Float winders

[Peter Wilde]

I think there is a place for winders, not least it saves a bit of time (and trial-and-error shotting) when tackling up, especially for a short session. So have fairly recently made a couple to try.

Has anyone got a good design of clip - or something - to keep the non-hook end of the line (above the float) tidy and stop it getting tangled up in the next set of tackle on the winder? (Or do people start winding each tackle on from the loop end, and finish by sticking the hook in something to hold it)?

[Match Aerial]

Buy the winder with the slide fixing to hold the loop end tight.
Or use elastic band in the end loop and fixed around the end of the winder.

[Aitch]

^^
Wot he said... Preston Innovations and Daiwa make winders with a sliding peg on the side... just attach the hook to the central pillar and wind on the rig and attach the loop to the sliding peg to lock it securely

[Peter Wilde]

Thanks, both. Maybe need to buy one of those and see if one can easily copy the sliding peg arrangement.

[Coral Maestro]

I use them when winter trotting for grayling. The days are so short that I don't want to waste time completely retackling particularly when the light is bad and my eyesight is not as good as it used to be! I use braid as my main line and nylon mono for my end rigs as that provides some shock absorption on the strike. If I lose a rig or the hook is getting dull it's a simple case of putting the old rig back on the winder and tying a new rig onto the end of the braid.

[Martin James]

I have used wooden float winders from when I got my first proper rod in 1943, before that the winder with line float shot and hook were on a wooden winder purchased from the local pram shop. When I started senior school I made a float winder taking 4 floats, during wood work lesson under the teaching of Mr Cox, winders are an excellent way of storing rigs, ready shotted with hook attached, I have several rigged for my cane pole.

[Nobby]

I can't remember the last time I fished without my hooklink and float coming from a winder...it must be years ... the last time I went after big carp, I imagine.

The main trouble is that the elastic bands put on to keep the line on the winder keep rotting and pinging off!

I've never liked the idea of pinching my line in the crevices of the winder sides.

Incidentally Jeff Della Mura ( he of the Hooked on Floats book) will be releasing a new book on float winders soon.