Sat by a pretty pond or lake watching a float next to a set of lilly pads has to be one of the purest forms of fishing that there is. In order to float fish successfully, there are a few items that you will need in order to give yourself the best possible chance of catching some fish. We have put together a beginners guide to float fishing, packed with fishing tackle reccomendations and loads of tips and tricks to get you started!
FLOAT FISHING FOR BEGINNERS
I remember the vey first time I EVER went fishing. It was on the River Thames at Sonning in Berkshire and I was taken along by a good friend of mine from school. I sat staring at the float and out of the blue it shot under the water and I was into my first ever fish! A tiny perch was my prize, but I was hooked for life and here I am, years later writing about float fishing in the hope that some of you will give it a go.
Equipment - you need very little fishing tackle to be able to go float fishing, I would suggest a 10ft or 11ft float fishing rod, coupled with a small fixed spool reel and some 4lb line to go with it. Tackle wise, a selection of floats, some hooks and some split shot are really all you need. The split shot ttach the line and serve two purposes; firstly they hold the float in place on the line and secondly they weigh the float down so that only the bright top part is visible. It will all make sense when it comes to assembling it all don't worry.
Of course you may also need a bag to keep your bits and pieces in such as bait, tackle, food an drink, a chair to sit on and a landing net in case you hook someting of modertate size. A disgorger for unhooking fish who swallow the hook is an essential item and I always carry a few with me in my tackle box.
Bait - it depends on what fish you are targetting, but there is not a fish swimming that will not eat maggots! Other hook baits include sweetcorn which will help pick out the bigger fish if they are present, such as carp, tench and bream.
A good quality groundbait is a great way of attracting fish into your swim without over feeding them, simply mix with water, leave to stand and then mould into small balls and throw them in. You want the goroundbait to be damp , not wet. You need to be able to mould it into a ball and it break up easily in your hands.
If I decide to have a days float fishing I will take the following items with me;
11ft float rod and small reel loaded with 4lb line.
Small pan landing net and handle.
Small unhooking mat that folds up.
Small chair.
Small rucksack with bait, tackle and food.
That is really all you need for a fun days float fishing!
Let's take a look at some great items of tackle thst will set you up for your first go at float fishing!
So, we have taken care of the rod, the reel and a nice bag to carry all your kit. The bag may seem a bit on the expensive side BUT it can be used for a multitude of purposes, not just float fishing and it is also doubles as a great bag when out walking or having a picnic.
You'll need some line on your reel and we recommend Daiwa Sensor Fishing Line in 4lb (click the links for more details). 4lb breaking strain will give you every chance of landing those bonus carp and tench, as well as being thin enough for the smaller fish to not see.
A handful of floats in various sizes will be plenty, take a look at the Drennan Crystal range of floats or the Middy Float Packs where you get a good selection of floats to cover all eventualities. Next up you'll need some hooks or hook lengths, take a look at the Matrix Ready Tied Hook Links or a packet of hooks in a size 16 or 18.
Next up is some split shot, smsll weights tht clip onto the line to set the float so that only the very tip is showing, the smaller split shot also help sink the line so the bait gets down to where the fish are. The Anchor Six Division Split Shot is absolutely perfect.
One item tht we haven't spoken about is a small tackle box or pouch to keep all of your small end tackle items safe and secure. Have a look at the Wychwood Tackle Box. The medium size should be plenty big enough.
Now, whilst we don't sell maggots or any fresh bait in our online shop, we do sell some other bait that you will need. Take a bag of Fjuka Squeeze Ready Groundbait (no need to add water it is ready to go right out of the bag) and also grab some Dynamite Baits Sweetcorn for those bigger fish to tuck into!
Lastly, we have put together a few top tips to help you catch more fish when float fishing, there is also a multitude of information online and we recommend watching a few You Tube videos such as Fishing Tutorials Float Fishing Guide which is a brilliant guide to all things float fishing.
TOP TIPS
- Venue Choice choose a well stocked commerical lake to get you started
- Listen to the fishery staff or bailiffs who will tell you the best swims
- Slow and Steady don't introduce too much bait too soon
- Change it Up the fish will change the depth they feed throughout the day
- Don't be Afraid to move swims if it is not happening.
- Sink the Line to stop the wind blowing your float around