DOWN THE EDGE
FOR big margin carp I like the 0.2g Mick Wilkinson Margin Diamond. This is a very strong float with a glass stem. It has a decent length bristle which helps me ‘read’ bites.
When fishing in the edge I always like to leave plenty of bristle showing at the surface. This makes it easier to distinguish between line bites and proper bites.
I’m a big believer in taking no prisoners where big fish are concerned, so mainline is 0.22mm N-Gauge to a 4ins hooklength of 0.19mm. Hook is a size 14 Guru XS spade, which is a very strong wide gape pattern lending itself perfectly to bunches of dead maggots or double sweetcorn.
Shotting pattern is a strung bulk of No10s with the bottom shot 6ins from the hook and the rest spaced at 1ins intervals above this.
I actually don’t like the bottom shot too close to the hook for margin work as I find when big fish are in the swim that it can lead to line bites and fish spooking.