The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Another interesting one, thanks Mark.

Phil

After a pause I've got around to making the next video. Part 11 - Waggler or Stick Float?:

As always - enlightening!

thanks mark more great tips.

Thank you Mark, very straightforward advice, easy to understand!

Hi Mark. Just started watching this series, and in number 3, I noticed you slid a shot up the line quite quickly. I am always nervous of doing this in case I damage the line. What's your secret to being able to do this? (I tried pinching the shot very lightly, but it often falls off!)

Just also watched up in the water. I notice you were waiting for a bite with the bail arm off and your index finger on the spool edge. Could you please say why you do this?

Many thanks for these videos - they are really helpful to a (definitely!) non expert like me.

OldRod wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 9:51 am Hi Mark. Just started watching this series, and in number 3, I noticed you slid a shot up the line quite quickly. I am always nervous of doing this in case I damage the line. What's your secret to being able to do this? (I tried pinching the shot very lightly, but it often falls off!)

Just also watched up in the water. I notice you were waiting for a bite with the bail arm off and your index finger on the spool edge. Could you please say why you do this?

Many thanks for these videos - they are really helpful to a (definitely!) non expert like me.

The shot I'm moving are either lead no. 8s or 10s and as I'm fussy about the shot I use these are soft enough to move easily without damaging the line - the main line is 2lb Maxima.

I always have the bale arm open when float fishing as I prefer to strike against my finger not the bale arm as then I know that the line isn't tangled and also my finger absorbs the shock a bit.

Love this series Mark as you are showing just how good the waggler can be in running water......something a lot of anglers have forgotten over the years.

Nowadays the ubiquitous pole/ long whip is used on swims that are just crying out for a waggler to be run through it; such is the power of the pole though.

Like you Fatty has reached the conclusion that sometimes the fish, roach and dace in particular, show a marked preference for either the stick or waggler presentation; sometimes both need to be used in the same swim and session just to get extra bites when they become iffy.

This is why two rods, one with the stick, the other the waggler are usually set up by Fatty at the start of the session with both getting a run to ascertain which way the fish are going, bite wise.

So far as Fatty can see there is no obvious reason why they want one presentation over the other but knows they do. Obviously during a session a change in presentation will get extra bites when the bites slow down but why do they prefer one set up over the other from the start, although easily solved with two set ups bought into play with the two rods/ presentations already set up. But do you have any theories why this is so?

A conundrum for sure......the solution is easy, as stated above but why do the fish want the one presentation over the other?

Fatty realises they are living creatures with capricious natures but still needs to find a reason why one presentaion elicits a positve response and the other doesn't.

This is the wonder of fishing......one can never know it all even after all these years of fishing experience with the float.

As ever,....

Moley

Thanks for another interesting film Mark.

Phil

DaceAce wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 2:02 pm

OldRod wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 9:51 am Hi Mark. Just started watching this series, and in number 3, I noticed you slid a shot up the line quite quickly. I am always nervous of doing this in case I damage the line. What's your secret to being able to do this? (I tried pinching the shot very lightly, but it often falls off!)

Just also watched up in the water. I notice you were waiting for a bite with the bail arm off and your index finger on the spool edge. Could you please say why you do this?

Many thanks for these videos - they are really helpful to a (definitely!) non expert like me.

The shot I'm moving are either lead no. 8s or 10s and as I'm fussy about the shot I use these are soft enough to move easily without damaging the line - the main line is 2lb Maxima.

I always have the bale arm open when float fishing as I prefer to strike against my finger not the bale arm as then I know that the line isn't tangled and also my finger absorbs the shock a bit.

Thanks for your response Mark. The finger on the spool edge make a lot of sense. I will give it a go.
Superb videos btw! Thanks for them.