The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I've just started using more traditional tackle- making floats, centrepins etc. I decided to give stick float fishing for barbel a go, makin git my mission to catch one on the float this season. I started last week, using a Drennan 'Big stick' weighted at 3.5g - this was sort of ok, easy to control and running through well.
Yesterday I went to another stretch and I was really struggling to control the line, causing the stick to drift off the line I was fishing. I tried a bigger, more stable chubber but couldn't really hold back enough to conquer the swim. I then switched to a wire stem stick float and shotted it right down - this went rhough like a dream and led to a 4lb chub shortly afterwards.
Does everyone find a wire stem stick float better for deeper, faster flowing sections or is it just down to my lack of coordination/skill with alien fishing tackle? Any tips greatly received! :beg: :beg:

Wire stems are recommended for deeper well flowing sections because they are inherently more stable owing to the reduced friction/drag the narrow stems have, so you have to hold back less. I oft use wire stemed stick floats on the Thames to 10-12 ft on a pacey stretch without any problems, and it sounds like your earlier problems were caused by float selection rather than your lack of control etc. In deep swirly water the chubber is more likely to be taken by the swirls so is harder to control, if the water was pacey but had a smooth flow then the chubber or a big stick might be OK. Only your experience will dictate your float selection; a bit of trial and error!!!

I'm now trialing homemade avons for trotting and am amazed they appear to be better than stick floats for deeper water, with plenty of tip showing, with most bites the tip just slowly disappears, as if the fish are unaware they are being fooled!!! So why not try avons as well, they carry more shot which increases their stability and yet have thin stems to give low resistance to the top swirls!!!

Cheers, thanks very much. I suppose my float choice will come with experience, as you say. Thanks for the pointers, I'll let you know how I go! :beg:

im not a great float fishermen but ive cought quite a lot of barbel using a chubber float and small pieces of lunchen meat it can be great fishing in the right swim anyone else tried this

mazza wrote:im not a great float fishermen but ive cought quite a lot of barbel using a chubber float and small pieces of lunchen meat it can be great fishing in the right swim anyone else tried this

Not yet, but I've been told about a swim thats full of chub that can be caught like this - where chub are there are normally barbel not far behind!