Float fishing is new to me and I am trying to learn it. Before I used three basic methods

1. Plunking
2. Spinners
3. Bouncing along the bottom
I caught many fish with these methods.

I read a few posts on how to use the float, but I need some clarification. When you float, the purpose of the weight is just to get the bait down, we are not trying to reach the bottom, right? So the bobber should be able to float more or less undisturbed since the bait is not hitting the bottom, right? How far off the bottom should you present your bait? 10, 20 inches? So in deeper water you are stuck because the float and the line stopper will prevent you to give it more line since it would mess up your casting.
You guys I hope you can understand what I am trying to say here.

So do you use pretty much the same weight with certain bobbers? (assuming that bait is the same) You don’t change weight because of the water depth, right? Then let me see if I get it right. The bobber, the weight and the bait sort of float in a vertical position. The whole rig sort of hangs there. Correct?

I know somebody is going to say I am complicating this too much, but I need to understand how it works. Is this setup successful in a slower and quieter water as well? A floating worm 3-4 feet off the bottom ? If the bait is too far off the bottom, will fish still go for it? May be steelhead but not salmon, huh?

And how do you decide how deep is the water? Do you plunk a test line? If you can tell that your bait is hitting the bottom, do you change to a lighter weight? Sorry about asking all these question. I want to learn and perfect this method because it seems to be gaining on popularity.

Those are some good questions. Deep water is not a problem when using a slip bobber. The bobber stop will cast through the guides with no problem. So, you can float fish as deep as you want to. Different situations call for different bobbers and weights. For example, when I fish steelhead, I generally use a 1/4 oz west coast float, with a corresponding amount of weight to keep the float sitting in the water verticly, but not sinking. When I float fish for Salmon, I use a 1 to 3 oz float, because generally speaking the holes that salmon are in a much deeper and swirly than the ones the steelhead like to hold in, and the heavier set up is nesecarry to keep your bait going straight through the hole.

Thanks Archer! You're the first one who actually answered my question. Good fishing!

We have some video tutorials on how we set up our float rigs also. We also did a tutorial on reading water that involved float fishing. Both on the main web site if your interested.

Definately check out their vids! They have some really good ways to rig up not just float fishing rigs but drift fishing rigs and other as well.

There is no better place on the web to get the information you need then the posts and videos on this site. Great stuff