Celluloid floats

[Dave Burr]

Theoretically, floats can be made of any buoyant materials but one does have one's standards. Even as a youngster, when I found celluloid floats by the water or rescued them from the bushes, I disliked them and would leave them as a last-chance option. I see no problem in collecting them though, us fella's will collect almost anything but using them, no thank you. Floats should be beautiful or extremely practical.

I agree they do not meet your former criteria Dave, but surely they meet the latter?

Seeing some of the shapes and designs, I feel ingenuity figures too.

Well, yes and no John. If you look at the classics such as wagglers, antennas, stick floats and Avons, they are all built to patterns that have proved effective for generations. The discussions between match anglers about the ratio of stem to balsa and the degree they went to to make their own one's perfect filled countless pages of fishing magazines in the 70s.

Antennae floats need a balance between the size of the body and the length of the stem, the width of the stem is also crucial to give bite indication, depending on the style of fishing.

Avon floats again are all about balance which depends on the rate of flow you want to fish. Wagglers, well I guess they are the simplest but, all nearly of the celluloid ones are unnecessarily broad.

I don't want to sound high-handed or aloof John, I just don't think that celluloid brings much to the party other than a sort of robustness. I have never seen a top angler (very broad term but I don't want to be too specific) using them. I am nothing more than competent at float fishing and, as I previously said, would never willingly use them. Having said that, some people use Mitchell 300s and fibreglass rods, there's no law against it and you can do what you want within reason. It's right that somebody should retain collections of all facets of our lives and hobbies and your collection is impressive.

[John Milford]

I was messing around a while ago, re-creating the floats page in everyone's childhood 'fishing bible' The Ladybird Book of Coarse Fishing with actual examples of the floats depicted.

The application given for the typical slim, slightly tapered, stepped-topped celluloid float illustrated was interesting: "Anti-wind floats for use in running water".

It seemed an unexpectedly specific use for what I've always thought of as a fairly basic, general float pattern?

Screenshot_20230726-205031_Photos~2.jpg

[Old Man River]

Theoretically, floats can be made of any buoyant materials but one does have one's standards. Even as a youngster, when I found celluloid floats by the water or rescued them from the bushes, I disliked them and would leave them as a last-chance option. I see no problem in collecting them though, us fella's will collect almost anything but using them, no thank you. Floats should be beautiful or extremely practical.

Got to agree there Dave, I find the “Plastic” floats chunky and very unattractive . I did have one once, but gave it away .

I do have several of the Red/White plastic Pike Bungs though, you see them everywhere at Car boots, they must have been made by the million. I use them when floatfishing Sandeel of the rocks in Cornwall or Wales , had quite a few Wrasse, some Bass, and Mackerel using them, I use them because I have no worries about losing them.

David

[John Milford]

Ah, les Boulliards de brochet, c'est manifique!

[StefanDuma]

There is a big difference between Plastic and Celluloid. Plastic floats from the 1950's onwards are nothing like those from the 1900s.

[Old Man River]

There is a big difference between Plastic and Celluloid. Plastic floats from the 1950's onwards are nothing like those from the 1900s.

I was just using a generic term for the celluloid Stefan .

Really, I suppose I could have said non bio degradable ?

I still have no affection for them, plastic or celluloid .

David

[MWithell]

I must admit to favouring those clear plastic wagglers simply because they are tough and unlikely to spring a leak, which has so often been the story for me with any float containing balsa.

[JeffEdisbury]

Not all Celluloid floats were big chunky monsters, here are a few from my small collection that beg the question, what were they designed to catch? Minnow bashing?

[John Milford]

Thanks for sharing those Jeff, I especially like the diddy little ones. Perhaps for fishing near the surface for rudd or bleak?

Here are a few more of my plastics, circa 1960s.

The three straight 'top and bottom' luminous floats to the left were made in W. Germany and were distributed in the UK by Allcocks as the 'J140 D.A.M. luminous float'.

The others to their right were manufactured by Subbuteo of Tunbridge Wells!

The slimmer ones were sold by Auger in their 'Nevamiss' range and the 'bob' floats sold under Subbuteo's own fishing tackle brand 'Bentrid'. (The green stemmed ones have luminous tips).

[Kev D]

My brother and l had one of those luminous
perch/ grayling floats each one Christmas.
This is quite serendipitous as on another thread someone asked about tackle manufactures who also sold non angling items and Visa versa.
Subbuteo being more associated with miniature
football than fishing tackle . Unless you count that awful angling board game they made!