The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Not sure where best to put this. This seems as good a place as any. Floats referred to as perch bobs are also sometimes called grayling floats, unless I have missed something. What I am referring to here is a stemmed float with a small bulbous body.

My question is, why is there one float with two such dissimilar uses? I understand the use of this type of float for perch. It can carry a big bait and due to the types of bite expected, does not always go under. This is usually fished at close range on still or slow flowing water. However, for grayling the use is going to be a trotting float. Such a float will carry a fair bit of weight but presumably will need more shotting in this guise than its use for perch.

I'm interested as I am just completing a couple of cork and cane versions.

Perhaps it's because perch/grayling bobs by their design can carry a big bait and also can cope with turbulent water!?

I have used the 'bob' float for both species. But for grayling it is the type of river/water where you are fishing. I fish various waters for them from the Scottish Borders to the Frome, excluding George's Yorkshire, ie hard rock with boulders to smoother chalk-streams.
The nature of the particular river makes it on occasions very very boily and a normal avon type or shouldered stick float does not 'stay afloat' for long hence the much bulkier body required.

In the "Floats" section of 'Falkus and Buller's Freshwater Fishing,' there is this description of a perch bobber :-

"The float that most boys buy the first time they visit a tackle shop. A shorter-stemmed version - the grayling float - is a design classic. Its bulbous body prevents its being sucked under in a lively gurgling stream."

They go on to say ...

"The short-stemmed version would be less likely to be sucked under by the stream, and in shallow runs would not 'rub the backs' of the fish."

Many thanks guys. Educational as usual

Ashbycut, what are the dimensions of the shorter version?

BigFish wrote:Ashbycut, what are the dimensions of the shorter version?

Sadly, none given, Sir. There's just a photograph of the perch bobber with that description in the text.

Just been and measured all of the ones I have made. They range from 3.75 to 5 inches, tip to bottom of stem

There was interesting information in this thread :-

http://www.traditionalfisherman.co.uk/v ... =61&t=4059