HOW TO MAKE A FISHING FLOAT – SKITTLE FLOAT

THE skittle float was invented by the late Pat Tarrant, who was one of the best float innovators of all time.

Basically it was designed to be fished with baits up in the water on stillwaters. The skittle has a fairly flat bottom to stop it impacting so deeply in the water and crossing the field of vision of fish which can spook them. Here Angler’s Mail contributor Bill Rushmer shows how to make one…

1 Cut a short length of balsa dowel.

2 Shape it as shown and drill out the base using a bait drill.

3 Araldite in a cocktail stick and once the glue is dry, cut it to length.

4 Seal the float using sanding sealer. I give one coat and allow it to dry.
Then lightly flat before applying a second coat and repeat until three coats have been applied.

5 Use white Tipp-Ex to paint the tip and then paint the body black.

6 Then apply the colour to the tip.

7 Mottle the black body with green paint and allow to dry before finishing off with two coats of varnish.