One method of floating a jig w/ a fixed weight (pics)

[StinkyH]

I've seen people ask about how this works.

Figured I'd write something up. I've only used it once but I'm bored and figured I'd do this... lord knows I've learned a bunch from what others have gone through trouble to write up. :smile:

The anatomy of a sliding float w/ a fixed weight and jig:



Positions while floating
Here's the position of the setup in the water - float is at the surface of the water and the main line has dropped through the float until the stopper knot(tied with stretchy string - AKA dacron) has hit the sliding bead and the bead rests on the float. This knot is snug on the line but can be moved up and down on the line so you can vary your depth at which the jig sits in the water. Pics of how to tie this knot in this thread.



Positions while casting
Here's the part it took me a while to comprehend - the knot(on right) can be reeled into the eyes of the rod until you get to the bobber stop bead and float sitting on the swivel so you are always casting with roughly two feet of stuff off the end of your rod even if you have the bobber stop knot set so it's all the way up into the reel if you wanna float deep(10ft or the like):



Time to get the line wet. We get MLK day off so I plan on taking a crack at the steelies. :grin:

StinkyH

[ 01-12-2004, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: StinkyH ]

[mophile]

Your (excellent) post on the other thread led me to the answer to a question I had, which I will post here in case others have the same question I did: why use a different material for the bobber stops (Dacron or string) instead of what we have readily available (mono fishing line). Using the uni-knot bobber stops with fishing line leaves tag ends that are very stiff, which tend to get caught in the guides of your rod. Many times I have set the depth I wanted, made a cast and wondered why my jig was running too deep. At first I thought I was just a poor reader of water depth (still plausible ), but I determined that the bobber stop was getting hung up in the guides, causing random depth results. I will get some Dacron backing from my fly bag and I'll bet the problem ends! Great post!!

[happybrew]

Instead of the slinky, it would be easier and cheaper to use split shot.

happybrew

[Mikeymoto]

You can save a lot of river time by pre-tying a bunch of bobber (or float depending on which side of the fence you stand on) stops on a couple of coffee straws and stick them in your vest and you're good to go.
MM

[crabbait]

Don't forget the boober stop below the bobber....unless you don't mind donating bobbers to the guys downstream.

[First Bite]

A picture is worth a thousand words. Nice job.

Mark

[Hookset]

Or......

In place of a slinky, you could use a egg sinker or pencil lead, match the weight to the size float, place a bead below and above to protect the knot. Another option is the two piece lead/rubber sinker, the rubber extends through the sinker with a tab on each end, place the line inside the slot and twist the rubber tabs to secure the sinker to the line. I haven't tried this sinker yet but it should work excellent and allow weights to be changed without cutting and re-tieing knots and it comes in various sizes.

The above sinkers will keep your entire float/weight/jig combination hanging straight, which is what you want. I would think the slinky could create problems......like tangled leaders, excessive drag, twisted leaders (and a spinning jig) and skewed alignment between bobber and jig.

BTW, nice pictures and graphics.

Gregg

[FishOrDie]

I find that Using a rubber band as a bobber stop works real well and doesn't slide down the line at all.

I just slide a slip knot with the band onto my line and I am ready to go.

They are cheap and available at all your local drug stores.

Just a thought.

FOD

[Sir Fishalot]

Originally posted by Hookset:
Another option is the two piece lead/rubber sinker, the rubber extends through the sinker with a tab on each end, place the line inside the slot and twist the rubber tabs to secure the sinker to the line. I haven't tried this sinker yet but it should work excellent and allow weights to be changed without cutting and re-tieing knots and it comes in various sizes.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I've used those rubber/lead weights while bobber fishing for salmon and now believe that they are the way to go.

[kayakfisher]

Thanks for the great visual aides...

M.

[salmurai]

Great Post StinkyH. Thanks for taking the time...
Hookset and Sir Fishalot, Those sinkers are called, "rubbercore sinkers"
A piece of surgical tubing and pencil lead will work also, although you have to remember to put the tubing on before the jig.

[nitroduk]

thanks stinkyh, i appreciate you taking the time, it's always nice to see how everybody does it their own way !

[ampersat]

I tried that "stop below the float" thing a couple of times and it never worked for me. The casting action caused the bottom stop to be forced against the terminal knot, which is where the line would inevitably break leaving nothing for the stop to hang onto. Curiously, however, when I stopped using spendy Thill floats and switched to cheapo styrofoam floats, I don't seem to lose floats as often. The river apparently doesn't want any more styrofoam but really likes balsa wood.

I tried the rubber band thing a few times. If you use mucillin on your line, the rubber band loses traction and becomes ineffective as a stop. Haven't noticed that problem with mono stops and probably not with dacron either.

About balancing your rig: pick your float of choice and spend some time with a pitcher of water and a selection of lead. I'm a fixed guy when it comes to jigs, but on my big float rod I use regular bank sinkers. It doesn't tangle up in the leader very often and it allows me to remove that 3oz of weight when I break down the gear at the end of the day. For a sliding jig float set up, I'd go with egg sinkers, but that's just my taste. Carry along some big split shot so that you can make fine adjustments to balance the setup. You want it so that it's still easily visible through your regular drift but goes under with the least amount of pressure.

[tag-a-long]

Nice job!

We use a bannana wieght with the chain on it as a fixed weight. It works pretty good for where we fish most of the time. I use slinkys as slider weights. Thanks for the pics. They do truly help.

[big john]

waxed dental floss has worked well for the sliding knot, too, as long as the hole in the bead is small enough and won't slide over the floss knot. the waxed floss knots go through the rod guides very easily.

[Siwash]

Great thread, thanks fellas. THIS is why I signed up for Ifish. The hero shots--one of my friends calls it "fish ****"(rhymes w/ "corn")--and political debates are fun/informative too, but the tech tips are what really pay off.

[ 01-13-2004, 09:34 AM: Message edited by: Siwash ]

[Wreckless]

Great post, I agree, this is the type of thing that make ifish fun AND informative.

My 2 cents.....Spend the $$ on Powerpro line, I use the 8# dia / 30# and you won't lose many bobbers (floats). It casts like a dream and it's STRONG (with a good knot...triple palomar works for me). I'm not a big braid fan, but I love this stuff! AND the dacron stopper knot REALLY stays in place.

Ampersat is right the river prefers expensive bobbers (OK ,OK, "floats")

[bllelk]

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[SharkbaitHoHaHa]

That is how I do it but I toss a bobber stop below the bobber just cause I am cheap and dont like to watch my bobber float down the river. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Great post

[Fish_N_Russ]

Nice pictures :smile:

I use a fixed bobber though so you dont have to mess with stops or swivels....a couple feet from bobber to jig is easy to cast....makes it nice and easy that way

[dampainter]

thanks stinkh, great pics!

[fish-bones]

Originally posted by StinkyH:
I've seen people ask about how this works.

Figured I'd write something up. I've only used it once but I'm bored and figured I'd do this... lord knows I've learned a bunch from what others have gone through trouble to write up. :smile:

The anatomy of a sliding float w/ a fixed weight and jig:



Positions while floating
Here's the position of the setup in the water - float is at the surface of the water and the main line has dropped through the float until the stopper knot(tied with stretchy string - AKA dacron) has hit the sliding bead and the bead rests on the float. This knot is snug on the line but can be moved up and down on the line so you can vary your depth at which the jig sits in the water. Pics of how to tie this knot in this thread.



Positions while casting
Here's the part it took me a while to comprehend - the knot(on right) can be reeled into the eyes of the rod until you get to the bobber stop bead and float sitting on the swivel so you are always casting with roughly two feet of stuff off the end of your rod even if you have the bobber stop knot set so it's all the way up into the reel if you wanna float deep(10ft or the like):



Time to get the line wet. We get MLK day off so I plan on taking a crack at the steelies. :grin:

StinkyH

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">

[fish-bones]

Stinky.. I dont know if you make your own slinkies or if any of the guys do,but i can share a real good way to make them diferent than the ones you buy snd not as long as them.I learned it from a friend of mine who was a guide for quite a few years. If anybody is interested,I can try to explain it to them or try my hand at putting some pictures on this site .I,m not to knowledgeable with these computer things, so i will ask my grandson to help me or maybe somebody on this site can help me out????

FISH-BONES

Originally posted by StinkyH:
I've seen people ask about how this works.

Figured I'd write something up. I've only used it once but I'm bored and figured I'd do this... lord knows I've learned a bunch from what others have gone through trouble to write up. :smile:

The anatomy of a sliding float w/ a fixed weight and jig:



Positions while floating
Here's the position of the setup in the water - float is at the surface of the water and the main line has dropped through the float until the stopper knot(tied with stretchy string - AKA dacron) has hit the sliding bead and the bead rests on the float. This knot is snug on the line but can be moved up and down on the line so you can vary your depth at which the jig sits in the water. Pics of how to tie this knot in this thread.



Positions while casting
Here's the part it took me a while to comprehend - the knot(on right) can be reeled into the eyes of the rod until you get to the bobber stop bead and float sitting on the swivel so you are always casting with roughly two feet of stuff off the end of your rod even if you have the bobber stop knot set so it's all the way up into the reel if you wanna float deep(10ft or the like):



Time to get the line wet. We get MLK day off so I plan on taking a crack at the steelies. :grin:

StinkyH

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">

[StinkyH]

Originally posted by fish-bones:
[QB] Stinky.. I dont know if you make your own slinkies or if any of the guys do,but i can share a real good way to make them diferent than the ones you buy snd not as long as them.I learned it from a friend of mine who was a guide for quite a few years. If anybody is interested,I can try to explain it to them or try my hand at putting some pictures on this site .I,m not to knowledgeable with these computer things, so i will ask my grandson to help me or maybe somebody on this site can help me out????

FISH-BONES

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">If you want to take a crack at it that'd be great. I'm sure others on the board would appreciate your efforts as well. :smile:

What are you questions about the computer stuff?

StinkyH

[Sublime]

Great visuals! thanks! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]