Float Rods

...'your key piece of equipment'

Make the right choice!

"Casting, controlling the tackle, striking and playing fish are the basic functions which a float rod must do well. This part should help you to choose the right rod."

Float rods ...'an introduction'

Since carbon fibre replaced glass-fibre as the main rod building material, the choice of float rods has grown dramatically.

Each season, manufacturers are adding new models to the vast range - each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Rod materials

The action, lightness and feel of a rod depend on the materials it's made of split cane, greenheart, Spanish reed and glass fibre have all been used to build rods but materials like carbon fibre and Kevlar have made them obsolete.

Carbon fibre v glass-fibre

To appreciate the advantages of carbon fibre, go to a tackle shop and compare a carbon float rod with a glass-fibre float rod of the same length and action. Before picking up the rods, notice that the carbon rod is slimmer - maybe only 10mm at the butt - perhaps half the diameter of a glass rod.

This is a great advantage (particularly in windy weather) because it enables the rod to slice through the air, offering less resistance when casting and striking. Notice too, how much lighter the carbon rod is. A typical weight for a 12ft (3.6m) glass rod is 227-283g whereas a 12ft (3.6m) carbon rod might weigh 128 - 170g.

Carbon composites

Some carbon fibre float rods include Kevlar in their construction. Kevlar-a combination of polymers and nylon - is a non-stretch, shock-absorbent material used for making bullet-proof vests and lumberjacks' trousers (as protection against the chainsaw). Braided around a carbon fibre core, it increases torsional strength (good for accurate long-distance casting) and makes for a crisper action.

Carbon is an excellent conductor of electricity. Don't use a carbon rod anywhere near electricity power lines. The current can arc from the power line to your rod without the rod even touching it and the results could be fatal.

Choose the rod to suit the kind of fishing you think you'll be doing. If you expect to float fish for powerful species like tench or small carp, go for a more powerful rod.

Rod length

It is possible to buy rods up to 17ft (5.2m) long but these are specialist tools and float rods usually range from 11½ft-14ft (3.46- 4.2m).

Getting the right length of rod for the job is important.

As a general guide the farther out you intend to fish the longer the rod needs to be.

Ultimately, choose the length of your rod to suit the actual swim you are fishing. If there are overhanging trees you may have to use a short rod.

A longer rod will give you extra control when playing large fish over dense marginal weed or snags.

If you intend to do all your float fishing with one rod then a rod of 13ft (3.9m) should cover most eventualities.

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An 11½ft (3.46m) float rod is a good length for short range work - such as fishing the far bank of canals and lake margins with 2BB or 3BB wagglers.

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Rods of 12-13ft (3.6-3.9m) are a good length for medium to long range waggler work. A 12ft (3.6m) rod is useful when not casting too far on lakes or casting to the middle of rivers like the Warwickshire Avon or middle Severn. When fishing reservoirs or the far side of rivers, a 13ft (3.9m) rod will give you the leverage to achieve extra distance on the cast and pick up the line better when striking.

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Rods of 14ft (4.2m) or more are useful when fishing a stick float. They give scope for extra float control such as holding the line clear of marginal weed or keeping the float on your line in windy conditions.

Rod action and stiffness

Rods have a certain profile when a steady pressure is applied to the tip.

This is the rod's action. Don't confuse rod action with rod stiffness - rods having similar actions may vary in stiffness.

Although there are two basic actions for float rods (tip-action and through action), there are degrees of each.

A recent trend is towards a rod which combines both actions. It is important to choose the right action for your fishing

Through-action rods

Through-action rodshave a hollow, unspliced tip. With a through-action Rod, the pliancy decreases steadily from the tip to the butt section.

If you intend to do all your float work with one rod, a fairly soft, through-action carbon Rod is a good choice. It will be sharp enough to hit quick bites, forgiving enough in the tip to handle fine Hook lengths of 1lb (0.45kg), but also have enough power in the Butt to handle heavier tackle and deal with fish like Tench, Carp and Chub.

Through-action Rods also have special applications. When fishing light Wagglers of 2BB or 3BB at short range for soft-mouthed Skimmer Bream or Roach, a softish, through-action Rod prevents fish from being bumped off or the Hook working free.

For medium to long-range Waggler work on lakes and rivers, a stiffer Rod can punch the Float out; and, when a long sweeping strike is needed to pick up the Line and set the Hook, it can absorb the shock.

Tip-action rods

Tip-action Rods have nearly all their pliancy in the top section, making them very quick on the strike. Some tip-action Rods have a fine, solid carbon top spliced into the Top Section which makes the Rod even more 'tippy'.

Tip-action Rods are ideal for Stick Float and small Balsa fishing on rivers like the Trent, Severn, Thames and Warwickshire Avon, where a fast Rod is often essential for hitting quick biting Roach, Chub and Dace.

A very fine tip will allow fish to be played out on Hook lengths down to 12oz (0.34kg) and hooks as small as 24 or even 26. This is why some anglers prefer to do all their fishing with tip-action Rods.

However, some tip-action Rods are too stiff in the middle and Butt sections for certain kinds of fishing. If you expect to catch Bream, you should be particularly careful. A tip-action Rod which 'locks up' on the strike will bump soft-mouthed fish off.

New rod action

Anew action: Recently the trend has been towards a rod having a 'hybrid' action. When light pressure is applied to the tip of these rods they behave as if they had a tip action - making them suitable for Stick Float work. As more pressure is applied to the tip, the middle and even the butt sections come into play, so that the rod is quite capable of Waggler work, and able to handle larger fish too.

Rod rings

The correct type, number and positioning of rod rings is crucial.

It is the job of the rings to guide the line smoothly, keeping it as close to the profile of the rod as possible. Good rings should keep friction to a minimum and be wear resistant.

A wear-resistant material is less likely to damage the line.

For fishing rods there are two main types of rod ring, the 'hard chrome' ring and the 'lined ring'.

For float fishing on rivers, top anglers like to use hard chrome rings. They do not wear as well as lined rings but they have a lower 'friction factor'.

This helps when trotting a float because it means that the line can be paid out smoothly and the bait presented at exactly the same speed as the current.

Your rod should have the correct number of properly spaced rings.

Ceramic linings are heavier and not as hard as silicon carbide linings, but they tend to be more durable and are only a third of the price.

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Too few rings will make the line stick to the rod in wet weather and cause the line to depart from the rod's natural curve.
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Too many rings interfere with the rod's action. On a 13ft (3.9m) rod top anglers like to see two rings on the rod's butt section, five on the middle section and nine (including the tip ring) on the top section.
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A 12ft (3.6m) rod should have one ring less, a 14ft (4.2m) rod one more.

Hard Chrome Ring

Hard chrome are good for trotting rods, where it is important to keep friction very low, but they need changing every season

Clean Rings?

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Many anglers never bother to clean their rods.
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Rings soon become clogged with mud and ground bait which dries to a rock hard consistency.
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This acts like sandpaper on the line and defeats the object of lining a ring with a low friction material.
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Your rods will benefit from an occasional wipe down with a cloth and soapy water.
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Worn or cracked rings should be replaced.

Lined Ring

Lined rings are more wear resistant but not quite as smooth as chrome.

Rod fittings

Don't make the mistake of thinking that Rod Fittings are merely auxiliaries. The best blank won't make a good Rod unless it is correctly ringed.

A Rod Butt or handle of 21-23in (53- 58cm) is about right. Cork is traditionally the material for handles, and it takes some beating. It is light and pleasant to the touch. Synthetic handles are easier to keep clean, but choice of material really is a personal matter. Aluminium is a common material for the Reel Fittings but new materials, such as plastic and carbon fibre, tend to be lighter and kinder on the hands in cold weather.

Using the Rod

A Float Rod should not be thought of simply as a 'stick' with which to cast the Float out and bring fish in.

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Handled by a good angler, a Rod can be used to encourage more bites.
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You can use it to sink the Line in windy conditions, and to hold the Line off the water on rivers so that the Float is kept on course.
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When playing big fish, a skilfully handled Rod helps to keep the fish on the Hook. Holding a Rod high above the water will give you control over a fish that tries to dive for the cover of weed.
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If you are unlucky enough for a boat to pass through your swim as you are playing a big fish, you may be able to avoid losing it by pushing your Line deep into the water.
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Playing a fish with the Tip of the Rod close to the surface of the water helps to prevent the fish from splashing about and disturbing the rest of the shoal.