What are PVA Stringers, Bags & Netting?
The use of polyvinyl acetate – or PVA - is one of the most ingenious developments in carp fishing in the last decade. This material can resemble both plastic bags and cotton netting, but actually it’s water soluble and, depending on the break-down, time the PVA will either dissolve when it hits water or when the bag hits the lake bed. By adding oil based liquids you can increase the time before breakdown commences. The benefit of PVA is the ability to cast out your hook bait with a small offering of feed. This helps with no tangles of line when casting and making sure your feed is closely deposited around your hook making presentation irresistible to carp.
Another benefit of fishing with PVA products is their ability to conceal your hook amongst the contents. To conceal your hook, place the rig and lead inside the bag and fill it up using pellet or method mix, this can either be dry or mixed with an oil based liquid. Bear in mind that normal water will break the PVA down and just cause one nasty mess, and try not to make the PVA bags too big as this will decrease the distance you can cast them. If you cast and your line snaps, which is a common mistake, you’ll need to start again. Simply refill the PVA bag with a smaller amount or add a shock leader to the mainline. (A shock leader is a section of line which has a very high breaking strain (35lb plus). It attaches to your end tackle from the leader up to the reel, and it’s only used when casting with extreme weights to stop line-snaps. Most people will use a leadcore leader for this purpose; the alternative is very strong sea fishing line.)
PVA Bags
PVA comes in many types and sizes, and its use usually comes down to personal preference. There are bags available in small, medium, large and extra large, and they must be stabbed with holes so that the air doesn’t prevent the bag from floating. There are also bags with perforations so you don’t damage the line whilst puncturing the bag, which allows the air can escape and the bag to sink – but these can get messy if you put liquids in them.
The key benefit of PVA bags is that they can hold dry method mix, groundbait and liquids which would normally escape when loading up. If you’re able to use an electric or normal boat on the water and feeding from it on the spot then any size of bag will do, just lower it from the boat and then scatter your boilies around the spot. The idea of this is to attract the carp to your hook bait as quickly as possible. PVA bag sizes are only an issue when casting from the bank. The disadvantage of using PVA bags is the reduction of the distance you can cast; in these cases a stringer is better for the job, reducing weight and making it more aerodynamic.
PVA Mesh
Net bags can also be constructed from PVA. Net bags have mesh holes so air can escape quickly, making sure the bag sits on the bottom next to your lead and doesn’t float up once the PVA has dissolved. PVA netting allows for perfect presentation, and the hook sticks and twists in the PVA for a strong hold. These bags are ideal for creating golf ball size pellet bags for casting out, attached to your hook bait. All you have to do is make the PVA net bags to the size you want and fill them with pellets or broken boilies - or both. The bags above are filled with Pellet Mix Bloodworm & Shrimp, the hook is pushed through the PVA and then it’s ready to cast. When the PVA dissolves, the pellets will make a pyramid type effect of free offerings around your hook bait. In the 3kg bucket there are five different sizes of pellets; each will breakdown at a different speed and all the dry objects like the bloodworm, shrimp and robin red will disperse and float to the surface along with the feed-inducing oils. Instant high attraction PVA set up at its best.
PVA Sticks
To make PVA sticks, you’ll need to mix dry groundbait or method mix with an oil-based liquid to make it stick together without breaking the PVA down. The Ocean Fresh Amino Liquid Food is perfect for this job as only oil based liquids will keep the PVA from breaking down from the inside. Once the stick mix is the consistency you want it, push it down the boilie funnel web PVA netting and tie off the end. Using a quick-release hook link and a long stringer needle, you can thread the hook link down the middle of the stick, camouflaging the hook link and hook with stick mix. You’ll end up with a delicious bait and feed offering for the carp to home in to. Another option for the netting is to string boilies together which enables you to have one attached to the hook and a number of free ones nearby.
PVA String
Lastly on the list of PVA products is the tape or string. These are used for tying knots and for making simple stringers. Make sure you leave a gap between each boilie in the stringer setup; as the PVA breaks down it shrinks and you want each boilie to behave naturally, rather than them being all stuck together.