The float is the most visible piece of terminal tackle in coarse fishing – the part of the rig that registers a bite. But floats are not interchangeable: the wrong float type in the wrong conditions creates presentation problems that lose fish regardless of bait or skill. A waggler that catches wind on a canal in a crosswind will drift unnaturally; a stick float used on a still water has no current to hold it at the correct depth.
Understanding which float to use in which situation is one of the most useful skills in UK coarse fishing. There are perhaps a dozen float types that a UK angler genuinely needs to know. This guide covers the main ones: what they look like, how they are rigged, and where they work.
[Image placeholder: A selection of UK coarse fishing floats laid on a grass bank – wagglers, stick floats, pole floats, and a bodied avon – showing the variety of shapes and sizes available]
How Floats Are Attached and Shotted
Floats are attached to the line in two ways:
Top and bottom: The float is attached through a ring at the top and through a ring or silicon band at the bottom. This type sits upright in the current and moves naturally with the water. Used for stick floats, Avon floats, and most river floats.
Bottom only (single point): The float is attached through a ring or silicon band at the bottom only, which means it can tilt toward the angler during the retrieve and lies flat on the surface when the line is slack. Wagglers are typically bottom-only and are cast out and fished at a distance.
Shotting: Most floats are rated by their shotting capacity – the weight of shot needed to cock them correctly. This weight is usually expressed in grams (e.g., 2g) or in shot sizes. Too little shot and the float rides high in the water; too much and it sinks. The float should show just the tip (bristle or antenna) at the correct depth with the bait positioned where required.
Wagglers
The waggler is the most versatile and widely used float in UK still-water and slow-river fishing. It is attached bottom-only (a single point) and is cast to distance with a rod and reel.
Straight waggler
The simplest type: a long, slim body tapering to a thin tip (or “antenna”). Made in lengths from 10cm to 25cm+. Shot capacity from 2BB to AAA+. Used on still waters for roach, bream, and skimmers at range.
Shotting: the bulk shot sits at or around the base of the float; smaller shot (tell-tale shots) are spread on the lower part of the rig to slow the fall of the bait through the water column.
When to use: Still waters at 20-40+ metres range. Light-to-moderate wind conditions.
Insert waggler
A waggler with a very fine, hollow or solid “insert” tip – a thinner section at the tip that sits below the surface film in the correct water. The insert provides a more sensitive bite indication for shy-biting fish. The float tip barely protrudes above the water surface.
When to use: Still water fishing for cautious roach, crucian carp, and tench where bite indication must be sensitive. Slack-line techniques for bream.
Bodied waggler
A waggler with a bulge or ball-shaped body near the base. The extra buoyancy in the body allows more shot to be loaded near the float, which improves casting distance and anchors the float against drift in windy conditions.
When to use: Open still waters at long range where casting distance is needed and wind is a factor.
Loaded waggler
A waggler with built-in weight in the base – the weight is integral to the float rather than added as shot. This allows longer casting with fewer shot on the line, creating a lighter rig below the float. Useful for surface-shy fish or when using very light hooklinks.
When to use: Still water fishing when minimum shot on the line is an advantage.
Stick Floats
The stick float is the classic UK river float. It has a balsa or cane body (tapering at the bottom) attached top and bottom on the line. The stick float is designed to be held back (slowed in the current) so the bait swings forward ahead of the float, presenting naturally at the fish’s level.
Stick floats are named for the material: a wire-stem stick float (a fine wire attached at the base) sits more stably in turbulent or faster water; a lignum-stem or carbon-stem stick float is more buoyant at the base and suited to slower currents.
Sizes: 3 No.4 shot (small, for slow, shallow water) to 8 No.4 (for faster, deeper runs). Match the float size to the depth and current speed.
Shotting for stick float: Shot is distributed along the line in a strung pattern (most shot closer to the float, decreasing toward the hook) rather than bulked at one point. This causes the bait to swing forward in an arc as the float is held back.
When to use: Rivers with steady current, waggler-fishing range (close to bank or to about 20 metres). Classic stick float rivers: Avon, Severn, Trent, Wye, lower Kennet.
Avon Floats
The Avon float (or bodied Avon) has a bulge near the top of the body and is attached top and bottom. The larger body and higher center of buoyancy allows it to cope with faster, more turbulent water than a stick float.
Used for trotting on strong-flowing rivers where the stick float would be pulled under by the current. Particularly associated with barbel rivers – the River Avon, the Wye, the Severn.
When to use: Fast, turbulent rivers. Long trots in strong flow. Target species: chub, barbel, roach on fast middle currents.
Pole Floats
Pole floats are small, lightweight floats designed for use with a pole (not a rod and line). They differ from rod-and-line floats in several key ways: – Much lighter and more sensitive (typical sizes 0.1g-2g) – Line runs through a single eye at the top and through a silicon sleeve at the bottom (or sometimes just a base rubber) – Bristle tip visibility is very fine – designed for close-range reading, not distance viewing – Designed for vertical or near-vertical presentation, not for trotting or long-range
Types of pole float:
Dibber/pellet waggler: Short, stubby float with a very small antenna. Used at shallow depth (30-60cm) for margin fishing and banded pellet work. Very buoyant – does not require much shot.
Slim pole float with fine bristle: Classic design for mid-depth still water fishing. The body is teardrop or elongated; the fine bristle tip sits barely above the water surface and shows even tiny bites.
Flat-bottomed or stability float: For slightly choppy or disturbed water conditions at close range – the flat base reduces wobble.
When to use: Always with a pole. Canal fishing, commercial fishery still water, river short-range trotting. Not interchangeable with rod-and-line floats.
The Chubber
A large, buoyant, cigar or barrel-shaped float attached top and bottom. Designed for fishing on the surface or near-surface in rivers where bread, cheese, or large baits are used. Also used for trotting large baits at distance on wide rivers.
Chubbers are robust and visible at long range. They are not a subtle presentation float – they are designed to present large baits in quick water and to be visible from 30+ metres.
When to use: River chub fishing with large baits in winter. Also used for pike wobbled baits and large river float work.
Balsa Trotting Floats
Large, cylindrical balsa floats (attached top and bottom) designed for long trotting runs on powerful rivers. Longer than stick floats, with more capacity and more buoyancy to handle heavy current and long sections of river. Used with a centrepin reel for maximum line control.
When to use: Long river trots on the Trent, Severn, or Ouse in strong autumn/winter flow. Classic centrepin trotting method.
Reading Float Bite Signals
Understanding what different float movements mean is essential:
| Float movement | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Tip goes under cleanly | Fish has taken and moved away – typical bite, strike now |
| Tip lifts slightly then holds | Fish has lifted the shot off the bottom – often tench or bream |
| Float bobs or trembles | Fish investigating bait; may convert to proper take |
| Float slides sideways across surface | Bait being moved sideways – often carp or pike |
| Float rises and lies flat | Fish has picked up the rig and moved toward you |
| Float shoots under violently | Fast, confident take – strike immediately |
The lift bite (float rising) is particularly associated with tench and crucian carp: the fish lifts a tell-tale shot off the bottom as it takes the bait, reducing the load on the float which then rises. The lift method is designed specifically to produce and detect this bite.
Choosing the Right Float
| Situation | Float type |
|---|---|
| Still water, 20-40m, roach/bream | Straight or bodied waggler |
| Still water, close range, shy fish | Insert waggler |
| River, steady flow, trotting | Stick float |
| River, fast/turbulent, long trot | Avon float |
| River, very fast, big bait | Chubber or balsa trotting float |
| Pole fishing, any still water | Pole float (dibber or fine bristle) |
| Margin fishing, carp | Dibber/pole float or short stick |
Frequently Asked Questions
What size shot do I need to cock a float?
Check the float’s stated shotting capacity, which is usually printed on the float body or on the packet. The rating tells you the total weight of shot required to cock the float correctly – leaving just the tip visible above the waterline. Common sizes are 3BB, 4BB, AAA, 1g, 2g. Match the shot selection to this rating.
Can I use a waggler on a river?
Yes. On slow-moving rivers (lower river reaches, navigation canals, wide lazy bends) a waggler is a good choice – it casts well, holds position on a slow current, and allows distant presentation. It is less suitable for faster rivers where a stick or Avon float that can be held back in the current is more effective.
What is the difference between a stick float and a waggler?
A stick float is attached top and bottom (two points of contact) and is designed for short to medium-range trotting in rivers – it can be held back in the current to slow the bait. A waggler is attached bottom-only and is cast to distance in still water or slow river. The two are not interchangeable in their primary uses.
How do I stop my float sitting too deep or too shallow?
If the float sits too deep (most of the float is above water), you have either too little shot on the line or the float is rated for more shot than you are using. Add shot to the line or change to a smaller float. If the float sinks or sits too high after shotting, the float is rated for less weight than you have added – remove shot or change to a larger float.
Do I need different colours for different light conditions?
Yes. In bright sunlight, a bright orange or yellow tip can become difficult to see due to glare. A black tip or dark antenna is sometimes easier to see in very bright conditions. On overcast days, the standard orange or yellow tip is visible at distance. Many anglers carry floats in multiple tip colours and swap depending on conditions.