Preston Innovations produce a great range of floats that are hugely popular with match anglers. There really is a pole float in their range for every different situation you might face.
In this article, we will go through each float and look at the shotting pattern for each float.
Do not take these as 100% exact, as the water will and conditions will be different in every lake you fish. Some of you may want a bit more, or a bit less of your bristle showing.
If you want to quickly skip to your desired float, please use the links below:
- F1 Maggot
- F1 Pellet
- Carp Pellet
- Chianti
- F1 fine
Contents
F1 Maggot
This is a carbon stem float. This means the rig will take longer to settle and it’s perfect for fishing through the water to catch on the drop.
Some of these have 2 shotting patterns. One for a strung-out bulk (shots spaced 2 to 3 inches apart depending on the depth) and the other for a standard bulk and 2 droppers).
| F1 Maggot Size | Shot |
| 4 x 10 | 6 x no 11’s |
| 4 x 12 | Strung out = 8 x no 10’s Bulk and 2 droppers (4 x no 9’s and 2 x no 10’s) |
| 4 x 14 | Bulk and 2 droppers (6 x no 9’s and 2 x no 10’s) |
| 4 x 16 | Only suitable when it’s really windy. Bulk and 2 droppers (6 x no 8’s and 2 x no 10’s) |
F1 Pellet
These are wire stem floats that are perfect for fishing hard and soft pellets on the bottom of the lake.
| F1 Pellet | Shot |
| 4 x 10 | 6 x no 11’s |
| 4 x 12 | (Bulk with 1 dropper) 5 x no 9’s and 1 x no 10 |
| 4 x 14 | 8 x no 9’s |
| 4 x 16 | 8 x no 8’s |
Carp Pellet
These have a larger 2mm tip that’s bigger than the F1 pellet. You can use 6mm, 8mm or even 10mm. They are also good for large baits like meat and sweetcorn. These have a wire stem.
| Carp Pellet Size | Shot |
| 4 x 10 | 6 x no 11’s |
| 4 x 12 | 6 x no 9’s |
| 4 x 14 | 8 x no 9’s |
| 4 x 16 | 8 x no 8’s |
Chianti
Carbon stem with a cane top.
Best fished using a strung-out bulk and perfect for silverfish.
| Chianti Size | Shot |
| 4 x 10 | 5 x no 11’s |
| 4 x 12 | 9 x no 11’s |
| 4 x 14 | 6 x no 9’s and 2 x no 10 droppers |
| 4 x 16 | 6 x no 8’s and 2 x no 10 droppers |
F1 Fine
A good winter float when bites are very shy and fiddly.
Even though it says F1, it’s perfect for silverfish in the winter.
| F1 Fine | Shot |
| 4 x 10 | 6 x no 11’s |
| 4 x 12 | 9 x no 11’s |
| 4 x 14 | 5 x no 9’s and 2 x no 10 droppers |
| 4 x 16 | 7 x no 9’s and 2 x no 10 droppers |
Carp Shallow
Perfect for fishing shallow but also great in the mudline and down the edge on snake lake style venues.
These have a fiberglass stem which makes them very strong.
Most of the shot sits directly under the float when fishing shallow.
| Carp Shallow | Shot |
| 4 x 10 (good for slapping when fishing shallow) | 4 x no 10 stots (right under the float) |
| 4 x 12 (good for slapping when fishing shallow) | 5 x no 9 stots (right under the float) |
| 4 x 14 (Best used for mudline or edge fishing) | 5 x no 8 (on top of the hook length) |
| 4 x 16 (Best used for mudline or edge fishing) | 6 x no 8 (on top of the hook length) |
