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 baited hook 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;
- thirdly, as a terminal tackle, it adds mass and allows the hook and bait to be cast farther against air resistance;
- and lastly, due to its buoyancy, it can carry the baited hook to otherwise inaccessible areas of water by drifting along the prevailing current.