Tangling issues with Thill lighted floats?

Hey guys,

I've been shore fishing Lake Winnebago this past spring and summer, and prefer to go fishing later at night. I've been using Thill lighted floats on 6 or 8 pound test with a small aberdeen hook and single split shot 12-15" above the hook. I've been fishing with leeches. It seems that lately I've been constantly getting my line fouled, the hook and sinker are all wrapped up around the float. I usually cut the line after a couple of fouls to start clean, only to end up tangled a few casts later. I was using the same setup earlier in the year except with a 1/8" oz jig head instead of the hook. I didn't seem to have nearly the troubles with the jig head.

Is there something stupid I'm doing wrong? I've never seemed to have such troubles using a simple slip bobber setup before. I see a lot of people fishing what I presume are Thill lighted floats. I've seen a few posts online that they're prone to tangling. Curious if I'm the only one with issues, or if there's a "fix" to the bobber so I can keep using them? Between that and the occasionally flakey batteries, they seem more trouble than they're worth.

Friends don't let friends fish with those thill lighted floats.

The lighted thill bobbers are junk. The lighted batteries are junk, and the design of the float is poor on several counts. If you look at the top of the float where the line enters, you will find that the line cuts grooves into the plastic. Eventually the grooves get deep enough to catch the line, and you will see the float "walk" properly when cast, but your rig only slips a few feet - leaving you fishing 10' over the bottom in 15' of water, without realizing it.

In order to cast any slip float effectively, 2 things are very important. The first is distributed weight on your leader - you need at least a split shot down near the hook, if not using a jig. The second is using the correct casting motion, which should include lots of arm motion, and relatively little wrist "snap". Snapping causes rotation on the cast, and that is a bad thing with slip floats and leaders.

I haven't tried the new thill floats with the non-replaceable battery, but I see that at least they put a brass insert at the top now. But buying a "disposable" float is pretty much against my religion.

At the risk of making life more difficult for myself, I suggest you look into the Gamakatsu lighted floats. They mimic the design of the old Blue Fox floats, but somewhat improved. A much more reliable design, and the batteries last easily 5-10 uses. Hard to find though - Cabela's is the only chain that carries them.

Buy the larger size:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Gamakatsu-Firetip-Float/743898.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D%26No%3D60%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dgamakatsu%26Ntx%3Dmode%252Bmatchall%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26WTz_st%3D%26WTz_stype%3DSP%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26search%3Dgamakatsu&Ntt=gamakatsu&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

http://www.basspro.com/Lindy-Thill-Splash-Brite-Float/product/10205323/-1760218

Thanks for the info, good stuff. I was out last night. I had better success, but still some tangles here and there. I went to the smallest barrel swivel I could find, and tied on a aberdeen hook with leech on 4lb fluorocarbon. I used a removable rubber core 1/8 oz(?) sinker above the swivel. My fluorocarbon leader is about 15" long, maybe I should try shortening that up a bit. I really don't care for those sinkers, I think I'll try a slip sinker next.

I haven't been able to find the Thill lighted floats with brass inserts here in Green Bay, mine are plain plastic.

I can't image I could be introducing that much line twist from float fishing. It's not like it's a continual cast and retrieve. I cast it out there and let it sit. You get a heck of a lot more twist with a clip on bobber than a slip bobber. I use the medium thill bobbers with the brass insert more times than not.(best slip bobber ever made!) My typical setup is a 4 lb fluorocarbon leader about 10-12 inches long. Aberdeen hook to leader. Leader to barrel swivel to main line(6-8 lb test). I put my removable sinker right above the barrel swivel. I use a rather large sinker cause I want to make sure the line feeds through the bobber even in high winds. Then the bobber, bead, and stop. Line twist depends on HOW you hook the bait also. I'm typically fishing a 1/3 or 1/2 piece of night-crawler and run my hook through the very tip of the crawler. Minnows typically through the mouth and up through 1 nostril. I believe you get much better fluttering action with the bait and its not spiraling in the water as you bring it back or as its sinking. I have used the lighted thill spring clip floats as well a lot of small round clip on's. By nature, they spin in the water as the line comes off the sides rather than straight through. Even with a barrell swivel you get some twist but its greatly diminished. Swivels for bobber fishing are a must in my opinion. Good Luck!

With the sliding sinkers it is very important to have a bead above your knot! I forgot to add that I use Fireline down to the swivel then a fluorocarbon leader! When it tightens up I love the fireline! Circle hooks are on the end! This worked very well for me on lake Millacs MN an still works great here in WI! Jeff

I run a setup very close to what Walleye Jeff mentioned...I as well have very few issues with tangling. I also use a sliding egg sinker or bullet sinker instead of split shots.

You can have tangle issues with slips quite easily. The weight of the split-shot tends to swing around on the cast and cross the line above the bobber causing the tangle. When using a jig no split-shot is needed and the tangles are significantly reduced. One solution to the tangle issue I have found to work well is to feather the line as it comes off the spool by using your finger. This slight drag causes the split shot to lead the bobber and enter the water in a strung out position preventing the tangles. A barrel swivel will only help with line twists at best. The added weight of the swivel with that of a split-shot will further off balance the setup causing more twirls on the cast only causing more tangles. Also try to arch your cast as to not just whip it to give a smother payout of the line when casted. This does help much. The lighted float is heavier than a regular slip and that does also add to the off balance of the setup and leads to more tangle prone casts. One problem I have had with Thill floats is how soft the tube material is. The line passing thru the float tube will soon wear a groove into the float tube. The line then can stick in that groove and not allow the line to slide through freely to the bobber stop. They now have floats with a brass insert in the tube top to help with that but the wear still occurs on the bottom of the tube and still causes a problem. With the cost of a Thill float being a premium price you would think they would be of better quality.

as said, barrel swivel.

I run a 3-4 foot dropper! in order I have a hook,bead, split shot,small barrel swivel,Slip float,bead anthe stop! never get fowled either!

Sorry I can't offer a solution, but wanted to let you know you're not alone. I use the regular Thill slip bobbers rigged up the same as you, aberdeen hook and a split shot and I've been getting that behavior for years. If I let too much slack in the line, the float will just spin as the line wraps itself up beneath the float. I can't image I could be introducing that much line twist from float fishing. It's not like it's a continual cast and retrieve. I cast it out there and let it sit.