Saw a video(don't remember the guy's name) where he compared the floatation of the dragon vs a Styrofoam float. The dragon hardly floated the bait while the float did. $5 dragon vs 40 cent float with versa rattles did better job.

 

I believe that was Dieter Melhorn Fishing. I think he was using the Original Demon Dragon. Since then they came out with the 3.0. He also got some blanks from a fan or subscriber and painted them himself. But he uses all three. The styrofoam w/versatile rattles, demon dragons, and the self painted blanks. He said all 3 will catch fish. It’s all personal preference and what you can afford.

 

But then the styrofoam float doesn't have the tattles.

Myself I don't think they are worth the price but if you try a couple you have less than $10 invested and will know whether you want them or not.

 

4 in foam corks do hold the bait up higher than those demon dragons.. try them in a pool and see for yourself.

I use these.... they are the best... they even rattle when the beads slide on the rod. Caught a 30 lber off my dock last night using this rig, and he even chewed up the float... but it's still usable.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/comal-tackle-4-x-6-snap-on-peg-floats-2-pack

 

I use the 3inch Styrofoam with a versa rattle at the hook. It produced a 45 lb blue and a couple small flatheads just this morning. I pre tie a few and stick in sandwich bags so they are easy to tie on. The floats will get tore up at times but at 50 cents a piece ,no big deal.

 

Was using the Styrofoam floats with good success, bought a pack of plastic with rattle ball imitation DD's from Amazon for a little less than $1.00 ea., the reviews said some may leak if not painted so I painted them a variety of colors from the spray cans I had in the shop. At first I was completely sold on them as they were out fishing the floats almost 3 to 1 but over the course of the summer it evened out. The big advantage I see now is durability, the imitation DD's last fish after fish and snag after snag, I seem to be replacing the floats frequently. The real DD's have a much better paint job than my imitations but don't know if that makes a difference to the fish.

 

This is a great conversation guys. Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate it. I’ve never used a Santee Cooper Rig or any type of bait floating accessory. Well other than pole floats but you know what I mean. So this information is great in helping me learn about this.

 

The ultra chubs sold by whisker seeker have quite a bit more flotation than the traditional demon dragons. They are pricey though as they come with a steel leader, snap and triple threat circle hook already attached. The snap allows you to change hooks.

They have been doing really well for my buddy, and he has been out catching me using the ultra chubs.

 

I see that tournament fishermen are using those RigRap rig boxes to. Nice little case to store your pre tied rigs in.

 

The RigRap boxes are nice. I still prefer storing my setups in a finesse binder.

 

RigRap boxes will work but I too have grown to like the finesse folders. There are several available but this one was shown to me and worked well. That was by a somewhat new to catfishing friend. It isn't just old guys that help others.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Okeechob...BRBlEiwAwoEiAVB0AYJxKVDntq82Zv9ffcpKN6BG2hH233FE82yeWGTSUqRxGhc-WBoCsUIQAvD_BwE

tight lines

 

I think Luke from Catfish & Carp uses a similar binder to that one. Keeps all his carp rigs in it.

 

I use the DDs, chubbs, regular floats and the MP Seekers on almost all my rigs. they all do great. The MP Seeker and DDs are my favorite. Then the chubb and the regular floats. Don't think the fish care but I caught quite a few 60+lb fish last summer on the DDs and MPs. They seemed to get hit more than the others, thinking maybe the rattle and propeller just irritates them, nothing more

 

So since you’ve used DD’s and Whisker Seekers Chub. Have you noticed a difference in how they float baits? The creator of the DD’s said they should be be fished with with the eyes facing the hook. Apparently there is more buoyancy in the face side. Also because a lot of predatory fish often take their prey face first. My personal opinion is depending on how close you put it to your hook. It presents a larger profile underwater. Where a fish might think the bait is actually larger than it really is. I chose the MRC color because to my eye it has some of the colors a sucker, bullhead, sunfish, or a bluegill has. The local fish they are used to eating around here. So what colors have worked well for you in your area?

 

Now I’m a strictly bank fisherman 99.9% of the time. So what type of floats are better for that? I use cut bait and live bait when I can get them. Creek chubs, Sunfish, Bluegills, Fawfish, and Suckers mainly.

 

I like 3 or 4 inch peg floats and I use the ones with a slit cut in them so you can take the float off/on without having to re-tie the leader.

 

I’m looking forward to trying the cheap clear knockoffs. I ordered 10 a couple weeks ago... I think they’re on a slow boat from China now.

 

I have been interested in these also. Please let us know what you think of them.:smile1:

 

Too many knots to tie ..... I like my cigar floats they are a heck of a lot cheaper and work just fine....put some fresh gizzard shad on there or some fresh skipjack and dragging around it doesn't matter if it rattles or not.. that's just my opinion I can't see them for ten bucks apiece...

 

Current prices are:
52 cents for a 3" styrofoam float
and approx $5 fr a Demon Dragon

So the Demon Dragon is approx 10 time more expensive.

The choice is yours.

tight lines.

 

Current prices are:
52 cents for a 3" styrofoam float
and approx $5 fr a Demon Dragon

So the Demon Dragon is approx 10 time more expensive.

The choice is yours.

tight lines.

Thanks for the information. A lot of places on the Upper Potomac River where I fish. Has a lot of muskies too. So I’m worried about the styrofoam floats. A muskies teeth can really wreak havoc on your rigs. I might even have to attach a small 4”-6” steel leader from the float to the hook for this very reason. Have any of you guys ever caught a musky while you were fishing with these rigs? What damage did it cause?

 

Anything to get your bait up off the bottom and out of debris can be good.
I also like to use 3 way rigs and Kentucky rigs depending on what's on the bottom of where I'm fishing.

I never knew that catfish liked certain colors but I do know they react to movement and scent.

If the bait is in the water you have a good chance in catching a fish whether it has a float or not.
A float that rattles might better the odds.
I tend to rely more on my bait and hook to catch the fish because I have never seen a float catch a fish.

 

Anything to get your bait up off the bottom and out of debris can be good..

Yelp, one of the high profile tournament guys uses a small balloon to keep his bait off the bottom and he does very well.

 

We have a lot of snaggy areas around here. So any floatation device would be a plus. I lost a lot of money over the years fishing strictly on the bottom. Or whatever your live bait swims you into. So cutting down on that would be awesome!

 

Yes small balloons work very well. Blow them up only about the size of a golf ball or you will bring your bait to the top.

Which brings up the fact that those same balloons make very good floats/bobbers. You can put a chem stik in them before you inflate them and they are great at night.

Inflate them and tie your knot leaving as much length of the open tip as possible then wrap that tip section around your line two or three times then tie your knot. That will let you slide the balloon up or down your line and it will stay in place.

Just some thoughts.

 

Having a lathe, turning floats from cedar, pine and balsa, my floats work great. With a clear coating, non toxic, the wood has a natural presence in the water column. When one is lost pollution is not an issue with this natural float.

 

That’s pretty cool. I would like to see a picture of those if you have any.

 

Can ya show us a picture of the corks you make?

 

Wood Santee Rig floats, cypress, cedar and pine.

 

I would think anything that would keep your bait off the bottom would work so the fish can see it better no matter what it is. I have tried floaters but can't really tell you yet on the real results of them yet. I would think that if you are on the bottom a good sized live bait or cut bait would take a pretty good sized float to keep it up off the bottom since they want to hide from predators. I don't think blues care much about stuff weighing on the line as much as flatheads. I can see advantages of a floating rig in rocky snags which is where I will try them soon to see the results.

 

Wood Santee Rig floats cypress, cherry, pine and cedar.

 

Wow, they look really good. Great job man! Do they float as good as they look? How has your success catfishing been using them? Do you sell them or just keep them for personal use?

 

Those are very nice! Thanks for the pictures

 

Nice work Ernest!