Fish On Floats

Steelhead Alley Floats

2010-02-02T16:08:00.016-05:00

To purchase any Tackle or Floats please contact me at the email address listed below

I have Steelheader packs available at this time they are $20.00 a pack ( 5 Floats to a pack ) + Tax and Shipping , there is a variety of float sizes great for fishing single Salmon egg's , Jig & Maggot , Skien and Sacks . ( Packs my vary in stain color and size ) all depends on what size I have turned lately and what stain color I used ,I can email a picture of your pack prior to shipping ....Thanks !!! e-mail if you have any questions mailto:FishOnFloats@gmail.com .

Please Bear With Us As We Are In The Process Of Setting Up A Pay Pal Account ...THANK YOU

Fish On Bait and Tackle
http://fishonbaitandtackle.blogspot.com/

Sucker Spawn Flies...$10.68 a dozen + Tax and Shipping , These flies work VERY WELL in the Tribs along Steelhead Alley , if you dont see a color you need just e-mail me and I will see if I have it ....Thanks !!!

Glo Bobs lead peg weighted float , this is a popular float that I see being used all the time on the Steelhead Alley Tribs . I am now selling these floats by the bag for $14.50 +Tax and Shipping .
There are 24 floats in a bag .

2010-02-02T16:03:00.006-05:00

Testimonials / Reviews

I just wanted to say that the floats you have made are the best floats that I have used. I find them to hold just enough shot that I use and have a very good flow to them and handles superb in any kind of water flow. And aslo found that they have very little friction in the water when fighting a Steelhead. Unlike the Sheffields and the Blackbird plastic floats that brake on contact of rocks or hard ice, I have not yet broke one of your floats due to I use Fireline as my my line. I use them on all my guides and would recommend anyone to use them over the store bought floats. Cant wait to test them out crappie fishing.
And again, surperb floats Joe!

Thanks.
Rob Beverly
Robs Guide Service

Joe Montello makes some of the best floats I have ever fished with. By using his craftsmanship and skill, Joe has produced many floats that track well, are very sensitive and they sustain through the conditions of the Great Lakes fishery. Joe's floats are also very easy to see which helps when making the perfect long distance drifts that many steelhead fisherman are in pursuit of. I recommend giving Joe's floats a try. You will not be disappointed.
Sal Saia

I've had the good fortune to not only fish Joe's floats for over 2 years, but also watch him 'burning balsa', as we like to say. All I can say is his craftsmanship and attention to detail are superb and the end result is the finest float money can buy. I fished one float for darn near 6 months. It ended up in trees, was stepped on and bounced off a few bridge pylons and still tracked flawlessly. Joe's floats perform beautifully and are practically bomb-proof.
Sincerely,
Steve D.

Absolutely the best floats Ive come across on the market today. Thanks Joe for making quality floats in every size I need for steelhead alley rivers & tribs.
tightlines to you!
Randy,(Magoo)

I would like to thank Joe at Fish On Floats for producing a truely remarkable float. Using other brands of floats for different styles of fishing, I was presented with a pack of floats from Joe and all I can say is WOW! They track well in river conditions and are bouyant enough for any shotting pattern as the different shapes and styles allow for varying conditions. They also work well for pond, lake and im impressed with them through the ice. Very well made, durable, and looks excellent. Will be looking forward to new styles in the future and now is my float of choice!.

Chris Furlong

Tradition Cork Float Building Tutorial

2009-12-18T10:53:00.027-05:00

Courtesy of George Lockhart
Yorkshire Dales, UK
Materials & Tools: Cork, sharpie, centre measure device, power drill lathe or mini-lathe, sandpaper of various grits,
I was asked if I could put together a small tutorial as to how I create floats, so I've put together this to allow other amateur float makers and anglers to see how I create and construct my floats. I do not claim to be a professional float maker as there are many other float makers out there far better than myself. I became interested in float making through an elderly gentleman who I grew up beside and I find it relaxing making them and also greatly satisfying when you see fish being caught with the aid of something that you have created from scratch. If your looking at making your own floats in the future, may I suggest a few publications you should try & get? I use many other publications...too many to list, but the ones I have photographed below would be the backbone of the float makers library. They are a wealth of information and if your looking at making traditional floats, then they are an absolute Godsend! Most of them are now out of publication so you'll likely find them by carrying out an internet search.

Above, and to the right in the photograph, are the four publications by World Champion Billy Lane. To the far left, the "Floatmakers Manual" by Bill Watson, "The Float" By Keith Harwood and finally an old "Ultra Floats Catalogue" which of course was originally Billy Lane's designs.I have chosen Cork on Cane to illustrate within this tutorial as it is considered a more traditional float to make than current day balsa's & more pleasing to create. The same principles are used for any body floats I create either in cork or balsa.

Step One:
This is how the cork on cane starts its life. Used champagne cork which can be picked up on the internet (in bulk) or ask your local bar / club to save them after parties for you.

Step Two:
The first thing I do is to find the centre of the cork and mark it ready for drilling. I do this with the means of a tool which is used for model making and woodturning. I mark the centre both on the top & the bottom for precision. In this way, I know when drilling if I haven't went off at an angle.
Step Three:
I recently bought a mini wood turning lathe to turn float bodies. As you can see from the picture, I have mounted it to an old wooden float box which I use to store the various tools and parts for float making. I had used an old power drill clamped to my workbench in the shed, now I can bring it all indoors as it is small & compact enough for my computer / study room.

Step Four:
The next stage in the process is drilling out the centre of the cork to allow the float stem to be pushed totally through the cork. I prefer to push a complete stem through the float rather than cut the stem into two and glue them at the top & bottom, this choice gives strength to the float the whole length of the cork.
Step Five:
The tool I use to turn the float body is nothing flashy or expensive. I use an old screw driver which I have ground down to form a cutting edge. This I use to rough turn the float down to a basic shape. Then I'll follow up with various grades of sandpaper to get the final shape & texture I desire.

Step Six:
The next couple of photographs show the cork being turned down from its original shape to the final shape I chose for the float body.

Step Seven:

Rough shaping via the screw driver's skew chisel edge.
Step Eight:
Final shaping completed via various grades of sand paper.

Step Nine:
Next step is choosing a stem to match the float. I like to use quills as well as cane. I have been lucky with my quills as I know several gamekeepers on local neighboring estates, however, you do find a lot whilst walking the river bank.The cane I use is recycled from food products, Most skewers are made from bamboo, but over the years I've managed to collect a number of proper cane skewers.
A restaurant supply store is a great place to find bamboo skewers. Once the appropriate stem is found it is cut to size then glued in place & allowed to set.

Step Ten:
This is where the float really starts to take shape. By adding silk whipping, a technique that you will have to master. With time & practice, you will learn to whip neatly and hide all thread tag ends. By experimenting, you can create very unique visual whippings on a float.
This technique was originally designed to bind & secure the float together before the days of glue. Once the whipping is in place I always paint a white undercoat before applying the top coat of fluorescent colour, This enhances the final colour's vibrancy, in my opinion.

Step Eleven:
This is probably my least favorite part of creating floats as a steady hand is required and I'm no artist. I prefer to paint freehand than use any dipping methods or other ways of applying the paint. I have tried various methods used in books and recommended by other makers but always come back to freehand.
I use 3 fluorescent colours for my float tips, red, orange & yellow. The picture shows the painted float along with others being painted in my polystyrene drying ring which I procured from my wife's craft box.

Step Twelve:
I prefer to use a waterbased lacquer which has a 10% sheen rather than a marine varnish, for a number of reasons:
Water based results in easier brush cleaning, no lacquers/thinners smell or mess to deal with.
It doesn't cloud the true texture & colour of the float as some varnishes do even though they are meant to be clear
If a mistake is made, it can be easily wiped off, unlike varnish which sticks to everything.
It is more durable than varnish and doesn't peel or flake after a few seasons of continuous use.
The 10% sheen of the lacquer doesn't make the float shiny like marine varnish does.
All of my floats are given an average of seven coats of lacquer with 12 - 24 hours drying time between coats, The lacquer is normally dry in 3 to 4 hours, but I prefer to leave it dry longer due to building floats in my spare time after work.
Step Thirteen:
The penultimate stage before completion for me is the application of my signature and date of construction before applying the final coat of lacquer, which protects the maker's mark in more than one way.

Step Fourteen:
The final stage in float creation is to find the weight that the float will support with the aid of an old 2 litre soda bottle. With experience, when your turning the float down on the lathe, you will be able to guess what weight the final float will support based on its size. I take the lacquer dried float, using a float rubber and some fishing line, and add shot. Using a silver paint pen, I then write the weight on the side of the float for reference.

Step Fifteen:
Gram weight marked on float.

Floats Completed:
The float in the centre is now complete, I have grouped it together with some other floats which were being made at the same time to show the various shaped bodies you can achieve through creativity.
copyright © 2008-09 Float Fishing Connection™
Text and Pictures used with the permission of Domenic from http://www.floatfishingconnection.com/ and George Lockhart the owner of http://traditionalfloats.webs.com/index.htm
Please Support and visit there Sites ....Thank You Joe Montello

Steelhead Time

2009-11-12T14:03:00.003-05:00

Ryan and Becky have been getting out chasing some Steelhead around

Steelhead Floats

2009-11-04T11:21:00.002-05:00

Just Wanted To Say THANKS !!!!

2009-11-03T18:18:00.008-05:00

To everyone that has kept me busy making floats , this has been a very busy year for me , hope to see you on the river soon

Smoked Steelhead !!!

2009-10-27T10:46:00.003-04:00

I got a recipe for Smoked Steelhead from a friend of mine , OMG ....is it ever good !!!...I can't believe I have releasing these fish everytime I go fishing , I will definetly be saving more for the smoker , it reminds me of honey ham when it's done , I polished off 2 fillets like it was my job ..LOL !!..mixed some up like tuna fish , that was great also . and BONUS it's heart healthy , Omega 3 fatty acids ....See you on the river ....Fish On !!!

Turkey Creek Woodworks

2009-09-10T20:14:00.013-04:00

Here is a couple of more products from www.turkeycreekwoodworks.blogspot.com/ , if you are intrested in these products you can contact Dave at turkeycreekoutdoors@yahoo.com or you can email me at fishonfloats@gmail.com

Stem Drying Rack
Glue Up Drying Rack Thread Wrapper
Thread Wrapper..With Optional Adjustable Arm

Damm Dog !!!!....LOL !!!

2009-08-06T17:52:00.002-04:00

Never drop a float on the floor when you have a hunger Chihuahua at your feet , she must of thought I dropped her a sniggety snack , she was on it and took off running , by the time I got to her it looked like a muskie had attacked it ...LOL
I triple dipped it in clear coat like I do the rest of floats , we will see how it holds up this fall , once a few steelheads take it for a swim ...LOL !!!!!

Thread Wrapper .....Works Great !!!!!

2009-08-06T11:48:00.005-04:00

Just want to say THANKS Dave .......That wrapper works AWESOME...You are The Man !!!!
That wrapper makes doing custom color wraps a snap !!! Dave is A GREAT wood worker , he makes some BEAUTIFUL hand made turkey box calls , plus he has some other fishing related projects in the works , can't wait to see them , if you are intrested in any custom box calls email me and I will get you in contact with Dave
THANKS AGAIN !!! Dave

Steelhead Season Is Coming Soon

2009-08-06T11:33:00.003-04:00

I can tell the season is just around the corner ,I have working on getting some float orders done , I have been in the basement working on floats for the past 3 weeks , I would like to thanks all my friends for the referrals I have been getting lately , I had one guy contact me and he told me someone on the rocky river gave him one of my floats to use with his new centerpin rig and he loved it , thanks to who ever it was !!! ....Got the box loaded today !!! , even got an order for some micro size ice fishing floats , he fishes maggots on a small pin-min , talk about a sensitive setup ....wow !!!

Handmade Floats

2009-08-02T15:59:00.008-04:00

been down in the basement turning out many different style floats , picked myself up a bag of bamboo cooking skewers and they look like 1/8" but there just a hair bigger , had to do some sanding to get them to go together nice and smooth , don't want to force an oversized skewer or you will just split the balsa floats at the thinnest end

Single salmon eggs

2009-07-08T14:11:00.006-04:00

This male was taken on a size # 16 hook and cured single egg ....they are a must have along Steelhead Alley, great bait to have in low and clear conditions

2009-07-08T13:56:00.001-04:00

Nothing better than spending time on the river with an old friend....Thanks for all your help when I first got into chasing steelhead around

2009-07-08T13:54:00.000-04:00

before you know it , we will be back at the ole' bologna hole

Hand Built Happiness

2009-07-08T13:25:00.012-04:00

Two local guys that build custom rods and custom reels are Adam the owner of Paine Falls Centerpin reels and Brian the owner of Way Wicked Rods both these guys really create works of art , they put there heart and soul into every custom rod or reel they build

Float Trips

2009-07-05T15:17:00.000-04:00

Can't wait to hit the creeks this fall with friends and do some float trips , that makes for a solid day of beautiful scenery and great fishing with friends

Steelhead Alley Madness ...Coming Soon To A Creek Near You

2009-07-05T15:08:00.002-04:00

Great time to start organizing the chest packs for the upcoming season , things tend to get tossed around during the pursuit of steel... this is a friend of mines chest pack from last year what a train wreck ...lol !!!

Stream Access / Solitude.....Getting Harder To Come By

2009-03-21T21:50:00.006-04:00

I talked to a local landowner a few days ago and I asked him if I could get permission to fish on his property ( even though I seen it was clearly posted )....He looked kind of shocked at me and said I was the first person to ever ask him if it was ok to fish his property . I asked him why he posted his land in the first place ...and he told me that he is always catching people sneeking onto his property and just fishing and not even having the common courtesy of asking him if it is ok ....Like the landowner told me it's NOT A RIGHT to be able to hunt and fish on someone else's property it's a privledge ( SO TRUE ) . After talking to the landowner I put on my gear and walked down to the river and all I could say to my myself was this stretch is a centerpinners dream it has a trough that is roughly 100 yards long that has gravel above and below it got into some real nice fish that were ballistic once they were hooked ...What a blast ...fish that were not beat on by the masses and solitude ..That is hard to find these days.

The Perfect Flow

2009-03-11T19:04:00.009-04:00

Fresh chrome hen

We could not ask for any better flow or color , made for a great day of fishing

Handmade Floats

2009-01-31T19:39:00.020-05:00

Here is an easy way I make FLOATS IN A DAY !!!!!.... anyone can do it ...Hope this helps

I was thinking there has got to be a faster way to make floats than staining them so I looked around and thought what would dry really quick but yet still look nice when it is all said and done.. I saw a majic marker laying on my bench and said lets give this a try and here is what I can up with

Cut piece of balsa and turn it down ...takes roughly 5 minutes

Then you glue it up ....roughly 1 minute

Then you get out the majic marker and color it ......takes roughly 2 minutes

Then you put it in front of a fan to speed up the drying time of the marker ....I let it dry for about 15 minutes.
then dip it in primer .....dry to touch in 2 hours in front of fan .....dip in hot orange paint ....at this point I used a fan and the help of my wood burning stove to dry it in about 4 hours ....MAKE SURE PRIMER AND PAINT ARE BOTH FULLY DRY OR YOU WILL HAVE AN ADHESION PROBLEM !!!
Apply 2 coats of FAST DRYING MINWAX Polyurethane and sand floats between each coat ....2 hours of drying time between each coat......... Finished Product

This float works GREAT when fishing Single Salmon Egg's

Steelhead Alley Float

2009-01-23T18:28:00.006-05:00

My son Michael...aka Meatball is really getting into creating custom floats on the lathe, hear is one that he recently turned out not bad for an 11 year old .

Solitude

2009-01-22T20:15:00.005-05:00

Lately this is getting real hard to find . But once you find it can be oh so peaceful , Nothing better than having a honey hole all to yourself and just soaking in the sounds of the river

Centerpin Floats

2009-01-22T19:38:00.005-05:00

This is just some of the floats that I have with me on the river , Different sizes and shapes for various flows and presentaions

Backpack .....The Only Way To Go !!!

2009-01-11T13:46:00.007-05:00

I recently picked up this Eastsport Backpack because I was tired of wearing my Chestpack , It seemed like it was always getting in the way while I was Centerpin fishing , I have never had anything that was more comfortable to wear while fishing , and it has more than enough room for all my gear ...It even has a square snap on holder pouch that came with it that I use for my split shot box and it even has two slide in sleeves on the arm straps that work great for my egg sacks and single egg containers . It was like they made this thing for fishermen not school kids ..It even has a cell phone holder and D-rings for attaching a net and the best part of all it's only $14.96 at Walmart....now everything is organized and has it's own spot.

Early Season Solitude

2009-01-11T12:10:00.009-05:00

Nothing more fun than fishing and having the whole section river to yourself and a pod of fresh fish in front of you ...Thanks for the Pictures Al

Fresh Chrome !!!

2009-01-03T13:26:00.005-05:00

Steelhead Alley's own Steve Dyczkiewycz ...AKA "Goby One Gnoby" , A ( GREAT ) Steelhead fisherman and Master Rod Builder , he makes some of the best looking rods I have ever seen , Email me if you are looking for a custom rod and I will get you in contact with him .

Custom Steelhead Floats

2009-01-02T19:06:00.012-05:00

Handmade custom steelhead floats that I use while fishing the Lake Erie Tribs for Steelhead

John Nagy's Steelhead Guide

2009-01-02T11:52:00.006-05:00

This is a great book I would highly recommend it to anyone that is getting into Steelhead fishing .

Spawning Hen At Trout Run

2009-01-01T12:33:00.001-05:00

Went to Trout run and say many spawning Hens making redds

Weapons Of Mass Destruction

2008-12-28T16:01:00.002-05:00

Single Salmon egg dispenser it's like an American Express card I dont leave home with out it . Egg sack's are a must have also , and you can't leave the house without some cures Single Salmon eggs.

Curing Salmon Egg's ???

2008-12-28T14:20:00.001-05:00

This a great book if you are looking for different cures and scents and recipes

Float Making Tutorial

2008-12-27T18:40:00.003-05:00

To me, there is nothing more rewarding than catching fish on something you have made yourself. Whether it be a rod, flies, jigs, or floats, it gives you the ability to make everything to your specifications. You can make the float exactly the way you want it...size , shape , length , color... ect . Here is a tutorial that should help you get started with turning floats.

First, I work with 4"x4"x36" blocks of balsa. I cut them down to 1"x1"x36", then I cut them down to the length I am going to make my floats. I use 1/8 inch drill rod for my mandrel. I just push the mandrel thru the center of the Balsa because it is a very soft wood. Next I chuck it up in my lathe and start turning it down. I use nothing more than a screw driver that I ground down on a grinding wheel to a very sharp point.

Once I knock off the edges, I put down the screw driver and use sandpaper from here on out. I start with 80 grit sandpaper to quickly get it to form. Then I use 150 grit to smooth it up a bit. Finally, I use 320 grit to get a real smooth finish. Before I turn off the lathe and unchuck it, I check it to make sure it is smooth and does not feel out of round. If it is ok, I turn off the lathe and unchuck it, carefully removing the balsa float from the mandrel so you don't damage the float.

At this point your float is all turned down and is ready to be glued up. You can use either a Bamboo stem, Stainless Steel stem, or Carbon Fiber. The two glue's I use and have had no problems with are Gorilla Glue and Elmers Ultimate. Both are 100 % waterproof.

Once the glue has dried, it is time to apply the stain. I use Minwax and have never had a problem. Once it is dry, I hand dip the top of the float in white primer and let it dry to the touch . The white primer will really help your Hot orange or what ever color you select to go with really stand out. Now it is time to hand dip the float in your paint. I use Createx Paint ( GREAT PAINT ) !!!!
I created a drying box so I had a place to hang my floats upside down while they dry. Putting a fan on your floats between each step will really cut down on the drying time.

Once the paint is dry, it is time to clear coat them. I use Minwax Helmsman Spar Urathane or Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane. Both are very good!

I apply 3 coats of Urathane and sand between each coat to get a very smooth finish.

Let floats hang and drip until they are fully dry before appling the next coat.

At this point, the float is almost done! Your last step is to dip the bottom of the float (to seal the bamboo) in Minwax Urathane. After you have dipped the float put it in a vertical holder to let it drip dry.

Minwax really has some great looking stains or you can have your local paint shop custom tint the stain for you.

Some of the common questions I get asked are: What lathe should I buy and where should I get it ? I got my Jet Mini Lathe thru Amazon.com. The only reason I bought a Jet was because it was on sale for under $ 200.00 and it came with free super saver shipping ( that was worth its weight in gold ) because it weighs 80#. If I had to do it today, I would probably not get a Jet due to the cost. I think they are close to $400.00 now. Today, I would probably got with a Penn State Industries Turncrafter Pro.
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/TCLPRO.html
I have done business with PSI and have had no problems with them. They have very good customer service and fast shipping.

One other Item I would recommend is the dust collection system. Your lungs will love you for it and so will your wife!! Balsa dust is very fine and messy! If you are turning in the house, it will keep the dust from traveling everywhere. Before I bought the dust system, I had the fine Balsa particles all over everything around my turning bench.
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/DLHOODC2.html
As you can see, the dust collection system has a 5 star rating, believe me its well worth it!!

The live tail stock I also purchased at PSI.
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LDC2MT.html

I hope this helps! This is how I (started out) making floats. There are tips and tricks that you will learn along the way, through trial and error, that will really help you produce great looking floats!! Happy turning!! I would like to thank my son Michael, a.k.a Meatball, for helping me with this project. He enjoys making floats and cannot wait to use it on the river!!
If you have any other questions or need help on how to do certian steps please email me at FishOnFloats@gmail.com
Hope this tutorial helped you out

Custom Steelhead Floats

2008-12-17T11:28:00.007-05:00

Handmade Steelhead Floats

2008-12-17T11:12:00.007-05:00

These are some hand turned floats that I recently got done turning , I am letting the glue set up before moving on to the next step

Meatballs First Steelhead

2008-11-19T17:39:00.001-05:00

My son Michael a.k.a Meatball would come home from pre-school and want to go fishing at the mouth of Elk Creek he learned at an early age how to catch Steelhead not bad for a 4 year old

Custom Work By Steve Dyczkiewycz

2008-11-19T17:07:00.001-05:00

I have Known Steve for a few years now and I can truely say he builds some beautiful custom rods

A Day On The River

2008-11-08T18:27:00.000-05:00

Sent the day on the river with friends , Hooked into some nice fish managed to get off the river just before dark

2008-11-03T19:53:00.000-05:00

A hidden waterfall in the heart of the city .

2008-11-03T19:48:00.005-05:00

The Skein Float this is one of my go to floats, Photo by A.L Carter

The Power Of The Cured Single Egg !!!

2008-10-26T16:51:00.001-04:00

The cured single egg has to be one of the best baits when its low and clear , I run the egg onto the hook so all you see coming out of the egg is my fluorocarbon

Float Fishing Setup For The Lake Erie Tribs

2008-10-26T16:46:00.001-04:00

The Lathe I Use To Make Steelhead Floats

2008-10-26T16:40:00.005-04:00

The Jet Mini-Lathe is what I use for making Steelhead Floats

Got Salmon Eggs !!!!!!

2008-09-10T20:58:00.001-04:00

Always have to have a fresh supply of Salmon eggs