Mix and match
Always match your mainline and hooklength to the elastic you are using. Lines with diameters between 0.05mm and 0.08mm are best suited to numbers one and two elastic. Lines between 0.08mm and 0.10mm are the best matched to elastic three and four. Lines from 0.10mm through to 0.12mm should be used with grade five and six. For grade eight and ten use 0.12mm and 0.13mm lines, and for number 12 elastic and above, use no finder than that 0.13mm line.
Be careful
Whether you are buying a brand-new pole or a second-hand one, you must check all the joints and sections carefully. The ends of every section need to be smooth and free from any hairline fractures. Check the walls strength of each section, particularly numbers three, four and five, by squeezing them gently. These three sections are the most likely ones to break.
Be selective
Make sure that you select the right pole float to suit the fishing conditions. If you are fishing a river, opt for a body-up pattern which will ride the flowing water well. Deep stillwaters require a body-down, or pear-shaped float which provides a stable, oval floats are really best suited o situations such as canals, shallow stillwaters and sluggish rivers.
Threes best
Remember that it is always worthwhile using three small strips of silicone tubing for attaching your pole float to the mainline. Using these strips helps to ensure that the float does not slip down the line when you are playing fish. Dont forget too, that the bottom-most silicone strip should overlap the floats stem by a small amount, as this minimises the chances that your rig will get tangled.
On reflection
Look carefully at the waters surface before selecting your pole rig. If the water is shaded and dark, use a yellow-tipped float. If it reflects the sky and is almost white, go for a black-tipped float. If there are ripples and distorted, multi-coloured reflections, your best choice would be a red-tipped float.
Double up
Whether you are a match angler or a pleasure angler, it is always worthwhile making up at least two of every rig. If you do break the rig on a fish or snag, or make a mistake and the rig tangles, you can always resort to your second rig within seconds.
Make a note
When making up your rig, it helps to mark the side of your winder with the relevant information. Write, in a fine permanent marker pen, the rig length, the mainline breaking strain and diameter, the weight of the float, hook size and pattern.
Sit up straight
Holding a pole for long durations can lead to backache, but only if you havent positioned your seatbox correctly. Try to adjust your seat height so that your feet are flat to the floor and your things are parallel to the horizon. In this position you can steady your pole by pressing the butt section onto your thigh with your forearm.
Size does matter
Matching hook size to bait puts more fish in your net, and thats a fact. For the likes of maggot and casters, use fine wire hooks between sizes 22 and 18. For hemp a fine wire, gape size 20 or 18 hook is ideal. Punched bread requires a lightweight, long shank hook with a curved-in point. Size 18 or 20 are ideal for bread. Paste is totally different. You can mould this around the hook, so you can get away with any size from an 18 through to a size eight. If carp are the quarry, use a hook made from a strong wire.
Be prepared
Pole fishing for carp requires strong, stout tackle and fast reflexes. Carp will often bolt after they have been hooked, so it makes sense to be prepared. Have at least two spare butt sections set up behind you, ready to add at any moment, if a fish heads directly away from you.
Think small
Shotting pole floats correctly requires the tiniest of shot. Forget about BBs, AAAs and SSGs were talking number 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and even number 13. These tiny shot enable even the finest pole float bristles to be dotted down so they register even slight even knocks on the bait.
Select the right hook
The delicate floats, tiny shot and fine lines used in pole fishing all combine to make perfect presentations, which trick a lot of fish into taking the bait. This can quickly be ruined simply by using the wrong hook. Avoid tick, heavy, eyed hooks, especially when fishing fine for the likes of bream, roach and skimmers, and opt for spade-end hooks. They are generally finer and lighter, so offer better hookbait presentation.
Don't forget
It has been said million times before, but you must plumb the depth of your swim carefully on every single session. you will be able to locate any ledges, holes, bars and dropoffs, which may hold plenty of fish.
Hit the bull's eye
You will not find a more accurate device for loosefeeding or introducing small balls of groundbait than a pole cup. this is a brilliant little inventio that is perfect for laying down a bed of feed at the start of your session.
Get it covered
take a leaf out of the match angler's handbook and tie your hooks at home. under these circumstance you are not rushed, you have everything to hand and can prepare a vast array of hook and hooklength combinations, sufficient to cover all eventualities.
Make your mark
once you have plumbed the depth, it is vitally important to mark the point at which your float lies. there are many ways to do this, but i have my marker pen idea to be simplest. all you do is clour your line with a permanent pen, just above the pole float's eye.
Line them up
if you want to keep a steady run of fish coming to your net. you must feed two or more areas regularly. three or four maggots, casters, grains of hemp or sweetcorn, introduced every couple of minutes, will keep plenty of fish intersted throughout the day. if one area is devoid of fish, you can always try another area, and so on.
Drop in upstream
when fishing a bulk shot or olivette rig over a bed of groundbait, it is always best swing your hookbait upstream of the mix when putting in. this ensures that your hookbait reachse the bottom, well before it rides over the groundbait mix, and within reach of any fish sitting dirrectly over the groundbait.
Make good contact
when pole fishing it is necessary to strike with a firm, but controlled lift, so as to set the hook correctly into the fish's mouth. this is more so when fishing lighter elastics which haven't the power to push a hook home.
Try the margins
just because your pole is 11, 12 or 14 meters, it doesn't mean you always have to fish at this lenght many species, including carp and tench, can b found close to your feet, in the margins.
Pole floats
Dibber
venues suitable for cannal or stillwater.
conditions calm to windly
depth 3ft or less
stability stable when bait and shot touches bottom
bais caster, maggot, meat, worm and sweetcorn.
shotting place one shot on the bottom
top tip dibbers are best used for preenting a bait on the far side shelf of a canal.
Straight
venues suitable for shallow stillwaters.
conitions dead calm
depth 5ft or less
stability stable when shot with bulk just above hook
baits caster, maggot, pimkie and squatts
shotting place two dropper shots between bulk and hook
top tip always shot straight floats until only the bristle's tip is
showing.
Slim
venues suiable for canal, drain, stillwater or sluggish rivers
conditions calm
depth between 3 and 7 ft
stability stable when all shot settle
baits hemp, tares, maggots, casters and breadpunch
shotting shirt button style to catch fish on-the-drop
top tip the best float to use when fishing hemp and tares- give it a go
Pear
venues suitable for canal, drain and sillwaters.
coditions calm to a slight breeze
depth 6ft or less
stability low centre of gravity provides good stability
baits bloodworm, squatts, pinkies and casters
shotting best shot with small bulk incorporating smaller droppers below
top tip a great bloodworm and squatt float when fishing hard canals during winter.
Body-up
venue suitable for depp rivers
conditions calm to windy
depth any depth over 3ft
stability very stable
baits maggots, caster, worms, pinkiesand squatts
shotting preferably with an olivette followed by a series of dropper shot
top tip try holding this float back against the flow to make your bait flutter from the bottom to induce bites
Body-down
venue suitable for deep stillwaters
conditions calm to windy
depth any depth over 6ft
stability low centre of gravity provides great stability
baits caster, maggots, meat, worms, sweetcorn and pastes
shotting with an olivette coupled with a series of tiny dropper shot below
top tip have at lest 6in of line overdepth with the final dropper shot placed 2in off the bottom
Round
venue suitable for river or stillwaters
conditions best used in wind
depth between 4-10ft
stability longer stems aid stability
baits caster, naggots, breadpunch and pinkies
shotting best used shirt button style for fishing on-the-drop
top tip a versatile body shape great for either rivers or stillwaters. never be without one
Shallow
venue suitable fo sluggish rivers, canals or stillwaters
conditions calm to slight breeze
depth quite shallow presenting the bait mid-water
stability not very stable
baits maggot, caster, breadpunch and pinkie
shotting tiny shot placed shirt button style for fishing on-the-drop
top tip always keep your bait on the move when fishing up-in-the-water for either roach rudd bleak chub or carp.
fishing on bait, lures and flies tips
spotting freshness
When very fresh, large whites have obvious black spots of food inside them;the bigger the spot, the fresher the maggot.
Preventing escape
All maggots, but especially pinkies, are excellent climbers when wet, so shield them with your brolly when it rains. If they do get a bit wet, make sure you shut their bait box lids properly when you pack up, and transfer them to dry maize meal when you get home.
Black and white
Add a teaspoon of baking powder (bicarbonate of soda) to the water before cooking hemp. It turns the seeds a uniform black, so the white shoots show more clearly.
Tangle-free
Don't carry your plugs around jumbled up loose. They are bound to get into an almighty tangle.
Buy some plastic treble gruards to stop your plugs tangling... and to protect your fingers from injury.
Add flavour
If you want to experiment with different flavours, but don't want to go to the trouble of making your own boilies, buy frozen 'neutarl' boilies and bottles of concentrated liquid flavouring. Add about 30ml (about two tablespoons) of flavouring per 5lb (2.3kg) of boilies and reseal the bag. The boilies then absorb the flavouring as they begin to thaw out.
Get fresh
When you're asking the head of the household for a few slices of bread for fish bait, make sure you don't get fobbe off with stale stuff. it is good enough to attract the fish but it won't stay on the hook long enough to catch them.
Always go for the freshest you can get. keep it in a polythene bag so that it retains its moisture and keep it out of the sun -dry bread is good for making mash but useless for hook bait.
hooking crust
I recommnds that you push the hook, bend first, thriugh from the soft side until it breaks through the crust and the point is just clear. then wrap the line around the crust in a different place from where it broke through, trapping the line under the bend. this ensures that the bait does not fly off when casting.
cube-wise
you can fish firm cheese in cube form but on hard-fished waters fish are often wise to this shape. use your fingernails to rough up the corners of the bait, or try an unusual shape such as a pyramid.
Always match your mainline and hooklength to the elastic you are using. Lines with diameters between 0.05mm and 0.08mm are best suited to numbers one and two elastic. Lines between 0.08mm and 0.10mm are the best matched to elastic three and four. Lines from 0.10mm through to 0.12mm should be used with grade five and six. For grade eight and ten use 0.12mm and 0.13mm lines, and for number 12 elastic and above, use no finder than that 0.13mm line.
Be careful
Whether you are buying a brand-new pole or a second-hand one, you must check all the joints and sections carefully. The ends of every section need to be smooth and free from any hairline fractures. Check the walls strength of each section, particularly numbers three, four and five, by squeezing them gently. These three sections are the most likely ones to break.
Be selective
Make sure that you select the right pole float to suit the fishing conditions. If you are fishing a river, opt for a body-up pattern which will ride the flowing water well. Deep stillwaters require a body-down, or pear-shaped float which provides a stable, oval floats are really best suited o situations such as canals, shallow stillwaters and sluggish rivers.
Threes best
Remember that it is always worthwhile using three small strips of silicone tubing for attaching your pole float to the mainline. Using these strips helps to ensure that the float does not slip down the line when you are playing fish. Dont forget too, that the bottom-most silicone strip should overlap the floats stem by a small amount, as this minimises the chances that your rig will get tangled.
On reflection
Look carefully at the waters surface before selecting your pole rig. If the water is shaded and dark, use a yellow-tipped float. If it reflects the sky and is almost white, go for a black-tipped float. If there are ripples and distorted, multi-coloured reflections, your best choice would be a red-tipped float.
Double up
Whether you are a match angler or a pleasure angler, it is always worthwhile making up at least two of every rig. If you do break the rig on a fish or snag, or make a mistake and the rig tangles, you can always resort to your second rig within seconds.
Make a note
When making up your rig, it helps to mark the side of your winder with the relevant information. Write, in a fine permanent marker pen, the rig length, the mainline breaking strain and diameter, the weight of the float, hook size and pattern.
Sit up straight
Holding a pole for long durations can lead to backache, but only if you havent positioned your seatbox correctly. Try to adjust your seat height so that your feet are flat to the floor and your things are parallel to the horizon. In this position you can steady your pole by pressing the butt section onto your thigh with your forearm.
Size does matter
Matching hook size to bait puts more fish in your net, and thats a fact. For the likes of maggot and casters, use fine wire hooks between sizes 22 and 18. For hemp a fine wire, gape size 20 or 18 hook is ideal. Punched bread requires a lightweight, long shank hook with a curved-in point. Size 18 or 20 are ideal for bread. Paste is totally different. You can mould this around the hook, so you can get away with any size from an 18 through to a size eight. If carp are the quarry, use a hook made from a strong wire.
Be prepared
Pole fishing for carp requires strong, stout tackle and fast reflexes. Carp will often bolt after they have been hooked, so it makes sense to be prepared. Have at least two spare butt sections set up behind you, ready to add at any moment, if a fish heads directly away from you.
Think small
Shotting pole floats correctly requires the tiniest of shot. Forget about BBs, AAAs and SSGs were talking number 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and even number 13. These tiny shot enable even the finest pole float bristles to be dotted down so they register even slight even knocks on the bait.
Select the right hook
The delicate floats, tiny shot and fine lines used in pole fishing all combine to make perfect presentations, which trick a lot of fish into taking the bait. This can quickly be ruined simply by using the wrong hook. Avoid tick, heavy, eyed hooks, especially when fishing fine for the likes of bream, roach and skimmers, and opt for spade-end hooks. They are generally finer and lighter, so offer better hookbait presentation.
Don't forget
It has been said million times before, but you must plumb the depth of your swim carefully on every single session. you will be able to locate any ledges, holes, bars and dropoffs, which may hold plenty of fish.
Hit the bull's eye
You will not find a more accurate device for loosefeeding or introducing small balls of groundbait than a pole cup. this is a brilliant little inventio that is perfect for laying down a bed of feed at the start of your session.
Get it covered
take a leaf out of the match angler's handbook and tie your hooks at home. under these circumstance you are not rushed, you have everything to hand and can prepare a vast array of hook and hooklength combinations, sufficient to cover all eventualities.
Make your mark
once you have plumbed the depth, it is vitally important to mark the point at which your float lies. there are many ways to do this, but i have my marker pen idea to be simplest. all you do is clour your line with a permanent pen, just above the pole float's eye.
Line them up
if you want to keep a steady run of fish coming to your net. you must feed two or more areas regularly. three or four maggots, casters, grains of hemp or sweetcorn, introduced every couple of minutes, will keep plenty of fish intersted throughout the day. if one area is devoid of fish, you can always try another area, and so on.
Drop in upstream
when fishing a bulk shot or olivette rig over a bed of groundbait, it is always best swing your hookbait upstream of the mix when putting in. this ensures that your hookbait reachse the bottom, well before it rides over the groundbait mix, and within reach of any fish sitting dirrectly over the groundbait.
Make good contact
when pole fishing it is necessary to strike with a firm, but controlled lift, so as to set the hook correctly into the fish's mouth. this is more so when fishing lighter elastics which haven't the power to push a hook home.
Try the margins
just because your pole is 11, 12 or 14 meters, it doesn't mean you always have to fish at this lenght many species, including carp and tench, can b found close to your feet, in the margins.
Pole floats
Dibber
venues suitable for cannal or stillwater.
conditions calm to windly
depth 3ft or less
stability stable when bait and shot touches bottom
bais caster, maggot, meat, worm and sweetcorn.
shotting place one shot on the bottom
top tip dibbers are best used for preenting a bait on the far side shelf of a canal.
Straight
venues suitable for shallow stillwaters.
conitions dead calm
depth 5ft or less
stability stable when shot with bulk just above hook
baits caster, maggot, pimkie and squatts
shotting place two dropper shots between bulk and hook
top tip always shot straight floats until only the bristle's tip is
showing.
Slim
venues suiable for canal, drain, stillwater or sluggish rivers
conditions calm
depth between 3 and 7 ft
stability stable when all shot settle
baits hemp, tares, maggots, casters and breadpunch
shotting shirt button style to catch fish on-the-drop
top tip the best float to use when fishing hemp and tares- give it a go
Pear
venues suitable for canal, drain and sillwaters.
coditions calm to a slight breeze
depth 6ft or less
stability low centre of gravity provides good stability
baits bloodworm, squatts, pinkies and casters
shotting best shot with small bulk incorporating smaller droppers below
top tip a great bloodworm and squatt float when fishing hard canals during winter.
Body-up
venue suitable for depp rivers
conditions calm to windy
depth any depth over 3ft
stability very stable
baits maggots, caster, worms, pinkiesand squatts
shotting preferably with an olivette followed by a series of dropper shot
top tip try holding this float back against the flow to make your bait flutter from the bottom to induce bites
Body-down
venue suitable for deep stillwaters
conditions calm to windy
depth any depth over 6ft
stability low centre of gravity provides great stability
baits caster, maggots, meat, worms, sweetcorn and pastes
shotting with an olivette coupled with a series of tiny dropper shot below
top tip have at lest 6in of line overdepth with the final dropper shot placed 2in off the bottom
Round
venue suitable for river or stillwaters
conditions best used in wind
depth between 4-10ft
stability longer stems aid stability
baits caster, naggots, breadpunch and pinkies
shotting best used shirt button style for fishing on-the-drop
top tip a versatile body shape great for either rivers or stillwaters. never be without one
Shallow
venue suitable fo sluggish rivers, canals or stillwaters
conditions calm to slight breeze
depth quite shallow presenting the bait mid-water
stability not very stable
baits maggot, caster, breadpunch and pinkie
shotting tiny shot placed shirt button style for fishing on-the-drop
top tip always keep your bait on the move when fishing up-in-the-water for either roach rudd bleak chub or carp.
fishing on bait, lures and flies tips
spotting freshness
When very fresh, large whites have obvious black spots of food inside them;the bigger the spot, the fresher the maggot.
Preventing escape
All maggots, but especially pinkies, are excellent climbers when wet, so shield them with your brolly when it rains. If they do get a bit wet, make sure you shut their bait box lids properly when you pack up, and transfer them to dry maize meal when you get home.
Black and white
Add a teaspoon of baking powder (bicarbonate of soda) to the water before cooking hemp. It turns the seeds a uniform black, so the white shoots show more clearly.
Tangle-free
Don't carry your plugs around jumbled up loose. They are bound to get into an almighty tangle.
Buy some plastic treble gruards to stop your plugs tangling... and to protect your fingers from injury.
Add flavour
If you want to experiment with different flavours, but don't want to go to the trouble of making your own boilies, buy frozen 'neutarl' boilies and bottles of concentrated liquid flavouring. Add about 30ml (about two tablespoons) of flavouring per 5lb (2.3kg) of boilies and reseal the bag. The boilies then absorb the flavouring as they begin to thaw out.
Get fresh
When you're asking the head of the household for a few slices of bread for fish bait, make sure you don't get fobbe off with stale stuff. it is good enough to attract the fish but it won't stay on the hook long enough to catch them.
Always go for the freshest you can get. keep it in a polythene bag so that it retains its moisture and keep it out of the sun -dry bread is good for making mash but useless for hook bait.
hooking crust
I recommnds that you push the hook, bend first, thriugh from the soft side until it breaks through the crust and the point is just clear. then wrap the line around the crust in a different place from where it broke through, trapping the line under the bend. this ensures that the bait does not fly off when casting.
cube-wise
you can fish firm cheese in cube form but on hard-fished waters fish are often wise to this shape. use your fingernails to rough up the corners of the bait, or try an unusual shape such as a pyramid.
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