Reducing Your Rejections
Before you even think about sunstroke and winding yourself up over the seagulls, make sure your summer floater kit is in order to reduce your number of missed bites
1. Don’t forget your six-pack
No, not the ale—the candles! These are the most versatile controller there is, old school, but so versatile. Simply trim back the wick and tie it to a big eye swivel—job done. You can then cut the candle down to size for a quiet entry or the distance being fished. It was good enough to catch Jack The Net Ripper (RIP) out
of Longfield…
2. A wide-brimmed hat
This will reduce surface reflection, especially when coupled with a good set (or two) of polaroids (Fortis do everything an angler could ask for). Compact quality binoculars will help see how the fish are taking the freebies, or if they are rejecting the hookbait.
3. SHARP HOOKS!
It’s a personal thing but straight points are my favourite, but as a contradiction, one of the best floater hooks out of the packet is the Drennan Wide Gape Specialist, which is beaked!
4. The right line
A good linear-strength, supple, low-diameter line with some give is the ultimate and good examples are Drennan’s Supplex and Gardner’s Target Speci Line. Sometimes a soft fluorocarbon line is better in really clear waters.
5. Grease up
If you need to grease up your line, use one of the game-angling floatants—good old Mucilin Red, Loon Payette Paste or Gherke’s Gink.
6. Go longer
Whilst short rods seem to be in vogue, a longer rod with a through action is much better for controlling wild carp on light lines. ESP, Harrison and Nash all make excellent floater rods. The length also provides superior mending of the line at distance or in crosswinds, and, of course, if you are striking, it picks up the line faster. Balance the rod with a nice light reel, like a Daiwa Cast’izm Feeder Reel or SS2600.
7. Look after your hooklengths
And keep them straight! This is easily done with a game angler’s tippet straighteners; Cortland and Stonfo are both very good. (N.B. They are also very good for getting your stiff booms straight without steam!)
8. Controllers
Other than the humble candle, for everyday work, the ESP fluted controller is superb. For range fishing and a heavy bolt effect, the in-line bolt-type controllers made by Korda and Nash are excellent, as are the Horseshoe ‘Special Egg Controllers’. Try to think resistance-equals-hooking more…
9. Catapults
If I were to choose one, it would be the simple but oh-so-reliable Drennan Feeder Pult. There’s little to touch it for longevity, price and efficiency for everything but long-range stuff.
10. Hookbaits
The most important part of floater fishing is the presentation, and that really comes down to the hookbait and line. Carp are line-shy off the top, and they also feel the line on their lips, and quite possibly see the hook. An inverted hookbait catches more carp for sure—think parachute flies, but are fiddlier to get right. There are synthetic floating hookbaits from Enterprise Tackle and Nash, as good examples, but the best are your own, made from balsa and then lightly coated in crumbed Rich Tea biscuits (for Mixers) and ginger nuts (for pellets). Then there is the mighty bread slice (slow-sinking) and, of course, a trimmed (slow-sinking again) wafter to suit the feed. Thinking outside the box when floater fishing is the key.
11. Feed bait
I’m not too sure if pellets outscore dog mixers, but where both have been hammered, the odd-shaped cat food biscuits can give you an edge. Mixing sizes seems to make the carp have to approach everything differently, so it’s worth thinking about. However, remember different sizes coming out of a ‘pult will mean different spreads. There can be no doubt that a lightly top-coated loose feed can give you an edge—try 1:10 of Nash Crustacean Extract to cod liver oil; you’ll get a nice slick and the carp love it!
12. Attractors
The most awesome has to be Nashbait’s Pure Crustacean Extract—a Gary Bayes special! Shellfish Sense Appeal and Solar’s Squid & Octopus are all good to boot.
