Reed Fishing Floats

[QDanT]

Decided to make a batch of Reed and BBQ Bamboo (skewer) Floats
So an Expedition for some Reeds

Think I've enough

needed a holder to keep them organised so while Mrs QDanT was out
took over the Kitchen

then back to the front room

the Bamboo tips and stem glued in with Super glue

came up with a Mk2 mod for the holder

used thin Brass picture wire wrapped round a nail to form an eye before whipping on

painted the tip with Acrylic white then x2 coats of Fluorescent Orange then painted the whole Float with clear two part Epoxy,

it said 30 minutes working time but after 5 minutes it was like trying to paint Snot so I only mixed a little
and painted them x4 at a time any over painted on the next eye whippings to give me somewhere to hold

not really a how to, just how I worked round it

 

[StJon]

Looks great mate, might have a go at that myself...

 

[Klenchblaize]

Needed a holder to keep them organised so while Mrs QDanT was out
took over the Kitchen:

What an appalling and cavalier approach to Health & Safety. At least have the bear remove his cloths before putting to work on machinery with inadequate guarding!

K

 

[Drain Bamaged]

Very nice, good job. A couple of things worth trying if you haven't already done so at some time in the past, instead of the brass wire try a simple loop of heavy nylon fishing line and when you whip it on carry on with the whipping right up the main body of the float with a loose spiral finishing off the whipping at the top of the body where the insert enters, it's surprising after varnishing how much strength it adds to the float. Just to emphasize, nothing wrong with the way you have done it, just a way of making a slightly stronger float from what can be quite a fragile material.

D.B.

 

[QDanT]

What an appalling and cavalier approach to Health & Safety. At least have the bear remove his cloths before putting to work on machinery with inadequate guarding!

K

 

[Klenchblaize]

I'm not sure that is particularly "family friendly" but it is rather good!
:Wow:

K

 

[QDanT]

Very nice, good job. A couple of things worth trying if you haven't already done so at some time in the past, instead of the brass wire try a simple loop of heavy nylon fishing line and when you whip it on carry on with the whipping right up the main body of the float with a loose spiral finishing off the whipping at the top of the body where the insert enters, it's surprising after varnishing how much strength it adds to the float. Just to emphasize, nothing wrong with the way you have done it, just a way of making a slightly stronger float from what can be quite a fragile material.

D.B.

Cheers for that I've just welded up a hand drill Whipping tool and will get some photo's up soon, these are the first Floats I've made
so it's a bit re-inventing the wheel as I go along Some of them I added lead shot down the Reed before adding the tip and stem
to make them semi self cocking

 

[QDanT]

Here's one trying out the hand drill whipping tool, it's yet to be finished painting and this time I'm going to try Yatch varnish as a top coat

 

[Mesquite]

Nice lot of floats Dan

 

[Joonsy]

nice to see some hand made floats on the forum, I liked the little one with the ''ball'' on which reminded me of the typical perch floats I used as a child. I used to make floats myself from various materials, favourites being various feathers, goose and crow quills etc. I used brass rabbit snare wire for the eyes, though you can use straightened out eyed fishing hooks and push them up into the stem. I often use a sliding float so like a solid eye so that the fishing line will run freely through it. I would suggest breaking up the colour pattern of the top of float, orange/white/orange (or colours of choice) as it is easier to see bites particularly delicate ones. Thanks posting, very nice, and good luck if you use them

 

[QDanT]

When making the Reed floats I just happened to find an Oak apple http://https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_apple
in my waistcoat pocket, so gave it a try, it worked that well I went out on an ‘Oak Apple’ expedition and managed to find some down the old disused railway line and seen as this was near the ‘Punchbowl Inn’ sat out in the sunshine for a few pints and a pipe thinking about making the eye whipping easier. Back home and down to the Shed and a route in my ‘scrap (it’ll come in handy one day) bin’ then out with the welder to make :-

lots of control being hand turned

and the Oak apple lends itself to beeing drilled through by already having one hole in where the Wasp came out

with it threaded through the Oak apple I used the 'tail stock width of 2" to cut the extra Bamboo off then a drop of Super glue a coat of white Acrylic and two Orange it was coated with two part Epoxy as the Reed Floats

 

[QDanT]

nice to see some hand made floats on the forum, I liked the little one with the ''ball'' on which reminded me of the typical perch floats I used as a child. I used to make floats myself from various materials, favourites being various feathers, goose and crow quills etc. I used brass rabbit snare wire for the eyes, though you can use straightened out eyed fishing hooks and push them up into the stem. I often use a sliding float so like a solid eye so that the fishing line will run freely through it. I would suggest breaking up the colour pattern of the top of float, orange/white/orange (or colours of choice) as it is easier to see bites particularly delicate ones. Thanks posting, very nice, and good luck if you use them

Cheers I was thinking of using a piece of black silicon rubber tubing say 1/2" long that just fits over the orange tip, thread this on the line first then through the float eye, that way the float can be slid up or down the line to adjust depth. But being new to float fishing I'd welcome any comments

 

[Janne]

The soft tube to hold the line is a super idea, I have done exactly the same for a long time..
One thing though - you need to place the end of the soft tube so there is no space between the emerging line and float end. You can easily catch the end of line ( with the hook and bait) there.
If the tube is placed all the way to the tip, the line end just slides down.

Some great floats on this thread!

 

[juttle]

Those oak Apple floats really look the business! The way you've got the rubber tube rigged with the line running through it on the reed floats used to be the traditional way of mounting floats before the fashion turned to bottom only attachment. When I started fishing, all floats were attached like that and it's still my preferred method, but, then again, as I'm older than God's dog it's a bit late to change now!

 

[QDanT]

The soft tube to hold the line is a super idea, I have done exactly the same for a long time..
One thing though - you need to place the end of the soft tube so there is no space between the emerging line and float end. You can easily catch the end of line ( with the hook and bait) there.
If the tube is placed all the way to the tip, the line end just slides down.

Some great floats on this thread!

Cheers maybe a small clear tube at the top so the tip is Orange Black Orange, though I was 'trotting' it down the local river (Aire at Skipton) yesterday and it was visible a long way. Caught a nice Grayling and a small Brow Trout on worm

 

[QDanT]

Those oak Apple floats really look the business! The way you've got the rubber tube rigged with the line running through it on the reed floats used to be the traditional way of mounting floats before the fashion turned to bottom only attachment. When I started fishing, all floats were attached like that and it's still my preferred method, but, then again, as I'm older than God's dog it's a bit late to change now!

:You_Rock_

 

[QDanT]

Thought I'd have a play with the Whipping tool

but first I made some Bobbin holders rather than keep swaping cotton

then I had the idea to make them semi self cocking to save shotting on the line

I'm off down the River this afternoon, one of the benefits of being an OAP