What am I doing wrong?

[magellan]

I returned to fishing a couple of years ago, but obviously it was a different game from when I last drowned maggots. I missed all last year with a shoulder injury, and have come back to it this year. So far I’ve fished my local commercials settling on Bradshaws in Bolton. The main problem I’m having is failing to hook the bites I’m getting.

I’m trying to get to grips with the wagler, fishing various baits on hair rig/quickstops. I’m getting a decent number of bites, but converting very few into hooked and landed fish. I’m thinking bait/hook size ratio, to give you examples 6mm cube of luncheon on a size 12 or grains of corn on a size 16?? All this using a 13’ match rod, I’ve not tried pellets yet. Any suggestions guys?

Mike

 

[peter crabtree]

Have you tried putting yout meat/ corn directly on the hook?

 

[greenie62]

Hi Mike,
Sorry to hear about your shoulder - on the mend?
I've seen a mate take 200lb (3 keepnets!) of fish on Bradshaws in a 5hr match - all on pellet - corn and meat usually do OK there but normally on the tip using method feeder - wrattling great bites!
Missing bites I normally put down to "tooo slow - missed it by a mile!" - that could just be me though!
Tight Lines:thumbs:

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

If you are fishing bait on a hair rig then missing bites it may be smaller fish taking the bait but not the hook

try hooking the bait direct to the hook

if you want to hair rig fish on the bottom maybe an inch or two over depth on the float or try a ledger rig

 

[robtherake]

...or tie a shorter hair, perhaps?

 

[magellan]

Cheers guys, I understand the suggestions to try ledgering but I’m trying to get to grips with wagler before moving on, don’t know if that’s practical but C'est la vie. Will try the bait on hook theory, don’t know why I didn’t try that :doh:


Mike

 

[rayner]

You don't say what diameter hook link.
For pellet waggler I would use .14 or a maximum .16 to a 18s hook and use a banded 6 mm or 8mm pellet. I prefer a very short hair.
I find smaller hook and lighter lines get me more fish. I do know some go heavier with hook links, they say it gives a slower fall.
If you are missing bites sharper reactions will I'm sure solve the problem.
In some cases the fish will hook themselves, if you react to every dip of the float you will hook your fair share. If your hook is in the water expect bites.
Keep the hook bait moving and don't rest your feeding as the feed brings feeding fish.
There are loads of vids on utube.

PS another reason that could be deemed has missed bites could be line bites, if this is the case shallow up.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

I would certainly try putting the bait directly on the hook as others suggest.

Are you fishing the waggler with the line sunk?

On lakes I would generally sink my rod tip after casting and wind back slowly to ensure my line is sunk keeping the rod top under the water in the rests.

This keeps the line taught between rod and float leading to sharper hook ups.

 

[wawaw1867]

This is a regular and frustrating occurance on my local carp pond. For every fish you nail you'll strike at 4 imaginary bites. It happens to everyone who fishes waggler. It's a common joke that there is a scuba diver pulling on your line for a laugh . There is a small amount of silvers in the pond and quite a few small catfish - maybe it's them just taking the bait?

 

[thecrow]

This is a regular and frustrating occurance on my local carp pond. For every fish you nail you'll strike at 4 imaginary bites. It happens to everyone who fishes waggler. It's a common joke that there is a scuba diver pulling on your line for a laugh . There is a small amount of silvers in the pond and quite a few small catfish - maybe it's them just taking the bait?

Or liners, do fish get foul hooked much?

 

[wawaw1867]

Or liners, do fish get foul hooked much?

Not had many myself - the only foul hookers I get are right in the margin literally 2 or 3 inches out. The tactic that works best for me is about 2 and half foot deep in 4 foot of water as the fish have been generally in that region. I can understand a lot of liners if you were fishing dead depth.

 

[Keith M]

I never use a hair rigged bait when fishing normal waggler tactics. 85% of the time my float will be moving the second that my bait is picked up, (and before a hair rigged hook would have had time to follow the bait into the mouth), and my shotting pattern would be set to enable me to register the bite as soon as is possible.

If I were fishing a pressured water and really wanted to use a hair rig in conjunction with a waggler for fish like carp (who often blow a bait to see if it moves freely before deciding to suck it in) then I would fish a few inches overdepth and use a shortish hair with the bait hanging against the lower part of the shank rather than hanging loose under the hook.
However I would be more likely to use a leger and a bait suspended a little off the bottom in these circumstances rather than use a waggler.

However I don't see why you would really need to use a hair rig together with a normal waggler setup; especially when you are using a bait which can so easily be mounted directly onto the hook and you were fishing a commercial.

Tight lines
Keith