How do I hit more surface takes?

I GET lots of missed takes when surface fishing for carp. Should I consider hair-rigging the bait?

Tom Medley, Stowmarket

IT MAY be that the carp are not taking the bait confidently, and if you’re not hair-rigging, you definitely should be.

A hair will make the bait stand proud of the hook and so not be as odd-looking to a fish, and it will also aid the hooking process, allowing a fish to wolf the mixer down further before it senses danger. Simply tie a large pellet or bait band on to the hair or, if you prefer, drill a hole into the mixer and slide it on to the hair, held in place with a bait stop.

Another good trick to use for catching a lot of smaller carp quickly is to glue the mixer on to the hook – cut a groove into the biscuit, apply some Superglue and then fix it on to the hook shank. This will allow you to catch up to a dozen fish on the same bait before needing to replace it.