Fishing with bubble floats...for trout.

[Rod Bender]

Hi peoples
Have some bubble floats which I intend to use at Eildon and other locations. Never done the 'float' thing much before. The ones I purchased (I guess they are called bubble floats) can be part filled with water. I assume you fill the float to the point where it just floats, which will reduce resistance felt by a fish and give you casting distance?

Do most people use a line floatant to keep the line above water? It would think it would be essential if there is any material (weeds etc) in the location where you are fishing which will 'snag' the line if it is sinking.

Last but not least...float stoppers. I have used some previously which consisted of a small short plastic collar, the line was placed through the tube then an insert was placed in the collar which would then lock up the line. Is this type of stopper effective? I wonder if it would weaken the line by 'pinching' it? Or do people just tie a swivel on as a stopper? I have seen another type of stopper and all I can say is they look like small beads...not sure if they crimp on or what?
thanks in advance trout gurus!
Jim

[barra mick]

Half full of water is good.

Make sure the line can run through one eye of the float.

Grease the line if you want...sometimes I do..sometimes I dont

I use a tube and a match stick to stop the float hitting the bait.

Bm

[Nude up]

I prefer the crystal waggler or one called a surface controller. The waggler is pre weighted with a red tip the surface controller is also pre weighted so only the tip is just above the surface. Using a float stop the plastic ring with the insert is good it doesn't damage the line and it can slide up and down the line to adjust the depth the only knot is at the hook

[shazdoggg]

i use dacron tied onto the line as a float stopper. works 1000x better than store bought float stoppers and is dirt cheap

[Rod Bender]

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Make sure the line can run through one eye of the float.

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I remember watching a fishing show, the guy used a swivel, from memory, one end of the swivel attached to bubble float, the line running through the other end of the swivel!

I prefer the crystal waggler or one called a surface controller...................

Can you cast any great distance with these? Or are you relying on favourable currents/wind to get them out?
cheers
Jim

[Nude up]

The crystal waggler are pre weighted I then use two small split shot to position on the line they come in different sizes you can cast them a fair distance. The surface controllers I bought in the uk they are tear drop shaped and again pre weighted they cast a mile once in the water only about 4mm of the swivel sticking out.
Am not at home at the minute will post some pictures when I get home about thursday

[SparkyUK]

Being a pom i was brought up using waggler, stick floats, avons etc, even making my own. I would suggest wagglers are a lot better detection than bubble floats.

[sandef]

Fill the float with some silicone they cast like bullets grease your line fish with a open bail

[TrevKing]

I've tried this rig out once or twice, no bites as of yet but it seems pretty good.
Should work a treat if using a baitrunner reel or if you leave the bail arm open - the fish feels very little or no resistance.

50ce2314-9b37-49bb-aaf9-a75c292042d7_original.jpg (27.12 KiB) Viewed 2143 times

[Blue]

Jim, Trevking setup is pretty much what we use with the following as personal preferences on detail.
Use acorn shaped bubbles, usually green as purchased but can be painted to colour of choice. I have white, fluro yellow and red as well, depending on light and surface conditions.How much water is decided by how far you want to cast while still retaining some buoyancy.I like almost neutral buoyancy to lessen resistance.
Daichi size 6 or 10 hooks
Light mono, some go 4lb I use 6lb
Use piece of cork about a cm square for stopper.Put a couple of slices each side with razerblade, simply wind line around a couple of times in the nicks to give a dropper at preferred depth,up to the length of your rod.Length can be easily varied.Anything longer can be difficult to land. There are ways around this but they will keep for another day.
Grease line with Mueslin floatant.
Don't use swivel, extra weight may sink your bait further than you want to go and is not necessary.
The whole idea is for your line to run freely thru the bubble, you do not keep line tight to bubble,close bail.With floatant your line will lay on top of water with plenty of slack for fish to take and keep going.To see these coils start to straighten is sensational.Believe me, when he's on you will know. Sometimes your cork stopper will be some distance from the bubble, this is a good sign that you are on, fish is moving around slowly without feeling weight. Only time I fish with open bail is with Scrubbies on the bottom.
All of this applies to lake fishing, if fishing a moving stream, shorten the dropper,cast upstream and let the bubble run with the current as far as you like while still under control.
There are a few other tricks but this has gone on long enough now, I get pretty enthusiastc with bubble floating, it is just such a great way to fish.
Hope it helps.
Blue