Floats for big river

[JimboM]

Thinking about having a go at deadbaiting at the weekend on my local stretch of river, it's a non-tidal section but it's still a big river with a fair bit of current.
Never done it before but want to try a float ledger rig but need to get a some floats. Might be overthinking this but there's obviously a huge choice so what sort of design\shape and weight of float would be most suitable?

Cheers

[BillCollins]

You don't need to be too specific, an inline set up is a good start if there's a reasonable flow. Any medium to large sized pike or sea float should be ok. Set it a good bit overdepth, the flow will keep the line tight between the float and the rig so any interest in the bait will still show up straight away. Keep the rod tip high on a single rest and keep as much of the line as possible between the rod and float off the water. Ideally, fish the rig slightly upstream of your position. As often as not, pike will 'drop back' when picking up a bait on the river and you'll spot this quicker fishing as above, particularly with a semi fixed lead.

[suffolk si]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

[jeff smith]

https://www.eddieturner.co.uk/pike-tack ... ts-17.html

The largest ( which needs at leat 3oz to anchor)of Eddie’s floats have served me very well for many years on a deep,fast flowing tidal that I fish.
These floats are fished ‘waggler style’ i.e bottom attachment only, and sit up nicely in the flow when adjusted correctly to varying degrees over depth. They’ll also support a reasonable sized bait on a paternoster.

[jeff smith]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Ha, you beat me to it Si...... great minds

[suffolk si]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Ha, you beat me to it Si...... great minds

There’s some bargain rip off on eBay without the beads too if you want some proper cheap ones

[Daniel]

f*****g great big sea fishing floats!

[John Milford]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Ha, you beat me to it Si...... great minds

There’s some bargain rip off on eBay without the beads too if you want some proper cheap ones

Those connecting beads are as cheap as chips Si (and very good). I just re-stocked and got 60 for under three quid on eBay.

I've used them for years as it's so easy to clip/unclip the floats, but keep the rod rigged up. Also easy to change floats to a different colour tip, for changes in light conditions or surface background refection.

[MarkBerrisford]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Ha, you beat me to it Si...... great minds

There’s some bargain rip off on eBay without the beads too if you want some proper cheap ones

Think that’s where Eddie gets them from

[Mike J]

f*****g great big sea fishing floats!

To right

For;
Cheap as chips, indestructible, reversible, can be piggybacked for extra buoyancy with large baits, can be adapted to add to assembled gear.

Against,
They have no brand name on them - only a problem of you like named tackle.

.

[Pikerd74]

I bought some of these ET floats from the friendly fisherman maybe 10 years ago and they are still going strong! The have a metal insert which does not wear when using braid.... they are like the AK47 of pike floats.
I bought 3 of each type and still have 2 of each unused.
https://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/ ... IDER-.html

[Kev Berry]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Made me snigger seeing those floats Si
Still went under though

[suffolk si]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Made me snigger seeing those flots Si
Still went under though

YepNot as pretty as your handmade ones but did the job.they might get to go under again in a couple of weeks if I can convince the wife to let me out

[Kev Berry]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Made me snigger seeing those flots Si
Still went under though

YepNot as pretty as your handmade ones but did the job.they might get to go under again in a couple of weeks if I can convince the wife to let me out

Been on river today..water was freezing...
Croc blanked
A very rare 2lb jack saved me

[suffolk si]

that’s one more than I will catch in January I reckon

[Andytheammer]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Ha, you beat me to it Si...... great minds

There’s some bargain rip off on eBay without the beads too if you want some proper cheap ones

Those connecting beads are as cheap as chips Si (and very good). I just re-stocked and got 60 for under three quid on eBay.

I've used them for years as it's so easy to clip/unclip the floats, but keep the rod rigged up. Also easy to change floats to a different colour tip, for changes in light conditions or surface background refection.

Been using these floats with Kellie clips this year

[Gaz Jane]

860D47A1-101C-4082-A58B-7A29E24CCE8D.png

I use these

[John Milford]

I use these for 80 percent of my river fishing, I look like a noddy but they do the job perfectly for me , nice and buoyant and highly visible ( pretty sure Kev and Karl gave me some funny looks when I first used them though lol)

Ha, you beat me to it Si...... great minds

There’s some bargain rip off on eBay without the beads too if you want some proper cheap ones

Those connecting beads are as cheap as chips Si (and very good). I just re-stocked and got 60 for under three quid on eBay.

I've used them for years as it's so easy to clip/unclip the floats, but keep the rod rigged up. Also easy to change floats to a different colour tip, for changes in light conditions or surface background refection.

Been using these floats with Kellie clips this year

I've been making my own for years Andy - out of short lengths of hard rig tube formed into a curve with boiling water and copper wire, then glued into a drilled out JR leger bead.

They're great when there's some depth to create a good locking angle, but I prefer the 'zip slider' beads and a conventional stop in shallower water.

Screenshot_20210113-230402.png

[benelli]

You using the Kelly clips on rivers? They working ok?
Cheers

[JoeNickel]

I use these, in 6". Tend to fish overdepth with the floats flat. I like the white base, as it's easier to see the whole float, esp as it gets dark.

I've sometimes thought a smaller float would be better on smaller/calmer waters. Every time I've gone for something more discreet I've regretted it - harder to see, and I'm sure the pike don't give a s**t. These are also chunky enough to suspend a heavy bait on the rare occasions I want to fish up in the water.

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