A) BACK SHOTS
Fix a few small No10 shot or Stotz between float and pole tip. This will help control the rig and also force you to keep your line tight meaning you’ll hit more bites.
B) SMALL FLOAT
A squat-bodied float will create the maximum amount of noise when it hits the surface, and by having a couple of small shot underneath to cock it, you can create a definite ‘plop’ as you slap. Pick a float taking around 4x8 or 4x10 shot.
C) THE RIGHT DEPTH
Slapping is designed to catch very shallow, so there’s no point fishing at 2ft deep. Begin at around 6ins deep – but F1s will constantly move up and down in the water so, if bites tail off, add a couple of inches to the depth to see if they’ve gone deeper.
D) A HOOKLENGTH IS ESSENTIAL
F1s are not known for tolerating thick lines, so using a lighter hooklength is a must. Don’t be afraid to drop down to as low as 0.10mm diameter if nothing much is happening – the thickness of the mainline won’t matter too much and, in fact, a thicker mainline will be less prone to tangling.
E) SMALL PELLET HOOKBAITS
Feed 6mm pellets and use the same on the hook. if you are missing bites, drop down to a 4mm bait on a smaller size 18 or even 20 hook. You should see your bite-to-hooked fish ratio rocket!