Best PVA Bags and Mesh

Nash Webcast PVA is seven metres of all-season 1mm mesh on a compact loading tube, sold in three diameters: 18mm Super Narrow, 23mm Narrow and 37mm Wide.

A plunger comes with each tube, and the lid doubles as a filling tool, so bags are quick to load. The narrow sizes make tight sticks when bites are hard to come by, and the 37mm Wide makes larger bags when fish are feeding confidently. Keep hands and bait dry, and load it with pellets, crumb or dry particles, as water melts PVA early.

It suits carp anglers who want one mesh range to cover slim sticks and bigger bags through the year. Next to the Gardner PVA Systems, which come in 25mm and 35mm, the Nash covers more widths, from 18mm up to 37mm.

To be fair, each diameter is its own tube, so covering sticks and bags means buying two. For an all-season mesh with three useful widths, though, I think it's the one to start with.

Two dissolve rates and two widths make up Gardner's PVA Systems: Quick or Standard Dissolve, in 25mm or 35mm. Each holds 8 metres of mesh, and a Double Barrel kit pairs both widths with 8m of each.

Each has a heavy-duty outer tube, a funnelled inner loading tube and a precision-fit plunger for packing bags tight. Quick Dissolve is for cold water, where fast dispersal matters, and Standard Dissolve gives a steadier release in warmer water. The 25mm suits smaller bags, maggot pouches and aerodynamic stringers, and the 35mm handles larger bait parcels.

It suits anglers who fish all year and want to match the melt to the water. Next to the Nash Webcast PVA, it carries 8m of mesh rather than 7m, and next to the Korda Longchuck Funnel Web System, it makes bigger parcels, not slim long-range sticks.

To be fair, there's no width under 25mm, so slim sticks mean looking elsewhere. For a choice of melt in a sturdy tube, though, I think it's a sensible all-season pick.

Built for bags at extreme range, the Korda Longchuck Funnel Web System is a narrow Hexmesh PVA system, just 15mm wide. It's Korda's narrowest PVA system, made for streamlined bags and small sticks.

Each system holds 7 metres of PVA in a screw-top tube, with a plunger and a compressor stick for forming compact loads. The mesh carries micro pellets or crushed baits, and the slim stick sits along the hook link. Over silt, it helps stop the hookbait being dragged farther into the bottom, and on gravel the hook link lies straight as the rig settles.

It suits anglers casting a long way, where a slimmer bag flies further. Next to the Gardner PVA Systems, which start at 25mm, it's far slimmer, and next to the NGT PVA System 7m, it trades bigger parcels for a stick that casts further.

To be fair, 15mm is the only width, so it won't make larger bags of free bait. For small, neat sticks at long range, though, I think it's a worthwhile specialist tube.

Seven metres of PVA mesh comes ready on the NGT PVA System's loading tube, for making PVA bags or for use with hookbaits. It's sold in narrow 25mm and wide 35mm diameters, so you can match the mesh to the parcel.

A plunger comes with the tube for pushing bait down into the mesh. The top of the tube is funnelled, which makes filling easier and helps the mesh close with a tight seal around the bait. The 25mm suits smaller sticks and hookbait parcels, and the 35mm takes larger loads of free offerings.

It suits anglers who want a plain mesh tube that covers the basics. Next to the Korda Longchuck Funnel Web System, it's wider, with more room for free bait, while the Fox Edges Rapide System that follows is for loading solid bags rather than mesh.

To be fair, no melt speed is given and there's no width under 25mm. For a no-frills way to make sticks and small bags, though, I think it's a straightforward place to start.

The Fox Edges Rapide System makes solid PVA bags without PVA tape. An orange loading tool fills and ties the bag, with a black locking collar, and it all lives in a moulded tube that keeps it dry. It comes in 60 x 130mm and 85 x 220mm Fast Melt formats.

I use it myself. Loose bags stick together and blow about in the wind, so bagging up can be fiddly. The Rapide holds the bag open and steady while you load the rig and bait, and it's easier to tie off afterwards.

It suits anyone who fishes solid bags often. Next to plain bags like the Korda Solidz PVA Bags, it adds a tool to the routine, and the Fast Melt and Slow Melt refills are sold separately.

To be fair, the system itself is Fast Melt only, so you'll want Slow Melt refills for warmer water. For quick, tidy solid bags, it's our top bag system, because the quicker you bag up, the sooner your bait is back out.

Made in the UK from pH neutral PVA film, Korda Solidz are fast-dissolve solid bags in four sizes: XS, S, M and L. The XS and S packs hold 25 bags, and the M and L packs hold 20.

The rig, lead and free bait go inside before you tie the bag off, so it's cast as one package and tangles are very unlikely. Each pack comes with a loader, and the film melts quickly without residue.

XS is for casting to the horizon and L for a bigger patch of bait in a tight area. Next to a bag system that holds the bag open while you load it, these are just the bags, and next to the Korda Solidz Slow Melt PVA Bags, the thinner film melts faster.

To be fair, the film only stays robust while everything is dry, and in deep or warmer water you may need to double the bags up. For most bag fishing, though, I think the spread of sizes makes these the pack to start with.

Thicker film is the difference with Korda's Solidz Slow Melt PVA Bags. It's more than twice the thickness of the standard Solidz, which delays the melt considerably. They come in XS, S, M and L, in packs of 25 for XS and S or 20 for M and L.

With the rig, lead and free bait sealed inside, the bag has longer to reach the bottom intact, so there's no need to double up in deep water. The film is stronger too, for long casts with heavy leads, and it leaves zero residue and no aroma.

They suit long-range fishing, deep water and wet conditions. Next to the Korda Solidz PVA Bags, you trade melt speed for strength, and next to the Nash Solid PVA Bags, you get four sizes rather than two, though only one melt rate.

To be fair, bag dimensions aren't listed for any size, and the film still needs dry hands and dry bait while you fill it. For deep or distant spots, though, I think they're the safer bag to tie up.

Nash Solid PVA Bags come in Fast Melt and Slow Melt versions, each in two sizes. Small bags measure 60 x 100mm in packs of 25, and Medium bags measure 70 x 110mm in packs of 20.

The lead, rig, hookbait and free offerings go inside, and once the bag reaches the lakebed, the PVA melts to leave them on the spot. The extra-strong material stands up to heavy leads and long casts. A micro-coating stops the bags sticking, and fine perforations aid compression and breakdown without residue or odour.

Fast Melt breaks down rapidly in cold conditions or shallow water, while Slow Melt is made for deeper water or warmer conditions. Next to the Korda Solidz Slow Melt PVA Bags, you pick the melt rate in one range, and next to the Nash Speedload Solid PVA Bags, you tie these off yourself.

To be fair, there are only two sizes, and no loader is listed with the pack. For matching the melt rate to the water, though, I think they're a sound choice.

Built to work with the Nash Speedload System, these are fast-melt solid PVA bags in three sizes. Small measures 55mm x 125mm, Medium 70mm x 155mm and Large 85mm x 180mm, with 20 bags in each pack.

The Speedload System grips the bag on a loading funnel while you add the rig and feed, with a slot to keep the mainline or leader out of the way. The bag is then sealed with a twist rather than tied off with PVA tape, which avoids a knot of PVA that can be slow to dissolve.

The fast melt formula suits colder conditions where a quicker breakdown is needed. Next to the Nash Solid PVA Bags, you get a Large size as well as Small and Medium, and next to the ESP PVA Bags Mk2, every size is longer and wider than the Mini.

To be fair, they're designed around the Speedload System, so they make most sense if you already use it. For quick, tape-free bags in cold water, though, I think they're worth a look.

This ESP PVA Bags Mk2 pack holds plain PVA bags in the Mini size. Each bag measures 50mm x 100mm, and there are 25 in a pack, which keeps the parcel of bait around the rig and lead compact.

The film is tough enough to survive the cast and the drop through deep water, then breaks down without residue, so the bait is only released on the bottom. It's compatible with oil-based liquid additives and flavourings, but water-based liquids will melt it.

It suits distance work, where the small size keeps the overall weight down and helps casting accuracy. Next to the Nash Speedload Solid PVA Bags, it doesn't depend on a loading system, and next to the Trakker Solid PVA Bags, you get one compact size rather than a choice of three.

To be fair, a single small size limits how much bait you can fit in, and no loader is listed. For accurate casts at range with a small parcel of bait, though, I think it's a tidy option.

Trakker Solid PVA Bags are fast-melting, water-soluble bags for presenting a rig and bait together on the lakebed. They come in three sizes, Small, Medium and Large, and the film is low-residue with a near-neutral pH.

The seams are heat-sealed, so they hold together during the cast, and the film dissolves cleanly on contact with water. Each pack includes a rollable bag loader with a leader slot, and the bags come in a resealable bag, which helps keep unused ones dry.

The rig, lead and free bait go inside before you tie it off, so tangles are very unlikely. Next to the ESP PVA Bags Mk2, you get three sizes rather than one, and next to the Gardner Quick Dissolve PVA Bags, the loader has a leader slot, but no PVA string is listed.

To be fair, bag dimensions and the number of bags per pack aren't listed, so it's hard to judge capacity. For a straightforward solid bag with a useful loader, though, I think they do the job well.

There are no seams to split in Gardner Quick Dissolve PVA Bags, which are made from 40 micron UK-made PVA. Mini bags measure 100mm x 50mm, Small 110mm x 60mm, Medium 120mm x 70mm and Large 140mm x 90mm, with 20 bags in each pack.

The 40 micron film balances strength with a fast melt. It's neutral pH, leaves zero residue and stays reliable in cold water. Every pack also holds a bag loader and 5m of PVA string, and the Combi Pack carries ten Small bags with ten Medium bags.

They suit anglers who want bags, a loader and string in one pack. Next to the Trakker Solid PVA Bags, you get four sizes with dimensions listed, and next to the Korda Total Dissolve PVA String, the 5m here is a start, but the 15m spool goes further.

To be fair, there's only a quick melt, so deep water may call for something slower, such as the Korda Solidz Slow Melt PVA Bags. For cold-water bagging, though, I think they're hard to fault.

Woven PVA string on a 15m spool, Korda Total Dissolve is made for tying boilie stringers and tying off the tops of PVA bags. It's strong when dry, so it's easy to handle.

It takes the impact of a hard cast, then melts quickly without residue. For a stringer, double the string as you thread the baits so a loop forms at one end, then put the loop over the hook and push the top bait up to hold it. Leave a gap between baits so water reaches the string.

It suits anyone who ties stringers or closes their own bags. Next to the Gardner Quick Dissolve PVA Bags, which carry 5m of string, the spool lasts longer, and next to the Korda Kwik-Melt PVA Tape, string is for threading baits, while tape suits tight ties on a hair.

To be fair, knots pulled too tight can stop water reaching the inner strands, so the string may not fully dissolve. For stringers and bag tops tied lightly, though, I think it's the string to keep in the bag.

Korda Kwik-Melt is a fast-melting PVA tape in two widths. The 10mm version comes as a single 20m length on a spool, while the 5mm version has two 20m lengths on the same spool.

It ties stringers, closes the tops of solid PVA bags and secures a hair so it can't tangle during the cast. It's strong and durable, and as long as it's kept dry beforehand, it stands up to long-distance casting. It leaves no residue once it melts.

It dissolves reliably in cold water, so it's practical through winter, when standard PVA can be slow to break down. Next to the Korda Total Dissolve PVA String, tape suits tight ties around a hair or bag neck, and next to the Drennan Match PVA Mesh Kit, it's for tying rather than making pellet sticks.

To be fair, it only ties and secures, so you'll still need bags or mesh for free bait, and wet fingers will start melting it. For winter stringers and tying off bags, though, I think it earns its place.

A complete PVA stick kit, the Drennan Match PVA Mesh Kit pairs a bait tube pre-loaded with 8 metres of ultra-fine mesh with a plunger for compressing bait into uniform sticks.

The mesh has an anti-ladder construction that handles compressed pellets and crumb without tearing, yet it's fine enough to hold smaller particles such as maggots and boilie crumb. The PVA melts quickly and leaves no chemical residue, and refills are sold separately. As with any PVA, keep hands and bait dry until it goes in.

It suits coarse and match anglers who want neat parcels of bait around the hookbait. Next to the Korda Kwik-Melt PVA Tape, which is for stringers and tying off bags, it makes the parcel itself, and next to carp systems such as the Nash Webcast PVA, its ultra-fine mesh suits smaller baits.

To be fair, the mesh diameter isn't listed, so you can't size it against other tubes. For small, tidy sticks of pellets, crumb or maggots, though, I think it's the kit to reach for.