The Top Eye Waggler
🐉 TOP EYE WAGGLER
The Top Eye Waggler was first devised by a handful of innovative anglers in 1977, born out of necessity during an unforgettable summer on the Bristol Avon between Limpley Stoke and Claverton.
That year saw an explosion of small chub feeding almost exclusively on the surface. On conventional wagglers, they were almost impossible to hook. They felt the resistance of the line, spat out the bait in a split second, and left us striking at nothing.
The solution? A simple but brilliant modification: placing the eye on the top of the float, removing all resistance between float and bait. What followed was one of the most effective surface-feeding methods ever used on that stretch of river.
🧰 Design & Function
-
Material: 4–5 inch peacock quill
-
Top: Nylon or plastic float eye, glued into the tip
-
Base: Brass rod insert (welding rod) for balance
-
Colour: White — for maximum camouflage against the sky
This design allowed us to grease the line between float and bait, eliminating resistance entirely. The chub would confidently take the floating caster — and in most cases hook themselves.
🌊 Why It Works
-
🎯 Zero resistance: The top eye allows the line to run straight to the bait without interference.
-
🕊️ Camouflage: A white-painted float blends seamlessly with the sky, making it far less visible to wary fish.
-
🐟 Perfect for surface feeders: Ideal for chub, and equally effective for carp feeding off the top.
🖌️ Tip: Painting wagglers white, especially when fishing shallow, reduces spooking. I learned this from nature itself — most birds of prey and many fish species have white underbellies to blend into the sky.
🏆 Clive’s Match Memory
On that blazing summer of ’77, a few of us who cracked this method cleaned up every match on that section of the Bristol Avon. With the top-eye float, we could hit surface-feeding chub confidently and consistently, while others struggled with conventional wagglers.
Since then, I’ve used the Top Eye Waggler on a variety of waters — and whenever surface feeders are present, it remains one of my most deadly summer methods.
🪝 Larger Versions for Carp
For carp fishing, simply scale up the same design. A larger top-eye float casts longer distances with ease, making it ideal for stalking surface-feeding carp in warm weather.
🕰️ 🎣 Classic Innovation: Bristol Avon, 1977
“Born from a hot summer and a shoal of surface-feeding chub, the Top Eye Waggler was one of the first true British float innovations designed to remove resistance and fool wary fish. Its simple, elegant design still works today — nearly 50 years on.”
📘 For illustrated float diagrams, shotting patterns, and surface feeding tips, see Clive Branson’s Float Fishing Manual (Paperback & PDF Download).
Now Available: The Complete Float Manual. Over 169 pages of content on Amazon Click on the link below https://amzn.to/4n1QcTy
📘 Download the Complete Float Manual – Instant Access
Bring decades of float-fishing knowledge straight to your screen.
Written by World Champion Clive Branson, The Complete Float Manual is a 167+ page eBook packed with practical techniques, classic float designs, diagrams, and championship-winning methods.
✅ Learn how to use wagglers, stick floats, pole floats and more
✅ Discover the history and evolution of float fishing
✅ Get pro tips and tactics used at the highest level
✅ Ideal for beginners and experienced match anglers alike
💻 Instant Download (PDF) — no waiting, no shipping
💳 Secure checkout with PayPal
👉 Order now and start reading within minutes.