Opinions on bubble floats

[Jimbu]

Hi Guys,

I've caught a variety of species (bream, mullet, blackfish, trevally, flathead) using bread bait suspended beneath a bubble float; and have managed good catches of blackfish recently using them.

From my experience:

Advantages - simple, can vary buoyancy and make them harder to detect, castable over long distance

Disadvantages - somewhat fragile, sensitive to wind

I haven't seen very much information out there in regards to using them in saltwater (most people talk about using them for trout). Does anyone have any comments or opinions on using these over other types of floats?

[Ryder]

If you are referring to this style, they are the go to float on Lord Howe Island for garfish.

Like you said, you can adjust the weight by filling them with water. It's great for adding casting distance.

With gars you don't have to worry about balancing the float, like you do with blackfish, gars feed on the surface.

I prefer a more streamline quill or pencil style for blackfish, especially when you are fishing at a set depth, I think there is less resistance when the float goes down, and when the fish is towing it.

But I know it's working for you, so you aren't doing anything wrong.

Edited July 9, 2015 by Ryder

[GreyNurse]

I love 'em.

Like you, Jimbu, I've caught heaps of mid to top water fish under these floats with an unweighted bait. They're all the rage in the states for fly fishing with spin gear. I'm surprised that hasn't caught on here.

[Jimbu]

Glad I'm not going crazy and am on to something decent!

I purchased a new pack of 10 clear bubble floats on eBay which arrived in the mail today. They seem like a great design - tiny, a little bit egg shaped and the line runs through a tube that runs through the middle. The water is loaded up via the tube which is then Jammed in place to seal it inside.

I've painted the tops red for visibility and I think these will provide minimal resistance due to their slim design and small form factor. Looking forward to using them!

[GreyNurse]

I have one of those floats that came with a fly rig that I purchased from the U.S. IMO they're better than the little coloured floats that Ryder posted. The coloured ones have a tendency for the rubber stoppers to perish after a few months, as well as the brass eyelets that the line passes through pop and the plastic around the eyelet snaps.as a result. But they are cheap and plentiful, so no biggy.