Shelf life's shelf life

Does anyone worry how long that bag of shelf lifes has been sitting on the shelf - especially at this time of year when there hasnt been as many people fishing?

come to think of it, should freezer baits have a "best before" on the bag - the co's all tell us about the stringently tested human grade materials they use, so surely they go off....

[Graham Whatmore]

I remember asking you this question a long time go by email and you said shelf life boilies will last indefinitely and be useable providing they don't go mouldy.

I have some boilies in my garage freezer that have been there for three years so I hope they don't go off.

I often think about it Frothey. I also think freezer baits should be dated.
As for making yoor own with a base mix, I even think if what we are paying for, is what it actually says on the packet. For all I know it could be crushed cornflakes.

They will last, but will they be as effective?

nutrabaits put the contents (but not quantities)of their mixes on the packets - cant see why others dont, especially as most red fishmeals are basically the same....

Will they be as effective?
Now there's something to talk about. chatting to one of the Carp lads last week, he said he couldn't think of anything worse than topping your swim up with 'fresh' boilies. He sometimes puts his boilies in a bucket of lake water to wash them out, for topping up purposes. So how effective are 'fresh' boilies?

[Graham Whatmore]

Dave, I ask what could be wrong with an old boilie, what could happen that would make it less attractive to fish than a fresh one and I would assume it would be smell seeing as that is presumably the attraction anyway. If that is the case and assuming the fish smells what we smell then a soaking in boilie dip would rectify this. If it were the ingredients that broke down then I would think that would be visible or at least make the boilie crumbly.

Or isn't it that simple?

[matt]

What if any danger do old boilies present to a fish?
I'm sure old shelf life and freezer baits have been used effectively to catch carp on many, many occasions.
If they where a threat to the fishes health the repercussions would have been evident before now.

I have a box full of old boiles/groundbait/pellets of various ages and provenace in the shed.If the mice do not get to them before next season, I am going to chuck the whole lot in the Thames to try and get a few bream.Might be in a nice idea for a fish -in?

Seriously, I feel too much emphasis is given to fresh bait.

Now there's something to talk about. chatting to one of the Carp lads last week, he said he couldn't think of anything worse than topping your swim up with 'fresh' boilies. He sometimes puts his boilies in a bucket of lake water to wash them out, for topping up purposes. So how effective are 'fresh' boilies?

theres a difference between a boilie thats had the flavour washed out overnight, and one thats sat in a packet for 2 years...

what can go wrong? if boilies are as simple as just bunging some flavour on them, why dont we just go back to using soya/semo and overflavouring them - they'll work just as well wont they...

whatever preservative they use, a shelf life bait cant be as nutritious as a frozen one can it?

you have had a load of trout pellet sitting at the back of the shed for 2 years, would you use it?

Seriously, I feel too much emphasis is given to fresh bait.

depends what you mean by fresh nigel, as some things can be more attractive as they break down.... but they cant break down if they are preserved, can they