How to Choose Fishing Gear

Visual inspection

When purchasing fishing floats, the first step is visual inspection. The method is as follows: Hold the fishing float in one hand, and place the float neck between the thumb and index finger of the other hand. Then rotate it. 

Fish floaters 

Check whether the left and right sides of the float are symmetrical, whether the float tip and the float foot form a straight line, etc. If there are asymmetries in the height and width of the float shoulder, obvious differences in the left and right sides of the float body, and different positions where the float tip is inserted into the float body, then it proves that this float is not a finely crafted high-quality product. Additionally, during the visual inspection, it is necessary to pay attention to checking whether the color ring of the float tip is clear, and whether the spacing is too large or too small. Because the float tip is the main reference for directly observing the fish signal, its clarity and visibility will directly affect the angler's judgment of the underwater fish signal. Finally, more carefully check whether the texture of the float body is uniform in material. Because many floats are formed by bonding two or more floating materials (such as large peacock feather floats, some reed floats, etc.), the fish floats made by this process need to use floating materials of the same density to be spliced together to ensure stability in the water. When purchasing such floats, pay attention to observing whether there are color differences, patterns, and sizes that are consistent or roughly consistent among each piece of floating material. If the contrast is too large, it indicates that the float may not be made from the same density materials, which may cause unequal buoyancy on both sides of the float in the water, and is not conducive to accurately displaying weak fish signals. 

The second step is the tactile inspection. The method is as follows: One hand holds the foot of the fishing lure gently and rotates it, while the other hand uses the thumb, index finger, and middle finger to hold the body of the lure. Slowly slide it from top to bottom, carefully feeling the smoothness of the body and the fineness of the paint. High-quality fishing lures with meticulous workmanship generally handle these minor issues very well. 

Rolling inspection 

After the initial visual inspection, the center of gravity alignment test needs to be conducted. 

A good fishing float should be able to accurately reflect the fish situation. It is very important for the center of gravity of the float to be on the central axis of the float body. The method to test it is as follows: Place the fishing float on the smooth glass counter of the fishing equipment store, and gently move the float with your hand. If it can roll quickly and smoothly on the smooth counter, the areas it passes through can form a fan-shaped pattern, and there is no shaking, trembling or other phenomena during the rolling process, then it indicates that this is a good fishing float. 

Choose a brand 

If you are unsure about the various types of fishing floats available, choosing a brand is often a more convenient method. This is especially true for beginners who are just getting into suspended fishing and have some financial resources. Choosing a brand of fishing floats is not something you can just buy anywhere; you must be very careful to avoid some unscrupulous vendors who use inferior products or counterfeit brands to deceive customers. Based on my experience, when choosing brand fishing equipment (including fishing floats), you must purchase them from reputable and trustworthy stores. Additionally, fishing floats recommended or sold by famous anglers or well-known experts usually have no risk of being counterfeit.