TYPES OF PVA & THEIR USES...

NUGGETS

These buoyant nuggets are either hooked on to or folded over the hook before casting. Once in the water, they hold the hook off the bottom until the nugget dissolves. The hook will then gently settle on to the bottom of the lake. Rig foam is indispensable when fishing over silt or weed. When the rig is cast in, the lead will either sink into the silt or dive into the weed and the rig foam will help stop your hook from being masked. It also helps to prevent long hairs from tangling on the cast.

SOLID BAGS

Solid bags can be filled with all manner of freebies. Once filled, they can be injected with PVA-friendly liquids to create a large flavour boost in the water. They can be fiddly to tie, so it’s worth preparing a few at home prior to your session. You must ensure that no air gets trapped inside the bag as this can cause it to lift off the bottom like a balloon! To combat this, pierce the tied bag with a baiting needle. Ideally, a solid bag should be as hard as a cricket ball so that it casts well.

STRING & TAPE

STRING – A thin cord made from multiple strands of PVA. It’s mostly used to create what are known as ‘stringers’ where a number of baits are threaded on to a string, which is then attached to your hook.

TAPE – Similar to string, except it has a flat, wide profile. Tape can also be used to form stringers or used for tying off the tops of solid PVA bags. Due to its thicker profile, the tape holds strung baits in position better so is more suited to long-range casting.

MESH

Made from woven PVA thread, this stocking material revolutionised carp fishing and almost every angler will have a tube or two in their bag. It comes in long lengths – five or 20 metres – enabling bags of any size to be made up with little or no waste. The other advantage of mesh bags is that they are much quicker to make than solid PVA bags, as well as having a shorter melt time. Many match anglers are also using mesh PVA to fish bomb rigs in the cooler months.