River float fishing

[Matt Withers]

Over the years I’ve float fished sporadically on the river for chub and barbel, possible with more luck that good judgement, I’ve always used pre tied hook lengths, more commonly used in match fishing,

But now the weathers turning a bit, I’ve more time to think about my set up, what main line do people recommend?, and do you use the same for hook lengths but just a lighter lb bs ?I generally use Drennan super specimen hooks, or is there a better pattern ?

Cheers

 

[John Newman]

My standard hook length is 30cm with a Kamasan Animal barbless spade end hook at one end and the other is a loop tied with one of those loop tying tools. This then attaches to my mainline using a hooklength swivel above which will be an olivette held in place between float stops. I never put shot on the line when barbel fishing as I feel it damages the line.

I have a Leeda 30cm hooklength box which takes up very little room in my bag and keep it topped up so I am never short. I have used those foam discs with pins in the past but find the hooklength box suits me better. If, while fishing, I think the hooklength or hook point is damaged in any way then I just put a new one on.

I find those spade end hook tying gadgets really awkward so I grip the hook in my fly tying vice and do it by hand with 12 turns around the shank. There is no point in talking about hook sizes as it depends on baits being used, likewise lines and breaking strains as we all have our favourites. Some peope like fluorocarbon but I stick with mono and it makes sense to have a slightly lower BS than your mainline

I like the way the hook sits on the line when using spade end and I pretty much use them for all my float fishing now days and all tied using the vice even down to size 18 when I am after small species.

Personally I don't like using the pre-made ones as I like to know the materials and the method of construction is sound.