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Does PVA have a “sell by”
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carlos0012

Posts: 103

#7 12 Apr 2026 at 12.00pm

In reply to Post #6
I usually, as a base use the mainline tubs of bag mix, as you do, I had made maybe ten or more up long before going and left them in the same bucket of pellet….upon seeing them not melt, in my mind I assumed that it was the bags/string/tape was old and therefore, I guessed it had gone bad or was out of date,
But all the comments here make more sense to me now , I was just worried as I keep buying bags when there on offer and have a lot and didn’t want to make that decision of binning them lol..
Thanks for all the replies

Carl

armalitemk1

Posts: 658

#6 12 Apr 2026 at 7.56am

In reply to Post #5
My mistake was I'd make 20 up and then find after a month or so they wouldn't dissolve as quick especially in the colder months, now I only make between 4 & 6 and take my PVA stuff with me (this is short sessions with my 10ft rods so travelling light ish) the best tip I can give is make some up and experiment at home in a bucket as I don't know what your adding in your bags , if mine are a bit old I drop one in the margins just to check it so I know the others will be ok

carlos0012

Posts: 103

#5 11 Apr 2026 at 11.09pm

So the basic consensus is don’t make them up before hand, or to close to going on the bank…?..

Golden-Paws

Posts: 248

#4 11 Apr 2026 at 7.47am

As mentioned, if you make up bags in advance with oily pellets, they will take an age to break down.

I tend to use PVA mesh bags hooked on and did some tests a while back in a bucket and even freshly made ones with a groundbait mixture could take up to 5 minutes to properly break down. Someone on here mentioned Carp Craze a while back and they did break down within about 30 seconds.

When I hear about people double bagging because they are fishing over 10 foot of water, it always makes me laugh, they are probably delaying their next bite for an hour!

armalitemk1

Posts: 658

#3 10 Apr 2026 at 9.50pm

In reply to Post #1
It's the oils from what you've putting inside soaking into the PVA overtime causing delayed or non dissolving, I made that mistake myself with mesh ones making quite a few in advance and crumbing boilies inside and mini pellets

Baitman

Posts: 4958

#2 10 Apr 2026 at 9.09pm

In reply to Post #1
Provided its been stored well and not got damp it will be fine.
Im still using coopers string from 25 years ago.
I even have a small stash of temple products bags.

If you pre-make then you have oil's absorbing into mesh and it can prevent easy dissolving.

carlos0012

Posts: 103

#1 10 Apr 2026 at 8.31pm

So, something been bothering me, does PVA, be it string, bags or tape, go out of date and not dissolve.
Reason I’m asking opinions, or fact would be ideal, is that recently I pre tied some bags, used them and blanked, it struck me maybe the bags were bad. So I tested one, also pre tied in a bucket and it wasn’t dissolving ….how do we know how old the bags, tape etc are we are buying off the shelves are, if they do “spoil” ….???


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