Understanding Bait Bouyancy
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With carp becoming bigger and wiser, match anglers are having to think of different ways to put more fish in the net. Des Shipp believes that hookbait buoyancy can play a huge part in winning more matches.
The past couple of years have seen a shift in the tactics that anglers use to target commercial carp. Much like the introduction and widespread use of pellets, these carp soon become wise to certain tactics used by anglers. With some fisheries holding three or even four matches per week, the fish soon switch off; this is where a change can work to your advantage.
Why Buoyancy?
From speaking to friends that are very good carp anglers and having watched some of the many carp angling DVDs on offer, carp fishermen are completely bonkers about the buoyancy of their hookbaits. Carp anglers target very pressured fish, they see lots of the same baits, day in day out, and the anglers have had to adapt to try and trick these fish. This is becoming much the same on commercial fisheries.
Now, using a hookbait to balance out the weight of a size 16 PR C1 might sound absurd – it’s not! We all fish matches to win; it’s the main aim of the game. To do that you need to get the fish to pick up your hookbait and the hook to catch hold. In turn that will lead to more fish in the net, and more money in your back pocket. So surely making the hookbait the first thing to enter a carp’s mouth should be top priority!
Size Matters
Buoyancy can be related to all forms of bait when fishing, it’s not only your hookbaits,
but what you are feeding into the swim too. The tiny particles in groundbait are extremely light and fluffy. Drop a loaded Method feeder in a bucket of water and waft it with your fingers, you’ll soon see just how easily the particles cloud up. Pellets are much the same. Softened 2mm pellets become practically weightless underwater and can be sucked up particularly easily by a hungry carp. Even finicky feeding F1’s will make short work of 
pellets around a Method feeder. A mix of both can provide both scent and feed in the swim, and also differing levels of buoyancy.
Carp soon become wise to certain tactics used by anglers. With some fisheries holding THREE or even four matches per week. this is where a change can work to your advantage
