float fishing split shot setup

[jdmls]

Hey guys, I was playing around this weekend with my split shot setups and had a few questions... I have always set my shots as shown in option 2, pretty much starting with larger shot up at the top equally spacing them and getting smaller in size until i hit my lead. then leave about 18-24 " of leader before the hook......I tried out a tactic that i have seen others use which i described in option 1....pretty much keeping the heavy shot right under the float and then leaving the remainder of the line without shot but clumping several small shots right before your leader ? I found that the 1st option i tried slowed down my drift also making it easier to trott the float. It also propped the float in the up position a lot faster than my regular setup....It seamed easier to control my drift / trott with the first new option i tried , but would the clump of shot by the leader present the bait more unaturally ?? should i be worried that the clump of shot would spook fish at times ?

 

Can you guys share some opinions on what setup you perfer and use most of the time.....

 

Thanks Dave

 

 

[Casey123]

I do a combination of both. I put 2 heavier splits towards the top (I believe they are both A size, then I start with BB and B towards the hook. I usually put my last bb about 12" above the roe.

I use a 6' floro leader attached to Braid so, unless we are fishing very deep, my entire set up is usually on my leader.

 

The only problem I have had with set up one is: when the water is fast, a fish can grab the bait when it hits the water and the float doesn't move b/c the lower portion of the lead hasn't settled yet.

 

If the line is weighted proprtionally, even if the float is still on its side or partially righted, it will go down when a fish hits.

 

Also in strong current you will have a bow in your line where there is no weight.

[Ben_Daniels]

not to hijack your thread but I have a similar question that I've been wondering about...I'm not really a steelhead guy but I was wondering why don't you guys just fish with a roe sack on a small jig? I've always hated fishing with a pearl necklace of weights on my line, i find it annoying...just my opinion, but like I said I'm by no means a steelheader.

 

-Ben

[Rustic-Fisher]

Depends on the water, pool, current, depth ect... ya get the point LOL

Bulk shot the fast deep stuff Thats kinda like your option 1. Taper weights from heaviest to lightest shot in Med flowing average depth areas Heaviest to lightest should put your bait in front of your float. As a rule of thumb remember the water most times is moving slower closer to the bottom and faster on top, so like you said you have to try and slow the bait down a bit.

Different for every river and hole though.

Most my luck comes with your #1 set up.

RF

[ccmtcanada]

May not be applicable b/c I use a spinning reel and it's harder to keep my presentation in front of my float. I put all my shot under the float to the leader...equally spaced to the swivel. I leave my floro leader absent of any shot so the current can take it easier. For the creek you and I know, I'll leave about 1 to 3 feet of mainline under the float to the leader, and then use a 2 to 3 foot leader depending on the flow. For high, fast and murky water, the leader is shorter but from the swivel to the float is longer...keeping the bait lower in the water.

 

I've re-read this and I dont know if it make sense to you...but it does to me....LOL.

[charlied]

I spread mine out.....cause I fish the Niagara and have to cast far sometimes and I find that with the split shots spread out there is less of a chance of the line twisting up together when you cast out!

[jdmls]

May not be applicable b/c I use a spinning reel and it's harder to keep my presentation in front of my float. I put all my shot under the float to the leader...equally spaced to the swivel. I leave my floro leader absent of any shot so the current can take it easier. For the creek you and I know, I'll leave about 1 to 3 feet of mainline under the float to the leader, and then use a 2 to 3 foot leader depending on the flow. For high, fast and murky water, the leader is shorter but from the swivel to the float is longer...keeping the bait lower in the water.

 

I've re-read this and I dont know if it make sense to you...but it does to me....LOL.

 

make's sense....I use a similar concept but have learned from experience that shots on your leader sometimes can fray/ weaken it so i dont put anything on my leader anymore......I really want to start using option 1 just cause its easier to control from above the float, but am sceptical on how it presents itself under water and if the bait drifts au natural ...The way I see it, is that it gets the bait down into the zone faster all the time so why not use it in every flow ? COOPER & SOLO help me out here ???

[solopaddler]

To be honest shot patterns are so varied and different you'd have to write a book on the subject to explain things properly.

I remember a few years back I had a buddy who worked at inland waters in Burlington. He brought me in one evening with my steelhead rod to test some theories.

In one part of the building they had a 40' long manmade river about 4' wide and 6' deep built with clear plexiglass, and the rate of flow was controllable.

It was built to study the dynamics of flowing water...

We used it to study various shotting patterns .

I just can't get into too many technical details (no time at the moment).

But trust me on this, with the exception of super slow frog water most guys aren't running a long enough lead IMO and could stand to use more shot closer to their hook.

Unlike a lot of guys, I commonly add micro shot onto my tippet.

Never the rock hard "steelhead" shot though (raven, drennan and the like..). I only use the round water gremlin shot. It's so soft you can almost pinch it on with your fingers. Only problem it's too bright out of the package. What you have to do is soak it overnight in draino, that'll turn it black. (And make sure it's rinsed well before you use it ).

No problem whatsoever sliding this shot around on your leader.

I use this stuff in varying sizes for all my shotting simply because it enables you to adjust your float and shot up and down your line as you fish different spots. Every pool is different, correct? That's one of the biggest mistakes I see rookies making: setting up there float/shot and fishing it exactly the same way all day long.

One more little tip. For super slow frog water I prefer as little shot as possible beneath my float.

To achieve this a self-cocking float is a huge advantage. I'll take lead core trolling line, strip the outer sheath, wrap a few turns of it around the base of a suitable float (long pencil style) and epoxy it.

In most cases with a self cocking float you don't have to add anything extra to your line. The weight of your bait is good enough..

 

Cheers

[jdmls]

To be honest shot patterns are so varied and different you'd have to write a book on the subject to explain things properly.

I remember a few years back I had a buddy who worked at inland waters in Burlington. He brought me in one evening with my steelhead rod to test some theories.

In one part of the building they had a 40' long manmade river about 4' wide and 6' deep built with clear plexiglass, and the rate of flow was controllable.

It was built to study the dynamics of flowing water...

We used it to study various shotting patterns .

I just can't get into too many technical details (no time at the moment).

But trust me on this, with the exception of super slow frog water most guys aren't running a long enough lead IMO and could stand to use more shot closer to their hook.

Unlike a lot of guys, I commonly add micro shot onto my tippet.

Never the rock hard "steelhead" shot though (raven, drennan and the like..). I only use the round water gremlin shot. It's so soft you can almost pinch it on with your fingers. Only problem it's too bright out of the package. What you have to do is soak it overnight in draino, that'll turn it black. (And make sure it's rinsed well before you use it ).

No problem whatsoever sliding this shot around on your leader.

I use this stuff in varying sizes for all my shotting simply because it enables you to adjust your float and shot up and down your line as you fish different spots. Every pool is different, correct? That's one of the biggest mistakes I see rookies making: setting up there float/shot and fishing it exactly the same way all day long.

One more little tip. For super slow frog water I prefer as little shot as possible beneath my float.

To achieve this a self-cocking float is a huge advantage. I'll take lead core trolling line, strip the outer sheath, wrap a few turns of it around the base of a suitable float (long pencil style) and epoxy it.

In most cases with a self cocking float you don't have to add anything extra to your line. The weight of your bait is good enough..

 

Cheers

 

 

Thanks...i like the concept with the core trolling line !!!! On average flows which shot pattern do you perfer though. option 1 or option 2 ? Also , i use the micro shots just before the leader as well....I get the concept of the closer you get to the hook the better it gets the bait down, but how close do you get ? I am scared to put it any closer than 12".....Can i get a way with puting one or two closer, say 6" away from the hook or will this be cause for spook ? SORRY FOR PICKING YOUR BRAIN, but i can't resist when you post up such intresting tips/ info, LOL !! "what i would pay"... to try out shot patterns in a tank as you did....then i could pretty much answer all these questions myself.. Thanks in advance for your support

[splashhopper]

great post jdmls...

I am new to this and am seeing a few things I will try out on my next trip.