Shotting for a stick float

[103841]

I used a spaghetti jar in the end . I used a 6x 4 stick float which sank until I removed 2 of the size 4 shot. I cannot understand why.

I should have mentioned when using a water butt to calibrate your floats that you need to take into account currents/tow etc, so a float that might appear perfect in the butt might well disappear as you found today.

Your float setup seems light to me Mike, today I switched from a similarly weighted float to one that took twice the weight today, much better.

 

[mikench]

I'm still practicing John and I have a lot to learn. Tomorrow is another day and likely to be a more familiar one

I forgot to add that the flow today was very gentle and barely enough to get my pin revolving.

 

[john step]

I had a morning trotting an avon on the Trent today. Very enjoyable.

 

[theartist]

I had a day trotting an Avon on the English Channel last week

 

[barbelboi]

Must have been hairy with all that small boat traffic.........................

 

[108831]

I had a day trotting an Avon on the English Channel last week

Did you shot bulk or short button style???

 

[theartist]

Did you shot bulk or short button style???

I use large shot, much more versatile - you can easily remove them to fire at the incoming inflatables

 

[John Keane]

I use large shot, much more versatile - you can easily remove them to fire at the incoming inflatables

Nice to laugh at human desperation, still they’re not really human are they?

 

[theartist]

Nice to laugh at human desperation, still they’re not really human are they?

France is quite a civilised place, free from war and tyranny. I wonder if those who are travelling from there to here are really desperate, and if so, desperate for what??

Nice PC stance by the way, I was however referring to pink inflatable unicorns, never mentioned any humans

 

[John Keane]

France is quite a civilised place, free from war and tyranny. I wonder if those who are travelling from there to here are really desperate, and if so, desperate for what??

Nice PC stance by the way, I was however referring to pink inflatable unicorns, never mentioned any humans

As Jim Royle would doubtless say “My ar$e!”

 

[mikench]

Like most of the B lies many refugees think the streets of the Uk are p@ved with gold and that they are better off here. Even the French are puzzled by the desire to cross the channel. I’d rather stay there.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Going back to the stick float - though I did get a pink inflatable unicorn 5ft long last season on the Stour, gutted and binned - having read the many responses on this thread, my best advice, apart from reading carefully what Pete (Bracket) has to say is to ditch the 'pin, find someone local who can fish a stick properly and have some sessions dace fishing with them on somewhere with a bit of flow and a sensible depth - 4 to 5ft. Several anglers local to me have taken up my offer for lessons on local Dorset waters for this style through FM and all have quickly got the hang of the stick float.

 

[john step]

On the broader subject of trotting....................... I do own pins but this week on the Trent I reverted to my fixed spool. I am rusty at trotting but soon got into the rhythm with the fixed spool. When I did a lot of trotting on the Thames it was all fixed spool. I still seem to be able to control and mend and release line on a fS.

What I am stumbling at saying is that although the pin is enjoyable I think a FS is just as effective. I might even get a closed face reel at some time soon..

 

[John Keane]

Like most of the B lies many refugees think the streets of the Uk are p@ved with gold and that they are better off here. Even the French are puzzled by the desire to cross the channel. I’d rather stay there.

Because Sangatte and the Calais Jungle are so homely?

 

[Richox12]

Rough guide as shot does vary between manufacturers

4g will need either 2 x no4's or one BB

5g takes 2 x no4's plus 2 x no 10's

6g takes 2 no 1's

This table might help: Shot conversion chart — Angling Times

It is best to try and change as and when necessary , , , , , Remember that you can chop and change using equivalents as well . . . . .

Apologies as I haven't read further yet. But this post had me scratching my head. 4g = 2 x No 4 + 1 x BB (so actually 2 x 0.17g + 1 x 0.40g totalling 0.74g depending on make of shot !!) and then 5g equals 2 x No 4's + 2 x No 10s (so 2 x 0.17g + 2 x 0.02g totaling 0.38g !!). Less than 4g.

Eh ??????

 

[Richox12]

Like most of the B lies many refugees think the streets of the Uk are p@ved with gold and that they are better off here. Even the French are puzzled by the desire to cross the channel. I’d rather stay there.

Most likely I'd be fishing a short dumpy waggler

 

[mikench]

Surely a 5g float will need 5g to make it cock?

 

[Mark Wintle]

Peter thought we were talking about standard small stick floats taking what would have been 0.4 or 0.5 grams not the ten times bigger 4 and 5 gram floats. The original sticks designed and made by Benny Ashurst took 1 BB plus a no. 8 or 2 BB and a no. 8 which, when transfered to the Trent from the canal, became 3 no. 6 or 4 no. 4 plus a no. 6 sticks, which they used to fish on the drop with casters on the artificially heated river.. On the river the anglers didn't bother with less than no. 6 (all lead shot in those days).

 

[sam vimes]

Surely a 5g float will need 5g to make it cock?

There or thereabouts, depending on the accuracy of the labelling.
5g would be 3xSSG/6xAA/12xBB + 1xNo4.

Peter J has definitely read the post as being 0.4g, 0.5g and 0.6g and given appropriate shotting for those.

 

[bracket]

Following this thread through it is apparent the "stick float" that Mark describes (The same ones I used on the Trent many years ago) has now evolved and the term refers to any balsa bodied float attached to a variety of stem materials. The float is now far more versatile and that can only be a good thing. By coincidence, I have recently been making what I call 7 No 4 stick floats. The floats I have made are not things of beauty, but are functional, easy to make and work well.
The method I use is simple and the only tools required are: a power drill (I use an old Black and Decker over 50 years old)

A 2mm drill, 8mm brad point wood drill and various grades of sandpaper. A pin vice is also handy, but not essential. Materials are: 8mm balsa wood dowel and 2mm carbon fibre float stems, both of which are widely available on line. I have an metal jig I made to drill the balsa body's out 2mm, but I couldn't find it, more input for the senior moment thread. I made one from a bit of scrap timber 25mm x 55mm. Drill right through with a 2mm bit, then follow that with an 8mm brad point drill, counter boring to a depth of 15mm. The one I did was pretty much spot on, but it doesn't have to be absolutely concentric, with an 8mm body diameter you have a bit of latitude.

Next thing is to then drill the balsa body . I use a pin vice and drill the body to a depth of 15mm, but you can use a power drill,

Once you have done that, glue a 10cm carbon fibre stem into the body , I use araldite. The stems usually come in 20 cm lengths. When the glue has gone off the body will need to be sanded down to your preferred shape. I use this set up to do that.


I insert the stem into the pin vice then put the vice into the chuck. This stops the stem from whipping as the drill rotates. Shape the body by hand, using ever finer grades of sand paper and finish by using a strip of plain paper, to produce a polished finish with no furry bits. Once you have the shape and finish you want, seal the body with two coats of cellulose dope. When dry, apply a coat of white undercoat, then the top coats. I use black and fluorescent red. Finish off with a couple of coats of varnish. The finished article will look something like this:


Nothing to drool over, but eminently usable. Pete