why Ten degrees? Because, at ten degrees off vertical, in fourteen feet of water, the vertical displacement of the lead will be less than an inch, i.e., negligible. At shallower angles, you need to start doing trig, which is not everyone’s cup of tea when trying to relax…
If anyone remembers it differently, or has details to add, I'd be very grateful to hear!
The Overshotted Float
An attempt to write down what we used to do before I completely forget it.
When the Thames is nearly in flood, and the tide is ebbing, it moves through Richmond a bit quickish.
This pushes the fish into the slower water near the bank, and the “Overshotted Float” used to be a favourite method of trying for them.
The first job was to find out how much shot was needed to keep the line within about ten degrees of vertical*, with the weight just off the bottom.
No, it wasn’t. the first job was to thread a couple of float rubbers on the line. Then you find out how much shot is needed to keep the line within about ten degrees of vertical, with the weight just off the bottom.
Next, take a ludicrously small float, and attach it at dead depth minus two inches . Lower it in, and hold it still. If it sinks, try a bigger one. The push of the fast, surface water against the float will enable it to carry far more shot than it’s usual capacity. In fast (a la Tidal) water, we often only needed a 3BB porcupine to hold up 3 swan shot.
Now try holding it in the fishing position, just downstream of the rod top. If it bends round like a quiver-tip, any fish biting is going to feel a thump as soon as it touches the bait, so to put a shock-absorbing angle in the line, add a shot above the float - this should stay out of the water. A swan-shot isn’t too big in really hard flows.
Now add the hook length, with a couple of no. 8’s on it, dropper in a couple of loads of feed, bait up and start fishing. Lower away, hold static, rod laying on leg; if no offers, lift the rod by going on tip-toe with that leg, and pay out a bit of line…
Once you get the geometry sorted, you can use a rod rest.
* Why Ten degrees? Because, at ten degrees off vertical, in fourteen feet of water, the vertical displacement of the lead will be less than an inch, i.e., negligible. At shallower angles, you need to start doing trig, which is not everyone’s cup of tea when trying to relax…
If anyone remembers it differently, or has details to add, I'd be very grateful to hear!