Two more things need to be mentioned to wrap up my remarks about terminal tackle.
The first point is that when you are assembling your terminal tackle for a session with float tackle, particularly on a stillwater venue, it makes quite a difference if you think carefully about just how far above the hook you position the shot or other small weight that is the lowest weight on the tackle, that is the weight nearest the hook.
Anglers call this weight the 'telltale weight' because it influences how bites register on the float.
The nearer the hook the weight is, the sooner the float registers the fact that a fish is mouthing your bait.
The further the weight is from the hook, the longer it takes for a biting fish to feel resistance and spit out the bait.
As your experience of fishing grows, you should find it easier to judge how near to the hook you position the telltale shot, depending on just how confidently the fish are feeding on any particular day.
And it does not have to be a split shot because I much prefer to tie a tiny swivel into my tackle for the telltale rather than a shot.
The other thing that is worth consideration is just what make of monofilament line you use on your to have as your terminal tackle.
I prefer to use one or the other of the modern so-called 'hi-tech' monofilaments which are fine in diameter.
Beware though, for various people who own and know how to use special tools to accurately test both thickness in millimetres and the true breaking strain.
Several people in recent years have accurately tested various makes of line and found out that in a surprising number of cases the thickness and breaking strain on the spools by manufacturers are misleading and inaccurate.
Often the lines are thicker than stated and often the lines break before they reach the stated breaking strain.
We need some qualified person to test most of the brands of line on sale and publish the true thickness and breaking strain of each of them.