Weight of float for margin fishing.

[ZeppelinHendrix]

Hi i'm new to float fishing and im after some advice on what weight float to use for margin fishing up to about 5 meters out. i'll be aiming to catch up to 10lb fish.
im thinking about loaded wagglers so i don't have to muck around with adding to much shot.
Thanks,Ben.
Oh i'll be using a rod not pole.

[BoldBear]

I'm assuming that you are fishing a stillwater.
5 metres is not very far to cast a float so a float that takes much more than a couple of AA's (or less) would usually be a waste of time and not really necessary.
How you fish the float depends on the species you hope to catch depth and the thickness of your line.

eg. If you want to catch Tench or Bream you would be advised to fish 4 or 5 inches over depth and put your tell-tale shot an inch or two off bottom or if theres surface drift on the bottom. but if you want to catch Roach or Crucians then you may be better tripping the bottom or just above the bottom, and if you are after Rudd then you may do better fishing higher in the water, although these basic rules are not always set in stone. as you can catch Roach and Rudd and Crucians at most depths.
The same goes for Carp; you can find them at any depth.

Loaded floats are normally used when you need to fish at any distance or tight against islands or weedbeds and at shorter distances you are normally better of by using a normal waggler which allows you to move the shot around if needed to change the presentation and action of your bait.

If you are fishing tight up against your own bank then a small delicate float could be all you need.

Here is a couple of standard shotting patterns for shallowish water up to around 6ft deep:



If you are after Tench here is another method that works well called the Lift Method:


The lift method works for Tench because the Tench tends to pick up a bait and return to the horizontal position which lifts the single shot off the bottom and makes the float lift and fall flat.
Of coarse Tench don't always do this so sometimes you will get the float sliding away on or under the surface.

Anyway best of luck

Keith (BoldBear)

[bobberman23]

Find how deep the bottom is in a lake with a slight current. Use a slip bobber that is marked and will sink some by the weight of the sinker. Wen you find that the sinker is not sinking the bobber you are on the bottom. Tie your bait a foot above the sinker like a crappie rig. The bobber will drift away from the sinker in the slight current with the excessive line then stop. You are now fishing a foot from the bottom with a tight line to the sinker. The bite is detected quickly with this set up. This will also work in a slight wind acting like the current. You are off the bottom with the bait but anchored by the sinker. Best way to fish in my opinion with a slip bobber!