# Float Rig



## Thommes (Jun 6, 2005)

So I talked with Doc briefly when I met him at CJB... he talked about putting a float on the bait. I also read the same thing in this forum and out on a webpage. However, I haven't seen a picture of the rig. I guess I don't get how the rig is set up and is supposed to work. Has anyone used this float rig before? and can you point me to a diagram or some explanation of it?


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

its called a polyball rig...You put the float on your leader line to keep your bait off the bottom and out of rocks, snags etc...ive been using this rig in the tusc river this year and have caught 95% of my fish on it.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

typical catfish dragging/trolling rig, strictly a boat deal, mostly used for lakes where snags are a minimum. Been doing it for 2 years now and catch a lot of fish on it. At certain times they want the baits without the floats on it. Just have to experiment. We have many variations of this rig as we are still experimenting with weights, 3 ways, length of leaders, size of floats, etc so basicaly, you have a weight about 2 ft above the hook ( we use circles) with a peg float ( still experimenting on the sizes here) about anywhere along the leader, still lots of eperimenting here also but if you want the bait say 20 " off the bottom, then put the float about 4" above the hook, get it?? The hard part is everyday is different as sometimes they want it on the bottom and the float rig hardly works and other times, the floated one gets hammered and they wont touch the bottom baits. 

Sorry for the lack of exact rigs but after 100 days of doing this, we still are trying different stuff every time out. 

Salmonid


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Another version is the Santee Cooper rig.
Here's a diagram http://www.learntocatchcatfish.com/santee-cooper-rig


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

On investigation, I guess I've been using the polyball rig set up for years.
The difference is I use a three way swivel, light line down to the sinker (so as not to lose whole rig to a snag) and a leader from the third swivel.
I always put a small bobber above the swivel...just large enough for the sinker to submerge the bobber. This holds the entire rig vertical.
I've caught Pike, trout, crappie, channel cats, etc....minnows was always the choice for me.
Never thought of it for flats...gotta try it though.


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## Doctor (Apr 5, 2004)

I'll shoot a picture of the rig tonight when I get home and post it for you Thommes, there are hundreds of variations with this set-up and like Mark said we are always changing it all the time, some use big floats, small floats, three ways, carolinas, large sinkers, small sinkers, pencil sinkers, soft drag sinkers, the ideas are endless, but from a boat you just throw the rig out then drag it along by wind power or by trolling motor the idea is the bait stays up off the structure and the weight kind of drags along the bottom or very close to the bottom, it is awesome on a lake I have trouble using it on the river but I know guys that do it and are very good at it, me I'm still lightyears away from perfecting it, I'm still old school anchor down and wait then move but like everything else methods change and so do the fishes habits.

Drifting is new to me only been doing it a couple of years, I can do it well on the river but I still struggle on the lakes, my boat is set-up to do both ways, I like to drift if the fish are biting good hate it if they got lockjaw, nothing more exciting that seeing a catrod get doubled down in seconds with a Big Blue racing to the bottom of the river trying to hang you in structure, they don't play with the bait thay just hammer it down.

I've been real busy the whole month of July have had no time to go to CJ but when the water starts to cool down along with the weather you should see me back out there Spring and fall are my favorite times on that lake

Doc


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## RiceKrispie (Jun 8, 2009)

I started to use a float rig recently. Seems to be doing well. Don't have pic but its a 1/2 oz egg sinker, swivel, 1-2 foot of lead with 1" cigar float, swivel, 6" leader, hook. This keeps the float off of the hook to prevent fish deterring from the bait. Got this rig caught up in thick veg with a 3.5 lb channel on it and with a little play and a nice tug it all came out. I'm using 12 lb mono through out this. I'm not drifting or trolling either. Just remember compensate the float with enough weight. or you will float your rig on the surface. Trial and Error.

Go to Google and search "Catfish Rigs" under images and there is quite a bit and they also lead to some really good cat sites.


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

The rig works great. Ive been using it since last year after being shown by Mark" Salmonid". He originally showed it to me on the ohio, Ive started using it on indian lake and a few close to home and its worked with great results.


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## Thommes (Jun 6, 2005)

TClark said:


> Another version is the Santee Cooper rig.
> Here's a diagram http://www.learntocatchcatfish.com/santee-cooper-rig


thanks for the link. my mind wasn't picturing a peg float and wanted to stick a spring type bobber on the line. All I could see was the bait dangling down and getting wrapped around the leader going from the weight to the float. Makes much more sense now.


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## Thommes (Jun 6, 2005)

Thanks all for the replies... the diagram helped a lot. I wasn't thinking of a slip or peg float... 

I guess what surprises me the most is that the float doesn't scare the cats away. Here are some other thoughts..

I'm seeing the weight getting snagged. I think one or two of you mentioned 3 way swivels. Maybe putting the weight on a 4-5 test... k.. but honestly I haven't gotten a single snag in the boat yet so maybe I'm getting too far ahead... 3 way swivel could also raise the bait higher than not having the swivel. 

In the diagrams/videos of rigs that I've been reading/watching, no one seems to care about the slip weight coming into contact with knots. The gear most of you are using is a level above what I'm using so maybe the line wouldn't get damaged from the weight coming into contact with the knot? I usually stick a split shot between a knot and a slip weight. 

I was trying to figure out the big difference between using this rig and a slip bobber. These things are pretty much inverses of each other. The slip bobber keeps the bait the same distance from the surface and this rip keeps the bait the same distance from the bottom. 

Still can't believe that the float doesn't scare the fish away. Can't wait to get out on the lake this weekend and try it out.


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## Thommes (Jun 6, 2005)

Doctor said:


> Drifting is new to me only been doing it a couple of years, I can do it well on the river but I still struggle on the lakes.
> 
> I've been real busy the whole month of July have had no time to go to CJ but when the water starts to cool down along with the weather you should see me back out there Spring and fall are my favorite times on that lake


LOL... drifting new to you and you've been doing it a couple years... I'd consider that a seasoned pro. 

Yeah the water is warm at the lake. We didn't go out the last couple weeks but decided to try last weekend. Paid off for us a little. Would love to catch up with you some time on CJ.


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## Thommes (Jun 6, 2005)

Salmonid said:


> Sorry for the lack of exact rigs but after 100 days of doing this, we still are trying different stuff every time out.


and I think that's the name of the game. trying different stuff and seeing how it works.


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