Cheap Marker Floats

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Now and then when fishing, the need arises to mark a particular spot. Perhaps there is some "fish magnet" on the bottom that only you know about. Or maybe you've chummed the spot for several days before fishing and you want to find it again. GPS is available, but not everyone has it - and it doesn't pinpoint the EXACT spot very well. SO, I do what grandpa did and make my own marker floats.

I use the styrofoam packaging from electronics - grandpa used wood or balsa. Either will do. Recently we got a new printer and it came packaged in large pieces of protective foam... a lifetimes supply!

 

I just mark a pattern in the foam like this:

 

Then I cut it out with a fine keyhole saw, and hit it with a few swipes of sandpaper to tidy it up. Last I paint it  a nice bright color. I also collect old reels and many times they still have the old braided line on them. I probably have a couple miles of the old stuff. I use it to spool these marker floats. I just attach a heavy weight, like a large nut or brass fitting to the end of the tether line, about 20-25 yards. It looks like this when fininshed

 

 

Yes, the fluorescent red paint does eat at the styrofoam a little - no biggie.

To use the float just toss it in the water. The weight will play out as it sinks and the float will f"lip-flop," over and over, as it does. Once the weight hits botton, the "H" shape of the float will stop the rolling over action and the float will remain stationary. Round marker floats have the bad habit of continuing to pay out line, especially if caught by the wind. This doesn't happen with this design.

 

I make them small enough to fit a few in my possibles bag, always at the ready. You can make them any size you like, though. Give them a try sometime.

[Eric Blades]

David, Good idea!

 

Eric

[Oleta Webb]

wonderful, thank you so much for coming up with that idea and sharing.

[John Sheehan]

Good one David!

[Vic Tankersley]

Good post, this will save money..better than plastic coke bottles.