Floater fishing

[Ian White]

Can anybody help me before i go totaly mad in my local lake there is a good number of big carp The problem is that whenever i put out a floating bait the birds eat it can anybody help with ideas to put them off
thanks

 

[BUDGIE BURGESS]

A major problem on many waters Ian.One ruse I have found with seagulls as opposed to ducks is that they dont seem so attracted to certain colours on different waters!Strange but true!As an example when I used to fish the Mid Kent Fisheries CMAC water at the Mill a mixer dyed red recieved very little attention from birds as opposed to a natural coloured one.Dont know why so just suck it and see.

 

[Jon Moores]

One bait that can be a fabulous ruse on many waters to annoy the ducks is marshmellow. They don't seem to be able to chew them in their beak. It is quite amusing to see them picking each one up and spitting it out , with them not you getting annoyed. Doubtless they will find a way to eat them in the end, but it should work for a while. I got some mixer sized marshmellows from Sainsburys

 

[Carp Angler]

The average duck eats about 15 mixer,coot 10, moorhen 10 and swan 30 before they get full up.
Unless your water is infested with them, feed them off.
I have found that the carp don't mind birds feeding around them.
If you cast in before the birds are full up then you are not allowing the carp long enough to get fully confident anyway.