Widnes Angling Centre

15/06/2026

The wait is almost over 🎣

11/06/2026

Mark's Blog: PVA Bags

I’ll do a couple of posts on PVA, as it makes up such a large part of my fishing.

I’ve been using PVA for around 30 years — stringers at first, then bags later on. My first twenty-pound carp came on a four-boilie PVA stringer.

I haven’t used stringers for a while, but I use bags extensively, as they very much suit my proactive approach.

PVA bags allow you to create the perfect trap using the most effective rig and lead setup. A short, supple hooklink paired with a decent-sized lead means that as soon as a fish picks up the bait, it immediately hits the lead and it’s game over. I’m happy to cast them into silt or low-lying w**d, over bait, or at showing fish.

Last season, I had 50 carp from Acton Burnell Lower Lake in 20 nights. Most were caught during daylight hours, which is a great average for that lake. Around 35 of them came on bags, including the largest common in the lake.

You’ll see just how effective they can be in an upcoming blog.

There are a few things I’ve picked up over the years that help maximise their effectiveness, and I’ll write about those soon. In the meantime, WAC stocks everything you’ll need.

Mark

08/06/2026

LEADS!

Back, flat pear inline and swivel, distance, pear, bag and heli!

04/06/2026

Mark’s Blog: Supple Hook Lengths from Bait Boats

My next session on the estate lake was an overnighter. Using the same tactics as the previous couple of sessions, I landed a lovely dark old mirror and a tench.

As that’s not particularly exciting, I’ll explain the rig I use when dropping from a bait boat as I don’t see many people doing this.

One of the big advantages of using a bait boat is that you don’t have to worry about your rig tangling. Because of this, you have much more freedom when it comes to hooklength materials. While rigs with some stiffness are great for avoiding tangles when casting, I much prefer using a supple hooklength, just as you would in a solid PVA bag. Simon Crow is a supple braid user, but I don’t have the confidence to cast them like he does.

So, when I first started using a boat a couple of years ago, I switched to supple hooklengths as well. Whenever I’m adding loose feed I prefer a wafter hook bait, my favourite rig for a wafter is what’s often called the Turbo German Rig, tied with a supple ‘boom’ of 20lb Korda Developments Dark Matter braid.
The braid is tied to a spinner swivel at one end then a figure of eight knot at the other. Aim for around 6 inches. This ‘boom’ section can be used again and again, so will last a very long time. My favourite hook is the Gardner Tackle Mugga in size 4 with an Avid Carp Ronnie sleeve to cover the crook. Then either a mini ring swivel or bait screw and a hook bead.

As the estate lake is quite silty and choddy in places, I attach this to a helicopter setup. For firmer lake beds, I’ll use a free-running lead clip or inline arrangement. It works fine with all lead arrangements.

When dropped from a boat, the rig won’t “kick out”. It’ll likely land in a coil or curled up, and that’s absolutely fine with me. In fact, I imagine a coiled-up braid can be inhaled very easily by a carp, regardless of the angle from which it approaches the bait.

If you use a bait boat or baiting pole, give supple hooklengths a try. They have been very effective for me.

WAC stock everything you need.

Mark

02/06/2026

Fresh line, ready for a new challenge. 🎣

01/06/2026

We are open as usual. Maggots, groundbaits, boilies - everything you need to get fishing 🎣👍

30/05/2026

Marks Blog: Canal Carp ❌ Bream ✅

So, my first couple of sessions haven’t quite gone to plan. I’ve done a couple of evening trips on the canal where I’ve been baiting. I expected a few skimmers and other nuisance species, but I didn’t expect full-on slabs!

Starting with wafter hookbaits, it turned into a proper bream fest. After four, and a peg clearly full of them, I gave up and decided I needed a rethink.

Next session, I switched to the 18mm High Impact boilies I’d bought to try and avoid the tench on the estate lake. As on there, they deterred the smaller bream — but not the big ones.

Have a look at this slab… that’s my size 12 for scale! I should probably have weighed it, but I was more focused on the slime all over my lovely Solar net.

I doubt I can feed them off. Maybe I should scrap the pre-baiting altogether, or only feed big boilies. Either way, I’ll be taking a dedicated bream net next time… and some tigers!

Mark

28/05/2026

Marks blog: Stuff I Like - RidgeMonkey Heavy Duty Water Carriers

I realise water containers are not a super exciting topic, but RidgeMonkey have once again done a great job of making a product that just works and is nice not to have to think about. Previously I was using whatever containers I could find, but many of them weren’t robust enough and didn’t last long.

The little one is perfect for overnighters. In summer it’s plenty for drinks and, in winter, enough for a couple of brews and to fill up the hot water bottle. The larger one I use on the rare occasion I do more than 24 hours. There are even bigger ones, but I don’t do sessions long enough to need that.

WAC stock all Ridgemonkey products.

Mark

27/05/2026