the method or pva?

supgen · Aug 5, 2009

just wondered what the majority of specci anglers are using

for me its the method. totally underated for the bigger girls... but tends to have a better chance on waters with a high stock density.

p.s. im not saying there arnt other great methods out there, just wondering out of the two

Stealph Viper · Aug 5, 2009

I guess it's horses for courses, on one day it could be the method that is the winning method, the next day it could be a small pva bag.
If i was searching a swim for fish, i would use pva bags, if i wanted to build a swim up i would use a method feeder and re cast it every 5 minutes or there abouts.
Then there's the weather, i wouldn't use PVA bags if it was chucking it down.

Tight Lines

issimmo · Aug 6, 2009

If I would have to choose between the 2, I would go for the PVA. I think you have more options with pva then the method. If I want to bild up a swim I would use a spod not a method feeder, coz I think a feeder crashing over the fishes head won't do much good for their confidence. With pva you can use a bag, a string, a stick or a combination of them. And you can cover the lead in a thin layer of paste, the same that the boilies are made from, only more potent, and have the benefit of the method without scaring the fish.

Graham Marsden · Aug 6, 2009

Jonnie, I've added another field to the poll as the just the two don't really cover it.

Frothey · Aug 6, 2009

issimmo said:
I think you have more options with pva then the method. If I want to bild up a swim I would use a spod not a method feeder, coz I think a feeder crashing over the fishes head won't do much good for their confidence.

but a spod will? method balls don't have to be football sized, you also can be a bit more creative with additives than you can be with pva....

supgen · Aug 6, 2009

graham, check my first post, as I say I know there are plenty of other lines of attack that will outfish these on their day, I was just wanting a discussion about these two though.

these two techniques allow a very tight area of bait to be fairly accurately casted.

ok so you could use a huge maggot feeder if you like, but only really for maggots... or a groundbait feeder if you wished, but I've never come accross ones designed for bigger fish.

a spod wont set a concealed trap around your hookbait, not like these two will anyway IMO.

One of the things I have picked up on using the method with a strong-binding mix, it will cause the fish to really havits e a go at it- then they lose all there nervousness.

I get a great adrenaline rush from watching carp attack your method feeder, I swear they pick the whole job lot up in their mouths!

---------- Post added at 13:26 ---------- Previous post was at 13:21 ----------

re the poll change- kinda defeats the point a little? I was kind of looking to see which one people would prefer to use.... I think pretty much all will chose the new option, dont you think?

farleybob · Aug 6, 2009

I prefer pva, simple reason being I can make a good dose of them up before going and they are easy to hand.

supgen · Aug 6, 2009

is that with the stocking mesh stuff?

I used to use that stuff a fair bit and it gets expensive, but it aint half deadly, especially with grounbait like a dynamite stick.

suppose it depends what pva tyle you intemd to use- solid bags with the lead inside are a wee bit trickier.

Steve Spiller · Aug 6, 2009

Sorry Jonny I just voted for the new option.

It depends a bit on depth for me and distance, I know you've talked about good binders on the method, but to be honest I'm never 100% sure it has all held together.

With a pva bag or stocking I feel 100% confident it has done what it should have.

So in say 6-8 foot of water I'd choose the method, deeper than that and I'd go for pva.

Specihunter · Aug 6, 2009

Both my 2 james farrow wins came from each carp solid pva and the tench on the method. With me it's metod in the margins ,pva out in the open.

Frothey · Aug 7, 2009

Steve Spiller said:
Sorry Jonny I just voted for the new option.

It depends a bit on depth for me and distance, I know you've talked about good binders on the method, but to be honest I'm never 100% sure it has all held together.

With a pva bag or stocking I feel 100% confident it has done what it should have.

So in say 6-8 foot of water I'd choose the method, deeper than that and I'd go for pva.

shouldn't it be the other way around steve? there's more chance of the bag dissolving before it got to the bottom in deep water than a method ball breaking up.

Steve Spiller said:
but to be honest I'm never 100% sure it has all held together.

and if a method ball doesn't hold together, it only looks like a pva presentation anyway.

I'm also not sure why Speci said method in the margins, bag in open water.

as said, drop a big pva bag of pellet and a method ball in the margin, go back an hour later and spot the difference.

r1paul · Aug 7, 2009

I would have thought that either would get down pretty quick but then with the pva it could be down to the quality of the net/ bags used.

I must admit that I can`t work out why Speci would use the method in the margins unless the margins in question are unaccessible .

supgen · Aug 8, 2009

Les Clark said:
I would have thought that either would get down pretty quick but then with the pva it could be down to the quality of the net/ bags used.

I must admit that I can`t work out why Speci would use the method in the margins unless the margins in question are unaccessible .

Frothey said:
shouldn't it be the other way around steve? there's more chance of the bag dissolving before it got to the bottom in deep water than a method ball breaking up.

and if a method ball doesn't hold together, it only looks like a pva presentation anyway.

I'm also not sure why Speci said method in the margins, bag in open water.

as said, drop a big pva bag of pellet and a method ball in the margin, go back an hour later and spot the difference.

I'd say a method would sink quicker as there is less trapped air in the mix, and the whole lot is quite aerodynamic.

If you want a really strong binding mix try 3mm pellets soaked the night before with a little boiling water and salmon oil, deadly

I like pva, don't get me wrong, there is no better way IMO to get loose bait around your hook so accurately, its just that the method is a much more failsafe approach. for example some pva bags leave residue, there not great when its raining, accidentally dunk them and you have to start all over again, everything has to be properly prepared and there is only a select number of baits that are compatible for this approach.

but you do have to get your hands dirty with the method. I apologise now for sounding so bias towards the method, its not my intention

just my experiences.

issimmo · Aug 8, 2009

Frothey said:
but a spod will? method balls don't have to be football sized, you also can be a bit more creative with additives than you can be with pva....

I think 2 spods will make less noise then 5 method feeders. 2-3 spods will be out in about a minute, while 10 method feeders cast every 5 mins will disturb the swim for longer. I'm talking about fishing for bigger fish, if I'm trying to catch just fish then a method feeder will be fine.

CatmanDan (emmo Jnr) · Aug 8, 2009

The method worked for me at Elphicks- north lake on the 08 FM catfish-in. I was casting some 70 - 90 yrds with a modest "tennis ball" size of method mix bombing the water. Over 48 hours had 5 carp to 29LB 10oz and a cat of 26 LB. Had a couple of hook pulls , lost a big cat and had loads of fish in my swim going by the amount of liners caused by the fish nudging my method ball as they feed on it. If its a big enough water I always have 1 or 2 rods out of the three on the method and the other on pva mesh balls. I`ve never liked the pva bag much as I have used them but found the melt down time was way to long and I was using them in the summer but I think its cause they were too thick but they were cheap and there some 6 years old. I`d rather use my catapult to get boilies or big 21mm pellets down to 6mm pellets out nothing smaller as they land at your feet. Sometimes use the spod but I`m not a fan of it. The catapult is so under rated in the carp world. I do want to try quality pva bags filled with attracted oils as they seem to work well

Frothey · Aug 8, 2009

issimmo said:
I think 2 spods will make less noise then 5 method feeders. 2-3 spods will be out in about a minute, while 10 method feeders cast every 5 mins will disturb the swim for longer. I'm talking about fishing for bigger fish, if I'm trying to catch just fish then a method feeder will be fine.

you can get just as much bait out with 2 method balls as two normal sized spods - why cast 5? and you would have to cast a rig, then 2 spods as opposed to 1 ball with a catapult, and 1 "baited" cast...... why cast every 5 mins?

why would bigger fish be scared of a method ball going in, and not a spod?

CatmanDan (emmo Jnr) · Aug 8, 2009

With the method the fish will be feeding within 6" of your hookbait, unlike fish feeding over a bed of bait with the spod as not everyone can cast to the same spot each time there will be a few stray casts but not everyone will be man enough to admit that as "there all hitting the sweet spot everytime" yeah right whatever and we`ve all heard it. At least with a catapult your sort of minicking nature as birds fly over lakes dropping food hitting the water obviously if your catapulting 1 or 2 at a time and works well when fishing by over hanging trees constantly throwing or catapulting singular boilies or baits in

Ian Gemson · Aug 8, 2009

I have recently started to use the Method again after leaving it in the bottom of my box for years. I would normally spod a tight area of bait and fish small PVA bags of pellets over the top. The Spod/PVA system wins on accuracy every time as you can spod clipped up to a very accurate target and clip and mark your fishing lines to the same spot. Now with the method alought you can mark and clip up the fishing line when using the method I have found it very difficult without a marker out in the lake to get the same sort of accuracy when firing gound bait balls out to the target area either with a catipult or one of those luanching cups used on a spod rod.

So at the moment I am still edging towards the Spod/PVA system just for shere accuracy.

Cakey · Aug 8, 2009

right this is what I get when I click on link or image
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/_DSC3343.jpg
must point out that if I click the "switch editor mode" the hyperlink works ok

Frothey · Aug 9, 2009

why fire out extra "freebies" though Ian? there's as much attraction in a method ball as a couple of spods. is a spread of bait via spod always the best method, seeing as "everyone" does the same thing?

the method or pva?

method or pva?

method

pva

Either, according to where and when

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Editor Emeritus

Senior Member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Senior Member