This article is about freshwater angling floats. For fishing net floats, see fishing net. For glass net or dropline floats, see glass float.
Selection of UK (top) and US (bottom) fishing floats
A fishing float or bobber is a lightweight buoy used in angling, usually attached to a fishing line. Angling using a float is sometimes called float fishing.
A float can serve several purposes:
firstly, it serves as a visual bite indicator that helps the angler assess underwater status of the baitedhook and decide whether to start retrieving the line;
secondly, it can suspend the hook and bait at a predetermined depth, which helps the angler target fish in specific depths;