Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Unleash the magic of wag and mag
It’s a tactic that’s been left in the past by many, but Tom Downing shows why it should still be a key player in your armoury
THE era when a huge number of anglers wanted to see a carp hit the net at the end of each battle has passed. There’s no doubt that they still remain a massively popular species, but there’s now a greater emphasis on variety – the mystery of what will turn up next can be a major source of excitement. Fisheries have reacted to this noticeable change by turning to a more mixed stocking policy, and if there’s one tactic that was tailor- made to exploit this it just has to be the waggler and maggot.
Use the approach in the correct way and you’ll have quality fish of all shapes and sizes showing an interest.
Everything, from your rig right through to your feeding, needs to be perfect to make the most of your day on the bank, and Tom Downing has shared his top tips with us to help you do just that.
The Bait- Tech- backed angler fondly remembers using wag and mag during his early adventures and, unlike many, he’s made sure it continues to play its part.
“It’s a brilliant tactic that guarantees plenty of action from pretty much anything that swims,” stated Tom.
“Getting a few bites is rarely tricky, but you need to get the seemingly minor elements spot- on if you want to keep the float going under all day long.”
Simple set- up
One of the many beauties of using the waggler is its ability to cover the whole depth of your swim.
Roach, rudd and ide often sit in the upper layers, with bream, tench and perch preferring to feed on the deck.
Set your rig appropriately and all these species will have ample chance to suck up your hookbait.
“The key is to make the hookbait fall slowly in the layers where the quality fish are sat.
“I place a bulk of shot halfway down my rig and then string three No8 droppers below.
“This bombs the hookbait down to half- depth quickly and then it drastically slows up to mimic the pace that the freebies sink at.
“I get it through the top layer quickly because there are often a lot of tiny fish here that will snatch at a maggot.
“If you’ve made the effort to cast and feed accurately, the last thing you want to latch into each time is a half- ounce rudd!”
Mainline is 3lb through to a 0.11mm hooklength and a size 18 hook.
A semi- loaded float enables him to use some shot down the line to get the hookbait quickly down to where he wants it. That partial loading requires no big locking shot that could damage the mainline. Instead, several No8s are pinched around the base of the float to hold it in place.
Rapid routine
Your float may be able to fly a decent distance, but you’ll fail to succeed if your target zone is out of reach for the catapult.
Maggots are a very light bait, and you’ll be lucky to get them beyond 20m, especially with any accuracy. With that in mind, you should aim to fish somewhere within that limit, as loosefeeding with a catapult is a vital component of the tactic.
“A regular trickle of bait going through the water column is what creates competition, and once you have them challenging each other for the grubs, it’s a recipe for the bigger fish to show an interest.
“Hand- sized silvers are likely to be the first to show but if you get into a little- and- often feeding regime, you’ll soon find that better stampers start to dominate.
“I feed around 20 maggots just before I cast, chuck the rig among them and wait around a minute. If I haven’t had a bite by then, I feed the same quantity, wait another minute and then wind in and repeat the process if it still doesn’t evoke a response.
“It’s so important to stick to this routine – even during slow spells – because that near- constant feeding pattern and keeping the hookbait on the move is what will eventually trigger the fish into feeding.”
There’s no need to go overboard when buying bait. Three pints of red and white maggots is usually enough to last a full session.
Ring the changes
Tom’s day job involves maintaining the fishery at Devon’s Clawford Lakes. The residents- only complex is undergoing a major revamp, with top class accommodation, a restaurant and tackle shop among the facilities on site.
When given a little time away from the many tasks on hand, Tom enjoys wetting a line on one of the 17 pools on the complex, and the intimate Jenny Wren is one of his favourites.
With lily pads dotted around the lake and no permanent pegs, it has an old- school vibe. Very few carp are present, with roach, rudd, bream, tench and crucians making up the catches.
So, it’ll come as no surprise to you that the waggler works a treat on here!
Tackled up on the end of a peninsula for IYCF, Tom decided to fish just off the edge of a clump of lilies, with the rain of maggots going in from the word go.
He used an SSG shot as opposed to a conventional plummet to help him work out the depth, and started the day with his double red maggot hookbait just touching the deck.
It didn’t take long for the action to kick off, with hand- sized roach and rudd obliging within minutes of the first maggot delivery.
They remained dominant for the first half- anhour but rather than get frustrated at catching reasonably small fish, Tom knew he had to maintain what he was doing.
“I’m going to up the feed a little to try and draw those bigger fish in. If that doesn’t work, I’ll move the bulk down by a few inches to try and bomb it past them. It’ll give me an idea of whether the skimmers and tench are on the bottom and, if they are, it’s because some of the loosefeed is getting through to them.”
Regular tweaks of this type were needed throughout the day to gain the desired results, with a brace of 2lb tench, skimmers to 1lb and some quality roach and rudd to 12oz spicing up the action. At no point during the session had Tom been left twiddling his thumbs, and bites came frequently thanks to his well- drilled feeding and casting routine.
“The waggler is one of those tactics that rewards hard work. If you put in the graft and never let up from it, you’ll always catch substantially more than those who adopt a more leisurely approach.”