Tommy Pickering on how to pick the right pole float to beat the wind
OF ALL the seasons, autumn is often the windiest and that can play havoc when you’re trying to fish the pole, especially on exposed fisheries with little cover from trees and bushes. It’s still more than possible to catch well provided you use the right rig, though. For me, it all begins with selecting the correct pole float to battle the elements…
BODY SHAPE
There’s no place for slim penciltype floats when the wind is blowing – they get dragged around the swim too much by gusts or any tow that’s been created. Instead, I pick a classic rugby ball-shaped float, such as the Preston innovations PB Silver 4 or PB Inter 2. These are great floats to use for bream and skimmers in summer, but are just as good in autumn for carp and F1s. Because the fattest part of the body is towards the bottom, they provide increased stability.
FLOAT SIZE
Despite the wind, I am still a big believer in using as light a float as you can get away with, as this will mean more bites in the long run. However, too light and the bait won’t be presented properly to get a bite so there’s a balancing act.
The easiest way to find out which size is best is to drop in the float and hold it against the wind. If the bristle is sat in any position other than directly upwards, then it’s too light and you need to step up.
TIP THICKNESS
You may think that a thin tip means more bites, but that’s not necessarily true, especially in windy conditions. A thin tip is fine for using smaller baits when targeting smaller fish and a long bristle will add to stability because I can dot it right down with more of the float’s body under the water.
A thick tip comes into play when I am fishing with bigger baits for bigger fish, but again I will dot the tip down. A thicker-tipped float also lends itself to being fished with line laid on the bottom to help with presentation.