Think the nub of it, then, is that some baits work well for some people on some waters and the same baits don't work for others on other waters. I'm sure a lot of it comes down to confidence, we use what were confident with and that in turn gives us more confidence in our fishing which usually improves results. As someone said, nothing worse than that niggling feeling that your bait might have come off.
Your top three worst baits
- Thread starter nicepix
- Start date
cg74
Well-known member
I would've said your success might be down to the groundbait and/or pellets you use but I'm pretty sure they'd be Nashbaits products...
Last edited:
nicepix
Well-known member
Isn't there a trout lake called Stonebridge up there as well. Or is it one and the same venue?
superted77
Active member
No I usually use screttings, dynamite baits or the cheapest pellets I can find,
I find the type of pellets irrelevant, I sometimes use the green ones, I prefer pellets to method mix tho, I don't seem to have much luck with dedicated method mix, can anybody recomend a good method mix?
Yes stonbridge, also has trout lake, I was gonna maybe give the speci lake a bash next year but if it's got power cables near it, no way.
Any better ponds nearby?
I find the type of pellets irrelevant, I sometimes use the green ones, I prefer pellets to method mix tho, I don't seem to have much luck with dedicated method mix, can anybody recomend a good method mix?
Yes stonbridge, also has trout lake, I was gonna maybe give the speci lake a bash next year but if it's got power cables near it, no way.
Any better ponds nearby?
cg74
Well-known member
In all probability the pellets could be what attracted the fish and whilst feeding on them, they sucked up the boilie and it's game-on!
I mainly used them in conjunction with pva containing mainly, if not solely the boilie that was on my hair-rig.
I seldom use a groundbait when fishing a method feeder but if I do, I go for Van Den Eynde Hi-Pro Carp or Sonubaits Match Method Mix.
But like you I prefer using pellets, though I tend too use 2 or 3 different ones.
Here's is an interesting fact; I've yet to hear of a pellet that is as nutritionally deficient as most Nash boilies, I'd say all, but I haven't read the nutritional profile of them all....
stu_the_blank
Well-known member
I have my boilies made up these days by a small bait company I've used for years. They cost me over £9 a kilo in ingredients only, I pay between £12 and £13 a kilo depending on additives (they are very good boilies). Think about what a bait company has to do to keep the price of a kilo below £11.
Cost at shop £11
Mark up £5-50
Rolling etc say £2-00
Packaging, transport, profi for bait co etc............
You'd be lucky if there was £2 of ingredients. Not surprising that pellets have a better nutritional profile.
Stu
sam vimes
Well-known member
One and the same. Trout pond is the first you come to. Coarse lake out the back of it further from the entrance. The carp lake is tucked away from either, but, as far as I'm aware, it's been closed for a while due to concerns about the proximity of some overhead power lines.
nicepix
Well-known member
Thought it rung a bell. I did some commercial photos up there a few years back. Bit of a trout brothel but perfect for what we wanted.
laguna
Well-known member
If a fish is confident then you will catch more easily, its infectious.
These things are just OPINIONS so whoever was laying into the guy who said he didn't like Nash boilies needs to leave him alone. He is allowed to say what he wants about them having spent a lot of money on them and them letting him down. I wasn't a fan of their old range either. They are at number one for me too. I don't care that they were a massively successful range, I DID NOT LIKE THEM and in comparison I caught very well on other baits in the same swims. Every lake is different, granted, but it was a bit odd considering they were so aggressively marketed as being an absolute nectar of the Gods to ALL carp. If they were SOOOOOOOOO amazing then why did the ENTIRE range get replaced???????? The new range looks interesting but I'm fecked if I'm buying it.
Come and have a go at me mate and all the best of luck with that in advance..:wh
1. Nash old range. See above.
2. Quest baits Rahja Spice. Worked very well for me in France then did the complete opposite back home on the club lake.. not so much of a sniff of interest on a lake I know very well. The shelf lifes were like rocks too, plasticcy and shiny with a horribly hard skin. Yeuch.
3. Mainline Fusion. It seemed as if the carp were just looking at the bait, then looking up at me, before bursting out laughing. So bad I could have sworn it actually spooked them.
And a special mention:
Sticky Baits The Krill: Surely the most overrated bait in the history of carp angling? Bought the whole range at huge expense and caught one double.. To be fair though their bloodworm boilies worked very well for me.
Come and have a go at me mate and all the best of luck with that in advance..:wh
1. Nash old range. See above.
2. Quest baits Rahja Spice. Worked very well for me in France then did the complete opposite back home on the club lake.. not so much of a sniff of interest on a lake I know very well. The shelf lifes were like rocks too, plasticcy and shiny with a horribly hard skin. Yeuch.
3. Mainline Fusion. It seemed as if the carp were just looking at the bait, then looking up at me, before bursting out laughing. So bad I could have sworn it actually spooked them.
And a special mention:
Sticky Baits The Krill: Surely the most overrated bait in the history of carp angling? Bought the whole range at huge expense and caught one double.. To be fair though their bloodworm boilies worked very well for me.
Last edited:
For me it would be:
1. Plastic maggot
2. Plastic casters
3. Plastic sweetcorn
I have never understood why, after spending days cleaning and dying maggot and riddling off casters to ensure you have the best bait on the bank using an artificial bait could be considered superior. Pete.
1. Plastic maggot
2. Plastic casters
3. Plastic sweetcorn
I have never understood why, after spending days cleaning and dying maggot and riddling off casters to ensure you have the best bait on the bank using an artificial bait could be considered superior. Pete.
sumtime
Well-known member
Soap, I used to clean up with it, a bit of Sunlight and the fish don't want to know, nowadays I leave it at home, Simple. 
caelan
Well-known member
ALL DAY LONG SLUGS used a lot on the ivel around biggelswade never had
a touch then had chub up to 6lb on meat with a big bed of hemp
a touch then had chub up to 6lb on meat with a big bed of hemp
maverick 7
Well-known member
Artificial Baits
Hemp (on the hook)
Tares
I KNOW the last two above are very good baits if you are good enough to know how to use them....but I don't think I am. I have caught tons of fish with hemp and casters but never caught a fish with hemp on the hook. I have watched my own brother empty a river with hemp on his hook but I just don't seem to be able to get the hang of it....same with tares
However, bread is my favourite bait of all time.....I DO know how to use bread....but I mainly use that bait in stillwaters.
Maverick
Hemp (on the hook)
Tares
I KNOW the last two above are very good baits if you are good enough to know how to use them....but I don't think I am. I have caught tons of fish with hemp and casters but never caught a fish with hemp on the hook. I have watched my own brother empty a river with hemp on his hook but I just don't seem to be able to get the hang of it....same with tares
However, bread is my favourite bait of all time.....I DO know how to use bread....but I mainly use that bait in stillwaters.
Maverick
laguna
Well-known member
*UPDATE
Remember I mentioned formulating a slug extract last year?
Well its ready (these things take time), but as suspected... its as bad a deterrent as anything I've ever come across!
(tank tests only, but unlikely to get an outing and risk a chubby blank day)
This is in complete contrast to how extracts should work. Normally an extract would be the superior bait as opposed to the original solid food item.
There's something within a slug (black ones in this case, Arion ater) that simply makes fish turn away. I suspect they contain a toxin, much for the same reason why birds don't eat them (or do they?) chop maggots don't work well either probably for the same reason.
NB. apparently hedgehogs and song thrushes like slugs yuk
Remember I mentioned formulating a slug extract last year?
Well its ready (these things take time), but as suspected... its as bad a deterrent as anything I've ever come across!
(tank tests only, but unlikely to get an outing and risk a chubby blank day)
This is in complete contrast to how extracts should work. Normally an extract would be the superior bait as opposed to the original solid food item.
There's something within a slug (black ones in this case, Arion ater) that simply makes fish turn away. I suspect they contain a toxin, much for the same reason why birds don't eat them (or do they?) chop maggots don't work well either probably for the same reason.
NB. apparently hedgehogs and song thrushes like slugs yuk
Last edited:
xenon
Well-known member
Sweetcorn.
Sweetcorn.
Sweetcorn.
Sweetcorn.
Sweetcorn.
no-one in particular
Well-known member
I couldn't say consistently had bad luck with as I have not tried them enough to say conclusively they are bad baits. However, from memory these 2 I have not caught on when tried-Freshwater mussel and chick peas. Also struggled with elder berry, I think you need to be dedicated to them for success.
As an opportunity I have stuck my hook into big black slugs as they crawled within distance (without picking them up) and caught some nice chub on them in one river. I have also caught some chub on big black bushy fly. Maybe they like black.
Surprised about the bread and paste on some posts. My old Dad used to lovingly make up a bread paste the night before fishing, it must not be handled by touch of human hands, human sweat and tobacco etc, kept overnight in a damp cloth. He would chop my hands off if I touched it.
However, I use plain flour, I find a better consistency can be obtained; add any flavour, ingredient colour, dye you wish. I have hit on some deadly combinations a few times.
Negative buoyancy baits are often mentioned like its a new invention of recent years, I bet no one balances crust and paste on the hook anymore. An old bait.
As an opportunity I have stuck my hook into big black slugs as they crawled within distance (without picking them up) and caught some nice chub on them in one river. I have also caught some chub on big black bushy fly. Maybe they like black.
Surprised about the bread and paste on some posts. My old Dad used to lovingly make up a bread paste the night before fishing, it must not be handled by touch of human hands, human sweat and tobacco etc, kept overnight in a damp cloth. He would chop my hands off if I touched it.
However, I use plain flour, I find a better consistency can be obtained; add any flavour, ingredient colour, dye you wish. I have hit on some deadly combinations a few times.
Negative buoyancy baits are often mentioned like its a new invention of recent years, I bet no one balances crust and paste on the hook anymore. An old bait.
Last edited:
Tee-Cee
Senior Member
It really hisses me off when I see folk missing out on such productive baits such as bread, hemp, tares, elderberries and chickpeas ! All so relatively cheap, clean to use, readily available and oh so productive....
Yes, I know all the ' all waters are different ' thingy inside out and some baits will never catch on some waters (?) but the above baits, ( with more than a little patience ) in all cases can produce some great fish, although I also realise many anglers do not have the patience to stay with some baits and if they don't catch immediately,so they move on...
Not for one minute am I saying I'm better than anyone else, 'cos I'm definitely not, BUT I do have an inbuilt ' I'll die before I give up mentality ' so maybe that's why I, MOST of the time catch on ' average success ' baits.
The following is based on MY experiences on mainly still waters (apart from hemp and berry which id=s fantastic on running waters as well) - okay ?
Chickpeas......Without doubt the plain chickpea does take some time to catch and getting them to the right softness takes time. However, IMHO if you are starting out with this bait please get yourself to an Indian supermarket or suchlike and buy a couple of tins of Pakstar Curried Chick Peas (or similar ). Strain them off and keep the juice. Bag up the peas in some small quantity bags and freeze.
Yes, you can use immediately but they are harder at this point so hooking them takes more care. Over time, and this is the patience bit, in and out of the freezer will gradually soften the pea ( eventually they are unhookable ) but even when very soft they are okay for gentle casting and not casting toward Pluto ( topical ! ).....
Fished off the bottom with brown feed with the juice mixed in has caught me almost all of my best roach in recent years. Fishing other baits only producing small fish, but try a pea and better roach almost immediately.....Also great for better CRUCIANS, given time...
Used the juice to flavour plain peas but never as successful !
Hemp/Tares.....I have outlined hooking methods of hemp in other threads; 18 hook of the Drennan maggot type or 511's home tied. Squeeze almost closed seed at ends until open and place bend of hook into the split, then release seed which than grips the hook. With practice it works EVERY time !
Tares are all about the cooking; Buy some, place in a pan and bring to the boil. reduce to a simmer AND STAND NEXT TO THE STOVE WITH A 16 HOOK. EVERY FEW MINUTES, TAKE OUT A FEW SEEDS AND TRY THE HOOK INTO THE EDGE ( UNDERLINED ) OF THE SEED, TYING TO PUSH IT AROUND THE BEND OF THE HOOK. FEW MORE MINUTES SIMMERING AND TRY AGAIN.
Eventually the seed will just slide on the hook nicely BUT IT IS A TRICKY TIME AS TOO MUCH LONGER ON THE SIMMER AND THEY ARE USELESS !!
Remember, the tare is a HARD bait to begin with so it's NEVER going to become soft and still stay on the hook - NEVER !!!
Fished at all sorts of depths they can be deadly with very light hemp feed, but most of my success with them has come when hemp fishing and catching, and then introducing the tare on the hook. IT DOES TAKE TIME THOUGH......................and on some waters some WEEKS to finally catch on them. I've had bags of 40/50 roach on them when nobody else catching, and many times, so worth a really good go.
As I say the secret is in the COOKING....................................................NO SHORT CUTS - BELIEVE ME !!
ps I'll do bread / elderberry later as I'm off out .......................
pps Sorry, I forgot to say the chickpeas are around 60p a tin - enough for several sessions - but you can buy them by the tray of a dozen tins which last for yonks ! All oversoft peas can be used in the ground bait so no waste ( love it ! ) AND THEY CAN BE CAREFULLY SPLIT IN HALF FOR USE ON AN 18..
Hooking; Either through one of the ' cheeks ' of the pea or when soft though the pointy end. Sometimes the ' outer skin ' of the pea will come away when soft but still hookable with care.....Size 14 fine wire also good, but experiment !
NEVER failed on any of my still waters, although some took more time than others to come good....
Yes, I know all the ' all waters are different ' thingy inside out and some baits will never catch on some waters (?) but the above baits, ( with more than a little patience ) in all cases can produce some great fish, although I also realise many anglers do not have the patience to stay with some baits and if they don't catch immediately,so they move on...
Not for one minute am I saying I'm better than anyone else, 'cos I'm definitely not, BUT I do have an inbuilt ' I'll die before I give up mentality ' so maybe that's why I, MOST of the time catch on ' average success ' baits.
The following is based on MY experiences on mainly still waters (apart from hemp and berry which id=s fantastic on running waters as well) - okay ?
Chickpeas......Without doubt the plain chickpea does take some time to catch and getting them to the right softness takes time. However, IMHO if you are starting out with this bait please get yourself to an Indian supermarket or suchlike and buy a couple of tins of Pakstar Curried Chick Peas (or similar ). Strain them off and keep the juice. Bag up the peas in some small quantity bags and freeze.
Yes, you can use immediately but they are harder at this point so hooking them takes more care. Over time, and this is the patience bit, in and out of the freezer will gradually soften the pea ( eventually they are unhookable ) but even when very soft they are okay for gentle casting and not casting toward Pluto ( topical ! ).....
Fished off the bottom with brown feed with the juice mixed in has caught me almost all of my best roach in recent years. Fishing other baits only producing small fish, but try a pea and better roach almost immediately.....Also great for better CRUCIANS, given time...
Used the juice to flavour plain peas but never as successful !
Hemp/Tares.....I have outlined hooking methods of hemp in other threads; 18 hook of the Drennan maggot type or 511's home tied. Squeeze almost closed seed at ends until open and place bend of hook into the split, then release seed which than grips the hook. With practice it works EVERY time !
Tares are all about the cooking; Buy some, place in a pan and bring to the boil. reduce to a simmer AND STAND NEXT TO THE STOVE WITH A 16 HOOK. EVERY FEW MINUTES, TAKE OUT A FEW SEEDS AND TRY THE HOOK INTO THE EDGE ( UNDERLINED ) OF THE SEED, TYING TO PUSH IT AROUND THE BEND OF THE HOOK. FEW MORE MINUTES SIMMERING AND TRY AGAIN.
Eventually the seed will just slide on the hook nicely BUT IT IS A TRICKY TIME AS TOO MUCH LONGER ON THE SIMMER AND THEY ARE USELESS !!
Remember, the tare is a HARD bait to begin with so it's NEVER going to become soft and still stay on the hook - NEVER !!!
Fished at all sorts of depths they can be deadly with very light hemp feed, but most of my success with them has come when hemp fishing and catching, and then introducing the tare on the hook. IT DOES TAKE TIME THOUGH......................and on some waters some WEEKS to finally catch on them. I've had bags of 40/50 roach on them when nobody else catching, and many times, so worth a really good go.
As I say the secret is in the COOKING....................................................NO SHORT CUTS - BELIEVE ME !!
ps I'll do bread / elderberry later as I'm off out .......................
pps Sorry, I forgot to say the chickpeas are around 60p a tin - enough for several sessions - but you can buy them by the tray of a dozen tins which last for yonks ! All oversoft peas can be used in the ground bait so no waste ( love it ! ) AND THEY CAN BE CAREFULLY SPLIT IN HALF FOR USE ON AN 18..
Hooking; Either through one of the ' cheeks ' of the pea or when soft though the pointy end. Sometimes the ' outer skin ' of the pea will come away when soft but still hookable with care.....Size 14 fine wire also good, but experiment !
NEVER failed on any of my still waters, although some took more time than others to come good....
Last edited:
Congrats Chris,
Even a negative result is valuable in purely scientific terms!
Perhaps it's not the slug composition after all - but the slug emits a "help - I'm drowning" shout/pheromone which attracts a hungry chub! There's gotta be something which gets them eaten by chub!
mg: