'BFW' Micro Mesh (Boilie Sized) PVA
Introduction
Because of the tight weave of this material, it is claimed that maggots can
be also be used and it seems feasible to present maggots in this way, although
I expect they would manage to find their way out of it in a fairly short time,
but not quick enough in average loading and casting time. If that's what you
intend then try it - I didn't.
Description
If you plan to use the PVA to make 'stick' mixes then you will also something
to compress the mix. After a short time messing around with a piece of wooden
dowel, I went out and bought a purpose made piece of plastic made specifically
for this purpose. I bought the Korda one at around £2.75 - anything
for an easier life and help maintain my reputation as a tackle tart!
Plastic Compressor Device - This is the Korda one
In The Bait Kitchen
Preparing bags of pellets is no real problem, twist and knot the end of the
micro mesh, pour the desired quantity of freebies down the tube, pull off
the mesh, twist and another knot (followed by another for the next bag) and
you have a bag of tasty morsels for Mr and Mrs Barbel.
As I and others have discovered, you can freeze the 'sticks' without too much
trouble for use in future sessions. Providing that the 'sticks' are removed
from the freezer bag before any condensation can form, they retain their integrity.
After experimenting a bit with defrosting I found that the best method was
to take the 'sticks' from the freezer bag, separate them so there is a slight
space between each, and let them defrost. This was carried out either on a
wire gauze tray (such as a maggot or groundbait riddle) or on a piece of kitchen
towel.
This sort of micro mesh has been claimed to be very robust and ladder resistant.
I am pleased to say that based on my experience that these claims would appear
to be justified - not a ladder in sight - even with my rough hands.
Presentation
There are a number of ways you can present the bags or 'sticks' whilst fishing. Nicking the mesh of the bag or 'stick' with the hook is probably the most simple. Alternatively, you can attach onto the lead using a suitable clip or method of attachment.
As I mostly use quick change rig clips (the excellent Gemini Snood Clips or similar but more expensive Gizmos by Carp-R-Us), I can thread 'sticks' onto my hooklink by the use of a stringer needle loop or swivel first. A typical arrangement is shown in the picture below.
Micro Mesh 'Stick' Threaded Through the Hook Link
14mm Boilie Bait with
Size 8 Kevin Nash Fang
Another
slightly different presentation was to have the 'stick' mounted a couple or
few inches above the hook and this was accomplished by mounting a rubber bead
with a float stop - this would hold the 'stick' in position above the hookbait
but would not constitute a high risk tether rig should the hooklink break.
There is a reasoning for this up the line variation, but as this review is
primarily about micro mesh, I'll not go into any more specific detail in this
text.
In Use
After some breakdown tests on the bags and 'sticks' in the kitchen things looked promising, conjuring up visions of the stick gradually breaking down on the river bed leaving a trial of small attractive particles for fish to home in on my bait, but nothing really substantial to enjoy a feast without encountering the hookbait.
Breakdown Stages of The Micro Mesh Stick
So, off fishing next to test things in a real fishing situation. On the first
session the river was running low and fairly clear. Water temperature was
around 46 F. I found that on a couple of occasions the 'stick' was still pretty
much intact when it was retrieved 20 minutes later. I was fishing with a threaded
'stick' immediately above the hook so that I could more accurately monitor
the breakdown - if I were to simply nick the hook into some of the mesh then
the chances were that the stick would come off after a short time - which
is not what I wanted during the review period. While pondering this with the
bait out in the river, the rod wrenched over and after a spirited fight an
angry barbel of around 8 pounds was netted. Oh dear, I thought as I saw the
stick dangling down from the mouth of the barbel. To be fair the bait had
only been out around 5 minutes, but was more food for thought. Using the 'review'
set-up there was a chance that during the initial stages of immersion the
hook would be effectively masked by the stick and therefore for future testing
opted for a 'slightly up the line' form of presentation.
Back home another batch of sticks were made and this time I decided to use less compression during the making. Making a fairly loosely packed stick may result in it being fairly buoyant due to trapped air, so a thing to watch. Make it very loose and you really have a bag but the air will be quickly displaced by water on immersion.
Back at the river with the water temperature a few degrees higher at 49 F, with slightly more flow. Tests showed the 'sticks' were acting more as I intended and only one was retrieved partially intact - however, this was also the victim of being mugged by a large chub and hadn't been out for long. A number of barbel were also caught.
On another session and less flow, slightly lower water temperatures at 47 F. During this session I did some more experimentation and found that I could accelerate the breakdown by either cutting the stick in half or putting a few cuts down the side of the 'stick' with a penknife.
Using the micro mesh for bags of freebies presented no real problems, although the water temperature and flow will effect the time that the micro mesh takes to dissolve - this obviously applies to both bags and 'sticks'. The higher the temperature and flow the quicker the PVA will dissolve. Packing density and to an extent the nature of the contents will also have an effect. Oily based ingredients are likely to have a slowing effect, so too will immersing the bags or 'stick' in oil based liquids.
Repeating the breakdown at a few different higher temperatures suggested that
for 'normal' Summer and Autumn use, this micro mesh PVA tubing would be ideal.
Conclusions
Good, ladder resistant, soluble PVA product. The fine weave of the mesh gives
increased versatility for the types of bait fillings that can be used. You
can make bags and 'sticks' with very little or no waste of the PVA material.
Breakdown of 'sticks' potentially slow in lower water temperatures, but there
are ways that this can be accelerated or indeed slowed.
Price
Boilie Dispenser with 5 metres micro mesh PVA stocking for £8.50 from
the BFW shop.
Go to the BFW
On-Line Shop
