mikench
Well-known member
Why buy floating line ( not for trotting) and then mess about trying to sink it when float fishing. Surely feeder line would be better and simpler.
Mono question of the day
- Thread starter mikench
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flightliner
Well-known member
Mike, I've tried sinking line when using a stickfloat with shirtbutton shotting tbh I can't see it makes any differance.
I still hit most of the bites I receive
when it's standard practice to use a floating line when when using float
tackle.
I still hit most of the bites I receive
when it's standard practice to use a floating line when when using float
tackle.
On stillwaters or canals, you might still want the line to float; it all depends. Sinking the line might be necessary to keep things stable etc, but if conditions allow, keeping it on the surface helps.
At the deep marina I often post about, if I have to sink the line because it's windy, it gets much harder to hit every bite. When the line's sunk, fishing 4 or 5 rods out in 12' of water, you can feel that to set the hook you're having to "lift" the sunk line up through the water and that impedes the strike a little. If the wind's not too band, you can keep the line on top and hold your float in place by mending the line, flicking it back in place etc and the difference in hitting sharp bites is stark as the line lifts straight off the surface and you move the hook more effectively. I used to use a favourite sinking line, 2.5lb Maxima, there, but I find I use Dave Harrell's Pro Match 3lb more now - a line that floats so well it's hard to sink.
To get your float/bait to behave and get strikeable bites, all variations are possible - sink it all, float it all, sink the half nearer to you, sink the half nearer the float. It's not called an art for nothing
I have reel spools with sinking and floating lines on, and either can be made to do the opposite, but the weather, type of water and kind of fishing makes one or the other best to start with.
At the deep marina I often post about, if I have to sink the line because it's windy, it gets much harder to hit every bite. When the line's sunk, fishing 4 or 5 rods out in 12' of water, you can feel that to set the hook you're having to "lift" the sunk line up through the water and that impedes the strike a little. If the wind's not too band, you can keep the line on top and hold your float in place by mending the line, flicking it back in place etc and the difference in hitting sharp bites is stark as the line lifts straight off the surface and you move the hook more effectively. I used to use a favourite sinking line, 2.5lb Maxima, there, but I find I use Dave Harrell's Pro Match 3lb more now - a line that floats so well it's hard to sink.
To get your float/bait to behave and get strikeable bites, all variations are possible - sink it all, float it all, sink the half nearer to you, sink the half nearer the float. It's not called an art for nothing
I have reel spools with sinking and floating lines on, and either can be made to do the opposite, but the weather, type of water and kind of fishing makes one or the other best to start with.
@Clive
Well-known member
That's right Kev. When you sink your line to avoid wind drift it doesn't sit obediently just under the surface, but the mid section continues to sink drawing the float towards you if it isn't well anchored. And that sunken belly causes the lack of connection when striking. That is why I use floating line rather than sinking line. When wound tight under the water it doesn't continue to sink at the same rate as feeder line would. And of course it is perfect for stick float or river waggler fishing too.
Similar options for managing the line apply on rivers, too.
How you strike bites depends partly on what the line's doing as well - strike up? Flat to the side? To the left? To the right?
Fishing a float's a bit like flying a kite - you're feeling and manipulating how it's all working rather than sitting back watching.
How you strike bites depends partly on what the line's doing as well - strike up? Flat to the side? To the left? To the right?
Fishing a float's a bit like flying a kite - you're feeling and manipulating how it's all working rather than sitting back watching.
mikench
Well-known member
Ah there is the rub Kev. I do tend to sit about waiting and miss many bites because I have a bow on the line. I freely admit that I am a lazy ( read poor) angler and whilst I have my moments float fishing, I’m generally more competent on the feeder where tight lines isn’t just a saying.
Exactly. Pulling a line towards you through the water from the side is likely to connect better rather than trying to lift/force all of that length of line up to the surface. Way more resistance. Just depends on what vegetation etc you have around you or position/location of float etc.
I wonder how many 'sinking' lines actually sink easily anyway - even though they can be made (takes longer, more processes) - and Nylon is heavier than water anyway and wants to sink once it's 'cut' under the surface or breaks through the surface tension. It's easier, and much more common, to make an initially floating line even by default. Bayer was.
Ah there is the rub Kev. I do tend to sit about waiting and miss many bites because I have a bow on the line. I freely admit that I am a lazy ( read poor) angler and whilst I have my moments float fishing, I’m generally more competent on the feeder where tight lines isn’t just a saying.
Fair enough Mike. Even so, if you prefer to put your float out and "anchor" it, there are things that help
Cast past your spot, rod top under water, quick wind, plus/or
Rod tip under water, strike up
Set rig overdepth, maybe with a small shot on the bottom
Add a small shot 18" behind your float
De-grease your line with a bit of dilute washing up liquid if it's picked up any oily scum etc from the water.
This little trick using a slight bow is a good one
Often, even with a sunk line, you can't avoid an underwater bow. Strike bites with, not against, the bow, with a sideways strike.
Sometimes you just can't make your float stay directly in front. A big mistake is to feed straight in front then spend all day watching your float drift away from it. Better to find where - using all the above - you CAN get it to hold, then feed to that spot.
Or go on the feeder
@Clive
Well-known member
Same when ledgering regards the strike. You don't have to do the full Ivan Marks dropping backwards off your wicker basket horizontal strike, but it is preferable to striking upwards.
Talking of Ivan, if memory serves me well he once wrote how his prefence for stillwater float fishing was to use a floating line treated to sink with washing up liquid...his reasoning being that the line sunk but stayed just below the surface so he avoided drift but it still allowed a nice clean strike.
Keith M
Well-known member
I don’t think that washing up liquid makes any mono line stay permanently just below the surface; I think it just combats any surface film so that the mono will sink through it a bit easier.
I usually carry some diluted washing up liquid in a small squeezy plastic bottle with my float tackle; and use it for combating a thick surface film whenever it’s needed. In the occasional match I‘ve even resorted to attaching a sponge soaked in washing up liquid to my front rod rest when I’ve needed to combat a particularly thick surface film and I’ve needed to sink my line; and then occasionally wound in with the rod still resting on the sponge. But usually just sinking the tip of my rod below the surface and winding in a bit or making a very small upwards strike will be enough to sink my line without needing a line sinkant.
I find that some lines like Drennan Float Fish and Dave Harrell Pro Float which are classed as Floating lines; but can still be made to sink; will tend to stay a bit higher in the water a tad longer once they’re sunk; whereas I’ve had lines like Maxima Chameleon sink like a stone once they‘ve sunk through the surface film.
Keith
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Yep. SG of nylon is much more than water and (mostly) hygroscopic as well
That's right, Keith. The washing up liquid is a degreaser and takes any greasy or oily stuff off your line. So it helps any line to sink, but how hard that is and how far they tend to sink depends on their intrinsic qualities. Different lines have different characteristics - floating/sinking, memory, knotting, abrasion resistance ... - and you find out by trying them. In my flat-living days I used washing up liquid for shampoo (because I was worth it) and it left hair squeaky clean and stripped dry .....
I think you may have misunderstood me Keith, he was not saying the washing up liquid made the line stay up in the water ...it was that he was using a floating line treated to sink that made it stay up near the surface.
Whether thats the case or not I have no idea...It was a long time ago but I am 99% certain it was Ivan Marks who wrote it. ..I have a vague idea he may have been using a Daiwa line for the article but I am not certain.
My own memories of washing up liquid was as over enthusiastic kids soaking our spools in it the night before and then suffering having our tiny floats continually dragged in as the line sank
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Why do you think a 'Floating' solid nylon mono line (a material which is substantially heavier than water) 'floats' to start with ? It doesn't float as such but is simply held by the surface tension.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
It is, but lines like daiwa sensor have an almost oily/greasy coating on it initially, which wears off with use and needs a spray with furniture polish to regain its floating quality, to stop the water being absorbed into the monofilament....
Such surface applications are normal. Wash then off, thoroughly, and they sink. You'll remember original Bayer Perlon which most of us used in the 70's and 80's and how it needed to be used a good few times before it would cut under the surface better/faster/easier. It wasn't any magic coating put on for us anglers. Perlon monfil was made for furniture textiles (Dralon etc). Just a silicone application put onto the nylon to avoid friction and possible damage on post extrusion and winding when going over/under/around rollers at high speed.
@Clive
Well-known member
Rather than use neat washing up liquid try mixing it into a smooth paste with cat litter, the grey granules, and preferrably before the cat has used it. D i c k Walker recommended it and the product is produced especially for dressing leaders when fly-fishing.
Alan,
which furniture polish do you use please? … I tried Pledge (iirc) but it just came out as gunk (sticky globules rather than a fine mist) on the line