Do you balance your bait??

[Jamie Armitage]

Ive been thinking of using small pallatrax cork balls and wrapping paste round it.
I might be wrong but i thought the idea with critical balancing was to just counter the weight of the hook? but using size 14 korum hooks the size of the cork is tiny? and that makes me think is it really worth it??.

Can anybody help? do you bother?


cheers jamie

 

[Simon King]

The principle's not a bad idea, Jamie; but you might find it easier to balance with (say) a standard 15mm boilie and a same-size pop-up (with a bigger hook to match), the latter whittled down a little if necessary and wrap some paste around both for attraction?

With your version, once the paste comes off, you're left with a tiny cork ball for bait.

Mind you, that's not to say a fish wouldn't take it.

I don't think barbel are that clued up in general.

 

[Chris Jones]

I've mucked around with wafters for a while now. Not entirely convinced that it makes a ha'porth of difference on flowing water but it's doing no harm.

 

[Duncan Dimbleby]

Pretty essential when carp fishing but for barbel on flowing water, I have my doubts and therefore don't bother. Keep it simple.

D.

 

[Geoff Blakesley]

K.I.S.S is always my way...ish.

 

[Simon King]

There are applications for it, one being in flood. We use (what we call) a "Swinger" rig which allows a neutral bait to waft around in the current on a long hooklink.

Caught some good chub and some very good barbel on this.

 

[John Walker]

Jamie, if you want to wrap paste around a floater try using an enterprise pellet, these give bouyancy to a paste bait and if the paste washes off you still have an acceptable bait on the hair