My Simple Approach To Pole Fishing

Note, May 2018.  As nearly four years has passed since I first wrote this a couple of things have changed.  So I have updated some of the information.

Further updated September 2021.


In 2010 I looked at my rig tray and realised that I had well and truly overcomplicated things. I had, over the years, tried to buy floats for every conceivable situation. This realisation coincided with me discovering BGT floats*. I also had rigs of various line strengths and lengths, hooks and hooklengths were the same. When I sat down on a peg and looked in my rig tray I was confused at to what to use. This then led to me having doubts as to whether I was using the “right” float/line/hook. Invariably I would convince myself that I had left the right rig at home. And this impacted my fishing. So it was a bit like a revelation that struck me when, in conjunction with looking at the BGT float range, I decided to simplify everything.

 

The change in my fishing was marked and rewarding. Previously I was happy if I framed in a few club matches a year. After the change I started framing regularly and winning a few more. I was also holding my own in a few open matches.  I hasten to point out here that I am not mentally challenged or simple minded. But I had overthought what I was doing.  I needed to simplify the tackle so I could then concentrate on what I now believe to be the three most important things – location, presentation and bait (including feeding and hookbait). So all the existing rigs, floats and hooklengths were thrown out.

Floats

I initially opted for four floats from the BGT range (for commercial fisheries) though I have now changed that slightly, each float has a specific though broad purpose.  The first two (BGT1, Shallow-Long) will account for at least 90% of my Summer pole fishing.  It can't get more simple than that. 

You will also realise that I colour code my rigs by using a certain colour winder for each rig type.  Makes picking up the right rig easy.

 

BGT1 - a 0.2g, 2mm hollow bristled float ideal for margin work, either near or far bank. Rig length 4 ft, on a light blue winder.  I do now add a spring eye for added security.

BGT1

 

 

Shallow-Long – 0.5g same float as the BGT1 but with a longer stem. Both floats have an elongated rugby ball shape. The Shallow-Long rig length is seven foot and is used in open water or margins too deep for the BGT1. Navy blue winder.

Shallow-Long

 

Grey – 0.5g with a thinner 1.2mm solid bristle and longer body shape than the Shallow-Long/BGT1.  Seven foot rig and used in open water where a more delicate approach is desired. Sees more use in the Winter. Green winder.

Grey – 1g. Ten foot rig for deeper swims or days when there is a tow on the water. Yellow winder.

The bristle on the Grey is not robust enough for carp in Summer.

Grey

 

Blue – 1g round bodied with a slim bristle. Ten foot rig on a pink winder and used in open water when depth is greater than six foot or shallower swims when there is a tow. The Grey and the Blue are interchangeable as they are both 1g floats.  Though the bristle on the grey is slightly slimmer and more fragile and so tends to see more use in Winter when the carp are less active.
 

Blue

 

All rigs are on 0.17 mainline (Preston Reflo Power) with the exception that the Greys on 0.13 for Winter, silvers and F1s. With these five I can fish any swim I draw on the commercials I have fished since making this change. The advantage for me is there is now no doubt in my mind when choosing a rig and fishing. I make the rig work for me. Yes it may not be perfect as desired by a top angler. But I think that little bit of perfection lost is more than compensated by my confidence in the rig and the ability to concentrate on those three more important things I mentioned earlier. The colour coding of the winders and the limited range of line strengths means I can select the right rig without fuss and I don't need to label the winders.  All confusion and doubt has been removed.

My simple rig collection

In 2013 I also started to carry the BGT Beedee, originally bought as an up in the water float with a couple of venues in mind.  0.2g on four foot of 0.17 line. But I rarely fish this method. I now also use this float for very shallow margins.  An experience where I could see fish shying away from the longer BGT1 showed me the importance of using an unobtrusive float when the fish are likely to be able to see it.  These are carried on a pink/light red winder.  I have also made up a few on 0.19 line straight through to an extra strong hook for one particular lake where the margin fish are regularly ten pound and a tad over.  These are in a separate box and on a red slider winder.

Beedee (next to a 5p piece)

One final set of floats I use rarely is the Avanti Choppy. I won these floats in a raffle and have to admit threw them in the back of a drawer when I got home. But what I later realised was that they were ideal floats for when the weather is really rough. The four floats range from 4x16 to 1.5g but crucially they have the longest bristle I have seen on a float at 8cm/3 ¼ inch. This means when there is a heavy chop on the water the body is well below it and the float rides well through the surface. They are mounted on ten foot of 0.17 line, purple winder. These floats stay at home most of the time unless a strong wind is forecast.

Choppy

Since discovering the benefits of the much longer Choppy float in very poor conditions I have both bought and made some specific windbeater floats.  The ones I bought are from the DT Floats range.  They look odd but fish brilliantly.  Overall the DT float is 30cm/12 inches long and 0.8g.  My home meade is smaller at 24cm/9.5 inch and 0.5-6g.  The length of the bristle (14 & 9cm) means the body of the float stays below the surface turbulence when windy and the overall length makes it very stable.  In the main they have replaced the Choppy but I still carry that as well.

Grey body, DT Windbeater.  Red body, home made version.

All my windbeater type float rigs are carried in a handy organiser box making them easy to grab on a day they might be needed.  The box cost £2.99 from B&M (the Guru colouring is a coincidence).

I have taken to adding a spring eye to all my Summer floats on 0.17 line. This simple & cheap job just prevents the side eye from being pulled out. I also coat all new floats with nail varnish. I don't insist on it being a particular brand, just any clear varnish will do me. I re-varnish when re-making rigs.

 

Shotting

On my BGT1 margin rigs I shot with two No.6 shot or a string of No.10s just above the ten inch hooklength.  From there I can fine tune depending on the bites on the day.  False bites from small fish and liners can be negated by removing some weight, switching one or both No.6 shot for No.8s.  To make the rig more sensitive I just dot down with extra shot. 

 

As I have said in my Fishing The Pellet post on my deep rigs I have been experimenting with an odd looking shotting pattern that I think combines the benefits of a heavy rig with the finesse/sensitivity of a lighter one.  That is I have three No.10 shot four to six inches apart starting just above the hooklength.  I then add as many No.6 shot as needed but strung from above the No.10s to below the float.  I then trim to dot the float down with shot between the top No.6 and the float.  It seems to work for me.  I will use a bulk by moving the No.6s down to just above the top 10 if there is a strong tow.  

 

Hooks/Hooklengths

Simplifying my hooklengths was easy, though would frighten many.  I only use Reflo Power line and accept that the actual diameter is probably around 0.02 thicker than stated.  But I'm happy that doesn't compromise me getting bites.  It certainly reduces the number of lost fish through breakages. 

Kamasan B611 (spade) size 16 to ten inches of 0.13. This is the thickest line I will use on a spade end hook

Kamasan B611 (spade) size 18 to ten inches of 0.10. This is for silvers but mainly carp in Winter teamed with a mainline of 0.13.

B911 (eyed) size 16 on ten inches of 0.17 line. An eyed hook, large for its number, larger than the B611 16. I feel more confident with the thicker line on an eyed hook. 

In 2017 I started to fish hard pellet regularly with some success and so now carry some B911s with a band in a hair.  Size 16 to 0.17 and 18 to 0.13.  This has added a little complication to my simple approach but having simplified everything else I can cope with this.  I found using a Guru hooklength box a boon in organising this wider range of hooklengths.

Red Drennan Carp Maggot (spade) size 16.  I have been trying these hooks out as a replacement for the B611 16 after Bob Nudd gave me one to try in 2013.  Very impressed with them though in extreme circumstances I have had one or two open out on me.  Interestingly the one Bob gave me was a pre-tied hook to nylon and was half an inch longer than my home tied 10 inch hooklength.  If anyone is looking for a reliable hook to nylon for expander/maggot for carp I can recommend these.  I easily landed 100lb on the one hook during the day with Bob.  As of 2018 I rarely use these now as I have confidence in the B611.

  

The B911 16 is for bigger baits like 6mm expanders, paste and corn, the 18 for banded pellet where I feel a lighter approach will get me more bites.  The B611 for maggot but mostly 4/6mm pellet though I will fish corn on this as well. In the last three years I have expanded the range.  

 

But again, choice is simple and uncomplicated with the B611 16 being used most frequently closely followed by the B911 18. With all hooklengths the same length switching, if required, is simple. And I only very rarely put shot on the hooklength.

 

Elastics

Elastics are similarly simplified.   I can never predict what I am going to catch next and so I chose an elastic that will enable me to have control over the larger fish. I may bump a few small fish like skimmers but to be honest that doesn't bother me. I manage well with the elastics I use and see no reason to complicate matters with pullas. When first getting into commercial fishing properly I strted with elastics that were a little over the top, 18-20 in Summer and 16 in Winter, both solids.

Since writing the above paragraph I have changed slightly in that 16 solid is now (2021) my heaviest elastic so that and 14 the ones I use most frequently in Summer.  I have experimented with hollow elastics and just cannot seem to get comfortable with them in the warmer weather.  I have however found that either a 14 hollow or 12-14 Ultra Core from the Nick Gilbert float store works well for me on four topkits to which I have added pullers and use these in the Winter just about exclusively. 

 

Bait

I have concentrated over the last few years on fishing pellet and corn. On most commercials in Summer I find that little more than this is needed. I will carry some maggot and meat if I know the venue responds to it. I will always have maggot & pinkie with me in Winter. Sometimes the fish will only look at a single red maggot orpinkie. I believe that by limiting myself to a narrow bait range I have learned how to fish them effectively. Again, I can have no confusion or doubt as I just don't have the options on my side tray to worry about.  And of course these baits (pellet, corn, meat) are relatively cheap, particularly if you can get pellets in bulk. 

 

Summary

Does this simple approach work? For me - yes. The first year I did this I won/framed in more matches than I had ever done. In the period July 2013 to June 2014 I fished 47 matches and picked up money in 25.   Admittedly some were fished mainly on the feeder but I suspect that many anglers of my ability level could improve their catches by adopting this simplified approach. As I have said, I now believe that location, presentation and bait are more important and improving skills in these areas will have a greater impact than fine tuning rigs with 101 variations of float/line/hook.  But you have to do whatever gives you confidence. 

 

That I don't frame in more matches is not down to tackle but my mental ability to do the right thing, make the right changes on the day. Once I get the location, presentation and feeding/hookbait right I start catching.  I readily admit that I make wrong decisions and miss clues as to what changes I should make. It is always (well nearly so) in the last hour or on the drive home that I realise my mistake. I am also impatient and if something doesn't work quickly I change and don't settle until eventually I make a decision and stick with it.

 

On the separate subject of breaking down rigs. I do this if I have cut a rig down by an appreciable amount and I am not likely to be fishing the same venue again soon. I have some rigs stored separately for one or two venues that I will fish regularly, such as the one I will fish each Summer in a weekly evening series.  I don't waste the old line though. This is recycled either into hooklengths or shorter rigs.

 In the year 2013-14 I fished at least 25 different commercials/carp dominated lakes. I take confidence in that I can take out a rig and know that it will be the correct length and weight (4ft/0.2g, 7ft/0.5g or 10ft/1g ft) to suit the swim.   The 0.17 line and my choice of elastics will cope with carp to low doubles.

My simplified approach works for me. It does concentrate on pole fishing commercials though I apply the same idea to my canal fishing. I am an average club angler. I am probably too old to improve much but I still want to be competitive at the level at which I fish. For me, making things simpler has helped do that. I have certainly won more matches and framed more frequently since making the change.

*BGT is no longer trading, the owner having retired.  I stocked up on the floats I use while I could.  The point is though that I recommend finding a range of floats you are comfortable with and like me, make a simple range work for you.

My thanks to Bryan of BGT for allowing me to use the photos of his floats from his website.