Floats - also known as bobbers - serve a crucial role for float fishermen. As an attachment to your fishing line, a float suspends bait at a pre-determined depth (the length from the float to the hook) while allowing the bait to access areas of water that were previously inaccessible due to the current. At the same time, a float can also signal an angler of a bite.
There are several types of floats available in a variety of shapes and sizes, but their origins lie is more simplistic means. While it’s hard to say when floats were originally utilized, we do know that the first floats were rather rudimentary and comprised of twigs, feathers, and other types of buoyant materials. In fact, the first known mention of using a float appears in the book "Treatyse of fysshynge wyth an Angle" written by Juliana Berners in 1496.
Floats have come a long way in the past 500 years or so, and now there are a multitude of choices for an angler to choose from. This guide aims to simplify the choice process based on a variety of factors including environmental, preferential, and target specifications. With over 20,000 fishing items in our inventory, Outdoor Shopping has the most extensive lineup of fishing equipment online today! Shop our inventory of floats at Outdoor Shopping.
The Round Bobber
If you started your angling experiences as a child, you’ve probably been introduced to a push button bobber pretty early on. These bobbers are easy to use and attach via an eye at the bottom and a push button at the top which also reveals an eye to fix your line at the top and bottom of the float. WIth simplicity as its design, the round bobber is generally only most useful in very small sizes and for very small catches.
Most experienced anglers will agree that round bobbers are best kept for novices and youngsters, as it merely ‘gets the job done’ but is not a truly effective float for specific fishing conditions. Instead, opt for an adjustable fixed bobber like a tapered stick bobber, antenna bobber or pear-shaped bobber that will offer little resistance when a fish bites.
The Waggler
This type of float is attached only at the bottom to the fishing line and is mainly used for saltwater fishing and fishing in running waters. It’s one of the most used and most versatile floats, making it an essential for any tackle box. Because of its shape, it is capable of flying through the air like a dart and allows the angler to cast the float at great distances.
You can fasted the waggler to your fishing line via an eye or rubbers, and this bobber can be locked or left free to slide up and down the line (depending on the conditions). There are two types of wagglers to choose from:
Waggler Type | Guidelines | Best for: |
Straight Waggler | Usually made from plastic and sometimes called a crystal waggler, this waggler is long and narrow. |
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Bodied Waggler | Similar to the straight waggler, the main difference is a bulbous body that aids in stability. |
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Wagglers can come with or without inserts (antennaes) and can be made from a variety of materials including:
Quills
Balsa Wood
Cane
Plastic
Reed
At the end of the day, choose a waggler float for the following conditions:
Still Water/Slow-Medium Currents/Rivers
Turbulent Water/Windy Conditions
Choppy Lake Water/Small-Medium Sized Waves
Stick Floats
This straight float with a taper is attached to your fishing line at both the top and bottom with rubber bands at top and bottom (or rubber band at the top and an eye at the bottom). Because these floats are fixed into position, they have limited use for fishing at depth. These floats are mainly used for river fishing, as they can be immersed in the flow of the water against a tight line without the float submerging as the tide pulls on the trace.
These floats do offer less resistance to wind and water, respond quicker to light bites, and tend to drift slower as well. They are primarily made of two materials:
Balsa Wood top section: Provides light buoyancy.
Hard-Grade Cane, Heavy Plastic, or Wood stem: Adds weight.
Choose a stick float for the following conditions:
Choppy and open water
Running waters with strong drift
River fishing
Pole Floats
These small floats do not require much weight to be added for stability. Ultra-sensitive, these floats allow anglers to fish most venue types. There are many different types of pole floats designed to work well for a variety of fishing situations, but here are three of the main types:
Pole Float Type | Guidelines | Best for: |
Dibber | The smallest of the pole floats, a dibber has a big tip for easy spotting. |
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Body Up | As one of the most used pole floats, a body up style is a very buoyant float that can be used with all baits. |
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Pear Shaped | Similar to the body up style, a pear-shaped pole float but has two versions - one thin and one thick. The thicker version can be used for heavier baits while the thinner version is more sensitive and especially ideal for fishing canals for roach and skimmer bream using maggots, casters, punched bread etc for hook baits. |
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Pole float materials can be comprised of any of the following:
Tips: These are generally made from wire, balsa, cane, or nylon.
Stem: Usually made from carbon fiber which is very durable and heavy enough to give a float suitable stability.
Choose a pole float for the following conditions:
River fishing (float with the widest part of the body at the top)
Fishing in windy conditions on still waters (float with the widest part of the body at the bottom)
Fishing deep and shallow lakes and canals
When fish are shy (float with slim body as they will indicate the most delicate bites)
Shotting Patterns
There are three types of shotting patterns that you can use when utilizing a float for angling:
Shotting Pattern | Guidelines | Best for: |
General Shotting | Attached by the eye and locked in place, 80% of the weight around the float and the rest placed from 2 thirds of the way down the line towards the hook. |
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Bulk Shotting | Bulk the shot nearer the bottom of the line with a tell tale dropper near the hook to get bait to fall faster through the water and past smaller, bait-stealing fish. |
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Shirt Button Shotting | The shot is spread evenly down the line from the float to the hook (with a smaller dropper shot near the hook) like the buttons on a shirt. |
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Choosing Your Float
The right type of float is essential, but there are many factors that go into choosing the right float for your fishing needs:
Waves: Strong currents requires larger and more buoyant floats.
Wind Strength: Windy conditions call for a larger float.
Depth of Water: Consider the benefits of a slip float rather than a fixed one.
Shyness of Fish: Smaller, narrower floats reduce spooking the fish.
Current: Strong currents requires larger and more buoyant floats.
Size/Type of Bait Used: Heavier baits require more buoyant floats.
Required Casting Distance: Narrower float profiles allow for longer casting distances.
Keep in mind that larger diameter floats tend to keep their stability in larger waves or currents but will require more shot in the water to keep it weighted properly. While the larger size offers more resistance, it does sacrifice sensitivity. The addition of an extra shot allows larger floats to be cast further, to run the bait deeper, and hold the bait down through faster water.
Buoyancy and capacity are typically listed on the side of the float or in the specifications for the float you’re selecting at Outdoor Shopping.
Keep in mind that there are primarily two categories of floats:
Type of Float | Guidelines | Best for: |
Fixed | These floats are connected to the line and stay at a fixed position. |
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Slip | These floats can slide up and down on the line and tend to be more versatile. |
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The best way to go about using a float is to take a few different types with you and experiment with different styles to find which one is best suited for that day’s specific conditions. With over 20,000 fishing items in our inventory, Outdoor Shopping has the most extensive lineup of fishing equipment online today! Shop our inventory of floats at Outdoor Shopping.
