Why do so many float fish?

[Knuguy]

This would seem to be a good time of year to discuss the relative advantages/disadvantages of float fishing vs. bottom bouncing vs. lures.
I live on the Notty, I am relatively new to this ‘game’ and the few fish I have caught have been, except for one, caught on lures. I have tried bottom bouncing and a little bit of float fishing---I don’t have a centerpin and it’s a bit tricky with spinning reel .I have also tried the Bighead a couple of times but there were so many rocks that both bottom bouncing and lures was frustrating with so many snags.
Most folks I see fishing the Notty seem to use floats with roe but I have seen quite a sizeable minority bottom bouncing. I find this surprising because I thought that bottom bouncing would maximize the time the roe is in the ‘strike zone’ along the bottom since the bottom has undulations that causes the depth to vary. It would seem to me that in cases where there are relatively few snags either bottom bouncing or using lures would be the first choice. Or do I have this all wrong?

 

[Luke]

You're going to hear a million various answers, but here are some of mine:

1) I started exclusively float fishing last fall because it helped me to avoid lining salmon and as a result more effectively target the trout that were feeding on their eggs.
2) Bites are easier to detect.
3) I can drift and keep the bait in the strike zone for as far as I can see the float (100+ feet) if I am on a big enough river, with bottom bouncing because of the amount of line in the water the current would make that impossible.
4) Fewer snags.
5) I learned the finer points in Europe from my uncle some 18 years ago and have ever since always enjoyed float fishing.
6) There's nothing like seeing your float go down, setting the hook, and feeling the headshakes of a big steelhead as it prepares to fly


I think there are places for each method but float fishing can be applied to almost any situation (i.e. any speed of water and almost any amount of snags)... I dont think I could have hooked the two chromer's last friday if it were not for a float. Both were a foot from the shore I was standing on, it was an undercut bank with roots protruding from it.

That being said, my biggest steelhead was a monster that was hooked on a #4 mepps black fury, unfortunately the net man got in the way and broke it off.

 

[aznsynaseter]

I do all three depending on water conditions and the time i use a 10'6" rod with a spinning rod nothing fancy but it works and I catch as much as anyone else on the river but i prefer to float fish its the excitement of when the float goes down and you know its game time

 

[pop-vlado]

As far as creeks go, it's a far more subtle way to fish (ie. you're not chasing fish away by constantly throwing in lead weights) and you minimize on your snags - which is always good cause you can spend more time fishing :mrgreen:

Further, I float fish with a spinning real and have been doing it with success for years.

 

[hightechdecks]

float fishing allows you to cover more water in a more effective manner. when i float i keep my bait up off the bottom.... fish have a tendency to suspend in the water column and also have a tendency to feed upwards. i do a fair share of lure fishing as well as bottom bouncing for trout salmon and steelhead but take the most under a float by far.

 

[Spinninreel]

I think that float fishing is more effective on the majority of the rivers around here and the only real situation where you will have trouble float fishing in really deep pools.

 

[hightechdecks]

slip floats allow you to fish any depth of water with a float. when walleye fishing there are times i am using a float in 20-30 fow, i use my 10/6 pier casting rod for this as the added length helps in setting the hook.

 

[staffman]

Years ago the majority of steelheaders were all bottom bouncers. As centre pin reels reels became more accessible steelheaders turned more to floatfishing, and today that is the preferred way to fish. Bottom bouncing is harder for most fishermen to learn and therefore not as popular. It is hard to bottom bounce in slow water flows, where as floats can be used in any flow. I used to love bottom bouncing fast water and floating in slower water, but now I use the float all the time. The only time I've bottom bounced in the last 10 years is when I'm at Port Dallousie.

 

[Dozer]

I like the float because I can see where my bait is and I can manipulate its track.

 

[Garfield the cat]

I like the float because I can see where my bait is and I can manipulate its track.

BINGOOOOOOOOO DOZERRRRRRR

Best answer yet

 

[Meanderer]

Works for many species. Ever float a crayfish for BIG bass.

Oh and someting else..you can float a fly too.

Definitely a versatile style and that is good!

 

[Porter86]

Mannn...I really need to win the lottery some time soon so i can get all this gear for these other types of fishing. Float fishing sounds a lot more interesting now after reading all of this and I want to try it. I think I need to master fly fishing a bit more before I do, but def something that has my attention now Thank you OP for the post!!

 

[ChaseChrome]

Cause most guys have two left hands when it comes to fishing the fly...

 

[Graham Bristow]

Simple answer, it's extremely effective... especially if you know how to depth a pool to make sure your bait is in the strike zone. Although I do a lot more fly fishing then centerpin fishing (just my preference), centerpinning has accounted for most of my 30 and 40+ fish days. Bottom bouncing and fly fishing can also be very effective under the right conditions and types of water... Just focus on mastering one method at a time... I catch lots of fish in the Notty with a fly rod and flies so dont give up on that yet.... Here's a buddy with a nice fly caught steelhead from febuary 2012.

 

[Graham Bristow]

sorry, not sure how to do pictures.. I'll try again..

 

[Porter86]

sorry, not sure how to do pictures.. I'll try again..

Nice looking fish!!! Thats my plan is to master the fly first. I'm learning baitcasting as well this year but thats for when out on the boats or switch up the shore fishing