Tackle it with Tommy

Former World Champ and angling coach Tommy Pickering answers the key questions he gets asked on the bank most often. His simple advice will sort out your problems

You must have used dozens of tactics and variations but which is your favourite?

THROUGHOUT my career I have used lots of different methods to meet my goals but, if you twisted my arm and ask which is my favourite tactic, I would have to say the waggler. Whether I am fishing on the rivers for silverfish or trying to bag carp and F1s on commercials, there is no better feeling than watching a waggler float slide away. There is no doubt that the latter of those two has become incredibly popular in recent years, especially during summer, but many anglers break the basic principles and, as a result, their catches suffer. This month I reveal my top tips and tactics for summer bagging on the pellet waggler.

Float choice

When you intend using the waggler on commercials the vast majority of anglers think about big, chunky floats, but these rarely come into the equation for me. These floats only come out when I am going to cast further than 35 yards but you don’t have to go anywhere near that distance to catch on the vast majority of commercials. For short-range work it is hard to better models such as a round-topped Preston Innovations Dura Wag that is anywhere between 2g and 5g. I always use the lightest I can get away with for the distance I want to fish. These floats can be unscrewed at the bottom and a Splash Disc can be screwed on and I always use one of these. If you don’t you will cast out and the float will bob around several times before settling, making the bait bounce around and look unnatural at the most crucial time. With the disc in place the float settles instantly and gives the hookbait presentation required the instant it hits the water.