Palmetto Fly N Fish, Jul 2 2022
If you go by the name of this blog, you might think this is just another fly-fishing article. This blog is part of the Facebook group, "Palmetto Fly N Fish," and we do love our fly fishing.
BUT, we know there are other ways to catch fish and we embrace that.
So if you don't fly fish, don't worry - this will sit easy with you. If you DO fly fish, this may be something you want to add to your repertoire.
But, there is an alternative that achieves the same results.
It can normally be obtained locally with little effort, often for FREE, and it has the primary benefit of keeping you away from cranky porcupines.
Why You Want A Quill Float
So what's the big deal with a quill float?
In short, a quill float is probably the most sensitive type you can use.
They register the tiniest of bites, the fish normally feel no resistance when taking the bait and they don't detect the float's presence as it slips beneath the water. Few other floats can compete in this regard.
Over the years, I have come to use these floats for their strong points. This means in-close finesse fishing - finesse, with a capital "F."
I like them on longish, lightweight spinning gear, light lines in the 4-6 lb. test range, and fished no more than 30 or 40 feet away. Closer is better, and dropping them in just out from the rod tip, best of all.
For finesse float fishing, I generally use a 9’ fly rod, fit up with a small spinning reel, for this work.
I call it a, "Palmetto Ultralight Rig."
That's right; I said a fly rod with a spinning reel. Hey, I'm a rule breaker.
The quill floats are lightly weighted, as you might expect, since they can't support much mass on their own.
So if you don't fly fish, don't worry - this will sit easy with you. If you DO fly fish, this may be something you want to add to your repertoire.
With that in mind, let me describe an old method of float fishing - the quill float.
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Most of you are probably familiar with fishing floats, or "bobbers," and some of you may know about quill floats.
But did you know you can make an excellent float from a goose?
Yes, a goose.
Quill floats have been around a long time, and became a unique piece of Americana with the first colonists.
But did you know you can make an excellent float from a goose?
Yes, a goose.
Quill floats have been around a long time, and became a unique piece of Americana with the first colonists.
In this country, the quills for these floats came from wild porcupines.
But nowadays, they are mostly sourced from porcupines in Africa. And by all accounts, those prickly critters of the African bush are not something to fool around with... even if you could.
But, there is an alternative that achieves the same results.
It can normally be obtained locally with little effort, often for FREE, and it has the primary benefit of keeping you away from cranky porcupines.
Why You Want A Quill Float
So what's the big deal with a quill float?
In short, a quill float is probably the most sensitive type you can use.
They register the tiniest of bites, the fish normally feel no resistance when taking the bait and they don't detect the float's presence as it slips beneath the water. Few other floats can compete in this regard.
Even better than that, they are simple to make from common materials. And since African porcupine quill is not exactly an everyday item for most people, an alternative that gives us these qualities is desirable.
And that is a float made from a feather quill.
Where Do They Come From?
This is where Mr. Goose gets into the act.
Instead of the hollow, spiky quill of a porcupine, the feather quill float uses the hollow stem of a large bird feather.
And that is a float made from a feather quill.
Where Do They Come From?
This is where Mr. Goose gets into the act.
Instead of the hollow, spiky quill of a porcupine, the feather quill float uses the hollow stem of a large bird feather.
This is normally a primary wing feather from birds like swans, turkeys, and geese…. All of these have the right feathers.
You can get the quills by picking up shed feathers wherever these large birds congregate. Or, maybe you have hunting friends that can give you some. If all else fails, these primary wing feathers can be purchased in bulk lots of cheap, craft feathers. All that really matters is they have enough size and girth to actually float.
Here's what you are looking for...
The quill float I show further down was crafted from a feather very much like this one, a goose plume I literally picked up off the ground.
I was working with my friend and co-worker, John G., at a site where numerous tame geese were hanging around.
You can get the quills by picking up shed feathers wherever these large birds congregate. Or, maybe you have hunting friends that can give you some. If all else fails, these primary wing feathers can be purchased in bulk lots of cheap, craft feathers. All that really matters is they have enough size and girth to actually float.
Here's what you are looking for...
The quill float I show further down was crafted from a feather very much like this one, a goose plume I literally picked up off the ground.
I was working with my friend and co-worker, John G., at a site where numerous tame geese were hanging around.
You've probably seen something similar where you live.
Of course, wherever geese congregate, talk eventually turns to their terrible toilet habits. Lets just say that most birds are prodigious poopers, and geese are no exception.
Plus they are LARGE, and not the least bit concerned about WHERE they leave their droppings.
I'm sure you get the idea.
While discussing with John the pooping talents of your average goose, I mentioned that I had seen England's fishing great, Graeme Pullen, making floats from their large wing feathers….just like the one I was holding at the time.
John is what we might call an old-school kind of angler, so this feather quill business was new territory for him.
"England? And what do you mean, making a float from a feather?"
I described the technique for making, and fishing such a float, and said,...
"See this feather, here, the one I just picked up? I will show you what I mean. I will make this very feather into a useful fishing float."
The feather was free, no geese were harmed in the effort,... and I didn't have to go anywhere near irritable porcupines to do the job.
How It's Made
Nothing could be simpler than making one of these floats. What we are working towards is turning the feathers' quill, or center stem, into a hollow, tapered cylinder that will float in water.
In short the procedure goes like this:
1. The feather fibers are stripped from the stem with your fingers
2. An eyelet is affixed through which you may run the line
3. The bare quill is sanded, sealed, and painted to your liking
- and you are left with an ultra sensitive, upright fishing float.
The end result looks like this...
With proper weighting, these quill floats register the tiniest of bites, and fish aren't even aware they are there.
They are also a fun DIY job, which gives much satisfaction to the angler.
More Details
The quill used for this float started by having its fibers stripped off - this required nothing more than pulling them from the stem.
Then the bare quill is sanded smooth, to remove any lumps left behind after stripping the fibers away. This sanding doesn't have to be extensive - I used medium grit emery paper to smooth it up. You can do more, but its not needed.
Next, I trimmed the float to the desired length. This one is around 8".
At this point, a small, twisted wire eyelet was fit directly into the lower tip, and glued in with super glue. There are other ways to affix the line, but I will use this mostly as a slip float, and wanted the absolute minimum of weight at the bottom end.
So I went with the trusty eyelet..... there it is, below.
Then, the whole thing was sealed along its entire length with super glue.
There is a small hole at the very tip of the quill, where it separates from the bird, and there is the chance that small pinholes may exist elsewhere on the thing.
Also, when you trim to length, the interior is exposed.
For these reasons, you want to seal it well.
For color, I used a very dark purple for the bottom portion; it might be called dark grape and is almost black.
To complete the markings, I added a bright, fluorescent pink tip with black ledger lines....
All of the painting and coloring was done with nail polish bought at dollar stores.
I'm sure you get the idea.
While discussing with John the pooping talents of your average goose, I mentioned that I had seen England's fishing great, Graeme Pullen, making floats from their large wing feathers….just like the one I was holding at the time.
John is what we might call an old-school kind of angler, so this feather quill business was new territory for him.
"England? And what do you mean, making a float from a feather?"
I described the technique for making, and fishing such a float, and said,...
"See this feather, here, the one I just picked up? I will show you what I mean. I will make this very feather into a useful fishing float."
The feather was free, no geese were harmed in the effort,... and I didn't have to go anywhere near irritable porcupines to do the job.
How It's Made
Nothing could be simpler than making one of these floats. What we are working towards is turning the feathers' quill, or center stem, into a hollow, tapered cylinder that will float in water.
In short the procedure goes like this:
1. The feather fibers are stripped from the stem with your fingers
2. An eyelet is affixed through which you may run the line
3. The bare quill is sanded, sealed, and painted to your liking
- and you are left with an ultra sensitive, upright fishing float.
The end result looks like this...
With proper weighting, these quill floats register the tiniest of bites, and fish aren't even aware they are there.
They are also a fun DIY job, which gives much satisfaction to the angler.
More Details
The quill used for this float started by having its fibers stripped off - this required nothing more than pulling them from the stem.
Then the bare quill is sanded smooth, to remove any lumps left behind after stripping the fibers away. This sanding doesn't have to be extensive - I used medium grit emery paper to smooth it up. You can do more, but its not needed.
Next, I trimmed the float to the desired length. This one is around 8".
At this point, a small, twisted wire eyelet was fit directly into the lower tip, and glued in with super glue. There are other ways to affix the line, but I will use this mostly as a slip float, and wanted the absolute minimum of weight at the bottom end.
So I went with the trusty eyelet..... there it is, below.
Then, the whole thing was sealed along its entire length with super glue.
There is a small hole at the very tip of the quill, where it separates from the bird, and there is the chance that small pinholes may exist elsewhere on the thing.
Also, when you trim to length, the interior is exposed.
For these reasons, you want to seal it well.
For color, I used a very dark purple for the bottom portion; it might be called dark grape and is almost black.
To complete the markings, I added a bright, fluorescent pink tip with black ledger lines....
All of the painting and coloring was done with nail polish bought at dollar stores.
This further helps seal the float, and is both inexpensive and tough.
HOW THEY ARE USED, And Other Matters
By now you understand that these floats are cheap, made from common materials, and are very sensitive. They also tend to defeat the effects of wind, because very little of the float is above the waters surface.
If these floats have any drawbacks, they are these:
HOW THEY ARE USED, And Other Matters
By now you understand that these floats are cheap, made from common materials, and are very sensitive. They also tend to defeat the effects of wind, because very little of the float is above the waters surface.
If these floats have any drawbacks, they are these:
- They are not suitable for heavy tackle
- They are ungainly to cast long-.
- They can be hard to see
Over the years, I have come to use these floats for their strong points. This means in-close finesse fishing - finesse, with a capital "F."
I like them on longish, lightweight spinning gear, light lines in the 4-6 lb. test range, and fished no more than 30 or 40 feet away. Closer is better, and dropping them in just out from the rod tip, best of all.
For finesse float fishing, I generally use a 9’ fly rod, fit up with a small spinning reel, for this work.
I call it a, "Palmetto Ultralight Rig."
That's right; I said a fly rod with a spinning reel. Hey, I'm a rule breaker.
The quill floats are lightly weighted, as you might expect, since they can't support much mass on their own.
Split shot is normally selected for this, the aim being to, "cock" the float upright once weighted.
In this way, it suspends vertically in the water, and is normally used to present the bait just off the bottom.
You can shot them in one of two ways, as seen in my crude drawings, below:
Option 1
Place a small locking shot to either side of the eyelet to cock the float and fix the depth. Then, a small amount of weight is spread along the length of the hook link, and keeps the bait down near bottom.
Option 2
Add a sliding float stop, or stop knot, on the main line, and attach a drop weight below the float on the hook link. In this manner, the weight pulls the float upright when it gets down to depth. This is the slip float option.
Either way you go, the weight should cock the float upright.
And with some effort expended on precise shotting, you can center the ledger lines at the waters surface and use them to detect even the lightest of LIFT bites!
Lead split shot is traditional for this job, and it can be had in some tiny sizes specifically for this use. Lead-free shot could be used, and tungsten putty, or wrap on lead weights are other possibilities.
In the UK, these floats are often used to fish in the margins, that is, close to the shore. A similar float is what the English call a, "waggler" - really just a refinement of these simple quill floats.
In this way, it suspends vertically in the water, and is normally used to present the bait just off the bottom.
You can shot them in one of two ways, as seen in my crude drawings, below:
Option 1
Place a small locking shot to either side of the eyelet to cock the float and fix the depth. Then, a small amount of weight is spread along the length of the hook link, and keeps the bait down near bottom.
Option 2
Add a sliding float stop, or stop knot, on the main line, and attach a drop weight below the float on the hook link. In this manner, the weight pulls the float upright when it gets down to depth. This is the slip float option.
Either way you go, the weight should cock the float upright.
And with some effort expended on precise shotting, you can center the ledger lines at the waters surface and use them to detect even the lightest of LIFT bites!
Lead split shot is traditional for this job, and it can be had in some tiny sizes specifically for this use. Lead-free shot could be used, and tungsten putty, or wrap on lead weights are other possibilities.
In the UK, these floats are often used to fish in the margins, that is, close to the shore. A similar float is what the English call a, "waggler" - really just a refinement of these simple quill floats.
Along with fishing in the margins, the quill float is also excellent fished in close to cover, from a boat or float tube, and they render a stealthy presentation to wary, tackle shy fish.
So get yourself some large feather quills, a bit of paint and wire, and have a go at this little project.
© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2022/2023
So get yourself some large feather quills, a bit of paint and wire, and have a go at this little project.
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Writers should always strive for a job well done... even half-baked ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it.
Do you have questions, compliments, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com
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