Trotting advice

[Wayne Carroll]

Hi All,

I have recently tried to float fish rather than ledger due to crayfish attacking my bait as soon as I cast in.

Being relatively inexperienced at float fishing, I'm trying to learn and have had a little success recently using an avon float catching a number of silvers in a fast flow at a rod length out. The River i fish is the Derbyshire Derwent, so small to medium in places.

So, my question is, what are the limitations of using an avon or loafer float? I've enjoyed using these at 6g, and not particularly enjoyed the lighter finesse end. There are a lot of swims where the flow is maybe 4 rod lengths out, and using a 12ft rod, should I be switching to a waggler or will an avon float be OK at a number of rod lengths across a river?

I know trotting a stick float is normally under your rod tip, and further across a waggler is recommended, but if an avon will do the job do I need to switch? I also fish from the bank and don't wade at all.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Barry Peck]

Have a look at Dave Harrells speci waggler range Wayne . They might be ideal for your kind of fishing .

Failing that a big speci avon float with an Olivette below it and one dropper shot .
Dave Harrell does some great floats to cope with rivers like the Severn , Trent and Wye . You can even email him about your fishing situation and he will give you advice on what to use

 

[Chris Jones]

I usually fish Pennine rivers a bit more northerly than the Derbyshire Derwent. Plenty of the regulars seem to think I'm somewhere between heathen and heretic for not using proper stick floats. I gave up on them many years ago as I don't believe that they are much use on the fast, shallow and often broken water that I tend to fish. I'm generally fishing for grayling, dace, perch, the odd chub and the inevitable trout that turn up whether I like it or not.

Initially, I stuck to the Drennan Avons and Loafers that were freely available at the time. More recently, I looked at modern UK Bolo floats (mostly Dave Harrel's) and decided that they weren't that different to a modern Avon. I started using them and occasionally modifying (shortening) them to better fit my needs. I will sometimes use Drennan Avons and Long Loafers (long discontinued), but don't find the short, stubby, Loafers stable enough in turbulent or broken water. If I'm fishing really shallow water, I prefer to use Drennan Bobbers over the Loafers. I have been trying the new(ish) Drennan Titanium Trotters and Drennan Fluted Trotters on slower swims. Both are surprisingly sensitive, not much use if you are intending to trip/drag bottom. I'm not sold on the advertised benefits of fluted floats. However, at the very least, the fluting reduces the noise and resistance on the strike. I've also been using Dave Harrell Hybrid Bolo floats on the more benign water.

Part and parcel of the evolution of my float fishing approach has been the use of centrepins, increasingly short hooklinks (down to 5" now), micro swivels and olivettes rather than shot. Stick float enthusiasts are unimpressed, but it all works for me.

 

[Wayne Carroll]

I usually fish Pennine rivers a bit more northerly than the Derbyshire Derwent. Plenty of the regulars seem to think I'm somewhere between heathen and heretic for not using proper stick floats. I gave up on them many years ago as I don't believe that they are much use on the fast, shallow and often broken water that I tend to fish. I'm generally fishing for grayling, dace, perch, the odd chub and the inevitable trout that turn up whether I like it or not.

Initially, I stuck to the Drennan Avons and Loafers that were freely available at the time. More recently, I looked at modern UK Bolo floats (mostly Dave Harrel's) and decided that they weren't that different to a modern Avon. I started using them and occasionally modifying (shortening) them to better fit my needs. I will sometimes use Drennan Avons and Long Loafers (long discontinued), but don't find the short, stubby, Loafers stable enough in turbulent or broken water. If I'm fishing really shallow water, I prefer to use Drennan Bobbers over the Loafers. I have been trying the new(ish) Drennan Titanium Trotters and Drennan Fluted Trotters on slower swims. Both are surprisingly sensitive, not much use if you are intending to trip/drag bottom. I'm not sold on the advertised benefits of fluted floats. However, at the very least, the fluting reduces the noise and resistance on the strike. I've also been using Dave Harrell Hybrid Bolo floats on the more benign water.

Part and parcel of the evolution of my float fishing approach has been the use of centrepins, increasingly short hooklinks (down to 5" now), micro swivels and olivettes rather than shot. Stick float enthusiasts are unimpressed, but it all works for me.

Thanks Chris, good to hear your experience and how you apply the different types of floats. I actually have quite a selection of chubbers and avon but they've been used very little until now.

So how far out are you happy to float fish using these? Is it a case of give it a go and see until the float starts to drift off course? I fish a mix of faster and slower water normally between 3ft and 7ft.

 

[Wayne Carroll]

Have a look at Dave Harrells speci waggler range Wayne . They might be ideal for your kind of fishing .

Failing that a big speci avon float with an Olivette below it and one dropper shot .
Dave Harrell does some great floats to cope with rivers like the Severn , Trent and Wye . You can even email him about your fishing situation and he will give you advice on what to use

Thanks Barry,I actually have a Dave Harrell speci waggler but I never used it. The nuisance crays have now nudged me into float fishing and I really enjoyed what I've done so far. I might email Dave Harrell and see which he advises in the range

 

[Chris Jones]

So how far out are you happy to float fish using these? Is it a case of give it a go and see until the float starts to drift off course? I fish a mix of faster and slower water normally between 3ft and 7ft.

Much depends on how exactly the river flows, wind speed/direction, float type/capacity and the rod/reel you are using. With every factor in my favour, fishing about thirty yards across a river is possible. If maximum distance is a requirement, I'd probably choose to use a fixed spool reel and a waggler. However, I invariably choose to use a top and bottom float and a centrepin for no better reason than I enjoy it more.