Carp Fishing with Solid PVA Bags

Carp fishing with solid PVA bags is a simple and highly successful method when carp fishing.

Using solid PVA bags for carp fishing can be used all year round and is equally effective during the winter or summer months.

In this article, we are going to explain the different PVA bag methods with tips and guidance to ensure you use solid PVA bags effectively to ensure you catch when carp fishing. 

Solid PVA bags will dissolve in the water allowing you as the carp angler to present your hook bait on top of a neat pile of bait ready to grab the attention of a carp. This approach is perfect when carp fishing in weedy lakes or on high pressured day ticket carp lakes.

Don't miss out using this excellent method when carp fishing.

Solid PVA Bags 

A solid PVA bag is my first choice when carp fishing as it is so versatile and effective. Solid PVA bags can be fished over weedy lakes, allowing you to avoid any debris on the lake bottom. I like to use solid PVA bags when carp fishing in a lake with light or medium weed. I would avoid carp fishing with solid PVA bags or any type of carp method in heavy weed as the difficulty you can find yourself in is not worth it.

A solid PVA bag will contain your carp rig and a small amount of carp bait, with your hook bait sitting just on top in the perfect position to grab the attention of a carp. Once dissolved this small amount of carp bait is just enough for a single carp to take a mouthful and hopefully land you a fish. Solid PVA bags are designed to provide one mouthful of bait, no more. 

Solid PVA bags are a very different approach to spodding and in many situations is a better approach. During the winter, for example, the cold temperatures will slow down the carp and their metabolism, meaning they eat much less. Carp fishing with solid PVA bags will ensure you are not putting out too much bait and also have a bright hook bait to grab the attention of a carp. On high-pressure lakes, solid PVA bags can be the breakthrough to land wary carp. Many of these carp are used to seeing lots of bait put out using a spod mix and seeing a small pile of bait from a solid PVA bag could be just enough of a change for them to let their guard down and start to feed.

Carp fishing with solid PVA bags will ensure for perfect presentation and provide you with added confidence you are carp fishing with a setup that is presented in the best possible fashion. Your carp rig cannot possibly get tangled if it has been cast out inside a solid PVA bag. 

Having confidence as a carp angler gives you a huge boost, knowing your carp rig is sitting primed for a carp to take your bait. There is nothing worse than thinking, is my carp rig sitting correctly, and with the length of time you need to leave your carp rig out in the lake, you need to have full confidence in your approach. Carp fishing with solid PVA bags, gives me this confidence.

When carp fishing with solid PVA bags, I like to cast to showing fish. I have found using this approach, you can get bites very quickly and often within minutes of casting.

I tend to avoid using a marker rod when carp fishing with solid PVA bags. I find using a marker rod, I am making lots of noise and scaring off any carp already present in my swim. With solid PVA bags, I can simply observe my swim and cast to different spots with little disturbance.

Solid Bag Rig Setup

I will always use a short hook length, something like 3-4 inches, made from braid. Braid is supple and will not kink and sit awkwardly inside the solid PVA bag. The short hook length will allow for the carp rig to sit inside the bag comfortably and also provide quick resistance when a carp takes the bait.

Ideally, I like to use an inline lead setup which sits nicely inside the solid PVA bag but you can use a lead clip system with a small pear lead. A pear lead is compact but still has enough weight to allow you to cast good distances.

When it comes to the hook bait, I will always use bright pop-ups that are critically balanced. This method will ensure, once the solid PVA bag has dissolved, the hook bait sits just on top of the small pile of carp bait in the perfect spot. The bright colour will catch the eye of any carp. I like to use Mainline pop-ups with their fluoro range, one of my favourite carp fishing baits.

As for the bait mix that will fill the solid PVA bag. This mainly consists of a mixture of small pellets, 2mm or similar, crushed/whole boilies and a PVA safe liquid enhancer. This carp bait mix has a perfect combination of flavour and textures but even more important, in my opinion, it will compact down into a highly aerodynamic shape once tied off. This shape will cast easily and once dissolved present a nice pile of bait.

Filling the Solid PVA Bags

The first step is to add a small amount of carp bait mix to the bottom of the PVA bag. Next, you add the hook and hook bait. The carp bait mix will ensure the hook is protected against any debris. Now add some more carp bait mix followed by the lead. I like to compact everything down as I go. Top off the solid PVA bag with some more carp bait mix and tie off using some PVA string. The final step, which is very important, is to take each corner, lick and stick these back to the solid PVA bag. This will ensure the solid PVA bag is aerodynamic and will fly through the air when casting.

Practice really does make perfect when filling a solid PVA bag. You can tie these at home before your session if you have multiple carp rigs ready tied. I would advise you try this approach as it makes life so much easier once you are on the bank during your session.

Solid PVA bags are available in small, medium or large. I prefer the medium size bags which are large enough to allow easy filling but not too large that they become difficult to cast. 

I highly recommend the Korda PVA Bags when carp fishing with solid PVA bags as they provide top quality which I have had lots of success with over the years.

PVA Stringers

Another approach that I believe is excellent when targeting big carp is using PVA string to create stringers. Essentially, this is where several boilies are thread onto a piece of PVA string and attached to the hook. When the PVA dissolves you are left with several boilies and your hook bait in close proximity. I tend to double over some Korda PVA string or even better Korda PVA tape, which is thicker and holds the boilies in place far better than the string. 

PVA Mesh Bags

I tend to use PVA mesh bags for baiting carp pellets around my hook bait by simply catapulting small PVA mesh bags over an area or simply hooking them onto my carp rig. This is a very simple method, made easy by the PVA mesh kits you can purchase from Korda who sell the excellent Funnel Web System.

Summary

PVA is hugely versatile products and solid PVA bags, in particular, are one of my favourite and most successful methods to use when carp fishing. Solid PVA bags can be cast anywhere, preferably to showing fish, and can get bites within minutes of casting.

Using bright pop-ups that are critically balanced are the best hook bait for use with solid PVA bags and will catch the eye of any carp patrolling your swim. Add small mixed pellets, crushed boilies and PVA safe flavour attraction to your carp bait mix to leave a small pile of bait that will attract any carp. 

Other PVA products such as PVA mesh bags or PVA stringers are an excellent tactic for attracting big carp.

Don't neglect PVA products, they are too good to miss out on.

Images were taken from:

http://www.korda.co.uk/fishingtackle/pva-systems/solidz-pva-bags/

http://www.korda.co.uk/carpfishingnews/the-forgotten-stringer-joe-stephens/