Surface Fishing

New Kid · Aug 8, 2008

Tried surface fishing yesterday. I used floating dog biscuits with and without float.The carp took all of the freebies but left the hook bait . They just nudged the hook bait and left it. What am I doing wrong.All help appreciated.

Thank's

KAR · Aug 8, 2008

I've noticed that sometimes they will feel the hook before they take the bait so perhaps try burying it a little more.

trev (100M bronze) · Aug 8, 2008

if your going to feed dog biscuits then get yourself some of those imitation ones that have a small split shot in the bottom. That way you can put your hook into the top part of the biscuit which will be above the surface and the carp wont be able to feel the hook until its taken the bait into its mouth.

My own floater mix consists of a few dog biscuits a box of fishy flavoured cat biscuits a box of sugar puffs and a packet of popcorn. Mix em all together and put a handful into a pva bag, then look carefully into the bag and choose a sugar puff to put the hook into, you will end up with a bag of bait that can be cast a fair distance, they will all be different shapes sizes and flavours and the carp wont get preoccupied on one particular type, they will find it very difficult to suss out which one has a hook in. By the time they get to your sugar puff it will be very soggy and the hook will pull through it no probs.

give it a try and let us know how you get on.

New Kid · Aug 8, 2008

Thank's Kane and trev.I wont be going again til next week but will try your suggestions.

Barney 2 · Aug 9, 2008

I love surface fishing for a few hours of a summersevening, but darkness is nowclosing in earlier and earlier...

I have tried dog biscuits of various types, including artificial, but always seem togo back to freeling crust - size 2 hook on greased 8lb line straight through. Perhaps it's a confidence thing, but it seems to behow I get best results.

Having said that, trev's post is very interesting "wont get preoccupied..." Perhaps I should give artificials another go with a mix of freebies.

Not wanting to hijack New Kid's post, but - trev - presumably your using (perhaps) a size twelve hook and tying on the bag somehow? I would be gratefull if you could expand how you make the sugerpuffs work!

Thanks.

trev (100M bronze) · Aug 9, 2008

Yes BArney something like a 12 or a 10 as light a guage as ive got in my bag at the time. I dont tie the bag on at all I simply fill the solid bag with a handfull of the mix tie it off and seal it then I choose a sugar puff close to the edge of the bag and put my hook directly into it through the side of the bag. The whole thing is than cast out and because the bag weighs a bit you dont need any controllers or floats etc. Once the bag lands on the water it floats because it is a solid bag with no puncture holes in it (and the contents are bouyant as well/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif), it will dissolve and leave a small area of various size articles for the carp to munch on. Simple innit.

The only other thing I do is rub some of that lipsalve stuff onto my line just to help it stay on the surface. Keep an eye on your line and strike when you see it move.

I normally have a dozen or so pva bags made up in my bag just in case.

Frothey · Aug 9, 2008

it'll float if you use mesh, the contents are bouyant and mesh can normally be cast more accurately

trev (100M bronze) · Aug 9, 2008

I always use solid bags for this type of fishing. How does using mesh make casting any more accurate ? Thats almost the same as saying a plastic covered lead wont be as accurate as a plain lead. For the relatively short distance you can get with just a bag on it makes no difference at all

Cakey · Aug 9, 2008

Trevmesh is 10 times better than solid bag ............quicker times and less mess on your mixers ,try it in a bowl of water I was surprised

In fact I tried it with cold water straight out of the tap and the solid bag didnt dissolve !

Cakey · Aug 9, 2008

Ive had carp of the top all year round so you do need it to dissolve in cold water

trev (100M bronze) · Aug 9, 2008

so its a dissolve time issue then not casting accuracy ? OK I understand that mesh dissolves quicker and ive seen the youtube clip that you put up a while ago. I do in fact use both mesh and solid forms of pva in my persuit of all things fishy. I just happen to use solid bags for surface fishing thats all.

Cakey · Aug 9, 2008

Trev ...just try a bag in a bowl of water and watch (with mixers in )

Frothey · Aug 9, 2008

the air can flow through it and you can pack the bags tighter/rounder than you can with a bag, so they tend to fly straighter. only an issue at any sort of range.

but use whatever you're confident with.....

Barney 2 · Aug 9, 2008

Thanks for expanding trev, I can see your using the strengh of the bag for the hook not to pull out of the sugerpuff on the cast - unless your using a more robust sort of puff from what I remember!

I am sure it would soon become obvious if there was an issue with dissolve times...

Thanks again - definately one to try!

trev (100M bronze) · Aug 9, 2008

Frothy and Cakey ive taken your advice on board and I did edit my post to reflect that. Barney its just another option to try. I know it works for me and I use it 80% of the time I surface fish. The other 20 % I use the bread roll rig but that has its own set of contencious issues lol

Cakey · Aug 9, 2008

dont start me off again

trev (100M bronze) · Aug 9, 2008

bread with a pva bag perhaps lol

/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif

Cakey · Aug 9, 2008

/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Surface Fishing

New Kid

New member

KAR

New member

trev (100M bronze)

Well-known member

New Kid

New member

Barney 2

Well-known member

trev (100M bronze)

Well-known member

Frothey

Guest

trev (100M bronze)

Well-known member

Cakey

Guest

Cakey

Guest

trev (100M bronze)

Well-known member

Cakey

Guest

Frothey

Guest

Barney 2

Well-known member

trev (100M bronze)

Well-known member

Cakey

Guest

trev (100M bronze)

Well-known member

Cakey

Guest