| nfished water, Pike feed without inhibition whenever | | | | would normally do, but at a much longer range! If |
| they are hungry and whenever there is food. | | | | bites do not follow, work the bait back slowley, |
| however, as with many other kinds of fish, they | | | | takes can even come during the retrieve. Next cast, |
| soon learn to avoid feeding in areas where they have | | | | try to get your float to drift along a different line and |
| been caught frequently. On many large hard-fished | | | | eventually you will find Pike. |
| waters, such as reservoirs and big gravel pits, the | | | | Go Ballooning! |
| Pike learn to stay out of normal casting range. They | | | | Ballons are best for getting bait and rig out to a |
| come into the margins only rarely, usually at dawn | | | | productive area. They are most useful when you |
| and dusk, spending the rest of the time at distant | | | | don't need the bait to fish on the way out. Once it's |
| drop-offs, islands and other Pike holding features. | | | | in the area you choose, the baloon is released, |
| Big Pits Drifter | | | | leaving the rig to fish as it would normally. Attach the |
| So, if you can get your bait out past the furthest | | | | balloon to your ledger weight with a paper clip. As it |
| cast, preferably near some feature, you are going to | | | | floats, drifting with the wind, the balloon drags the |
| waste less of your fishing time and put more fish on | | | | bait out to the desired fishing area. The bait is towed |
| the bank. Drifting the bait lets you fish in the middle | | | | out very close to the surface, and the whole |
| of the big waters, where the big Pike feed without | | | | arrangement generally travels faster than a drift float |
| fear. You can use any standard pike gear for this | | | | rig. This means that while you can get takes on the |
| style of fishing. However, a rod with a test curve of | | | | way out, the bait isn't really fishing until it reaches |
| about 2 1/2 - 3lb and a fast taper to set the hook at | | | | your chosen spot. For this reason, ballooning is best |
| long range can make life easier. A long rod also helps | | | | when you want to fish a specific area beyond |
| here. The reel must have the capacity to hold at | | | | casting range, whereas fishing a drift float is ideal for |
| least 200m of 12lb line - for long drifting. There are | | | | searching large areas of water. |
| two main techniques which involve drifting your baits | | | | Ballooning really scores: over drift fishing when you |
| - the first uses a drift float and the second, a balloon. | | | | need to be versatile with your rigs. You can tow |
| Each has it's advantages and you should learn to use | | | | anything, from a float paternoster to a simple freeline |
| both, so you can cope with a variety of venues and | | | | rig, behind a balloon. With a drift float you are |
| conditions. | | | | restricted to float fishing. Unfortunately, you can't |
| Blowing in the wind | | | | cast with a balloon set-up, you can only drop it in at |
| Drift floats are blown along by the wind, dragging a | | | | the edge of the water, or it'll fall off! a gentle |
| bait behind them. They have a small sail or vane to | | | | breezemay struggle to push the balloon along against |
| catch the wind. This is attached to an ordinary | | | | the drag of the line so close to the bank. When this |
| floating body. They come in many forms, the best of | | | | happens, tie another balloon to the first for extra |
| which have a round buoyant body, with a stem or | | | | dragging power. When the wind is strong and gusting, |
| mas for the vane. The vane msut be curved in shape | | | | you might find that the balloon keeps coming out of |
| or the float tends to spin as it's blown along. | | | | the paperclip. Partly filling the balloon with water slows |
| A Drift float | | | | it down and stops it blowing away on it's own. You |
| This is designed to tow the bait out with the wind, | | | | must also make sure that the line is peeling freely |
| suspending it at a chosen depth. The vane is usually | | | | from your reel. If it's catching anywhere, this can |
| painted in a high visible colour, giving good bite | | | | impede the drift causing the balloon to come free. |
| indication over great distances. The body is a polyball | | | | Once your bait is in the right area, close the bail arm |
| or something similar. Some makes of floats come | | | | and wait until the line tightens up. This gets rid of the |
| with a variety of sizes of body, so it's easy to | | | | bow that usually forms in the line. Wind-down, and |
| change the buoyancy to suit the conditions and size | | | | when the balloon starts back towards you, release it |
| of bait you are using. The line is attached top and | | | | with a firm sweeping strike. This pulls the balloon out |
| bottom which helps prevent the line from sinking. A | | | | of the paperclip, leaving the rig in place. Put the rod in |
| sunk line can hinder or even stop your drift. The top | | | | the rests and attach a bobbin or drop-off bite |
| eye of the float should come adrift during the strike, | | | | indicator. You're now fishing much as you would if |
| leaving the float attached at the bottom end only. | | | | you had cast normally, but much further out. |
| That way the vane doesn't get in the way of the | | | | These methods may seem complicated at first but |
| strike, if it did, setting the hook at long range would | | | | once you've tried them, you'll see how easy they |
| be even more difficult. | | | | are. You'll also notice that you're catching more big |
| To start a drift, you only need to cast to where the | | | | fish on large waters than the other anglers who all |
| wind begins to ruffle the water. The wind then | | | | fish within casting distance. |
| carries the float with it. Make sure to pay out line in | | | | When you have finished ballooning for the day, |
| as straight a line as possible, even a big bow in the | | | | remember that you must round up your balloons. Go |
| line will cause drag. As it drifts, the bait works pretty | | | | to the far bank and collect the balloons you have |
| much like a trolled bait. The live or deadbait is | | | | released. On a very windy day, you might have to |
| dragged along, past pike on the lookout for an easy | | | | do this during your fishing, to stop them blowing |
| meal. The bait is prevented from swimming along the | | | | away. Littering a venue can only help get the fishing |
| surface by a 1/2oz drilled bullet on the trace. When | | | | banned. If you can't be bothered to tidy up, or the |
| your float has drifted as far as you want it to go, or | | | | water is to vast for you to find your ballons, then |
| it has reached the feature you want to fish, just | | | | please don't use them. |
| close the bail arm. You can then float fish as you | | | | |