Mike89 Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Just got myself a new blackfish special reel and had some 12lb mono spooled onto it. I was hoping to get some advice on floating line for blackfish fishing. Previously I'd used a threadline with braid which stayed afloat pretty good so I never really had to worry about it. Now I'm wondering how necessary it is to use a floating line. There's a thread from a few years ago which has given me a couple of pointers but I still have a couple of questions. Do you run the floating line as the whole length of main line on the spool or do you use say, 20-50m and keep a backing mono behind that? How important is using a floating line? I might try vaseline for now but I'd rather minimise prep times. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 (edited) Hi Mike, I haven't come across the floating line technique for blackfish so I have learned of something new. Every blackfish fisherman I have seen or talked to uses a float system (unless they are using a fly rod with weed flies). My own go to rig is my spinning outfit with a float stop, pole float, a sinker with a weight just slightly less than the buoyancy of the float and a gamakatsu pan fish hook in size 6 or 8. I loop the line through the sinker about 4 times eliminating the need for a knot and have about 30 or 40 cm of line underneath this and then the hook. One of my fishing mates uses a similar rig but with split sinkers to get the buoyancy right but it is a lot more stuffing around. The float stop is small enough to pass through the runners and still allows me to cast. Also a very quick way of adjusting the fishing depth. On my rig I am running 8lb mono. Since most of the blackfish I chase are hanging around the weed I am not sure if I see the advantage of a floating line. I still have the weed suspended in the water column so they have to come up and pull the float as they head back down. I am looking forward to learning more as other people respond to this post. Regards, Derek Edited September 16, 2016 by DerekD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burger Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I put the whole spool of floating line straight onto my reel, didn't bother with backing mono as I don't think there is any impact on a centrepin. Floating line is easier to pickup and strike with and saves having to put vaso on as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lord Loser Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Float line helps with strikes, especially while rock fishing and you are doing long drifts, you don't have to wind up excess slack that bellies how ever far under it goes. This stuff does the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackfish angler Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I use Sunline floating line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 Thanks for the tips guys. I'll try to pick some up soon. Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMG Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) bro float line is the best thing since sliced bread i swear by it for blackfishing. not many tackle shops sell it so you will have to ring around or get it from Japan like i did via ebay. cost me about $15 + postage a spool of about 200m,comes in a few different kgs. The line is yellow. or you can do it old school and use Vaseline but lol goodluck with that,get with the times go for float line. yer its called Sunline something like that. Edited September 18, 2016 by D.G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 (edited) The luderick reel I have is an Alvey special with a spool capacity of around 500m. Obviously you wouldn't need anywhere near that much for blackfish, but if I grab 150m of floating line, should I back it onto the mono that I currently have on? Or only use the 150m. I'm wondering if having the spool filled only up to 150m will affect casting much. Thanks! Edited September 19, 2016 by Mike89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macman Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 The luderick reel I have is an Alvey special with a spool capacity of around 500m. Obviously you wouldn't need anywhere near that much for blackfish, but if I grab 150m of floating line, should I back it onto the mono that I currently have on? Or only use the 150m. I'm wondering if having the spool filled only up to 150m will affect casting much. Thanks! It depends whether you use the alvey as a sidecast or a centrepin. If you use it as a sidecast, you will need to strip 20m of line off occassionally due to line twist over time. Float line aint cheap. If you use is only as a centrepin, just use backing and put the 150m on top. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Thanks, I'll use some backing. For the moment I will use it as a sidecast and hopefully with some time I can convert to centrepin after I have learned how to cast properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pafisho08 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) Hi MIKE The Dango Wax line is not available here in AUS now so the best one now is Sunline Floating Special (new) colour orange 0.25 mm dia (10 lb) . Regds Bob Edited September 20, 2016 by Pafisho08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lord Loser Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Hi MIKE The Dango Wax line is not available here in AUS now so the best one now is Sunline Floating Special (new) colour orange 0.25 mm dia (10 lb) . Regds Bob Well there you go, I didn't know you couldn't buy it any more. I have 7 spools of the stuff and haven't needed to buy line for a while. I normally hand a spool out here and there, won't be doing that anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaHuffKing Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 So use floatline to your swivel and then a flurocarbon leader. What is the latest and greatest in blackfish reels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 What are you after a spin reel or centrepin? The world of centrepin ranges from classic 2nd hand vintage to modern mass produced and bespoke small production runs of quality expensive English centrepin reels that cost more than any Stradic or high end spin reels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Hornet Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Hi MIKE The Dango Wax line is not available here in AUS now so the best one now is Sunline Floating Special (new) colour orange 0.25 mm dia (10 lb) . Regds Bob I ordered a spool of Sunline Floating Special yesterday. Keen to see how it compares to the Fine Float. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaHuffKing Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Should have been i bit more specific, centrepin. I have had Alvey blackfish reels, and still have an old "Ajax" centrepin but wondering if they still make the Avon Royals or anything better these days, Been out of the blackfishing scene for a while. Can see what Green Hornet was saying about the advantages of the threadline with the quick pick up of line off the rocks with long drifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Mate there's the Okuma Aventa, Arnold Kingpin or if you look on the net plenty of good quality Avon royal or Gypsy d'or in the UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaHuffKing Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 The "Islander" steelheader looks like the bomb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfishbig Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 I picked up an Avon Royal Mk 11 with a nice blackfish rod for $12 at the local markets recently. Reason enough alone get to get back into blackfishing! The floating line by Sunline seems to be readily available from the local online tackle stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 I picked up an Avon Royal Mk 11 with a nice blackfish rod for $12 at the local markets recently. Reason enough alone get to get back into blackfishing! The floating line by Sunline seems to be readily available from the local online tackle stores. Bargain of the month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaHuffKing Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 I saw to-day in a tackle shop that Alvey have a machined aluminium centrepin reel, not sure how long that has been out as i havn't looked at Blackfish tackle for quite a while. But i gave it a spin and it felt smooth and looked good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 three years ago I got on ebay looked up coarse fishing reels and got one from Russia for $29.00 delivered ..steel backing plate alloy spool sealed bearings 5 inch diameter its awesome...my avon died on me and they are getting too expensive for the simple design they are......threadlines don't have the easy in and out control of a good freespinning centrepin......I fished norah head on sunday in the rain and a lumpy sea 50 mtr drifts were still controllable with centrepin but a spinning reel you have to feed line through your fingers then flick bailarm over to pik up line..centrepin is all done by spinning spool with your fingers ..much faster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMG Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Yeah I run my float line to the swivel then I run about a 3kg mono for the rest to the hook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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