Hey Guys,
Thought I would compile a starters guide on conventional bank angling (papgooi as some of you call it). Now, I am no expert, but what I am about to share was very valuable info I would have loved to be privy to when I started out. I always knew what a reitvlei, baby-shoe and vaaldam rig looked like, and even made some of these when going to Bronkies or Roodeplaat for a weekend or so. But its only in the last 14 months that I had the privilege to go with a decent club and a new world of angling opened up for me. Suddenly I could go to Roodeplaat and actually catch carp. Only thing I ever caught there were canary kurper on earthworm. I learned how to cast better and how the make propper use of baits, dips and tackle.
As previously stated on Sealine, gear is important. But you don’t need the best to be the best. I have seen amazing anglers use average gear with lots of success. What is most important is your mindset. A negative angler never catches a lot of fish. However, try to get the best gear you can afford. There are a few angling shops out there who will be very helpful. Do some homework as well. Some shops can be very expensive. Don’t be hasty, you will regret it!
Rods:
Most guys these day use 12 foot carp rods. If you are using graphite, make sure to have a set of regular, non-graphite, rods spare.
Graphite attract electricity from lightning in the air to power-lines nearby.
Reels:
For conventional bank angling it is always recommended to use a reel with a “baitfeeder†system. Try to get a reel that can hold at least 250 to 300 meter 0.25mm line. The baitfeeder is not a necessity, but it makes life a whole lot easier. Some reels come with an extra spool. This is very handy in that you can have spools with different thickness line or just as a backup spool for when you run out of line on your first spool. This can save a lot of time.
Line:
Most guys use a line with a approximate diameter of 0.25mm. The thinner the line, the further the cast. Don’t go too thin though, because it can sometimes give you more pain than gain. Rather start of with a thicker line and work your way up to thin line as you gain experience. One thing I have noted is that cheap line will give you more hassles than anything angling can throw at you. Kraaineste vang nie vis nie.Hehehe!!
Knots:
Learn to make decent knots. Leader knots, Hooklink knots. Swivel knots. Spool knots. Practice these knots while you watch TV. The better you are at making these knots, the more time you will have for angling. You will find a lot of pictures and animations on the internet showing how to make these knots. Different anglers use/prefer different knots as none of us are the same. What works for one person doesn’t always work for the other. Some usefull knots are; clinch, palomar, blood and a knot I prefer for tying my line to leader is “Spyker’s knotâ€.
Try this link for all sorts of knots:
http://sealine.co.za/view_forum.php?id=44
Leader:
Leaders are there to help you cast better and to have something on the end of you line that is abrasion resistant. I myself use 17lbs line. The leader is normally just under twice the length of your rod.
Swivels:
Swivels help prevent line from twisting. Put a snap-swivel on the end of the leader. This makes it easier to attach/change a rig. I am not going to elaborate on swivel sizes as it depends on personal preference. Experiment a little. You will soon find what works for you and what doesn’t. The most common swivels are 2-way, 3-way and snap swivels.
Rigs:
Baby-shoes Rig:
2 hooks hanging below the weight
Rietvlei Rig:
1 hook above and 1 hook below the weight.
I prefer the gly-rietvlei rig:
Vaaldam/Bottom Rig:
2 hooks above the weight
Baits:
There are only a few baits that are essential for success. Don’t go out and stock up on everything you can get your hands on. The most important baits are Floaties, Dips, Dough and groundfeed. Floaties can be bought at any angling shop. I normally use plain floaties as this allows you to change the flavor at any time using the appropriate “dipsâ€. Floaties help to keep the hook out of mud or silt at the bottom and can be combined with other hook baits like dough, maize or even worms.
Dips can also be bought at any angling shop but you don’t need every single dip ever produced. As long as you have something sweet like caramel(FX) or banana and something stronger like Gumtree or Vicks you have a chance of catching something. I have about 6 dips that I constantly use and FX is combined with mostly everything. Other favorites include Almond, Cinnamon, Garlic and TCP. Don’t use too much dip at once. Fish can smell pretty good and just a little goes a long way.
Dough is made of cake flour and some water. A basic recipe is; one teaspoon water, add flour while stirring into a nice consistent dough. The dough is ready when it stops clinging to the side of the cup you are mixing it in. I like adding some brown sugar to the water before mixing in the dough. Dough can also be used with worms or floaties. Semolina can also be used instead of the flour. Just mix it until it is still sticky and let it stand for about 10min. Then add just a little more semolina if necessary until the dough feels right in you hands. Flavours can be added to the water before adding the flour or semolina.
Add some Salt to you dough if the Yellowfish are bothering you too much (Thanks Enigma for this tip!)
Again, experiment a little and you will reap the rewards.
PS: Never dip worms in dip. It will spoil the dip completely.
Groundfeed is also available from all angling shops. There are quite a few brands and types out there but the basics are the same. Mix with water, roll into a small egg sized ball and attach to your sinker or bomb-holder. Make sure to keep on casting in the same spot to build up a nice feeding area that will keep the fish in that spot. This is one of the secrets of success in bank angling. Don’t over-feed, but feed just enough to keep the fish interested.
Hooks:
There are so many hook types and sizes that it’s sometimes very difficult to choose which ones to use. Hooks should not be too big. Some guys prefer size 1, 2 or 3 hooks. I have had some good results with 0.8 Daiichi hooks. If you want to target bigger fish, you can use bigger hooks with bigger baits.
Weights:
I myself have started using M0 weights after about a year of angling more actively. The M-shade or Mushroom weights are designed for supporting the mieliebom when casting. you basically mould the mieliebom around the rig line above the weight and then slide it over the weight until you can feel it being supported by the weight. For a Bottom/Vaaldam rig you can use a P3 or P4 weight as you will be trying to get distance
Casting:
Something I still want to improve myself, but here is a nice link with lots of info.
http://sealine.co.za/view_forum.php?id=73
Just one note: Some of the casts are not really suited for freshwater rods, so stick to the overhead cast if you are not sure.
I hope this adds some value to your angling. And feel free to add any tips or point out any flaws. I am always willing to learn.
Good luck and tight lines!
Naruto
