Tennis ball as a float
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Landbased & Surfcasting
Forum Description: From rocks or beaches, here's the place for the landbased fishos to share information
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82908
Printed Date: 16 Jun 2026 at 1:43am
Topic: Tennis ball as a float
Posted By: Telecaster
Subject: Tennis ball as a float
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2012 at 3:50pm
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Hi guys I think it was Bazza who mentioned the idea of using a tennis ball as a float to give a bit of weight for casting etc. I am going to be fishing a spot north of Mangawhai that is really snaggy but has good potential for snapper and I will be trying this out for the first time. Should I tie the trace off the tennis ball or should I have the tennis ball sliding so that it is down on the hook for casting and then the bait sinks naturally until a stopper hits the float? Should I use recurve hooks or will the buoyancy of the float not be enough to set the hook? Cheers |
Replies:
Posted By: Moocha
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2012 at 3:55pm
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There was great article in one of the Mags that Geoff Thomas produces years ago with an old fulla's Tiny used to fish with when he was with us I think that talked about Tennis ball floats I remeber they were set up as sliders with recurves ...
Some one on here may still have it laying around or you could try contacting the magazine if all else fails.
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Posted By: MrWildabeast
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2012 at 6:25pm
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Doesn't bill hohepa use tennis ball floats for snaps? ------------- Here fishy..fishy.... |
Posted By: MrWildabeast
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2012 at 6:26pm
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Remember seeing a VHS a his a while ago now ------------- Here fishy..fishy.... |
Posted By: fish i
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 1:40pm
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Those cheap kiddies bouncy balls are also good I've found. Heavy for their size and they are pretty much neutrally buoyant.
------------- 6th place in the inaugural Te Kauwhata Regionals paddle crab division |
Posted By: SufixRockMan
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 2:04pm
same. i find them easier to rig up too. |
fish i wrote:Posted By: jaypeegee
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 2:23pm
Which ones are you refering to?? If you could, a picture would be appreciated. Cheers ------------- "You don't have to be smart to laugh at a fart, but you have to be stupid not to." |
Posted By: Telecaster
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 2:26pm
| Do you mean the solid rubber ones? |
Posted By: Blue Asparagus
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 3:18pm
tennis balls are great, a needle used to pull you mono through, but heres a hint, take the cloth off the out side .go to the ware house and have a look at all the balls they have there lots to choose from. ------------- Ultimate GAME Fishing Adventures. Northland |
Posted By: smelli
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 4:09pm
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i also made a mention of similar thing in the post someone started and was titled-say something - or similar... a mate of mine in akl uses this for casting out the little hook/plastic as shown... uses a kids rubber ball about 1 1/2 " across... says he can cast them really far... and they use them in the UK line thru the ball with swivel either side to hold in place  ------------- http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=717361 |
Posted By: MrWildabeast
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 6:23pm
Thats pretty sweet  ------------- Here fishy..fishy.... |
Posted By: jaypeegee
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 6:28pm
Is that a hollow or solid ball Darryl? ------------- "You don't have to be smart to laugh at a fart, but you have to be stupid not to." |
Posted By: smelli
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 6:52pm
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Im pretty sure it is a hollow ball--will find out from my mate and confirm
------------- http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=717361 |
Posted By: scuzzymoto
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 7:22pm
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why not use a a normal float????- use them all time- some floats you can add water to them for buoyancy and extra weight, some floats you pass the line right through them and and use the stopper plug or use power gum as a stopper(which will slide under pressure), or the ones were you attache line top and bottom, I think a tennis ball is just to much mucking around. ------------- "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled” Mark Twain |
Posted By: smelli
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 7:28pm
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the guy who told me about this told me he uses it pretty much just to help cast those little lures further
------------- http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=717361 |
Posted By: Jwest
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 7:41pm
Yeah I reckon tennis balls pretty heavy and not very streamlined for casting especially if you add a whole pilly to the equation guess it depends on the gear your using though. 'normal' floats also have less resistance when fish takes bait. Stopper knots good for regulatin depth too means you can fish at any depth, good for drifting baits down berley trails. That lure set up looks like great Kahawai catcher though!
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Posted By: jaypeegee
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 8:22pm
I'm saving mah monies for those glitterbugs... When dey getting to Hambills? ------------- "You don't have to be smart to laugh at a fart, but you have to be stupid not to." |
Posted By: scuzzymoto
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 8:31pm
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they are probably in KC"s tackle bag- but yes they are there ------------- "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled” Mark Twain |
Posted By: fish i
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 8:53pm
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Shiat I thought I was the originator, perhaps not so, great minds think alike. Yeah they are the solid little bouncy balls. You can use them sliding on your trace so it falls down to the end of your line for a good cast. When it lands your hook and bait can fall through. Or my mates favorite; no trace and it will fall as far as you want it to. If you had a tennis ball with a hole big enough for your line to freely move through it's gonna fill up with water, plus they are big. You just got to be careful making the hole in the bouncy ball as they split super easy. I have not used them in years for bait fishing, I just use the little ones for catching piper and squid these daze. They work super sweet being neutrally buoyant and less conspicuous. ------------- 6th place in the inaugural Te Kauwhata Regionals paddle crab division |
Posted By: Kiwicaster
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2012 at 9:40pm
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They are there and I have not grabbed any yet . Havent made it onto the racks yet as we have been silly busy the last few days.
------------- A recent survey has revealed that only one in seven dwarfs are happy. |