What is float and fly?
Float and fly is a finesse technique where a small, light hair jig or fly is suspended under a float, or strike indicator, and fished slowly at a set depth. Anglers use it mainly for cold-water bass, especially smallmouth and spotted bass, though largemouth also take it. The technique reportedly grew out of winter crappie fishing, where bass kept biting small jigs set under floats, and was later popularized for bass.
When it works
The rig is mostly a cold-water, tough-bite tool. When water temperatures drop into the 40s and low 50s Fahrenheit, bass often feed less, move less, and may suspend off the bottom. A float holds the bait at a steady depth in front of those fish, and you can leave it nearly still. It is less necessary in warm water when bass will chase faster baits. For other fall and winter choices, see the best bass lures right now.
Gear
- Rod: A long spinning rod, often 7 to 10 feet in a light or medium-light power, makes casting a float rig and absorbing headshakes easier. Some anglers use specialized float and fly rods.
- Reel and line: A spinning reel with light braid or monofilament mainline, with a fluorocarbon leader, is common. Light line helps fish the small jig naturally.
- Float: A small fixed float for shallow water, or a slip float for deeper water.
- Jig: A small hair or marabou jig, often in the 1/32 to 1/16 ounce range. Natural colors like white, olive, brown, black and smoke are typical.
Rigging
- Tie on your mainline and slide on a float stop (a bobber stop knot or rubber stop) if using a slip float.
- Add a bead, then the slip float.
- Tie a fluorocarbon leader to the mainline with a swivel or a knot, then tie the jig to the end.
- Set the depth: shallow for a fixed float, adjustable with the stop for a slip float.
- Add a small split shot a short distance above the jig only if you need it to sit level or sink more.
Set the float so the jig sits just above or at the level of the fish, which you can find with electronics or by trying different depths.
Presentation and bite detection
Cast to your target, let the float settle, then hold still. Cold-water bass often need long pauses. Twitch the rod tip slightly now and then, or let wind and current move the float. Watch the float: when a bass inhales the jig, it may tip, move sideways or sink slightly. Reel down and sweep the rod to set the hook rather than snapping it hard. Light line and a long rod give you more forgiveness.
Where to fish it
Common places include bluff walls, rocky points, ledges and channel edges where bass hold in winter, as well as brush or docks over deeper water. Calm days make bites easier to see. Fish typically sit at 10 to 25 feet, but depths vary by lake.
Fly rod version
Fly anglers can fish a similar rig with a strike indicator, a long leader and a small streamer or jig-style fly, an approach similar to nymphing. It helps keep the fly at the fish’s depth instead of pulling it up and out of the strike zone during the retrieve. A weight-forward line suited to your rod and an indicator that is easy to cast are good starting points.
FAQ
How do you rig a float and fly?
Attach a float to your mainline, add a leader, tie on a small hair jig, and set the depth so the jig sits at or just above the fish. Use a slip float for deeper water.
What is the 80/20 rule in bass fishing?
It is a general saying that about 80 percent of the fish are in 20 percent of the water. It is not specific to float and fly, but it is a reminder to find where fish are holding before you spend time fishing a slow technique.
What is a good float rig for bass?
A simple slip float, a bobber stop, a bead and a small hair jig on a fluorocarbon leader is a common starting setup.