The Pikers Pit

Evening all...

In prep for getting out on my syndicate water in a few weeks time been sorting my gear etc.
Have decided to get a drifter float, not a method I have ever used and going to use it to cover some extra water.
I bank fish and it's a medium size trout water. Did some nice unexpected fish last season, no one tried a drifter so hoping might had a few this year to my returns.

I understand the concept and how to get started with it, was just going to pick a Fox system for now unless there is a superior one?

Any tip or tricks to working it? I am planning on putting it out and every few casts adjusting depth..
Do you generally just rest it up on a couple of bank sticks and sit beside it, watchin the vane?

Any pointers would be appreciated.

Cheers

If you are bank fishing you will usually work a bit harder to get the drift going than from a boat, and I have found it better to hold the rod most of the time.

I make my own from ET stems and poly eggs, take a look on the et site, I don't trust any pike gear made by fox...

I stick with the releasing top eye rather than mess about with booms and things, thick braid helps get a bow in the line much better than a thin one.

generally the float is set for mid water, but if you have shallow margins or bars this may determine set depth, there are ways to fish two depths, but I always found it a bit of a faf. Pike spend a lot of time looking up, so fishing shallow doesn't bother me.

The float will always try to get as far down wind as the line allows, so by working the line you can work the float, a partial retrieve and drift can zig zag a feature, or even drift across the wind, use the bow in the line as much as the float.

don't overlook deads, make sure they don't float and hook them hanging down, even half baits work well.

It's a great method, but like free roving livebaits, it's a method that works better the harder you work it.

Thanks for the reply Duncan, handy wee tips and pointers for trying it out. Will also try it from the boat this season,

Will only have deads on it, and will sit holding it, possibility giving the Braid a wee pull every now and then... impart some action.

I bought the Eddie Turner drifter so its on its way.
Looking forward to trying it out.. fingers crossed.

Thanks again for replying.

Agree with Duncan, using the ET stuff...
This one might help too:

http://www.fishingtv.com/video/drifter-float-fishing

Cheers

Cheers been watching that channel all night!!!

Like Duncan I make my own and vary the stem length for bank or boat.....also worth using a rigid type braid for better control.

I use http://www.eddieturner.co.uk/pike-tackl ... lb-94.html

One chance I have made in recent years is to use a long (2 foot) coated ATM wire uptrace with a fox sinker attached to it. I then use a smaller trace attached to the end.

http://www.eddieturner.co.uk/pike-tackl ... er-19.html

Drifter float fishing has accounted for some of the best fish I've ever had its a cracking way to cover a lot of water.

I have a Greys Prodigy Drifter rod it’s a 12’6’’ 3.25lb test curve with a Shimano Xtea 10000 super baitrunner loaded with 50lb power pro braid for my drifter fishing. I believe it is essential to have braid this keeps the mainline on the surface of the water meaning your winding less to get the slack out of the line before you set the hook on a run, I use the fox drifter floats and some I've made myself both work both do the same job the same way and as long as the float does what you want it to then who cares who makes them.

I tend to let the float drift free for a few yards then close the bail arm and leave it on the baitrunner for 20 mins then open the bail arm and let it drift for another few yards then close the bail arm and let it sit in position. I use a 2’ up-trace with a 1.5oz to 2oz inline weight stuck to the bottom end of it then a 12’’ bait trace to the livebait or deadbait either way it’s important to have a up trace so if the bait rises above the weight the pike can’t hit your mainline.

You do not need a specific drifter rod to do this or even a bait runner but you do need decent braid I like the 50lb power pro I don’t tend to go lower then this for pike but I have gone up to 80lb power pro depending on where I am fishing. I have seen men use a big pit reel for their drifter fishing for the cranking power this has some valid points but I've never had any issues with the set up I currently use.

Enjoy your fishing mate, tight lines.

Very interesting, having done minimal drifter float work over the years, I shall now get my a**e into gear and use it more.

It certainly is worth the time and effort. Drifter fishing from the boats is very addictive.

As others have said it's a great way to cover lots of water , I use a fox drifter system an it works well , an another tip is make sure your line floats as if it sinks it tends to snag up on the bottom an also a floating line will allow you to use a bow in the line to speed up the drifting process,,I use mono so I grease the line every session an have no problems

If you buy a fox drifter the XXL egg sinkers are a perfect balance...

Steven Whybrow wrote: ↑Mon Oct 09 2017 19:46 -

If you buy a fox drifter the XXL egg sinkers are a perfect balance...

I tend to avoid the fox sinkers for their inline carp leads they do some nice square ones from 1oz, 1 1/2oz and 2oz I put these directly onto my up-traces so that the float is balanced and the bait if it goes above the weight it’s still around the up trace so no bite offs.

The issue I had with the fox sinkers was them flying of the line on the cast the silicon wasn’t quite man enough to hold them on if they are not the quick change ones you should be ok.

Steven Whybrow wrote: ↑Mon Oct 09 2017 19:46 -

If you buy a fox drifter the XXL egg sinkers are a perfect balance...

3SSG Shot