Missed bites on Spam

[The Squire]

Hello All, could do with some advice on getting more connections when fishing Spam as hookbait. In a small lake with a good head of carp I am only hooking up with about 1 in 4 'bites' whilst floatfishing. Using about 10mm cubes on a size 8 barbless hook, depth about 3'6", 2AAA waggler all shot locking float. The fish are in the 2lb to 6lb range and the bites are clear sail aways of the float.

Do I need to go smaller on the hookbait?

Am I getting line bites?

Should I try a hair rig?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks,

Dave.

[terry t shirt]

When float fishing meat i like to "lay on" about 6 inches

but something i find very important is to make sure the hook point is clear of the bait.

[birchy]

Hello All, could do with some advice on getting more connections when fishing Spam as hookbait. In a small lake with a good head of carp I am only hooking up with about 1 in 4 'bites' whilst floatfishing. Using about 10mm cubes on a size 8 barbless hook, depth about 3'6", 2AAA waggler all shot locking float. The fish are in the 2lb to 6lb range and the bites are clear sail aways of the float.

Do I need to go smaller on the hookbait?

Am I getting line bites?

Should I try a hair rig?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks,

Dave.

I assume you're not covering the point of the hook with the meat? I had similar problems today with ledgered luncheon meat on a hair rig. Started off with 8lb main/6lb hook length/size 12 hook and was getting some real screecher "runs" but no connections. My mate had exactly the same thing and he was float fishing. We reckon it was line bites but not sure. After downgrading to 4lb main/2.5lb hook length and a size 14 hook, i hooked into a 12 pounder. Big fish + light tack = hard work!

 

EDIT:

Must learn to type faster!

Edited April 20, 2010 by birchy

[The Squire]

I assume you're not covering the point of the hook with the meat? I had similar problems today with ledgered luncheon meat on a hair rig. Started off with 8lb main/6lb hook length/size 12 hook and was getting some real screecher "runs" but no connections. My mate had exactly the same thing and he was float fishing. We reckon it was line bites but not sure. After downgrading to 4lb main/2.5lb hook length and a size 14 hook, i hooked into a 12 pounder. Big fish + light tack = hard work!

 

EDIT:

Must learn to type faster!

 

Thanks for the advice Gents, I tend to rest the hook point on one of the sides of the meat once I have pulled it through the meat with the baiting needle so the point is exposed, perhaps I'm not exposing it enough. Interesting to hear of similar problems with a hair rig which was my plan A to overcome. Certainly some food for thought though.

Best regards,

Dave.

[watatoad]

Just an old idea have you ever tried rough shaped pieces rather than square cut or perhaps adding a little bread to the hook bait.

[tinca steve]

Try using a round bread punch about 6mm but through a slice of meat about 10mm thick, put your hook point into centre of end then twist your hook so point is well proud.

[Anderoo]

They sound suspiciously like line bites to me. These can happen quite a lot with bigger fish like carp and with a line going vertically through the water. There's no reason why using spam as bait (as long as the hook point is clear, which it is) should create more missed bites than any other bait.

 

Are you fishing at dead depth with the line going pretty much straight up from the bait to the float?

 

If so, I would try going overdepth by about a foot and fishing lift style - no locking shot with the float held on bottom end only with a float rubber, and one big shot (enough to sink the float) a couple of inches from the hook. Cast out, put the rod in rests and slowly tighten up until the float cocks. This will mean the line is leaving the swim at an angle and will hopefully mean fewer line bites.

[Guerilla]

You could try a meat screw?

 

I make my own with a braided hair and a spring from one of the many broken plastic pegs I find in the back garden!

Edited April 23, 2010 by Norfolk Rob

[wotnobivvy]

I have the same on my local lake. Some of the carp I landed fought hard for their size, until I got them into the net to find them hooked in the belly!!. Sometimes the hook will come back with a scale on it. I am not alone in this, as others have the same problem. The lake is quite shallow with fish in the 3-8 lb range. They seem to swim quite close to the bottom and get foul hooked. It is not only meat, but corn and pellets have the same problem. I now have the bottom shot on the bottom about 12" from the hook, and drag the float back after casting to leave it all on the bottom. This has reduced it noticeably, but not prevented it entirely

[gozzer]

I agree with all of the above, but do you know if the water contains crayfish? I had the same problem on a local lake a few years ago, the float would sail away, strike and nothing! Try to contain yourself and just reel in slowly if it keeps happening, you might find a crayfish still attached!

 

John.