Paste in the margins

[dead peg]

Not a bait to fish this time of year but Ive seen other anglers bag up on paste fishing the margin pole .. but although Ive tried , its something Ive never got to grips with .

Can anyone help please ?

I'm not sure on the best way to make the best paste ? From groundbait (which type) or scolded/wet pellets ? Do I add eggs to bind ?

Should the weight of the paste at dead depth help cock the small pole float , so you know if its still on the hook ? If so whats a good rig/set-up to use ?

Also the hooks seems small to the size of bait used , 16-18's with a thumb sized piece of paste on it ? With that in mind would a small banded pellet help keep the paste on the hook or impede the bite and stop the fish slurping the soft paste in ?

Shipping it out can be a problem also at times , even at less than 9 mtrs out

Cheers Gents .

 

[sagalout]

Probably the best way to get an answer to this is youtube and search for paste fishing. There are hours of videos, look at the ones from steve ringer, waters edge tv, etc.

 

[Tee-Cee]

I have to ask why use a Pole and small hooks with paste in such locations, although it depends on the species you're after, and I have to say I wouldn't regard '9m' you mention as 'margin fishing', or am I missing the point?
If fishing the margins it would seem to me that a rod/reel offers far more control 'close in' but then I'm talking of a metre or so from the bank!
Yes, I can appreciate the ability to have more control as to where the float is dropped (close to overhangs etc) with a Pole, but this can also be achieved with rod and line and without the need for 'shipping' (?)

NOTE! I am NOT questioning your method, only offering an alternative point of view........

BTW, you didn't mention what fish you're after.................


ps Of course I could be talking a load of tosh!!

 

[jacksharp]

Tarvin Sands fishery (if you get out that way at all) near to Chester, sell bags of paste mix which I think are just pellets ground to powder. I mixed this 50/50 with Dynamite Baits Red Krill groundbait, and put some Krill flavouring in water and mixed till I got it how I wanted it (soft but not sloppy) then froze it in cricket ball sized lumps.

I use a long paste float and shot it so that it cocks with around 2" of bristle out of the water. When plumbing up I set the depth so that half an inch of float is showing. When you are fishing, the ball of paste replaces the plummet and you are then fishing dead-depth. Bites are usually sail-aways and if the paste softens and falls off then your float pops up to 2" showing above the water and it's time to re-bait.

Shipping out is solved by placing a pole pot around 2 ft from your tip (any closer and you risk tangling the rig) and shipping out with the paste ball in the pot then tipping it gently in. If the paste comes off while dropping to the bottom using this method then it's just too soft so stiffen it up with a bit more groundbait.

9m isn't too long for a margin pole as there may be features in the margins that you want to reach and it's always handy to have sections to put on if you go and hook a real lump that's hard to control on a short length. However you can have real fun using the same rig on a long rod and centrepin if you fancy it.


.

 

[iannate]

I'm not sure on the best way to make the best paste ?

There are hundreds of ways to make paste.

From groundbait (which type) or scolded/wet pellets ?

Search for recipes on the net and have a play.

Do I add eggs to bind ?

If you are using a boilie type mix as paste then yes.

Should the weight of the paste at dead depth help cock the small pole float , so you know if its still on the hook ? If so whats a good rig/set-up to use ?

You often use the paste to cock the float, so fishing dead depth is the norm, this way if the float will lies flat or bobs up. yopu either have a fish or have lost the bait.

Also the hooks seems small to the size of bait used , 16-18's with a thumb sized piece of paste on it ?

Use a bigger hook if you feel it is too small, but be prepared to scale back down if needed.

With that in mind would a small banded pellet help keep the paste on the hook

Yes, you can also get spring, bait cages, paste cages and other assorted items to help the paste stay on.

or impede the bite and stop the fish slurping the soft paste in ?

It shouldn't if you have tied the hair correctly. I would avoid mounting the band on to the hook and use a hair, the paste can be molded around the bend of the hook.


Paste, as a bait, can vary in consistency, it has been used for hundreds of years but more usually in a stiffer form which is more durable, and can even use soap The bags of paste mix you find in the tackle shops; or recipes using groundbait and various other ingredients; are generally much softer and are designed to fall apart quite quickly.

So there are two main types of paste fishing soft and stiff. The softer types are more usually used with floats close in, and the stiffer [which can be like plasticine] can be fished further out - freelined, legered, swim-feeder, float, pva etc.

The softer paste is generally used as hook bait and feed at the same time. The bait is lowered into the swim and if a fish does not take the bait , then it falls off the hook feeding the swim, this can be built up over hours if needed.

The stiffer paste was the fore-runner to boilies. This can be left in your swim for longer since it takes some time to fall off the hook / hair rig. If can be a good way to find where the fish are at this time of year [winter] before the introduction of feed.

When trying any new method, you need to be prepared for a steep learning curve; it is very much trial and error, but the rewards can far out weigh the effort. If using the softer mix, it can be quite worrying since you don't know if there is any bait on your hook; you don't know if the bait has fallen off half way down, you don't know if the mix is too stiff; however; by making sure you plumb up correctly, use the correct size float you will know. Once you have had a few bites and caught a few fish, you will have a better idea.

Perseverance is the key to any method of fishing, some will not appeal, and others will give you those days you dream of.

 

[davebike]

I do this a lot in warm weather
I mostly use ground bait based paste I like Swimsim either the green or the krill or a mix of both mis 50/50 with water add more if needed go as soft as you can manage
I use a pot 200 mm from the end of the pole and a cloths peg or similar further down the pole at right angles to the pot
With the hook in the pot the line runes around the peg leaving just a little sag

Rig wise I use strong hooks from 16 up to a 8
Float I get bast results with just a Long float tip 145MM from ebay with the bottom plugged held on with two or three bits silicone it takes .2g. Set it so 20 mm shows in the middle of the target area no shot 10 to 30mm ball of paste

Ship out and with tip close to water drop bait float cocks slowley
bites either sail away or lift float lifts when bait falls off 2/3 mins

Remember if close to snags, common in margin heavy gear both elastic and line


My best 12lb carp and a 18 catfish both on no10 hook to 0.20 line and 20 hollow elastic

Dave

 

[dead peg]

Thanks for the help chaps .Some great tips there
When I said 9mtrs (or less) it was along the margin to my left and not 9mtrs straight out , I should have made that clearer .As yous said it can be a great method to fish on certain venues with the right conditions , so although its a bit difficult to get right the rewards will be worth it and I'm determined to put the time in .Also I enjoy learning new fishing methods
Sometimes in the Summer I go for 10 hour+ sessions .My thinking is I'll fish the method feeder mostly but always feed the margins along my peg so I can alternate between the method feeder & margin pole and keep the bites coming.

Cheers