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Hi mate, I make all my own pop ups using the same basemix as my bottom baits, wrapping it around a cork ball. I make mine up in one egg mixes, (minus the yolk) adding slightly more flavour than I would in my bottom baits. I also add a sachet of egg white powder from the supermarket baking isle - egg albumin. When rolling, I only make enough boilie paste to do a handful of cork balls at a time, to prevent the paste from drying out too much, which makes rolling a pain. I make sure that the paste fully wraps the cork ball with no gaps, cracks or visible joins, as when it boils and drys out, they will crack and break up. I also drop each one in a glass of water once I’ve rolled them to check their buoyancy. With the egg albumin, a 1:30 - 2min boil (you’ll have to see what works best for your basemix) makes them harden right up. I then air dry them somewhere warm for a few days (the airing cupboard!) so they dry out, then pop them in an air tight container, I’ve had pop ups like this last all season, in fact I’ve got a tub I made in 2021 and they still catch just as well as when they were first made. I have added a few mls of salmon oil into the tub and shook it about so the baits took on an oily sheen, when they absorbed the oil, they have still remained hard enough to sit out for 24hrs, I change mine every 10-12hrs though, just to ensure the bait is ok and not come off or anything, as they will take on water and the paste skin will swell, especially if the paste wasn’t tightly wrapped around the cork ball in the first place. I tie mine on to a spinner rig using dental floss, sticking a baiting needle is a no no for me as it often pushes a bit of cork through which leaves a large hole that water will get into and cause the paste to break down quicker. Dental floss doesn’t break the boiled paste skin so the bait lasts longer - that’s my take on it anyway.

I've started using the Nash Claw as my go to hook now for everything, Size 6... But I've found that the Westlake Kickers are pretty much the best ones I've had.... So i now use the Korda Spinner Ring Swivel, Nash Claw Size 7, covered with the Westlake kickers (Snug), Bank Tackle Bait Screw & Hook Bead. I use these for all my rigs Pop Up, Wafter & Bottom.

Been having a play with the old spinner rigs this week, I think I may have got it how I wanted it, whilst watching someone else catching whilst I should have been I did some subtle sheeping lol and checked out his rig I noted he was using fluoro hooklengths this sent me on a quest and after having a play I am now using 20lb avid outline leader for the boom section, seems soft enough to settle ok over stuff, but should be stiff enough to reset, and makes a nice straight boom when stretched a little. This also happened to coincide with the arrival of my avid D rig kickers, now as soon as I saw these I knew i had to have them I've always wanted that extra bit of seperation from the hook had a play with various others but they never made them to fit over spinner swivels without butchering them these do, size 4 wide gape seems to finish it off nicely tbh.

Just renewed my Ecton ticket just about having to replace the motor put me back a bit should be out next week.

Welllll.....The Day has come.....RAC has just towed me home.... Any 1 if not a few of these below Alternator Belt....Turbo is declining...Air/Fuel Leak / Supply System....vacuum leak from one of the small hoses around the engine's air intake....Compressor Pressure....Cooling system, a leaking exhaust system, a faulty hose... Scrap Yard here it comes.....