Punched Bread

[Andy Davis]

how do you hook it, i presume it's something to do with the slot in the punch ?
I know it sounds like a daft question but I have never used it.
Somebody told my to use stale bread is this correct ??

 

[GrahamM]

No, use the freshest bread you can get. In fact, to make it even more soft, microwave it for 3 or 4 seconds and then pop it in a plastic bag and seal it till you get to the water.

Use either medium or thin sliced bread depending on hook size.

What you do is pass the hook through the bread at the bottom, out through the slot, and that's it, you're ready to cast it in.

The secret of successful bread fishing, punched or otherwise, is to have faith. Don't be thinking it's come off all the time and be continually pulling in for another cast.

I often use those green, flat punches of Drennans when chub fishing and they're playing hard to hook.

 

[Andy Davis]

Thanks for that !!
One last question: do you just "nick" the bread or go more towards the center ?

 

[Dave Johnson]

depends what u r after Andy. I tend to fish for chub with as big as an 8 and several large punches on the hook, this swells nicely which is the essence of punch fishing.
Dont worry about the hook being visible, once it is in the water the bread swells and covers the hook but is soft enough to not mask the hook.
Dave

 

[Dave Johnson]

hook it thru the centre-should be OK under most conditions

 

[GrahamM]

Through the centre of a standard bread punch but through the tail end of the pear shape with the Drennan punches, turn the hook, and back through again.

 

[David Preston]

Just to add to what Graham said about microwaving the bread - squash it on the worktop with your hand so it goes really thin and rubbery. It keeps moist better (still in a bag), punches easier, stays on the hook while you ship the pole out, then swells up to normal size in the water.

 

[Nigel Dalton]

The best information I have seen on punched bread was contained in a video by Ian Heaps if its any use to you.

 

[Terry Lind]

I must agree with the Ian Heaps video, I also use liquidised bread,crusts removed, this compliments bread punch a treat