Wellzy94 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Hi Raiders! I'm new to fishing under floats, and my first experience I was pretty spoiled. @Stapo had some nice, heavy pencil floats that worked perfectly, with just a small splitshot to get it to neutral bouyancy. It was also heavy enough to get the cast distance needed for the area. However I'm not particularly savvy with woodworking and associated tools (mainly a lathe, which I have no access to) so I have to make do with store-bought floats. What are your go-tos for float fishing? I bought these recently, hoping to test them out in the Nepean to stock the bait freezer with some stinky mullet. Cheers, Wellzy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koalaboi Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Hi, I use two types of floats: 1. your pencil style like Stapo's for blackfish and 2. One like yours pictured. The pencil floats I just buy as I hardly ever lose floats: 15lb mainline and a 6 to 8lb trace keeps me out of trouble. Just the same, I have made them using western red cedar which is very soft and easy to shape. Your float can be long and thinner or shorter and fatter. The eyelets to run line through are made from welding wire. The other floats I knock up myself using 1/4 inch dowel and champagne corks. I drill the cork then place it on a short length of dowel which I put into the chuck of a drill mounted on a vise. Turn on the drill and then shape the cork with sandpaper as it spins around. Lots of dust so a mask and do outside if possible. Place the shaped cork on a longer piece of dowel and paint then either put runners on the float for the line for a running float rig or more usually, sharpen the ends of the dowel and use a piece of plastic tubing jammed over the ends with the line inside to attach the float to the line for a fixed float. If you read through the pinned best ever tips for Blackie fishing you'll get lots of ideas. KB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cossie Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 38 minutes ago, Koalaboi said: Hi, I use two types of floats: 1. your pencil style like Stapo's for blackfish and 2. One like yours pictured. The pencil floats I just buy as I hardly ever lose floats: 15lb mainline and a 6 to 8lb trace keeps me out of trouble. Just the same, I have made them using western red cedar which is very soft and easy to shape. Your float can be long and thinner or shorter and fatter. The eyelets to run line through are made from welding wire. The other floats I knock up myself using 1/4 inch dowel and champagne corks. I drill the cork then place it on a short length of dowel which I put into the chuck of a drill mounted on a vise. Turn on the drill and then shape the cork with sandpaper as it spins around. Lots of dust so a mask and do outside if possible. Place the shaped cork on a longer piece of dowel and paint then either put runners on the float for the line for a running float rig or more usually, sharpen the ends of the dowel and use a piece of plastic tubing jammed over the ends with the line inside to attach the float to the line for a fixed float. If you read through the pinned best ever tips for Blackie fishing you'll get lots of ideas. KB KB my trouble is the cork always seems to spin on the dowel when in the drill. any tips appreciated mate. i have resorted to free hand shaping using a belt sander. I am happy with result but maybe not as safe as sitting in the drill. i will post photo of results when I get home thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cossie Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Homemade blackie floats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koalaboi Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) Hi, When drilling a hole through the cork make sure that the hole is smaller than the diameter of the dowell so that you have to really jam it on tight. The floats you pictured look pretty good to me! KB Edited January 11, 2017 by Koalaboi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest123456789 Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 The store bought floats are ok but only if you like running floats(which I don't) If you want fixed floats it's better to make them yourself. Keep an eye out for old broken surfboards or bodyboards - you can use the foam to easily make your own. Don't need much just a Stanley knife and some sandpaper. Then you just get some dowel, vinyl tubing and paint from a large hardware store. Have a look at the float size on blackfish pencil floats to get an idea of the right size and shape. Too large and buoyant and the fish will feel it and spot the bait. Too small and you won't be able to see it in the water. You can have a few different sizes, larger floats and sinkers for rough seas, smaller for calmer waters. I don't make pencil floats as I prefer the smaller foam floats but that's just me. You have to play around a bit with different sinker sizes. Some kind of testing tank at home makes life a lot easier just bear in mind freshwater buoyancy vs saltwater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macman Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 I have done the same thing with champagne corks but rather than drilling and putting the skewer or dowel through the cork screw a 2-3 inch panel screw through the middle of the champagne cork and then you can just put the length of screw that sticks out in the chuck of a drill. Works really well especially in a pedestal drill. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 These are cork and balsa ones I do in my drill which sits in a purpose built large frame a stellar rod is locked in the chuck and then the drill slides so the rod sits in a bush the cork or balsa is placed on the steel rod I'll take a photo of the set up and post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellzy94 Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 Looks like I might need to borrow some powertools and start making my own! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daevid Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) Does any one know where you can source some thin silicon tubing to use as float stoppers? Edited January 12, 2017 by daevid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick -angler Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Try Clarke rubber mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daevid Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Think I might have found some on Ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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