Advice on drifter float fishing

Hi all, for the coming winter season I was pondering trying something new. For my third rod, I would like to try a drifter float on my local river, is this practical on a river ?. Or is this method solely for large still waters.Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

you could try but its for still waters

Yes agreed, but I don't see why with the right conditions it wouldn't work on a slow flowing river?.

check t some of eric edwards writing he has a blog, and it may wel be on there about the uses for drifter floats in rivers (albeit slightly modified)

it would need to be a very slow flow and a big wind to work against the flow

Hello Esoxman

Firstly I would say, why not give it a go? Its always worth tinkering about, especially if no one else is doing it.

However, can I ask what kind of presentation are you trying to achieve?

Only then can we say if it could work.

Go on Esoxman, let us know what you are thinking.

Andy Webster

If you are wanting to drift downstream then that is called trotting. It has worked for me.

Going against the flow and yes I believe it would work. Assuming the wind is strong enough to counteract the flow of water that is.

Going against the flow may appear to look more natural to the pike as fish do swim up river. Trotting may just present the bait in an unnatural way as the fish may trot faster than the flow if the wind is blowing that way.

Drifting against the flow might make the bait twist and flutter as it goes against the flow of water and attract the predator easier.

The only way to know for sure is to give it a go. And don't forget to let us all know how you get on

Hi, yes I guess drifting downstream is basically trotting. However with a big vane float for max visibility and floating braid I could cover a lot of water. I fish from a dory, so with the rod in a rest,and with a baitrunner I could possibly control the speed of the trot. Normally the river has only a small flow,so I was going to try a deadbait suspended horizontally at about 6 to 8 feet. Possibly I could with the right wind conditions drift against the flow also. I generally fish three float ledger rods, but thought of trying this as something new with the third rod.

If you fish the bait right under your drifter float, you might be able to combat the flow. Using a low diameter line would also help. Fish any deeper and you'll need a large vane and lots of puff to blow it anywhere.
Don't worry about fishing your bait the length of your trace under the float. My mate often drifts a bait 18" under his drifter in 3 feet of water and he catches plenty.

....Andy....