Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Phil Reynolds
Wafter hookbaits are a favourite with feeder anglers but they should also be the first choice when pole fishing shallow, says Phil Reynolds
Wafters on the pole
When it comes to shallow fishing, bait choice is one of the key elements. A slow sinking offering that can be intercepted with ease by big carp cruising close to the surface is a must. Pellets, maggots, casters and meat are the four most commonly used baits but there’s a new choice in town that may just be the greatest of the lot – wafters. They have been a favourite with feeder flingers for several years but Phil Reynolds says they need to be the first thing out of the bag when shallow fishing on the pole. The PR Floats and Spotted Fin-backed angler has always been a big fan of catching giant mirrors and commons and believes his tactic means these fish can potentially be caught throughout the day. “Many anglers believe that the biggest fish can’t be caught until late in the day when they come and feed in the margins but I have proved that theory wrong,” said Phil. “The bigger fish spend their days cruising around in the upper layers. Traditional shallow tactics will occasionally trip up these fish but I’ve caught so many more since I switched to using wafter hookbaits.”
Slow sinking bait
Wafters may have the same appearance as other dumbell and boilie hookbaits but it is the way they behave in the water that differentiates them from the rest. On the buoyancy spectrum, wafters sit between bottom baits and pop-ups. They flutter slowly as they fall through the water column, and they continue to waft – as their name would suggest – once they’ve reached the depth that the rig is set at. It is this unique movement that sets them apart from anything else and is one of the key reasons why Phil believes they are so irresistible to big carp. “If you are fishing a banded pellet then you constantly have to lift and drop to keep the hookbait moving. Wafters, however, retain a level of movement even when the rig is stationary. “Regularly putting the rig in and out works a treat for F1s and smaller carp that are attracted by the noise because they associate it with food, but their bigger brothers and sisters are often spooked by it. “A wafter enables you to keep the rig in for a few seconds longer which reduces the chances of spooking them but, crucially, the hookbait is still wafting in a seemingly natural manner even when it is no longer falling.”
Make it unmissable
Wafters are available in a wide range of colours and although he doesn’t have a firm favourite, Phil does follow one golden rule. “At this time of year the water has really muddied because the fish are stirring up the bottom while feeding. This reduces visibility and, when you are fishing shallow, you only have a split-second chance for the fish to see your
hookbait as they move through the swim and intercept anything they see. “A bright wafter increases the chances of the bait being seen so I always have several different tubs on my sidetray and rotate between white, yellow, pink and orange.” Phil stated that an 8mm bait is best for big carp and has had plenty of success using Spotted Fin Hi-Viz Fluoro Wafters. When it comes to loosefeeding, regularly catapulting 6mm pellets keeps a trickle going through the water column that tempts fish to show an interest. Once they arrive the hookbait is likely to be the first thing they take.
No-nonsense tackle
Most shallow fishing is conducted in open water and as a result scaling down terminal tackle is seen as the appropriate action. After all, there’s no snags nearby for the fish to aim for so what’s the harm? Phil, however, advocates stepping up your tackle. He explained that this will have numerous benefits and ultimately leads to more carp going in the net. “There’s no doubt you will land big carp when fishing lighter but they take a ridiculous amount of time to land! “If they are charging around your peg while fighting then it will definitely spook every other fish in the area. By the time you are ready to put the rig back in you will have a long wait for the next bite.” Using tackle that enables him to take control quickly and steer the fish away from the catching zone is key. Phil uses 12-16 PR Prolastic elastic when the fish average 6lb to 8lb but steps up to the 14-18 version when double-figure carp are expected. Mainline is 0.18mm to an 0.16mm hooklength and a size 14 hook. A strong float is also essential or it is sure
to break under the amount of pressure being exerted on the eye by thick mainline. A 4x12 PR Floats RBS Shalla is ideal. Wafter masterclass Kidderminster’s Willow Marsh Fisheries is one of Phil’s favourite haunts and the fish certainly don’t take any prisoners. Hundreds of double-figure carp call Dragonfly Pool home and they have seriously wised up over the years. “It’s the sort of lake where you could catch 10 carp and have 100lb – they are well into specimen territory!” Fishing 2ft deep at 10m, he was soon into a routine of firing pellets over the float, lifting and dropping every 30 seconds. That may seem regular, but it is a lot less than what most shallow fishing enthusiasts swear by. A bright yellow hookbait was his starting point and action wasn’t instant but when the float did finally bury an absolute hippo was attached. It was rapidly hauled away from where he was fishing and played elsewhere in the swim and within five minutes a 12lb-plus common was on the bank – what a start! When catching fish of this calibre you are never going to get one every chuck for the duration of the session and Phil picked them off in ones and two, switching wafter colours and adjusting the depth slightly to find the next bite. By the end of the session he had banked eight hefty carp, with smallest weighing around 8lb and the biggest a real net-buster that definitely surpassed 15lb. “I’m just packing up and the other anglers that have struggled to catch all day are finally getting a few bites in the margins as these big fish drop their guard for the day. “But by fishing shallow with wafters you give yourself a proper chance of getting bites when they aren’t actively looking for food. “Give it a try and you’ll be surprised at the monsters you will catch when shallow fishing.”