PVA bags, Help Options

[CarpFreak5328]

I have just gotten a few pva bags and i get the gerneral idea of them, but how do i rig them up so you can cast them? Im planning on trying these things out this year.

[limestone]

OK, here's one way of doing it-
Note these thumbnails only seem to work as clickable links part of the time, sorry.



This is the pellet mix I use for bagging.



Start by putting the baited hook in the bottom of the bag. I've got two 10mm boilies on here but any dry bait will work. You should be able to see that I'm holding the lead just outside the bag for now.



Then add some pellets to the bag.



Now put the lead in, making sure all the hooklink is in, but hopefully not going to tangle when the bag dissolves.



Top the bag up with more pellets.



Wet the fingers of your free hand and twist the top of the bag round your rig tube or mainline. Lick your finger and thumb or use a bit of lake water - you don't want so much wet that the whole bag dissolves, just enough for the bag to start to melt where you are touching it, and start to stick to itself. (And by 'free hand', I mean the one that isn't holding the bag, and the one that isn't holding the camera!)



Turn the bag over and take a corner. Shake the pellets out of that corner, the top corner in this picture.



Lick it 'n' stick it. Fold the corner down, lick it or damp it some other way, and it should stick to the bottom of the bag.



Do the same with the other corner.



And there you have it - a nice compact bag, ideal for long casting or getting through surface weed.

Might seem a waste, but drop one in the water where you can see it (or in a tank), and you'll see how it dissolves, almost exploding the contents out.

Some people puncture the bag a few times, but I don't think this is necessary. If you do, don't use a baiting needle, as you'll spoil everything if the hooked end catches your hooklink.

Hope this is some help.

[CarpFreak5328]

Thanks, but is wraping your main line around the bag and then wetting it and folding it over is good enough to handle the weight so you can get a good cast?

[limestone]

It's wrapping the bag round the line, rather than to other way round, but yes, it is, because the bag melts together, and it's only supporting the weight of the contents. The weight itself is on the line, and the bag rests on the weight. Try it - it works.

[CarpFreak5328]

I will try it out thank you, with the weather finally getting warm up to the 70's here in ohio for this comming up week i may give it a try.

[NY Rob]

Limestone ..

Very helpful post. THAT is a serious 101 for beginners. Thank you and well done.

Rob

[saskcarp]

Yeah I second that, nice one Limestone.

[Cactus Carp]

Some may or may not know long the lines with pva and pellet use don't forget to "add" some spray to them. It makes a difference than just pellets alone. And use different size pellets for different dislove times of the pellets.