Never miss another bite! Jamie Hughes’ advice on picking the right float.

PART TWO: Pick the right pole float and spot more bites

IT WOULD be easy to imagine that the biggest stars in our sport would carry a huge array of floats.

With their match calendars packed with big events on venues of different shapes and sizes, you might think they could well carry a box packed with patterns to suit every scenario.

But they don’t! The best in the business have got where they are by keeping it very simple, and Jamie Hughes can count on one hand the number of patterns he uses throughout the year.

This week the three-times Fish O’Mania champion reveals his top five floats to Angling Times.

1 SHALLOW

“This is the float I will use when it warms up and I want to catch up in the water. It is effective at fishing in the top 2ft-3ft of water. “A lot of anglers use a dibber, but I much prefer a bristled float such as the MAP SF2. This allows me to read what is going on, showing line bites and little knocks when fish are in the area.

“The diamond body will make lots of noise when ‘slapped’ on the surface to attract fish, and the tip is a thick and hollow bristle that will only shoot under when a fish takes the hookbait properly.”

2 PELLETS ON THE DECK

“Pellet fishing involves a lot of finesse, and the MAP WD1 is the ideal tool for this. The rugby ball-shaped body is nice and stable and the wire stem is heavy, and therefore it won’t take much to be dragged under – perfect when fishing for shy-biting F1s in winter.

“This type of float has a fairly thick tip, so it is easy to see even when most of it is submerged underwater. Always dot your float down well when fishing for F1s.”

3 DEEP WATER

“Venues with a lot of depth are almost certain to be affected by underwater tow, so a float that will remain in the place where you intend it to be is vital for good presentation.

“A more bulbous rugby ballshaped body is exactly what is needed, and a wire stem is best, ideal for these venues which are home to lots of silvers.

“An MAP SD1 would be my personal choice here. In 8ft of water or more I use a 4x16, stepping up a size if the float doesn’t remain still. The windier it is, the bigger the float you’ll need.”

4 BIG BAITS

“Baits such as corn, meat and big hard pellets add extra weight to the rig. If you use a float that is too sensitive, it will be weighed down by the hook bait and you’ll struggle to control the rig properly.

“So make sure you use a float with a thick, bouyant tip and a round body when fishing with big baits in order to provide the necessary presentation.

“A carbon-stemmed SD3 rarely lets me down when fishing for carp or F1s with such big offerings on the hook.”

5 SILVER FISH

“If you are targeting silvers, you need to see the shyest of bites that roach and skimmers sometimes give, and for this a slimline tip is required. My float of choice has quite a long tip and stem which add to the sensitivity of the rig.

“When fishing in deep water, or if there is a breeze or underwater tow, a rugby ball-shaped float is the best pattern.

“Always use a wire stem, as this will add to the rig’s sensitivity.”