TOM MAKER REVEALS HIS FAVOURITE QUICK-BITE TACTIC FOR WINTER; SOLID BAGS!
TOM MAKER REVEALS HIS FAVOURITE QUICK-BITE TACTIC FOR WINTER; SOLID BAGS!
Solid bags are my go-to tactic for trying to get a quick bite at any time of the year. In the colder months, I have always been a big fan of single hookbaits, but a solid bag is like a single hook bait on steroids. They allow me to cast into areas where I have seen fish or think that they are holding up and know that I am fishing effectively.
FOLLOW TOM MAKER'S 9-STEP GUIDE TO THE PERFECT SOLID BAG
STEP 1
START OFF BY TAKING A SOLID PVA BAG AND OPENING IT UP.
STEP 2
ADD A LAYER OF MANILLA ACTIVE MIX.
STEP 3
THEN PLACE THE RIG IN THE BAG, WITH THE POP-UP IN THE POWDER.
The rig is enclosed inside the bag, so I know that it cannot get caught in any weed or detritus. I can cast it virtually anywhere and know that I have a small parcel of food surrounding my hookbait, which sends off a number of different food signals for the carp to home in on.
Solid bags are best when they are filled with small items, such as Active Mix or small pellets as they compact down really well to create a rock hard, super aerodynamic bag. As a result, the finished bag casts a very long way, without deviating too much, even in heavy cross winds. A lot of anglers go too big in terms of bag size too, if you want to cast a long way, you need to use small bags with relatively small leads, otherwise you will overload you rods.
I use a 2oz lead most of the time, because if you use a 3-4oz lead, added to the weight of the bag mix, it would be too heavy to cast any range. Hookbait wise I normally use something small, bright and with an element of buoyancy. I want the hookbait to sit just proud of the mix that is on the bottom, which often means that it is the first thing that will enter the carp’s mouth when they suck it in.
When the water really cools down, I am a big fan of adding maggots to the mix. Combined with some Manilla Active Mix, the combination stands out like a beacon on the bottom. In the colder months, when the lake is covered in often dark coloured detritus, having that visual bag down there is enough to pull the fish down.
SMALL, BUOYANT BAITS WORK BEST IN SOLID BAGS
STEP 4
ADD SOME MAGGOTS TO THE BAG.
STEP 5
KEEP ADDING AND PLACE THE LEAD IN THE BAG.
STEP 6
ADD A LAYER OF POWDER TO THE TOP AND TWIST IT TO COMPACT IT DOWN.
STEP 7
TIE THE BAG WITH SOME PVA TAPE.
STEP 8
TRIM THE TAG ENDS AND STICK DOWN THE CORNERS TO HELP IT CAST BETTER.
STEP 9
THE FINISHED BAG!
CASTING BAGS AROUND YOUR PEG IS A GREAT WAY OF FINDING THE FISH IN THE COLD
I tend to cast bags around the swim, roving them round until I stumble on some carp. If it is cold, then the fish tend to group up quite tightly, so when I have found some, I like to consolidate the rigs in one area. This maximises my chances of a string of bites even in the cold.
No matter what time of year it is, solid bags are always part of my armoury. However, there’s no doubt they come into their own during the winter, especially when combined with maggots. The small patch of bait they produce is simply unrivalled when it comes to minimal food, but maximum attraction, which is a huge benefit in the winter.
