With much anticipation I packed the car in preparation of my weekly overnight session on the Doughnut Lake this week. With temperatures consistently in the teens and twenties, it was about time that the fish received their weekly dose of Bait-Tech Poloni goodness!
When fishing an overnight session with limited time, I try to prioritize attraction in my swim rather than sheer quantity of bait. By utilizing the Big Carp Poloni Method Mix, combined with Super Seed Chilli Hemp and a liberal dose of Polony Oil this deadly combination (or holy trinity as I like to refer to it) provides optimum attraction and feed stimulation, whilst not overfeeding the fish in front of me.
Boilie fishing is a game of odds in my mind. I’d much rather feed 10 boilies per bite than 100 boilies before I’d even had one. By doing so (in my mind at least), your hookbait has a 1 in 10 chance of being consumed rather than a 1 in 100. By creating a bed of attraction with small particles, I can draw the fish to my swim without the risk of overfeeding. This methodology also has the benefit of being slightly kinder on your wallet!
Having placed both rigs on the far margin (no more than several rod lengths on the Doughnut Lake), I sat down to a well earned BBQ in the Summer evening’s warmth with old friends.
The Doughnut Lake is a small 1 acre water with depths to 6ft and fairly dense blanket weed. I have a preference for helicopter style setups when it comes to fishing in weed, on either a Multi Rig or Stiff Hinge Pop-Up presentation. The high buoyancy of the Poloni Pop-Ups is ideal for critically balancing hookbaits. The degree of buoyancy in a pop-up determines the range of adjustment when creating slow sinking hookbaits. By gradually adjusting the amount of tungsten putty on the Multi Rig, you can create a critically balanced bait which will rest undisturbed the moment it reaches bottom no matter what the lake bed character. Having originally used the Multi rig on a lead clip, I find a helicopter presentation has certainly improved my catch rates and confidence.
No sooner had I started my chicken skewers, the right hand rod flew off with a fantastically angry low double common.
With the first fish of the night returned the exact same rod later tor off with a far stronger fish. No thrashing and bashing with this one, just slow steady plodding in front of my swim whilst a tediously drew her towards the net. Once she was under the head torch it was apparent that it was in fact one of the lakes biggest residents, a gorgeously dark old common weighing a few pounds and ounces over twenty! With only 5 or so twenty pound fish in the lake I couldn’t have been more pleased.
Short overnight sessions demand confidence in a bait, this is where the Poloni really does shine especially during these warmer months. As I like to say, no balony – just Poloni please!
Jamie Roddick
Carp Team