I say PVA wins.

* You don't have to get your hands all sticky.
* You don't have to use funny looking tackle.
* They can be premade.

and most importantly...

* Since it doesn't have all of the water weight, already in it, you can put out a lot more attractant with much less weight and bulk.

What say y'all?

I have never used a method feeder because I dont believe that ball of particels close to a hooklink works
However I do use a "methodmix "but that is more a mixture of pellets and meals made into a ball...but very dry and hard
So the carp have to break it with there nose to release the smell
I usualy drop 10 -15 balls in the swim just to start off..and bait up with boilies over that
And yes I do fish with stringers of PVA but only 2-3 boilies max

if your method is right you can pack it around a gripper lead or almoseany other kind of lead. yes method is heavy but I have more confidence in method that pva sticks. now unless the fishing is really crazy and it's a one pole day then I will use pva sticks just cause it's fast and easy. but I think method is better.

also to add to that I also think that too much smell can be a bad thing. jmho

PVA, because it makes for a better tomahawk cast.

Hey ya ya ya Hey ya ya ya

I have zero experience with PVA so method wins by default, but ive been wanting to try out PVA. I think the big PVA bags seem like they would be more efffective, filled up with boilies, birdseed and some other particles. If i could just figure out how fix the big PVA bag of goodies on to the rig i would try it.

josh i just tie the bag and put the hook unger the knot. works for me

Yea thats one way that ive read about rigging up the PVA, but have you tried these BDS PVA weights? Its says that you secure the bag on the weight with an O-ring, to me the design looks like it would work. Im just not sure if its one of those things that are made to catch more fishermen than fish. Wacker baits has them on their website in the PVA section.

http://www.wackerbaits.com/sf/index1.html

BadChadE uses those and likes them. I like pva and method and they each have their place. If I need distance I use a stick mix, but if fishing to 80yds I use method. It is good to have options

I think the method creates aggressive feeding and due to the huge numbers of massive fish its given to me; I'll say the method for carp wins every time.

Now for those dainty buffs, I'd say they're about equal.
Carp anglers don't mind getting dirty! We wear crocks in snake country!

Ha!

The way I see it there are 2 times when method has an advantage. When you are using attractors that are not PVA safe and when you are using method as a baiting strategy, such as Wolfman Leo described. Other than that it is for metrosexuals, A.K.A. people that wear womens shoes when fishing.

wow! crocs fishing.that almost sounds g@y.hahaha you have to cut your foot so blood runs out of the shoe so you look more like a man

thought about using pva for a while now, but with such good success on method mix, why change it now...

Me too. However, I've got the confidence in method and that goes a long way.

Just tie a knot in the top of the PVA bag without the hook link or anything in it and then take the hook point and drive it through the knot. Works for me. Also i like to use both PVA and method. If I catch on pva i switch another rod over to PVA and vise versa. There is some places where the method catches and some places where pva is the king.. not sure why.

Just so I don't sound anti-method I should say that I do use method at times. In fact, I will share my method recipe.

* Take 3 parts of Calf Manna, in a bucket, and pour boiling water onto the pellets. Do not apply to much, just enough for the water to rise to the top of the pellets.

* Let it cool so that you can work it with your hands.

* Mix in 2 to 3 parts of bread crumbs until it is mixed in really well.

* In the warmer months I will add this;

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores...5007000_425-7-0


The oil will rise throughout the water column and along the lake bed. However, in really cold water oils can coagulate so I switch to; http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores...5007000_425-7-0

* Add more bread crumbs until the mix is firm. You can add particles to the mix if breakers are needed.

doesent the bread crumb make it to solid,i mean calf manna alone binds really well. so in cold water wouldnt the bread crumb make it like a rock.

Nope. Calf Manna by itself will just explode when it hits the water. It needs a binder to make it to the bottom.

huh ok i always thought it made it to the bottom.

Chris, here's a trick i always use with new method mixes.

Make up a ball and put it in a bowl of cold water and time the break down. Calf Manna alone breaks down in less than 30 seconds.
I have a similar mix to Jason's and it takes about ten minutes to break down, by adding some creamed corn this process takes even longer. I like my mixes to take 15-20 minutes to break down.

I recast every 30-60 minutes on some lakes, if I'm casting every 2 hours I may tweak the mix a little more.

where do you get calf manna and what is it?

Calf manna and oats is what I use. Then add creamed corn, maize or hemp or bird seeds, and Hog Wild.

It has produced very well at many area lakes, including the two twenties from Athens.

After I prepare it, I make one ball of method and throw up in the air so that it lands in the shallow water and I see how long it takes to break down (this simulates the impact of casting.) Based on what I see, I then make adjustments to the mix if needed. After casting, I catapult some more method balls close to the hookbait and rebait with method balls as needed.

PVA does rock, BTW. Every technique has a time and place, our job is to figure out what those are!

JPF
You can get calf manna at most feed stores in DFW.

I work with two different size pellets one big plus a finer grade
Then I add dry boilie mix ..mix them dry up
Then just make it wet enough with water ( or the juice that you got left from cooking the boilies)so I am able to make good size round balls
I normally make about 20 of these and let dry up in the sun so they become solid..and fairly dry
And then they are ready to be dropped in your swim...but do it as gently as possibel so they wont break up
And for the rest I use boilies from the same mix...easy and fairly cheap..and basic
And it works for me many years..all over europe to

leo what method do you usually use to throw these out please?

guess i should have read more carefull . i assume you go out in the boat to chum??

If its not to far away I could use a baitspoon jesse ..but there is a chance they break up
I rather use a boat ,,kanou..or even a belly boat to bring them out..that way I am sure they are in the right spot to
The idea is that the carp is breaking it up with the nose...and eat the peaces around it..and that is were it finds your boilie

Anybody know where i can get some bigger PVA bags, the biggest i can find so far is 4"x6". Im going to give pva a go and im trying to find a bag big enough to cram a bunch of boilies and particles in to it.

I fell in love with the BDS leads when I was demonstratung them in a glass bowl at the Arlington Outdoors show. I had them loaded with Cracked Corn and a Boilie/Popup Hair.

Every time I put one in, the bag hit the bottom with the lead on the bottom. When the bag broke up, the chum pile covered the lead and the bait was presented perfectly- Sticking up on top of the buffet.

I use PVA mostly, but I really do like fishing The Method. The Method allows you to create a better bed of bait, and I really think it is more effective. I'm just a little too lazy to mix it all the time.

Chad

Hey guys ive just moved here from the uk and noticed some of you guys talking about using pellets... WHERE DO YOU GET THEM FROM IVE LOOKED EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!! Also your pva and stuff, is there a tackle shop in texas carp orientated? would appreciate a bit of info, cheers!

UKcarper, look up feed stores in your area they are just about guaranteed to have it. Unfortunately there arent any tackles shops in texas where you can walk in and buy carp stuff everything has to be ordered online. Bigcarptackle.com, wackerbaits.com and resistancetackle.com are some good sites to buy from.

www.bigcarptackle.com has all the items you need for bait,tackle and if your looking for something that you dont see there dave can help you out he is a great guy.

Thanks guys, that site is quality, been costing up getting 21mm marine halibut pellets sent over for cat fishing and it was not cheap

By the way, welcome to the forum .

Are you here permanently or just temporary? Would be good to get an opportunity to get together and wet a line.

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