# Help rigging quill float



## wongus (Feb 12, 2006)

I bought some quill floats to target garfish with the kids but am having doubts whether I'm rigging it properly. The quill float has a relatively large wire ring at the bottom of the float.

Anyone know how to rig one of these... Options include
1) Thread line through the bottom ring and use some wool or stopper to stop it from pulling through. However the wire ring seems too large for this?
2) Thread line through the bottom ring and use rubber bands to secure the line at bottom and top of float? 
3) Tie fixed knot to bottom ring for both trace and main line

Hmmm buggered if I know.. Can anyone help?


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Hi Wongus

I have not used quills for about 45 years, but I seem to remember using small rubber rings or elastic bands at the top, and just run line through the bottom ring. No need to tie any knots, the rig is allowed to slip to some extent to adjust depth etc. Use 3 or 4 small split shot on the line above the hook. Depending on your particular likes/dislikes, you can rig it to float upright (the normal way), or use less shot and let it lie on its side and watch for change of direction, jiggling around etc. Mix a bit of cotton wool in with your bread paste, sticks to the hook a lot better.

Good luck and cheers Andybear :lol:


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## Fishing Man (Oct 4, 2006)

Danny i cant remember either, 
from memory we used to use split shots either side of the ring, which keeps the line in position and gives the float enough weight so that only the top of the quill sticks out of the water. this may or may not apply to the style of float you are using.

back home in SA we were in a coarse fishing club and learned quite a lot about this style of fishing, however this is going back over 10 years now hehe. try looking for coarse fishing websites, as the techniques they apply are exactly what you need for fishing with the kids chasing gar, tilapia etc

good luck mate


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Theres a couple of ways if memry serves me - one where the float lies flat and sticks up with a bite - so just a rubber float stop bead above the float set to required depth - with little weight near the hook - so that the weight does not make the float stick up but the fish bite does. The other version is the same as above but with more weight near the hook and a tinly rubber band that is on the line and is attched to the float at the top

wopfish


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## Fishing Man (Oct 4, 2006)

sorry Danny,

i got them mixed up, im thinking of wagler floats, 
here is a page which might help

http://www.coarsefish.net/index1.htm

click on the float page in there


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## Fishing Man (Oct 4, 2006)

this ones also worth a look mate,

http://www.northamptonneneanglingclub.c ... 20Rigs.htm

although they are from the UK and used primarily on Coarse fish the same techniques apply to carp, gar, tilapia, mullet, catfish, eels,

basically any fish that takes bait will be caught on these methods,


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Danny I always used quills as andybear said.

Here's another idea... easy rig an casts like a bullet.

A 30cms wooden ruler with small hole in one end to tie the main line to rod or handline

Down either side of its length drill small holes about 50-75mm apart, and from each tie a small 50-70mm dropper and tiny hook, baited with worm or bread.

When on the water the ruler lies flat with half a dozen droppers fishing for you and as each hook is taken the ruler bucks around and when you figure the fish are hooked or baits taken just retrieve.

You can also drizzle cooking oil or anything else on the ruler and coated with bran for berley

Lot of fun and quite a spectacle


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Dodge does it work with a set square and protractor - or is that just only good for 'schools' of fish????
Wopfish


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## troppo (Feb 1, 2006)

wopfish said:


> Theres a couple of ways if memry serves me - one where the float lies flat and sticks up with a bite - so just a rubber float stop bead above the float set to required depth - with little weight near the hook - so that the weight does not make the float stick up but the fish bite does. The other version is the same as above but with more weight near the hook and a tinly rubber band that is on the line and is attched to the float at the top
> 
> wopfish


That's the way I used to use em. Often just have lying flat but with a little weight so a bit of a bite gets the float to stand up.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

wopfish said:


> Dodge does it work with a set square and protractor -


Hey ***, wish you had been around when we used it and may have got a better quality mate using the other equipment as they would be more advanced :lol:


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

Hey Dodge

You've got too check out this book its called the SAS survival hand book - and it says that if you ever get stranded on a desert island surrounded by reef that you make a mini sailing boat with lines and hooks trailing of the back and you sail it out to sea passed the reef and onto the fishing grounds attched to a teather - now bare in mind the diagram that they drew looked like a scaled replica of a spanish galleon!!!! You would starve before you ever got it together with all the intricacies!!!

Anyhow thought your ruler fishing technique sounded similar

Regards

wopfish

I'll tryand find the page online


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## reefcheck (Jul 20, 2006)

Hi Wongus

As Andybear explained is how I used to fish with the quills.

However one extra modification you could play with is to cut the binding and remove the lower wire ring altogether. This leaves just the quill. Then you use two bits of rubber ring, one for top and one one the bottom, to attach the quill. The main reason for this is that you can completely remove the quill easily if you want by just sliping off the top and bottom rings. This can be handy for quickly modifying your rig to do away with the float if you start chasing things a little deeper.

We used to cut bits of old bicycle valve rubber for rings but anything similr will do, maybe the modern lumo tube etc. If fishing close and near the surface I recommend just the quill and no split shot. The quill lies flat and will slide across the surface or stand up when the fish connects. Adding the shot will give you a vertical float and the kids get a kick out of watching it go under.

Good luck, RC


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## Ironsides (Jul 10, 2006)

A quill float (called a stick float in the UK and made usually of wood) does not have a ring and is attached top and bottom with rubber rings. A waggler float is attached bottom only usually with split shot either side of the ring. Both types are then weighted down the line with just enough split shot so that only the colored tip is showing above water. A stick float is *mainly* used in running water and a waggler in still water.
Very sensitive and ideal for many species.
Hope that helps.

Ian


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## troppo (Feb 1, 2006)

The quill floats I used to make were thin bamboo sticks (the ones you buy in packets to do satay or kebab things) and the flower stalk off grass trees/black boys.

Cut the flower stalk (which is usually 1 metre + long and very soft inside with a hard 'shell') into pieces. These go onto the bamboo stick after a bit of shaping. You can choose thin sections of the flower stalk for floats with less bouyancy and thicker sections for more floatation. Of course you can make the pieces long or short depending on what ya want. A coat of paint to seal it and away ya go.


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## wongus (Feb 12, 2006)

Thanks everyone for their help.

I had a close look at the float today and noticed that there was a transparent sleeve already present at the top of the quill. 

I threaded the line through the rubber sleeve and wedged it against the top of the quill before threading the remaining line through the wire hoop at the bottom of the quill leaving about a 40cm trace which I then attached a small split shot between the size 12 hook and bottom of quill.

Took the family to Lake Samsonvale for a BBQ lunch and had another shot at the gar.. Success.. Got myself 13 snub nose gars ideal for bait for those snapper off the redcliffe inshore reefs!


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## troppo (Feb 1, 2006)

Good on ya Wongus. Sounds like ya had heaps of fun. And some top bait.


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## Tim (Nov 11, 2005)

wongus said:


> Thanks everyone for their help.
> 
> I had a close look at the float today and noticed that there was a transparent sleeve already present at the top of the quill.


yeah, that's the stuff, replacements can be cut from the transoparent tubing used for aquarium air hoses.


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## Tim (Nov 11, 2005)

Incidentally, the same aquarium tubing makes a really good moveable stopper for a running sinker, just loop the line through twice, no knots, and can be (depending on hook size) threaded on when the hook is already tied.


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## Tim (Nov 11, 2005)

Yeah same principle, I've always got a few in my tackle box.


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