Critically-balanced hookbait or straight out of the tub?

Gary Bayes

"If forced, always balanced"
“I wouldn’t ever rely on one hookbait type but if I was forced to I’d choose critically-balanced over all other presentations. I like the hookbait to only just sink with the weight of the hook as it’s cast out knowing it will get heavier with time and the water pressure.

“Donkey’s years ago at Fen Drayton the only hookbait I could get a bite on were critically-balanced, I fished rods next to each other with a variety of other hookbaits but in four years I only had one take on a pop-up; this was probably down to my baiting situation: flaked boilies, maggot and small baits.

“The only situation where straight from the bag seems to work better for me is fishing 20mm free offerings and 20mm hookbaits, I’ve have used critical 20mm hookbaits but haven’t caught more on them.”

Matt Eaton

"I carry two buoyancies"

“To be perfectly honest I rarely use bottom baits, however, on the occasions that I do it is never one out of the bag. I prefer to use a slightly harder hookbait to alleviate any roach and rudd issues. I carry two different homemade hookers for bottom bait fishing, both with elevated levels of Cell Activator. One has enough Polaris included in the mix to negate the weight of the hook whilst the other is more buoyant to give a slow sinking presentation. As I only really use bottom baits in the edge, where the baiting scenario will be tight, I usually go for the critically-balanced one but I’d use the heavier one over a spread.”

Nick Burrage

"I love a snowman set-up"

“With my supple ringed blowback rig, I always use a snowman. Most would say using the pop-up on top would counterbalance the weight of the hook, thus making the large bait fly in quicker! But I like to delve a little deeper than that. My snowman set-up comes around from fishing in soft silt and I found even after fishy disturbance, the little topper will still be on show for the next carp to see. But back to the real point of the question: I weigh it down so the bottom bait always sits on the lakebed, this gives my hook all its own weight to drag and catch hold in the bottom of the carp’s mouth. On a supple rig the change of bait weight can make all the difference sometimes, putting the hook point right where you want it for the best hook holds!”

Pete Castle

"I've had an 180-degree turnaround"

“I used to use critically-balanced baits all of the time. In fact, I used to spend half the day knelt over the bank’s edge getting things ‘perfect’. However, I’ve since completely changed my opinion on the subject and the reason for this 180-degrees turnaround was that I started to notice that I was losing a lot of fish on critically-balanced baits. Yes, the bait flies in, but because it is so balanced it tends to hook anywhere: top, sides, bottom and even outside. Straight bottom baits, on the other hand, go in and tend to go straight to the bottom of the mouth thus aiding hook hold in the centre of the bottom lip.

“On a trip to France a few years back a friend had over 50 runs and banked 32 fish on critically-balanced KD Rigs. I had 38 runs and banked 38 fish on my trusted but simple fluorocarbon bottom bait rigs. Bottom baits identically match the free offerings too, which is a bonus. Straight out of the bag for me all day long.”