Paste

Choice of paste floatMy preferred choice of paste float is theGarbolino DC8 series.It is an extremely robust float which hasbeen designed to fish paste for carp.The long flexible fibre stem and long hollowhighly visible antenna makes iteasy to see even the smallest of bites.Because the float is so sensitive, you can even tell the difference from a `liner` and a proper bite.The wire antenna eye provides goodstrength and will not pull off evenunder extreme pressureThe length of the float gives it great stability in the water even in the windiest conditions.

TOP TIP – Buy 0.3gramme and 0.5 grammefloats with a variety of different coloured antenna to give you several options in different conditions

Paste

Shotting the floatI do not put any shot on this rig !As you can see from the picture (right), these paste floats are virtually self cocking without any weight added.You use the weight of the paste bait to take your float down.

Plumbing the depthI cannot emphasise this enough, but always spend 5 minutes exploring your swim.Once you get to your peg, try and locate flat, even areas, or the bottom of the first or second shelf of the lake as this is where the carp will be feeding.When plumbing up, I like to get my floats antenna set so that itis about half way down as shown on the left.When you start fishing, the weight of the pastewill take the floats antenna down even moreso that you are left with only a small amountof float antenna showing (picture right).

Marking the depthOnce I have explored the swim and plumbed up accurately, I mark the position of my float on my top kit. This is particuarly useful if your rig gets broken, or if the float moves when playing and landing a big fish. By using a small dab of Tippex, I can maintain that I am always fishing the correct depth for that swim. If you are fishing 2 or more paste lines, use the Tippex to mark your top kit eg: "L" would be for your left swim.

Paste

I also mark where the hook is in case you have to change your hook length.Many anglers will attach their hooks to the bottom of their top kits, but I prefer to use `hook-ups`.

TOP TIP – Remove any dried on Tippex using a match stick

PasteChoice of elasticWith a vast array of elastics on the market, this is a personal preference. If you decide to use a `hydro`, these will set you back £13 - £15 per top kit, whilst a cheaper `solid` elastic will only cost £2 - £5 per top kit. If I am fishing where there are lots of smaller carp, crucians and tench, I will use a Middy 6-10 hollow elastic. For bigger fish I would use the Preston hollow range and have my kits elasticated with 9, 11, 13, and a 15 hollow.

TOP TIP - Just before I start fishing I always lubricate my top kits with a proprietory pole elastic lubricant, as this will stop the elastic`sticking`

and give a smooth operation of the elastic when playing a fish.

HookMy choice of hookis a size 12 Tubertiniseries 175

LineThe majority of modern lines are fine for paste fishing. When fishing venues that have predominantly larger carp I would opt for a 5lb or 6lb straight through to the hook. When targetting smaller carp, crucians etc, scaleyour line size down to a 4lb straight through to the hook.

During 2007 I had a great deal of successat a lot of venues using Dynamite Baits

SWIM STIM Betaine groundbait.Available from many good tackle shopsfor around £3.50 per bag, it will last for

approximately 3 - 4 sessions.

TOP TIP -Once you have opened the bag, use a small freezer clip to

keep it fresh, and also to stop it tipping over in your bag!

Which paste ?Again, as with pole elastic, this is a personal choice, as there are probably a hundred or more pastes on the market.Some come ready made in small tubs, or you can buy 900gramme bags to make yourself.

Paste

PasteMixing pastePut a little lake water into your mixing bowl.

TOP TIP – Using a large round mixing bowl to make your paste in

Add about a quarter of your packet of SWIM STIMinto your bowl and mix thoroughly.Keep adding water a little at a time and mixtogether until you have a soft pliable paste.

TOP TIP - leave the paste at this stage as the water will be absorbed slowly, then return in 15

minutes to add a little more water.There are many theories and arguments aboutthe texture and consistency of the paste.I prefer to fish the paste as soft as I can, whichmeans that if you don’t get a bite after 3-4 minutesthe paste will break down quickly leaving a bedof feed in your swim.I have also found that bites are easier to spotwhen fishing the softer pastes, as the carptend to `suck` the bait in rather than `pecking`at it.

Feed PelletsEvery venue that you fish at will respond to different feeds andfeeding patterns. My `rule of thumb` when fishing a new venue is to fish `little and often` as you can always increase your feed, but you cannot take it out if you have overfed.My choice of feed pellets is from the Dynamite Bait range.The pellets I use for paste fishing are the 3mm or 4mm SWIM STIMpellets. A bag of these pellets would last a couple of sessions,depending on how well the fish are feeding.To prepare the pellets I three quarter fill a pint bait tub with pelletsthen cover with water and leave for an hour. Then stir the pellets with a large disgorger to ensure they are all soaked.

Paste

Kick start your swimAt the start of my session or match, I will pot in 1-2 pots of pellets using a cupping kitinto each swim that I intend to fish.Different venues will react differently, and you may have to wait for the fish tocome onto your initial feed.

TOP TIP - Always check the fisheries rules on what feed pellets you are allowed to use, and how

much you can use during a match

PasteHooking the pasteWhen I have been paste fishing, other anglers have often walked over to see what `magic` bait I am using. They often ask "isnt that too soft" or "how does it stay on the hook". I always fish the paste as soft as I can, meaning that after 3-4 minutes the paste will have broken down and come off the hook leaving a small amount of feed each time. To `hook` the paste, take a piece of paste the size of a 50p piece, push the hook into the paste, and then mould the paste into a plummet shape.

TOP TIP - Keep a small bait tub near you filled with water so you can clean your hands, and add water to the paste to keep it from drying out

PasteShipping out the pasteBecause the paste is very soft, you will not be able to ship the paste out like a normal hard bait. On the market there are many kinder pots, toss pots, paste wings and pellet pots.

Foxtoss pot

Vespeaero pot

TOP TIP - Use a good old fashioned Kinder Egg (and you get to eat the chocolate as well !)

TOP TIP - Carefully make two holes in the base of the kinder egg pot with a small soldering iron !

Simply mould your paste around the hookthen place into your kinder pot.Ship out to your swim and holding thekinder pot about 6" above the water,turn your pole through 180 degrees.The paste will now fall into your pre-baitedswim.

Paste

Bite indicationThere are two indications of a bite when paste fishing.A- Your float will simply disappear under waterB- The float will rise out of the water (lift bite)You do not need to strike at these bites, but just gently `lift` into the bite.Because paste bites are generally softer bites (because the carp is sucking the paste)striking too hard will pull the hook.If your float rises, you strike and there is no fish on, this means that yourpaste has broken down and come off the hook!

PasteTopping up your swimYou can also use your kinder pot to introduce a few feed pellets every timeyou drop your paste into the water. Trial and error will give you an idea on how often to feed.

Paste fishing at my favourite venue Canon Bridge is simple:At the start of the match introduce a large pot of pellets into each swimHave a cup of tea.Ship out your pasteBites will not be forthcoming straight away, but keep putting fresh paste in every 3-5 minutes.The bites will come after around 20 minutes !After each bite, put your paste in the kinder pot and top up with 15-20 feed pellets.

TOP TIP - Experience has shown that I need to `top up` with a large pot of feed pellets every hour.

Missed bitesTOP TIP - To avoid missing bites, just remember to gently lift into the bite and

not strike.TOP TIP - You can also try reducing the tension of your elastic, or by using a

softer grade to avoid missing bites