Floats For Anglers

[mark99]

Seen these?

 

Very nicely made and traditional. Hate to lose one in a tree though.

 

http://handmadefloats.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Barry]

Those floats are things of beauty. Little works of art.

 

I didn't dare look at the prices though

[YamYam]

Seen these?

 

Very nice made and traditional. Hate to lose one in a tree though.

 

http://handmadefloats.blogspot.co.uk/

 

 

Like Bazza2 I was scared to look at the prices but suffice to say If I did get one stuck in a tree the old chainsaw would have got a dusting off

[Barry]

Those float tubes look very nice too. I reckon I'd use a metal tube that some single malts come in though.

 

I bit the bullet and went looking for prices but I reckon you have to contact the maker to ask.

 

 

Maybe its like buying a posh car...If you have to ask the price you can't afford it

[carlt]

When my Mum was young she had a weekend job at a zoo (long since gone) so when they shed them she brought home the porcupines' quills for my Grandad to convert into fishing floats.

 

I still have many of them and they are still little things of beauty 60 years on.

 

I also have the little wooden reel that he gave me when I was young which still makes an excellent boat reel.

[pquinn]

Seen these?

 

Very nicely made and traditional. Hate to lose one in a tree though.

 

http://handmadefloats.blogspot.co.uk/

 

I think someones fishing for a Christmas present.

[mark99]

When my Mum was young she had a weekend job at a zoo (long since gone) so when they shed them she brought home the porcupines' quills for my Grandad to convert into fishing floats.

 

I still have many of them and they are still little things of beauty 60 years on.

 

I also have the little wooden reel that he gave me when I was young which still makes an excellent boat reel.

 

I heard a rumour (must go away and check) that porky quills are now hard to get as they are an endangered species.

[RLWP]

You could use Injun arrows, although they are thicker

 

Richard

[Janet S]

When I first started angling a few years ago with a little beginners kit, I managed to lose my only float on my first cast. I caught a really decent tree though!

 

We were on a camping holiday at the time and there wasn't a nearby tackle shop. My friend made me an improvised float using a drinking straw and Blu-Tac and I caught my very first fish (brownie) with it.

 

I've got a huge collection of "proper" floats now, but nothing to match those beauties!

 

Janet

[GUMPY]

I can remember when fishing on light tackle using a swan vesta match as a float!

[mark99]

Old vintage fishing tackle is worth a fair coin these days.

 

Even quill floats.

 

I belong to other forums which often discuss buying and selling old rods/reels and all manner of end tackle.

 

I would say don't just chuck out grandads old tackle in the loft - it could be worth a bit.

 

NB I was out fishing an urban shallow swift moving inner London stream today (I like "urban" fishing - fishing in unlikely places). In amongst a few good chub I had a brown trout just about 1/1/4lb (returned) - all whilst listening to wailing police sirens.

Edited December 19, 2014 by mark99

[Bee]

That really is incredible, that would be a good fish in some of the posh rivers I used to fish in Hampshire when I was a lot younger ( I wasn't a posh kid, just careful not to be seen)

[mark99]

That really is incredible, that would be a good fish in some of the posh rivers I used to fish in Hampshire when I was a lot younger ( I wasn't a posh kid, just careful not to be seen)

 

The river I got the trout from was a stinking open sewer, devoid of all life a few years back.

 

It was revived slowly however about 7 years ago Thames Water Plc let bleach into it and it killed all life (not just fish but the invertebrates) in a long stretch <again>. It was so bad even the eels tried crawling up on the bank and their eyes were scorched and blinded.

 

They initially got fined £125,000 for that little episode plus costs.

 

I cannot tell you how much I detest Thames Water Plc. They have done it to other local rivers.

 

Here is the little critter <bad photo as nearly dark>

 

Edited December 20, 2014 by mark99

[LEO]

I cannot tell you how much I detest Thames Water Plc. They have done it to other local rivers.

 

Hi M,

 

You and me both, and Three Valleys Water Co. Heavy extraction from deep wells has ruined the aquifers and made the summer flows unstable.

 

There used to be a nice 'head' of trout in the River Chess at Chesham, now gone as the stream dries up in summer.

 

Have a good Christmas.

 

Mike.

[mark99]

 

Hi M,

 

You and me both, and Three Valleys Water Co. Heavy extraction from deep wells has ruined the aquifers and made the summer flows unstable.

 

There used to be a nice 'head' of trout in the River Chess at Chesham, now gone as the stream dries up in summer.

 

Have a good Christmas.

 

Mike.

 

The Hertfordshire chalk streams went into decline in the 50's and they are in a woefull state.

 

Beane, Minram, Gade, Hiz, Oughton, Chess, Gade, Misbourne - shallow and poor water quality. Agreed, lots to do with over abstraction. All of em used to hold very large trout.

 

As a kid I used to remember untold numbers of natural english crayfish in the Gade valley. Cassiobury Park was famous for them. Where are they now? (they went decades before the Signal Crayfish arrived).

Edited December 20, 2014 by mark99

[ditchcrawler]

My grandfather use to make his own floats and my dad as a young man but I never saw any that looked as smart as those.

[mark99]

 

Hi M,

 

You and me both, and Three Valleys Water Co. Heavy extraction from deep wells has ruined the aquifers and made the summer flows unstable.

 

There used to be a nice 'head' of trout in the River Chess at Chesham, now gone as the stream dries up in summer.

 

Have a good Christmas.

 

Mike.

 

 

I should add that near me is the River Wandle - a London Chalk stream. One of the sources of this river were the natural chalk springs at Carshalton Ponds. Those springs are so unreliable due to abstraction that water is often pumped back from lower down the river via an underground pipe to the ponds. In effect recirculating water.

 

That's Sutton and East Surrey Waters area.

[Jerra]

 

 

I should add that near me is the River Wandle - a London Chalk stream. One of the sources of this river were the natural chalk springs at Carshalton Ponds. Those springs are so unreliable due to abstraction that water is often pumped back from lower down the river via an underground pipe to the ponds. In effect recirculating water.

 

That's Sutton and East Surrey Waters area.

I unfortunately can't see an answer to the problem of lowered aquifers. We all want water coming out of our taps in any amount we feel we need.

[mark99]

I unfortunately can't see an answer to the problem of lowered aquifers. We all want water coming out of our taps in any amount we feel we need.

 

There are schemes - the one at the Kennet for instance. The Kennet water being sourced by abstraction to supply Swindon is ceasing as a pipeline is laid between Farmoor res and Swindon.

 

Slowing down the rainfall run off from land would help too (recharge underground sources).

 

Be good if the golf courses, garden centres etc were refused licences or their right to take 20 tonnes per day was cancelled too and made to capture rain.

Edited December 20, 2014 by mark99

[Jerra]

There are schemes - the one at the Kennet for instance. The Kennet water being sourced by abstraction to supply Swindon is ceasing as a pipeline is laid between Farmoor res and Swindon.

An area 10 to 15 miles from us gets water from an aquifer while water is piped from a few miles away to Manchester. Piping water to another area isn't always the solution it seems.

[mark99]

European water abstraction has decreased by 20% in 15 years. UK remains a high abstractor. There are ways of better managing use of water <albeit at cost>.

 

Abstraction is the cheapest source of water and therefore has been used extensively.

[craftycarper]

Old vintage fishing tackle is worth a fair coin these days.

 

Even quill floats.

 

I belong to other forums which often discuss buying and selling old rods/reels and all manner of end tackle.

 

I would say don't just chuck out grandads old tackle in the loft - it could be worth a bit.

 

NB I was out fishing an urban shallow swift moving inner London stream today (I like "urban" fishing - fishing in unlikely places). In amongst a few good chub I had a brown trout just about 1/1/4lb (returned) - all whilst listening to wailing police sirens.

. I know of a fifty pound common carp that lives in the lagoon on the back of a water treatment plant in the middle of an industrial estate near my house , there's also some top quality roach fishing in a ditch that runs between a chemical company and the local rubbish dump on the same estate, so FairPlay to you for looking off the normal well trodden path there's good sport sat untouched right under most people's noses but most can't be bothered to look

[mark99]

. I know of a fifty pound common carp that lives in the lagoon on the back of a water treatment plant in the middle of an industrial estate near my house , there's also some top quality roach fishing in a ditch that runs between a chemical company and the local rubbish dump on the same estate, so FairPlay to you for looking off the normal well trodden path there's good sport sat untouched right under most people's noses but most can't be bothered to look

 

 

I get a kick out of moving in and out and area quick and sneaking out fish - the more urban the better. Travel very light, move lots, using chest waders so I can get to places others who don't wear waders can't.

 

I went to a different bit of this stream today and caught three more trout (all a lot smaller) - all put back.

 

 

Also today had a 8 chub, and two barbel (see below for quick phone photo of the biggest barbel caught today), - all which were caught on a size 18 hook and 1.14oz bottom floatfishing in a stream about 2 foot deep. That barbel below was 7.5. The tackle is too light for barbel normally which were accidental captures - very lucky to get them out to be honest.

 

 

Interestingly I found a slack area and peering down in the tree roots, was a very pale koi looking carp which could not have been less than 18lb. As I did not have suitable tackle I just ended up watching it for 5 mins and not trying for it.

[Janet S]

That's a cracking looking fish...well done for landing it safely on such light tackle.

 

...and very well done for leaving the Koi. I know many so-called anglers who would have tried for it, regardless of their set-up.

 

There's a massive carp in the canal near me and every time I see it I just put my rod aside and have a brew and watch it...I'd be hard pushed to land it on my very light tackle and I wouldn't want to try.

 

I'll stick to targettng perch and putting up with my son's comments about worms in the fridge!

 

Janet

[Barry]

Ah worms in the fridge. A proper angler