Useful PVA Tricks

1. The Parachute Stringer
How it works: In short, you’re putting three boilies onto a length of PVA tape and tying it around the hooklink. This is then positioned around the hook and offers three major advantages. 1: It masks the hook point. 2: It holds the Hair in place during the cast so it can’t tangle. 3: If you switch one of those three bottom baits for a pop-up, once the tape’s dissolved you’ve got a marker to fire a few extra baits at. 

2. Meshed Stringer
How it works: Very similarly to the Parachute Stringer, but instead of using PVA tape you’re using a funnel web. Simply put three baits into the tube, adjust them into a triangle shape and then tie off with an Overhand Knot. Use a baiting needle to pull your hooklink through, ensuring the hook point sits between the two bottom baits and the pop-up - this way it will land with the hook point on the lakebed.

3. Exploding Boilie Stringers
How it works: A classic little trick which doesn’t seem to get many column inches these days. This is where three baits are put in a 20mm funnel web and tied off. With the baits in a line, pull one of the end baits onto your Hair by pushing the needle through the side of the bait. Pull the Hair through and secure with a Hair stop. If tied tightly enough, the boilies will explode apart as the PVA dissolves.

4. A Clever Mesh Bag Trick
How it works: It was Nigel Sharp who came up with these slight tweak to what most people are doing with mesh PVA bags. What you’re doing is hiding the hooklink inside the mesh bag, and at the same time positioning the hook in middle section of the bag, not at the end like it is when attached in the normal manner. Tie your long mesh bag to the lead, attach the hook and pull the hooklink into the bag.