paste fishing

Is it best to fish this style with any shot down the line or should I put bulk of say No 8s a little way up to undershot the float. What can you advise guys. I was going to put a No 12 hook on, and fish straight through with 4lb line as most of the carp are arount the 3-4lb mark with the occassional 12lb. Have 12-14 elastic through 2 sections. Do you think this set up is ok.

Trevor, dont use any shot on the line at all. Use a large paste float(0.75 gram) and set the rig at dead depth using a plummet and then replace it with a knob of soft paste ( halibut pelllets make great paste) moulded around a large size 10 hook. Carefully lower the paste into the swim until the the tip is just showing ( adjust depth if needed). Ignore all movements and quick dips. When you get a take it will rip the elastic out. If the paste comes off or dissolves as it should, scattering smells and particles on the bottom, the float will lie flat or the tip rise out of the water. Never use a hook length myself ,always fish straight through,as it reduces the weak links. 0.12 or 4 lbs would be OK. Your elastic set up is fine.
The key to paste fishing is not to make the paste too stiff and to get into a feeding rythmn-20 pellets every 30 secs and you'll have to lash yourself to a tree to stop them dragging you in! Good luck.

Hi Guys. Have just got back from fishing weekend. Tried out the paste. I cheated a bit though I bought some ready made paste. It worked a treat. Followed advice you all gave Had some nice carp. It helped that where I went you cant help but catch. They throw themselves on the hook. Anyway thanks for all the advice and tips. I would recomend this style to anyone.

Ive just searched on "paste" as I was having difficulty shotting my float so that the tip comes up when the paste falls off, and I found this thread. I will give it another go with just paste on the hook and no shot at all. Although it seems a bit alien to float fish with no shot on lol.

I tend to use the ringers paste mix that you just add a bit of water to. Its a great paste and very easy to use. If pole fishing I usually overwet it slightly to get that "just about clinging onto the hook" consistency. If using it with a float set up, I follow the instructions exactly and use an atomiser to get the paste just about stiff enough for a light flick cast.

As above, no shot. Just have about 2mm of float showing. If fishing up in the margins I sometimes set up so the float is actually just under the surface of the water and I wait for it to completely disappear from vision before lifting into the bite. This tends to work when bites become a little shy.