Pellets - How

[peakoverload]

I'm going fishing this weekend at a lake that is well stocked with Carp with an average size of 8lb but going up to 25lb. I've always just used the same techniques and bait there (only been twice), these being using a waggler with luncheon meat. I've always caught using this bait but I'm wondering about using pellets as I keep reading how effective they are. The problem is though that I've never used them. Can anyone give me some pointers? Also do you think it's worth trying when I know that meat, so far, always works?

Cheers

[Wilza]

I've found that hard pellets like large Halibut pellets are best used in spring and summer for best results, but they could still be worth trying before winter comes though. I would suggest maybe using smaller hooks with soft pellets, paste and bits of meat.

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

Pellets can be very effective but I've found that it's a matter of confidence in what you're using. Like you I had very good results with meat and corn but was not sure about pellets. Once I'd tried them and had some reasonable results, albeit from a well stocked commercial, I was convinced.

My favourite method is to fish an open ended feeder with dampened 3ml hard pellets in the feeder (a grip mesh feeder works best), pehaps with a sprinkling of fishmeal groundbait. Hookbait is 1 or 2 10ml hard pellets on a simple hair rig.

One of the keys to making this work is accurate casting which builds up the swim. This time of year, as it gets colder, the amount of feed typically should be less and less. Pick a pellet type and go with it, maybe switching a few variations on the hook. Feeding pellet but fishing corn or meat on the hook/hair can work really well.

A small PVA bag will work just as well but accurate casting is still the key feature.