Deep deep deepness....

A really simple question......but one I have no idea aboot!

How do you gauge depth? I know you can use plummets........but christ knows how you use them

.....I've heard of folk "counting down" lures etc til they hit the bottom......but how do you know?.....do you feel it?

Please help me know my deep deep deepness as I'm going to try the unknown............"Deadbaiting!!!!"

Got myself some deadbait rigs.......got mackerel in the freezer......have floats........read-up on stop knots.

Yours......totally clueless......Scotland

Hi M8,
I use a marker rod to find the depth also bars & plattos,
And you get a good idea of what the bottom is like, Weed, silt, gravel.
Ian.

Mr Pikeman wrote:Hi M8,
I use a marker rod to find the depth also bars & plattos,

cheers mate.......only thing is I have no idea what any of those things are......never mind how to use them

Could you explain them a wee bit ?

You can change your dead-bait rod in seconds. You should have a weight, bead and a snap-link on your line anyway so this will take seconds. Take the trace off your dead-bait setup and swap it for a nice buoyant, visual float.
Cast this rig out and tighten up. The float is now tight against the weight/bead ok. Now, with your rod held aloft, wind the rig in slowly and allow the weight to bump, slip, trundle or grind along the terrain of your chosen swim.
As the weight travels along, it transmits information about the terrain up the line (braid is ideal BTW but *pre-stretched mono* is good also) and down your rod, to your hands. With practice, you'll soon learn what different kinds of terrain feels like. Not only do you get an idea of what the bottom is composed of but you also learn about shelves, weed-beds, contours, snags and all manner of things you cannot see.
You now have an idea what the bottom 'looks' like. Once your weight has found what you think is the ideal spot, pay out line a foot at a time. Some marker rods come with a ruler printed on the butt-section but you can do the same with a couple of Tippex lines or a bit of tape or whatever, as long as you know what a foot is. As you pay out your line, the float starts making it's way to the surface. When it gets there, you should be able to see it. You've paid out say, 12 feet of line, therefore the depth is 12 feet.
As an example, if you're float fishing, set the depth to 11 feet and you can drift a float through your chosen swim, with the bait sitting nicely at a foot from the deck.
You can actually buy marker floats and special weights for the job. The floats are usually very thin with a nice obvious flight on the top. This helps them cast a long way, surface easily and you can see them at distance. The weights often have little nodules on them that help 'transmit' information up the line. Some even have a various methods of collecting samples from the bottom. It could be a little trap or a bit for moulding putty round. As you drag your weight in, it collects bits of dross, detritus or silt for you to analyse. I can understand why you'd go to such lengths when carp fishing but for pike fishing, a nice 3oz bomb and a marker float will do the job admirably.
Just remember than your marker setup can snag too so use a paper-clip or something to attach your weight. Losing a float is a pisser and some waters won't appreciate you leaving braid lying around in their fishery.

*Daiwa Tournament mono is Hi-Viz yellow and it's pre-stretched, making it ideal for marker setups

WOW

Thanks Andy .........an informative post as usual mate

I'll read through this a few times and give it a whirl

It's dead simple Billy. Once you've tried it, you'll kick yourself. The best ideas always are simple right enough.

Hi Andy,
Just came back on started to read the post that i answerd,
Read the bit about explaing the marker rod,
I was going to answer it but you beat me to it,
Cracking reply, A lot better than i could have put it.
Ian.

Couldn't agree more with Andy's post.

Thats exactly how I do it too.

Thanks again for the help lads

Much appreciated

brill way of putting it sad to say if anyone looks on a crap oops carp forum there woll be diagram