Paste paul
Well-known member
Ok a little while ago someone was asking about paste fishing so I thought I’d post a little tutorial or guide to how I use paste.
There are a few different ways to use paste and different target species so today I’ll deal with straight forward carp fishing on the pole.
first tackle........ any carp or margin pole will do especially as we have no intention of fishing a long way out.
I use either a solid 14 elastic or a 14 to 16 hollow (srg).
Line is .20 With the hook tied directly size 12.
Notice it’s an eyed hook and I leave a long tag this helps hold the past on the hook longer, this is a drennan hair rig hook but kamasan b911 are my favourite.
I also whip it on like a spade end hook pushing the line out through the front of the hook.
Next is the float
Notice the base I’ve wrapped solder wire around the base and glued it in place then given it a coat of black paint I then use ordinary float rubber to fix it to the line.
The float is now self cocking to the base of the tip this stops shot pulling the hook out of the paste on its way down to the bottom. I’ve also put a float rubber at the base of the tip for strength the actual float was a cheap 99p job but had a long bristle for paste fishing.
Notice the tip I’ve burned a hole in it with an hot needle so the line passes through, this is important as it makes the rig tangle proof.
If you can’t burn the hole because it’s a solid tip put some float silicone over instead as shown. This float is a margin float I don’t make these self cocking As it’s normally shallow water. I use the weight of the paste to cock the float.
The paste Pot is important it needs to fit at the end of the pole. I make my own out of aerosol lids so I have a variety of sizes. I simply use my power drill and make two holes the right size to fit the pole.
You will need to drill some small holes in the bottom as the paste and pellets stick in sometimes it causes a vacuum.
The paste I use is swim stim preferably or sonubaits 1 to 1 and 4mm pellets 6mm if big carp are expected. The one to one is good if you’re not sure how stiff to mix it as it’s about right when mixed 1 part water to 1 part powder. The swimstim takes a Little more practice. Always add powder to the water when mixing paste the opposite to how you mix ground bait and don’t mix it stiff it wants to be almost a liquid it will stiffen up after about 15 minutes.
I usually paste fish in the margin or at the bottom of the near side shelf. The critical thing is to plumb up dead depth and try to find a flattish bottom.
Pellets are put in the pot and the paste goes on top with your hook buried inside. The paste in the picture is usable but I’d normally have it much softer.
You then ship out to the desired spot and tip the contents of the pot in. It will all land directly under your pole tip where you have plumbed up. If you’ve set up as described you will get no tangles.
have all of the tip or the float showing and just lift into the bites when it Burris under don’t respond to dips and taps.
A Korum blob is good for shallow water about a 1ft to 18 inch deep and is set up exactly the same way....... I put a tiny no 10 shot under mine mainly as a depth marker if the blob moves I just slide it back to the shot.
Have a bait box with water in it handy and dip your fingers in it before handling the paste it won’t stick to your fingers. I also dip the paste in the water after I’ve put it on the hook to make it look even sloppier !
There’s no need to feed anything more than what you put in your pole pot your basically trying to feed for one fish at a time rather than getting too many fish in the swim.
There are a few different ways to use paste and different target species so today I’ll deal with straight forward carp fishing on the pole.
first tackle........ any carp or margin pole will do especially as we have no intention of fishing a long way out.
I use either a solid 14 elastic or a 14 to 16 hollow (srg).
Line is .20 With the hook tied directly size 12.
Notice it’s an eyed hook and I leave a long tag this helps hold the past on the hook longer, this is a drennan hair rig hook but kamasan b911 are my favourite.
I also whip it on like a spade end hook pushing the line out through the front of the hook.
Next is the float
Notice the base I’ve wrapped solder wire around the base and glued it in place then given it a coat of black paint I then use ordinary float rubber to fix it to the line.
The float is now self cocking to the base of the tip this stops shot pulling the hook out of the paste on its way down to the bottom. I’ve also put a float rubber at the base of the tip for strength the actual float was a cheap 99p job but had a long bristle for paste fishing.
Notice the tip I’ve burned a hole in it with an hot needle so the line passes through, this is important as it makes the rig tangle proof.
If you can’t burn the hole because it’s a solid tip put some float silicone over instead as shown. This float is a margin float I don’t make these self cocking As it’s normally shallow water. I use the weight of the paste to cock the float.
The paste Pot is important it needs to fit at the end of the pole. I make my own out of aerosol lids so I have a variety of sizes. I simply use my power drill and make two holes the right size to fit the pole.
You will need to drill some small holes in the bottom as the paste and pellets stick in sometimes it causes a vacuum.
The paste I use is swim stim preferably or sonubaits 1 to 1 and 4mm pellets 6mm if big carp are expected. The one to one is good if you’re not sure how stiff to mix it as it’s about right when mixed 1 part water to 1 part powder. The swimstim takes a Little more practice. Always add powder to the water when mixing paste the opposite to how you mix ground bait and don’t mix it stiff it wants to be almost a liquid it will stiffen up after about 15 minutes.
I usually paste fish in the margin or at the bottom of the near side shelf. The critical thing is to plumb up dead depth and try to find a flattish bottom.
Pellets are put in the pot and the paste goes on top with your hook buried inside. The paste in the picture is usable but I’d normally have it much softer.
You then ship out to the desired spot and tip the contents of the pot in. It will all land directly under your pole tip where you have plumbed up. If you’ve set up as described you will get no tangles.
have all of the tip or the float showing and just lift into the bites when it Burris under don’t respond to dips and taps.
A Korum blob is good for shallow water about a 1ft to 18 inch deep and is set up exactly the same way....... I put a tiny no 10 shot under mine mainly as a depth marker if the blob moves I just slide it back to the shot.
Have a bait box with water in it handy and dip your fingers in it before handling the paste it won’t stick to your fingers. I also dip the paste in the water after I’ve put it on the hook to make it look even sloppier !
There’s no need to feed anything more than what you put in your pole pot your basically trying to feed for one fish at a time rather than getting too many fish in the swim.
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