The Coach Match ace Colin Spencer’s tips for bagging up with paste baits

THIS WEEK: Make perfect paste to bag up on carp

MANY anglers think that paste fishing for commercial carp is only really worthwhile in the height of summer.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” says paste expert Colin Spencer, whose amazing run of recent match wins is highlighted on pages 4 and 5 of this week’s Angling Times.

Colin’s approach to paste fishing is based on years of experience, and here he reveals how he has perfected this simple yet supremely effective pole fishing technique...

NO-SHOT RIG

“One of the most frustrating elements of paste fishing is trying to work out what a bite is. The float will constantly bob around when there are carp around the hookbait, but you are looking for it to dip quickly.

“My rig has no shot down the line, with the weight of the paste cocking the float. A fairly slimline float works best, typically a 0.2g version threaded on to 0.17mm mainline straight through to a size 16 Guru Pellet Waggler hook.”

VARY YOUR PASTE

“If I am getting plagued by small fish or I’m having to wait a while for bites I’ll stiffen some of the paste up by adding more groundbait.

“If the fish are coming thick and fast then I’ll do the opposite and add more water to a batch to make it slightly sloppier.”

ACCURATE FEEDING

“Feeding is just as important as the hookbait. On a prolific venue, don’t feed much or you’ll be dogged by foul-hookers and line bites. I just place a small amount of corn and pellet in a pole cup, place my paste hookbait on top and cup it all into my target zone.

“Then I’ll repeat this process after each fish.

“I’ll stop feeding altogether for a while if I have a run of foul hookers in order to force the fish into taking my hookbait.”