RJ wrote:
:: Hi all
:: I have recently returned to fishing as a hobby after a 25 year
:: break. :-(
:: I have now retired and am raring to go. I have loads of tackle from
:: the old days which I feel is a bit outdated nowadays, so I went out
:: and purchased a complete carp set-up from my local angling centre at
:: an enormous cost. (I could of bought a complete set-up in 1975 for
:: what I paid for the reel alone :-))
:: OK, now to the point, The set-up consisted of a huge array of
:: specialist tackle for the carp, most of which I can understand its
:: function. But the few things that have me stumped are,
:: 1 - a plastic bag full of various sized polystyrene balls.

Drop a few into some water and see what they do - they may be PVA foam and
will melt after a short time, if they are polystryene beads, they are used
to pop up baits so that they are slightly elevated above the lake bed...PVA
foam beads do the same thing for a short while and then disappear, useful
for when the bottom is weedy.