Float 'n Fly - folks tried it?

[Brad Reid]

One of the best primer videos on this technique is given by Matt and Tim. I believe this is similar to what Tom suggests in a post or two above and you can see it here. I haven't watched the video in a while but I recall Matt and Tim use different sorts of bobber stoppers to achieve the same result. 

 

And, if you search their videos, there is another I believe with more details regarding how to rig it up, the specifics.

 

Looks like a nice technique, as they say in the video, once water temperatures get cold, 50 degrees or colder.

 

Brad

 

Matt and Tim on Float N Fly

[B-Dozer]

Or just go for the real deal, a fly rod. 

Once you try it, "you'll" be hooked. ?

[Oregon Native]

Have done quite a bit of it and it's fun and have caught some toads both out west and here in Tennessee.  It fishes a little slower than I like but it is so fun.  I actually use a ten foot rod for the fixed float....just like the one I used for steelhead.  It's rated 4-8 I believe.  Four or six lb leader and a 1/8 or 1/16 home tie.  It is fun watching a bobber.  I have had better luck and feel like I'm more active just throwing a 1/8 fly on a light spinning rod...counting down and bringing it in slow and waiting for the tick....Do this with eight pound braid and six pound leader usually.

Tight Lines

[Paul Roberts]

18 hours ago, CybrSlydr said:

I fish reservoirs, so a slip bobber makes most sense to me - the depth varies a lot at the places I fish (though if there are actually fish there or not is anyone's guess... lol).  Since fish are deeper during this part of the year, I could need anything between 10-30ft of leader.  

 

I'm also trying to make this work with the equipment I have - I have a 7'3" MH baitcaster (1/4-1oz) and could repurpose my Deeper rod (a 7ft Pflueger combo rod that came with the reel) for this.

 

I currently have 10lb InvisX on the baitcaster and 40lb catfishing line on the deeper rod.

I agree with Team9nine that FnF really is a specialized way of fishing. Doesn't mean you can't come up with something that might work, but people end up going to the right stuff, and refining even further as they go. This could be frustrating fishing without the right stuff.

 

My experience with slip-bobbers is in steelheading. This was done with several types of gear from nearly UL to M casting gear, but all those rods were over 8ft long. Problem is, to feed line through the float after you've casted it, you need to be able to keep line off the water as the surface tension of all that main line laying on the water, will negate the weight of your jig. It'll just hang there under your float. One way to help reduce this issue is to add extra weight, either a heavier jig, or split shot above it. I found that if you add a good #4 split shot a ways up from the bait (depending on rod length, it'll help counter that surface tension. Such stuff makes casting even more of a hassle, hence the specialized equipment.

 

It's pretty much a finesse method for several reasons:

-Cold water is dense/viscous so thin lines really help, in presentation and detection.

-You may be fishing deep for winter bass so thin lines really help, in presentation and detection.

-Small -even tiny- lures work best in such cold water (See Bluebasser's post above).

 

I think trying to get by with standard bass gear is like trying to force a square peg into a round hole. If your fish are really shallow, say less than 8ft, and you can deal with trying to cast an ungainly, heavily counter-weighted, slip-float rig, you might catch some fish. Try it. It would also help to fish close to the boat, so you don't have to keep much line off the water. But I think if you decide to actually add this method to your range of versatility, you'll be heading towards the right stuff.

 

Lots of our fishing can be handled with a range of gear -you don't need specialized, technique-specific gear- but as things get really cold, things get more challenging in terms of presentation and detection. And FnF is meant to deal with the worst case scenario. 

[TnRiver46]

19 hours ago, CybrSlydr said:

I got that, but I didn't think they were as big a deal as he made them out to be.  Then again, I've never really tried it, so my experience is nil.

Do they make like a... solid that you could put on the hook then?  Something solid that would slowly dissolve and not gum up the hair?

Shad wax is what you use to dress  a hair jig. Also float and fly can be casted on regular gear from a boat where you can slap the water on the back cast to load the rod. It still helps greatly to have  a long spinning rod specially designed for float n fly. No clue how you can cast a fixed float and long leader from the bank . I imagine it would be beyond frustrating. 

[CybrSlydr]

So it sounds like unless I can commit to the whole shebang, I should probably save my money then.  Makes sense - especially since this technique is so specialized.

 

I just wish I didn't have to drive 3 hours to try and catch steelhead during the winter.  lol

[BrackishBassin]

16 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Shad wax is what you use to dress  a hair jig. Also float and fly can be casted on regular gear from a boat where you can slap the water on the back cast to load the rod. It still helps greatly to have  a long spinning rod specially designed for float n fly. No clue how you can cast a fixed float and long leader from the bank . I imagine it would be beyond frustrating. 

 

Fishing from the bank is where the slip bobbers become essential. Especially if you’re dealing with any sort of trees or brush around you. 

[Deleted account]

Not float and fly per se, but I do a slip bobber thing with a 6'6" med spinning rod. I'll use hair jigs, but also crappie jigs, and salt water weighted flies (and sometimes minnows).  I usually fish 8-12' deep or so. I don't do it a lot, but it usually works well.