Float fishing overdepth

[mikench]

Gordon and I are polar opposites when it comes to plumbing up and fishing at dead depth, overdepth or just mid depth. He does it to the inch and I rarely do it at all particularly on a known water. My last fish yesterday gave Gordon the chance to give the Acolyte a try while I packed up. He asked if I was overdepth when I had the fantastic and full blooded take by the carp in my post. I said I was and about a foot give or take. Gordon checked( not sure how) and told me I was 18" overdepth although he was casting in a different spot.

My question ( finally i hear you cry) is does it make any difference if the bait( in this case a large cube of meat) is presented an inch over depth or 12? The bait is on the deck in both cases. Should I be more exact? The float did lift briefly before disappearing rapidly. Is there a difference in catching fish a few inches overdepth and a foot and if so why and how do you know?

 

[nottskev]

There are countless good reasons for plumbing up, Mike, as you'll soon be reading on here I'm sure, particularly if you're attempting anything a bit more subtle than lobbing out a chunk of luncheon meat, and even then I'd want to know the depth.

Can I ask why you don't simply do it? To check the depth(s) a couple of rods out - where I'm guessing you're probably fishing - takes less time than it took you to compose and post the question. With the exception of some running water scenarios where the flow will tell you when your rig is dragging or off bottom, I can't think of any floatfishing instructional video or article that doesn't start with advising you to plumb up.

 

[mikench]

I know Kev but at least my crass stupidity has prompted a post from you which is most welcome. I do plumb up on new waters or new pegs buy I must do it all the time.

You haven't actually answered the ? about the amount overdepth you can go ( deliberately) and the affect it might/will have on catch rates. I promise to plumb up.

 

[rich66]

I think it’s species dependant, if I’m after roach etc then I’d be looking at 2-3” over depth. If it’s bream,tench carp anything upto 18” but normally 6” overdepth is where I’ll be.
I always plumb up. I don’t get it perfect but I like to have a good idea of the depth and how my line is laying in relation.

 

[wetthrough]

Where you caught the Carp in the margin you were probably 2'+ over depth. I had the depth mid way across the water marked on my rod. I just put your hook on to my hook keeper and compared.

 

[nottskev]

Not stupid, Mike - but I was curious why you'd skip this stage. As for not answering the q, there is no quick answer. The reasons revolve around finding out the depths and contours of the bottom so you can think about where fish are likely to be, where they will be happy to congregate, how to set your rig to suit different species ways of feeding, how to set up your rig to combat things like wind and tow, how to see bites as quickly as possible ........... it's the starting point for lots of things that affect how much you'll catch.

 

[tigger]

The more overdepth you fish the less chance of line bites, or fish spooking of your line. Then again there is more chance of a deep hooked fish. I think for shy biting fish then a slightly longer length of line is a good option so the fish can take the bait properly before feeling enough of the line and hook to spit it out.

 

[Keith M]

If my quarry is Tench or Carp or other slightly larger fish that could be spooked by a vertical line up to the float directly above the bait I’ll tend to ‘lay on’ about 3 to 5 inches.

If I’m trying to combat a surface drift I may put a couple of dust shot dragging bottom with up to around 6 or 8 inches lying on the bed.

I only plumb up on rivers if they are extremely slow moving. and even then I prefer to just trot through adjusting the float depth when the float catches the bottom or some weed.

Keith

 

[tigger]

If my quarry is Tench or Carp or other slightly larger fish that could be spooked by a vertical line up to the float directly above the bait I’ll tend to ‘lay on’ about 3 to 5 inches.

If I’m trying to combat a surface drift I may put a couple of dust shot dragging bottom with up to around 6 or 8 inches lying on the bed.

Keith

I sometimes use a small bomb, or link leger (float legering) and if the float doesn't cock to my likeing I just tighten down until it sits how I want it. Since I usually fish straight through I use a small shot to make my hooklength which is obviously laying on the deck as long or short as I want it. You can still do that and attatch a lighter bottom though.

 

[john step]

Like yesterday, the drag was so severe I was fishing 2 foot over depth with some no6s dragging. Thats why sometimes a POLE is more efficient when one holds position over the float.

 

[markcw]

If I am using a 4 or 6 inch hooklength with a dropper shot directly above the lop to loop connection and wish to fish overdepth by that amount I put a clip on plummet on the dropper shot and adjust the float accordingly.

 

[rubio]

Why wouldn't you want to know the bumps and undulations in front of you, was my initial reaction. After breaking a rod plumbing up recently maybe I should follow your approach.

 

[john step]

What were you using as a plummet? 10Kg dumbells?

 

[bracket]

I agree with Kev regarding plumbing up. Absolutely essential, particularly on running water and the first thing I do. By determining the depth, or there abouts, of running water you immediately have two important bits of data, the depth and rate of flow. Armed with this you can then decide how heavy a float rig you will need. Once you have noted the depth against you rod ring you can move the float up and down like a yoyo, chasing the fish and alway return to the start point if needs be. Pete.

 

[tigger]

I agree with Kev regarding plumbing up. Absolutely essential, particularly on running water and the first thing I do. By determining the depth, or there abouts, of running water you immediately have two important bits of data, the depth and rate of flow. Armed with this you can then decide how heavy a float rig you will need. Once you have noted the depth against you rod ring you can move the float up and down like a yoyo, chasing the fish and alway return to the start point if needs be. Pete.

I never ever plumb a river when trotting, I can't see the point, I just play about with my set up and alter it to fish how I want it to .
If fishing a slow deep river I might consider plumbing it. Most of the rivers I fish are pacy and I prefer fishing in no more than 7 or 8 foot of water, very often 10inches to 3ft.

 

[markcw]

A tip if fishing a venue that holds matches, is if going to fish the margins, move the plummet along the bottom checking for snags and any alteration in depth, Also if you fish close in directly in front of you, you will find that is deeper than at the sides, This is due to keepnets making hollow in the bottom when being removed from the water.
You may be lucky as well when moving plummet along the margins to feel your line coming into carp that are already there.

 

[S-Kippy]

I always plumb up on stillwaters but never on rivers. On running water if the float runs through ok I just deepen up until it snags then back off a little.

On stillwaters I am never 100% sure about how accurate plumbing is, particularly if I want to fish dead depth...or as near as. How anybody can say with any certainty they are at "dead depth" or " an inch overdepth" is beyond me. Unless the bottom is universally spirit level flat you cannot be certain...and does it make that much difference anyway ? I wouldn't want to be 6-8 inches overdepth fishing for (say) crucian but an inch over/under is near enough for me.

 

[silvers]

On the OP question.

Aside from visibility of line, the amount of overdepth is a way to vary the presentation when there is some tow (any river and most lakes). Even on a canal I’ve sometimes had to go two feet overdepth in 2 feet of water to get roach bites on caster.
less possible now that more venues are weedy on the bottom with the water clarity.

on the ‘do you plummet’ .... absolutely, more to find the contours of the peg than to set a fixed depth for fishing.
Eg. abrupt changes in depth can be fish magnets.
when I used to do a lot of winter canal fishing, the optimum spot was the bottom of the far shelf (far side of boat channel) ... but that could be anywhere from 6m to 11m from the seated position.
on the Wye at Hereford there is a pronounced shelf on both banks ... almost invariably the roach are caught on the shelf but the dace run up the line of the bottom of the shelf.

 

[rayner]

If fishing on bottom I generally try to have two inches laying on, that doesn't alter unless there's a wind. The wind determines how much I lay on plus how much shot I drag.
When fishing a margin anything up to 12 inches to avoid the mainline spooking fish.

 

[103841]

Off topic, don’t care, good to see you back posting again Kev.

Back on topic, the estate lake I fish is a nightmare trying to get the depth spot on, with zero maintenance over the decades and surrounded by trees the bed of the lake must have several feet of silt with another layer of rotting leaves, twigs and bits of branches, so different baits require different depths has been my thinking as anything that wriggles i.e. worms and maggots can just bury themselves whereas a bait that’s static with a larger surface area such as a lump of meat or bread hopefully sits above the crud. When using worm I will lay on a good few inches and pop it up with some injected air with a split shot just heavy enough to keep it anchored.