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In reply to Post #1
Bands are fine and a lot less faff than creating grooves / gluing mixers etc - I usually thread one (at the appropriate hookbait size) on to the hooklink material, create a very small loop and then trap the loop (with band attached) with a knotless knot, wrapping up the shank so the mini loop (and band) are tight to / opposite the barb. This way the band never comes off but still has a little movement in the loop . . .you can also hair rig if preferred by pulling the band through the hookbait and retaining with a stop etc
If using really small hooks / baits you can also do the above with braid and in advance - then simply attach hook to mono hooklink with preferred knot (eg grinner / palomar etc)
As per Wandles comments I usually use the beachcaster wherever possible - still use the above method but create an overhand loop (with band in the loop) to create a small hair prior to knotless knot etc - also use a larger hook and a lot stiffer material (15lb fluro) to stop the suspended hooklink flaying about in the wind. You can literally 'dapple' the hookbait in the water keeping the hook itself millimetres above the water line . . . . .cheating really but massively effective
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In reply to Post #17
Hey mate,
If you mean the Sonubaits floater pack (I can't see the single oily tubs?) then they are available on Total Fishing Tackle. 
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Best surface hookbait I've ever used is the Bakers soft dog biscuit - it must be the 'Tender Chunks' version.
Side hooked they sit low in the surface film, and give off huge meaty/oily attraction.
The downsides are they are not hugely bouyant, two cast maximum, and the biggest hook I've found I can use is a size 8. Some times I split these in halve
I get them going with two different sized sticky krill floater pellets soaked in salmon oil, then put one of the Bakers in the area/near by and let it float over - it can often get taken when it is away from the main feed, just like on the bottom.
Bit out there but when getting things going slowly on top, I'll use a waggler with bread fished a foot deep.
Also, using mesh sticks yields superb results with both of the above methods - some bits of squeezed bread added and other bits to float down through the water column.
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In reply to Post #1
Have you heard of the deadly beachcaster rig ,so efficient that it became almost unfair to use
If you don't know about it you should do,I believe Des Taylor did a video on it years ago ,possibly on Cuttle Mill ,but was really pioneered on a big Devon ressi ..
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In reply to Post #1
Get some shrink tube that fits a mixer (electrical shop) cut a band size piece and shrink it down on the hook, works well.
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I've always used bait bands, the John Roberts brown ones, those with a lug on the bottom. I superglue the band at the eye of the hook, and I like the way the band gives a small amount of separation from the mixer, and the hook point adapts a downward aggressive aspect.
Bait, for me the best option was the critically weighted Enterprise tackle fake mixers, they kick the point even further...but..they have a habit of coming off and for that reason I stopped using them as it's not safe for other wildlife, irrespective of rules.
When I fist started using mixers it was Pedigree Chum but they're not what they were. For the last decade plus I've been using Tesco own brand dry dog food. It's a mixof sizes and shapes but there is a white mixer of normal size and s red meaty chunk which is huge. Due to the mixed shapes they're only really good for 30 odd yards but I tend to use the larger ones individually to coax fish towards me or use further away.
I've also used chopped down pop ups but my firm belief is that a overly buoyant bait is far more likely to be rejected than one just about to sink. If I'm using ones that sit low in the water I'll use a vibrantly coloured sliver of a DNA Stick to aid visability.
In all honesty, if you get them competing they'll take anything. Fake fly fishing dog biscuits are a good option. One I've wanted to try is the dedicated Sonubaits Oily Hookers but always out of stock when I'm looking.
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In reply to Post #15
No worries.
I used to floater fish almost exclusively during the warmer months for years. I had no real interest in anything else. The buzz of surface fishing for me was addictive, & probably a little obsessive if I'm honest..
Unfortunately my current club water has too much bird life, it's a bit of a pain at the best of times. 
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In reply to Post #14
Sorry Gareth didn't see your previous post. My bad.. that's a good idea that.. got me thinking about another way. Will have to wait a few months to try it mind.. 
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In reply to Post #13
If you make a knotless knot, slide a bait band onto the tag end & put the end back through the eye & blob to create a D (as I suggested in my post) then it eliminates this. 
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In reply to Post #11
I think people are experiencing the band slipping on the hook. Often moving round to the bend. Than the bait slipping out of the band.
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In reply to Post #1
I've always used the soft fake ones with the weights at the bottom - caught tons of carp on the surface with those!
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In reply to Post #8
"Bait bands as mention just slip.. "
Not if you put a groove or notch in the mixer for the band to sit in. I've also used the cylindrical shaped floaters & bands with great success. It's more effort but finding a way to match the free offerings gives the best results IMO.
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In reply to Post #9
The tackleshop owner was probably trying to get rid of it for years..  
They certainly know don't they.. Fished a Caro match type lake last year. Absolutely stacked with Carp. Probably unhealthy so. I was fishing for them of the top in February that's how many were in there. The poor things were probably starving. I could of flicked all sorts of things in and they would of readily taken them. I was fishing free lined flake and feeding dog biscuits. They were going mad. Fishing over the free offerings. Even though I ended up with plenty of fish. They were still treating the hookbait with caution. Often feeding around it and leaving it to last.  
Good luck with the suspended baits. Not something fish see at all these days
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In reply to Post #8
Yeah they are. Around since the 80s wow
Saw them in my local shop come in 2 sizes.
Ive fished on the top before where every time the hook bait was left till last.
Have beaten the fish by dangling the line over a bramble directly onto the water.
Gave me an idea for a "Suspender System" i went to my local shop with a shopping list of stuff....
When asked what it was for and i explained he got a Suspender from the shelf...
for £8 im gonna try one out just for fun
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In reply to Post #1
That Gardner tackle suspender float / controller has been around since the 80's. If its the same one your talking about. Cocked surface float which suspends the hooklink of the surface. Don't think I've ever seen one in action.. Do they still make them??
Hook baits for surface fishing have been the bane of my life. By far the easiest are side hooked fake mixers. If rules allow.. dog biscuits as hook baits are just a waste of time.. they just don't last. If imitation ain't allowed I'd go for a trimmed down pop up or something like the Floterz hook baits that tails up do. Ether glued on or a short hair. Bait bands as mention just slip..
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In reply to Post #1
I've got three different rigs
One is I side hook a brown popup - my preferred set up
Second is the balanced dog biscuits that you can set up so the hook is up in the air rather than hanging down in the water.
Third is breadflake/crust hooked on
If I can't catch them with these rigs then I'm going home
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In reply to Post #4
Exactly this & IMO I don't think the carp can smell/taste super glue once it's dry. Or at least it doesn't seem to bother them.
Or you can create a D on the hook with a bait band through. You can also groove the mixer a little for the band to sit if you want. I believe this way the hook point is more likely to sit point down directly below the mixer. If you band onto the shank it can have a tendency to twist up & move out of position.
As already said the pop up or fake baits are the easiest but wary or finicky carp can sometimes reject these. As they mouth the bait & suck in a little water I'm sure they can taste & feel the difference.
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have a look at the Enterprise fake biscuites that you can add weight too has foam and lead shot holes to get balance perfect (id glue the right shot into cavity - personally dont think once that glue sets its an issue) - game changer for me but i started hair rigging and giving a little bit of seperation as opposed to hooking directly - mad a massive difference to the amoiunt of takes i was getting.
I've also had mates do well on the nash plastic/rubber biscuits as well.
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Cut a groove in the mixer and superglue it on. Glug it if you are worried about the glue scent putting the fish off.
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In reply to Post #2
yeah bait bands constantly slip or come off altogether.
Superglue wastes hooks gets on clothing + fingers and prob has a fowl stench to the fish.
So will cut over to mini popups poss with a dousing of an oil of some sort do make them smell Dog-Biscuity.
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In reply to Post #1
I have used mixers with a bait band in the past, but to be honest, I don't particularly like that presentation. And also chum mixers aint what they used to be in terms of buoyancy. I now use a pop up, chopped down to a mixer shape.
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Right at severe risk of embarassing myself here.
What is the best way \ preffered way of mounting a Chum mixer as a surface bait.
Tried numerous methods but none leave the offering sitting well in finished presentation (IMO)
BTW has anyone other than me seen the "Garderner Tackle Suspender System"
I love fishing of the top but having my hookbait left after every freebie has gone everytime irks me somewhat...
P
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