Your questions answered on pole float selection.
So many patterns and materials...
POLE float designs are a bit of a minefield to me. Which types work best in a given situation?
Callum Breech, Rowley Regis
FIRST, work out the type of fishing you do – rivers, commercial carp fisheries or canals. This will narrow down the styles and sizes needed.
WEIGHT: A heavy float works best in deeper or flowing water, giving you the control to present it properly.
A light float taking 3x10 will only need a couple of tiny shot for it to cock and so is ideal for shallow water on the far side of canals or the margins on commercial fisheries. BODY SHAPE: The more bulbous a float body, the more buoyancy it will have. Common shapes are pear, rugby ball or round.
A slim body offers less resistance to a biting fish. Such floats are extremely popular on commercial fisheries for carp and F1s.
BODY MATERIAL: Balsa wood makes up most floats, but there are now pole floats with high-density foam bodies, or even clear, tough plastic. These last two body materials are most commonly seen on carp waters when floats are dragged through snags. STEM MATERIAL: Wire is very stable and cocks the float quickly. Carbon does the reverse, perfect for shallow water or fishing on the drop. Glass fibre makes the strongest stem.
BRISTLE MATERIAL: Plastic or glass fibre bristles are relatively easy to spot at up to 16m and quite sensitive, but for really shy bites you can buy floats with a fine wire tip. These are nightmare to shot up correctly, however. Cane is sometimes used – this is quite heavy and offers little sensitivity, and so is handy for fishing big baits where carp are the target.