visdrijvers

Visdrijvers, often simply called floats, are buoyant devices attached to fishing lines or nets to provide buoyancy, indicate bites, and control depth. In angling they are attached to the main line and can either be fixed in position or slide along the line; fixed floats remain at a set depth, while sliding floats allow anglers to adjust depth by moving the float on the line and securing it with stops.

Visdrijvers are made from cork, balsa wood, foam, or plastic, and come in various shapes such as spherical, pear-shaped, teardrop, or elongated. They typically have a watertight body with a hollow interior and a stem or eyelet for threading the line. Small beads or stops are used to fix the depth for sliding floats. Beyond freshwater and sea fishing for sport, visdrijvers are also used on nets, including gillnets and longlines, where floats mark the position of gear and help maintain an optimal distance from the seabed.

In use, the float rests on the water surface, supported by the line; a bite is signaled by a movement or submersion of the float. Maintenance involves cleaning after use, avoiding prolonged exposure to sunlight to prevent material degradation, and replacing damaged floats. Environmental considerations include choosing durable, recyclable materials when possible and disposing of worn floats properly to reduce plastic pollution.