Clive Branson's Gold Medal Fishing Floats

THE SLIDING BALSA

This float is an ideal tool for deep swims on running water, it can be fished at almost any depth of water and yet set at only 4ft to 8ft allowing ease of casting.

Developed in the 1950s for fishing the deep drains of the North East, although Dutch anglers in the 190Os depicted the usage of this type of sliding float. Because of the sliding rings at the side of the float the main reel line can pass through until it reaches the stop knot, it also has more direct contact with the fish when striking. The sliding balsa comes in all sorts of shapes and sides, but I like to use the shaped body type with a shoulder, this helps me to hold back the float and at the same time slows the bait up in the water.

This float is very much under-estimated in its use, even fishing in swims with only 12ft of water, using the slider has a control all of its own. And when striking doesn't slash the water on top.

Making sure you use two sliding knots so that when casting and striking the knots don't slip up the line.
This float works well on the deep stretch of the river Severn, after converting to this type of float alter an unsuccessful few hours, when fishing a match, I started to catch well as soon as I changed from a fixed to a slider. Winning the match with 23lb converted me to a regular sliding-float man.

The slider shotting pattern is almost the same on each float, the only variation is the size of the shots to the float. Casting the float is best done with a swing either under arm or over arm. And then feathering, allowing the bulk and the dropper's to spread out without tangling.

Over hanging bushes and trees can some times be a nightmare, but using the slider can combat these obstacles. Using a small swivel just below the bulk can also eliminate twisting when retrieving in the deep water.

THE SLIDING BALSA

SHOTTING

: Clive Branson's Hand Made; Fishing Floats

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