Mention wagglers on commercial fisheries today and it’s assumed you’re talking about the pellet waggler, nothing else. That’s no surprise, as it’s easily the best way to catch carp and F1s feeding shallow in open water or around islands – yet it wasn’t always like this.
Before the arrival of the ‘pellet wag’, and indeed before proper carp poles came on to the market, rod-and-line was the only way to catch. Thirty years ago, that involved the use of short, clear plastic wagglers set a foot deep, cast out with the line kept tight to the float as you blasted pints of maggots around it. When you got a bite, the rod-tip would be yanked around!
Things change, but there’s still a place for classic insert floats for carp fishing, albeit only at certain times of the year. In winter, the pellet waggler becomes redundant and the insert takes over. Likewise, when silverfish are the target, there’s little to beat the finesse of a traditional float.
Balsa pellet wagglers
Size depends on how far you need to cast and what the wind is doing – 10g-plus for big open reservoirs, 6g or 8g for smaller commercials. Balsa wagglers tend to be far more durable but can spook fish in clear water.
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Foam pellet wagglers
Ideal for mugging carp, casting to an island in 12ins of water or for when the fish are right amid the feed and swirling on the surface. These wagglers are also great for chub on small, shallow rivers when a stick float can't be presented correctly.
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Insert wagglers
Superb for silverfish work, and for winter carp, fishing maggots at half-depth and casting about is a great way to search the peg. They offer much more finesse than other types of wagglers and make for a very versatile option, especially in cooler weather.
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Bodied wagglers
I remember firing out balls of groundbait or stickymag over the top of one of these to catch shallow. I reckon that they’d still work a treat. They also make for great slider floats, a method that isn't really utilised much these days with popular venues not being deep enough to require their use.
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