I tend to use loaded floats, the Cralusso ones which cast very well. I also use the Mayo ones if fishing very shallow with a standard pellet wag float (MW) , typically 18 inch or less. Up north I find the fish tend to be a tad deeper than they are at S/Moor or W/Acres. I also have some of the Perry Stone ones which the S/Moor guys seem to prefer. I lock them with sliding float beads 2 above 3 below which ever adaptor I use. This makes depth changes so easy. I gave up using big shot a while ago as depth change meant hook length change and they tangled whichever way I put shot on the line.
Check out the Cralusso floats if you have not seen them they are expensive but once you try them I am sure you will be impressed.
TF_NathanWatson.
