Oscar Thornton - Solidz Bags For Big Carp

When it comes to versatility, solidz are as good as it gets. They tick pretty much every box you’d want from a rig, yet I still believe they are well underused, particularly in the  ‘big carp scene’.

They are just so versatile, which is why they are such a vital tool in my angling. They can be fished at range or in the edge, over a big hit of bait or as a single bag cast at a show. On gravel, silt or in light weed and you’ll always be fishing! Having the benefit of inserting your entire rig in the bag, you can be confident your rig won’t tangle, your hook point will be protected and with a heavy inline lead just 4-inches from the hook, hook holds are spot on and I think you rarely get done.

I set my solid bag rigs up with 4 inches of 18lb Supernatural braided hooklink, tied to a size 4 Kamakura Wide Gape hook, blow back style with aggressive shrink tube kickers, just to help flip that hook. I like to use a small balanced bait, with a yellow topper, just something for them to quickly home in on.

A 3.5oz lead (or heavier) is then fished with a super slack Kontour mainline and if I’m fishing a snaggy zone or over harsh gravel, I’ll use a Kable leadcore leader on the side of caution, but where possible, I like to fish a naked fluro mainline straight through, simply as it blends in so well.

I fill my bag first with fine Cell boilie crumb (this is used to protect my hook point) as putting hard pellet around the hook, can damage or even blunt the point, so I always use powder of fine crumb at the base of my bag, simply to protect my hookpoint. I then add a layer of micro pellet, ensuring that hookpoint is out of contact with the pellet. Layering the baf with hooklink and pellet, and then finally placing the lead at the top of the bag ensures the rig is neat and hidden. A few more pellets around the bag (using the smallest pellets you can will help creating a nice, tight bag, perfect for casting)

I turn the top of the bag around the mainline, keeping it very tight, ensuring there’s no loose air within the bag. A generous wrap of PVA tape, followed by two overhand knots then completes the bag, before cutting away the tag ends. 

This can now be cast anywhere - I’ve so much confidence in this approach and it’s a tactic that’s played a big part in my angling in recent years, often helping me nick quick bites when arriving on an evening after work or through tough winter and spring sessions. When reacting to shows, they act as a great method for casting to shows and getting a quick bite. They work all year round and I really can’t big them up enough.