How to Rig Slip Floats and Popping Corks

Since many saltwater gamefish—from seatrout and redfish to stripers and mackerel—feed somewhere in the water column, suspending a livey or lure between the surface and bottom can increase your odds of success. The easiest way to suspend baits involves one of angling’s oldest tools—a float attached to a fishing line.

Slip Floats

In regions where tides fluctuate frequently and greatly, anglers use a depth-adjustable slip float to keep a bait in the strike zone. Slip floats come in high-profile, pencil-shaped models like the Lindy Tackle Little Joe Pole Float and low-profile versions such as the Thill Big Fish Slider.