First Nook on a float! and questions

[fish_4_all]

I got my first Chinook on a float with eggs and shrimp today. What a rush to see that float vanish and set that hook for the first time. Was a small one, maybe 15# so I released it in hopes of getting a much larger one, and for a change I did get one.

I was running my float this way:
bobber stop, bead, 1 oz support float, bead, 1/4 bullet sinker, 4 foot leader, 2 pea sized split shot about 14 inches above the hook. Does that sound about right for rigging them? I know the float was a little large for the weight I was using but is what my buddy had.

I am also paying rediculous prices for them, in my opinion anyway. They floats were $9.25 for 2 of them which to me seems way too high. Does anyone have a place to get them for a better price? I don't mind $2-3 each but $5 with tax is just a rip, again in my opinion. If someone can beat the price with shipping for some about the same size I will gladly pay for them and shipping to me.

 

[beaverfan]

Check these out. I've heard nothing but great things about them. I'll be buying some in the next week or two.

Clear Crystal Piker Floats

 

[fish_4_all]

I might have to try those for Steelhead but the salmon up here don't care if they are looking at a float that is almost impossible to see or a big orange and green thing the size of baseball. They just want the meal underneath. And still higher in price than I would think these floats would run.

 

[metalmania]

Pikers are great for low water steelhead and salmon, but for the typical colored water salmon fishing, west coast floats work very well. I usually don't put weight on my line unless i'm in faster current, but when I do I slide a small red eggsinker down my leader. I also don't usually go more than 3 feet on the leader unless the waters super clear.

 

[Anyfishisfine]

Your setup sounds like mine. The only difference is I use in-line weights.

Also I only use a small weight near the bait if it looks like my offering is having a hard time sinking. Since I mostly fish jigs, I usually don't bother. I think I have used them for sand shrimp though.

You can get them at Fisherman's, and I've seen them at Rob's place in Troutdale.

For floats I use Beau Mac for no other reason than somebody recommended them here. They have worked great for me.

Edit - One reason I do like the Beau Mac floats is they are bright green on top instead of red like many others. I have a problem with seeing red, and red floats are invisible to me in the water, but green sticks out like a beacon.

 

[fish_4_all]

Water is clear and low but where the Chinook hold here is DEEP. I was running 10-14 feet down in orderto get to suspended fish, the hole is more like 20 feet deep.

I am not sure about putting an inline on there. More knots more stress points but I may try it. I probably could have and should have used a shorter leader now that I think about it, maybe a 2 foot leader so that the weight under the float was all I needed. Have to learn about this technique. I have tried many times in the past and never hooked a salmon using them but now that I have hooked 2 I will use them more. Mainly because I don't have to fish the bottom and risk snagging up and because the fish are suspended so often in deep holes there are not many other ways to properly fish them.

I will check out West coast floats, the price is better than anything locally but shipping may defeat that. Hopefully I can get lucky and find them for the same price in town and not have to drive 30 miles or pay twice as much if not more.

 

[Anyfishisfine]

I am not sure about putting an inline on there. More knots more stress points but I may try it.

Same number of knots since it is simply replacing the swivel. It probably also helps that there isn't a lead sinker sliding up and down the line potentially damaging it.

 

[fish_4_all]

You don't use a swivel below the inline?

 

[Anyfishisfine]

No, it is a swivel. I go: leader - inline - bead - float - bead - stopper.

 

[metalmania]

Inlines rock

 

[fish_4_all]

Interesting, I may have to find some and see how they work. I use a slide weight on the float rigs now. This is just because I have used sliding sinkers for years and years. I either use a swivel on the weight or a clean cut bullet/egg type sinker. I just figured that the inline slip weight would allow for the weight to move around and keep the fish from shaking the hook better. But that could actual be backwards thinking on my part. I know it works but I will still have to try both.

What weight float should I use in certain circustances? As I stated above the water I am fishing and where salmon hold here can be very deep and even with this low water it is still flowing fairly fast. Not a rip but a drift is about 90 seconds or so in faster water. Slower water and almost frog water the drift is more like 2-3 minutes. I know for steelhead the more you can weight it the btter so that only the tip has to go under but what about Chinook fishing? I was using the 1 ounce and I bet I missed some bites so a lighter float might have gotten me larger fish that didn't swallow the bait and take down the bob float.

 

[metalmania]

Interesting, I may have to find some and see how they work. I use a slide weight on the float rigs now. This is just because I have used sliding sinkers for years and years. I either use a swivel on the weight or a clean cut bullet/egg type sinker. I just figured that the inline slip weight would allow for the weight to move around and keep the fish from shaking the hook better. But that could actual be backwards thinking on my part. I know it works but I will still have to try both.

What weight float should I use in certain circustances? As I stated above the water I am fishing and where salmon hold here can be very deep and even with this low water it is still flowing fairly fast. Not a rip but a drift is about 90 seconds or so in faster water. Slower water and almost frog water the drift is more like 2-3 minutes. I know for steelhead the more you can weight it the btter so that only the tip has to go under but what about Chinook fishing? I was using the 1 ounce and I bet I missed some bites so a lighter float might have gotten me larger fish that didn't swallow the bait and take down the bob float.

I usually run 1 or 1 1/2 oz floats for most salmon fishing, and got to 2 when it gets really deep and fast. It sounds like 1oz will probably work where you but I really couldn't say unless I fished it. I always try and use the smallest float possiable. If you think your missing fish try running a double egg loop rig with vision fine wire hooks. I switched to this rig awhile ago and rarely don't have the fish get stuck, and the takedowns can be downright violent.

 

[fish_4_all]

Not missing fish, missing bites. I was only using 1/4 ounce on the 1 ounce float so anything but but a full take down didn't even get a hook set. My fault for not knowing how to rig them but have to leave something to learn.