When fishing for pompano or even sea mullet do y'all prefer floats on your rigs or not? I've always fished without floats but I see them more and more it seems. Do y'all think they make a difference?
They are even popular down in Florida though, which typically has more clear water. My train of that was that pompano and mullet are bottom feeders. Why use something that lifts it off the bottom? But they obviously work to some extent or people wouldn't use them. Just an interesting debate to me.
If you have crabs.......they work great. I have seen them work many times and of course others not. I build a lot of my drop rigs that I use for pomps, etc that have a combination. Especially the 3 drops. I'll use that as a test bed to see whats working. Got back from Florida....not a great fishing trip by any means.
Been wondering ....... and waiting for a report, Retired.
Sorry to hear this one though.
I'd be anxious to see a full report of your trip, if you wouldn't care to post.
Plan to go back anytime soon ?
I was tentatively planning to follow your lead.
Thanks
I agree with retired, it's something that you have to try & see. Floats for bait rigs can serve different purposes, but also can simply be an attraction to get the bait noticed, especially with grass on the bottom. I think the trick is using an appropriately sized float for the baits your using. You want them to be big enough to keep the bait off the bottom, and somewhat suspended in the water. Too big and they can lift the bait too high (depending on your leader length) and too small and the bait might still be on the bottom. So, experiment and see if it's an advantage for you.
Remember that floats like that are also popular for various types of fishing. They're used for Striper Rigs, Salmon Mooching rigs, Walleye rigs and Catfishing. Stripers & Walleye will grab baits in the current, and the float keeps the bait off the bottom, and away from the crabs as was mentioned, and in some place snags. Even though catfish are bottom feeders, they'll find the bait with it suspended in the water near the bottom, as well most fish species that feed on or near the bottom.
BTW, you can get those foam floats in various sizes, shapes & colors. Check hagensfish.com they sell a variety of tackle & lure making components.
I tend to let the fish dictate what they prefer on any given day. I put out rods with floats/beads and rods without. Some days they want a certain color and some days they prefer natural. It is best to be able to adapt to the conditions and fish preferences.🎣
When fishing for pomps, sea mullet, croakers, and spots, I haven't noticed a difference using floats. I have caught fish with them and without them. I think, floats increase the strikes with blue fish. The larger blue fish get, the less tendency they have to feed on the bottom.
Tie my own, and agree with Retired......both work, have to see which one is good for the day. I always put out both just in case. Naked, floats, colors etc
In my experience floats don't work well for Sea Mullet .... I use Naked 95% of the time but I've tryed every color and size bead there is (except for the new Coquina bead) and my faverite by far is a #6 Orange bead ... now floats work for Pomp but it's according to the depth water your fishin in ...
Good to hear. I actually tie my own "river rigs". I use fairly long leads on them like 1-2 foot to the hook. Would you keep them the same if using floats for pomp's or shorten them up? It seems like you wouldn't need/want the long leads with the floats up there in my mind, but I have nothibg to actually back that up haha.
I use floats about 99% of the time for pomps. If fishing for whiting, almost never. Yes floats help with bait thieves like crabs. More important I use floats as a attractant for pomps. Favorite color is white then lighter colors or mixed colors. Pink and white is deadly combo. BTW I often notice floats being chewed and bait untouched. Many videos of pomps grabbing floats and not eating bait. The biggest floats I use are 1gram , which is quite large, but my favorite size for big pomps. I also jig for pomps with goofy jigs, often color will make a difference , but it's the jigging action( movement) that gets bites, many grab jig as it is sinking.. IMO there's nothing worse than a pomp bait laying motionless on the bottom. Just my .02 worth. BTW killed the big pomps yesterday morning on jigs, 16 (11" fork length in fla) and a dozen short throw backs. Fished 2 and half hrs until tide change.
I make my own rigs as well and can confirm the pink/white floats almost always do better than any other color or color combo I experiment with that day. I generally use medium size peg floats and pomps seem to love the half pink half white floats.
i go back and forth. i know for sure those blues hit those floats. some years they get split in half almost. i deff get less crab stealers with them. do they help. . . i don't know. this trip I have some rigs with them on and some not on. i completely did away with the bead. what is right what is wrong. i don't think either is. this is coming from a 2 week a year warrior so all i know is what i learn yearly.
i deff know the beach sand pumping isn't helping matters cause the fish I catch are decreasing by the year. maybe it's me also. prob is me.
It's not you. I don't catch as much as I used too or see others catch as much either. Between beach nourishment and trawlers running off the beach all winter I think its had an impact.
Glad it isn’t just me. We r down here now in topsail. Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning was awesome. Caught the 5 largest blues I ever have in the surf. I dropped 2 large ones at my feet cause I was using too large of cut bait. I swore they were hooked but I guess not. Sucks when u see em pop off right in front of you. My kid caught me enough spots and small mullet for bait this week those days also. A 1.5 lb pomp. Then the wind started and has really roughed up the surf so I have been hanging out on sea view pier. Learned some new stuff from a local next to me. I figured no one would talk to me. There are still good folk out there. I actually like the pier. Nothing crazy caught but my 2 kids had fun on smaller mullet.
Sorry didn’t mean to get off topic. I have been using floats all week. All those blues were caught on drop loop rigs with floats and no beads with 1/0 circle hooks. Same with pomp.
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