Do you use a float on your lindy rig?

[Timmer92]

Hi all,

I've been fishing walleyes with variations of homemade lindy rigs my whole life. I primarily use leeches but will switch to crawlers in the summer lull if they don't seem to be biting. My lindy variations are switching type of blade or no blade, number of beads, colors etc. It doesn't seem like I'm having any more or less success than the next guy. I have never used a float in my set up. I get that the intent of float is to raise it off the bottom, but it seems like my set up does that anyway? Maybe it's because I use long leaders, most often 5-7'. Am I missing something with the floats? Anyone want to swear by it and believe I'll improve my fishing if i use them?

[pjshorthorn]

I couldn’t swear that using a float increased my catch rate, but I know it didn’t hurt it either. I’ve been building a lot of spinner rig variations for quite a few years and I did/ still do, glue floaters to the hook and use them to keep the bait a bit off the bottom. They seem to be more effective when drifting vs. trolling at 0.8 -1.2 mph.

I just buy the floaters from Cabelas online. They have pink, green, orange and chartreuse.

If I can find some pics of them I’ll post it.

PjShorthorn

[h8go4s]

I often use Northland Gum-drop floater jigs with a leech and at times do better than my boat partner. If you're not getting bit, try something different.

[waldowillie]

Originally Posted by h8go4s

I often use Northland Gum-drop floater jigs with a leech and at times do better than my boat partner. If you're not getting bit, try something different.

That is also my go to set-up when pitching a Lindy rig w/leech into weeds. It just works great for me.
Years ago I was using a Gum-drop floater w/leech and a guide was fishing the same weed bed watching me catch fish. He started asking me some questions and I told him I was sitting on a section of the mass weed bed that was about 2' deeper than any other area and I was using a Gum-drop floater w/leech. He was a well known guide and he told me to ditch the float and to just go with a plain hook with a bead for more action. I thought to myself (been there & done that) but for over 50 years I have been more productive with a float when in a weed bed, sometimes I'll use a lil' Corkie; and the plain hook with a bead is for when you are out of the weeds.

[Timmer92]

Originally Posted by h8go4s

I often use Northland Gum-drop floater jigs with a leech and at times do better than my boat partner. If you're not getting bit, try something different.

What size hook do you use?

[waldowillie]

Size 4 for leeches, even if their jumbos.

[h8go4s]

1/0 for me.

[waldowillie]

And when you want to troll outside of a weed edge use a slip sinker rig with a float that spins. Spin N' Glos are an excellent choice; but the absolute best choice was mentioned here 8 years ago:
https://www.walleyecentral.com/forum...70#post1899370

[walleyefan9]

I use Spin n Glow's with very good success. Sometimes, when nothing else is working, the Spin N Glow gets the job done by being just a bit higher up off the bottom.

[collynr]

I like using Northlands gum drop floaters also. They work good.