What is the best all round pellet?

[no-one in particular]

There will be too many criteria for this but I will give it a go. I have never used pellets or a hair rig come to that, just never liked the idea but that's not saying I think it is wrong, it catches plenty of fish obviously.
So a pellet for rivers mainly, bream, roach, tench etc, possibly does not attract eels would be good so something non fishy or meaty however, prepared to give anything a go. For 14-12 hooks, soft, can stay in the bottom of my tackle bag and not go off once opened although I would not mind putting in the fridge if necessary just that I want something that lives in the bag and can be used anytime I run out of bait and not be forgotten to take with me.
I was in the tackle shop yesterday topping up bits and asked the bloke about it and he sold me a box of 8mm sonubaits halihookers, they are black and smell nice, a bit fishy though, no hole in the middle and soft but I do not know how long they will last once opened or what they contain, no list of ingredients. I usually have a tin of sweet corn in my bag but they are hit and miss and thought of trying something different.
Mostly I fish unfished rivers with wild fish so no time to educate fish, therefore, something they might smell and recognize as food readily.
Lots of criteria but anything near and doesn't have to be pellets come to think of it but, easy buy and no preparation and works-any recommendations? Thanks.

 

[theartist]

I cant really help you with soft hookers but with pellet I think you need to go 'all in' by that I mean go large and feed a bit, or feed a lot if there is chub, barbel roach and dace in abundance. However I'm not sure having a small tub on a wild river as reserve will be any more effective than a back up tin of corn or meat. Also the water would need to see pellets going in on a regular basis for them to work well. If i'm fishing a wild river that's not fished much the pellets stay at home, if it's a barbel river that's well fished they are my 'go to' bait

 

[peterjg]

I've tried loads of different pellets and either failed or struggled with them. However; I really like (and so do the fish!) Robin Red pellets in various sizes, for me definitely the best.

 

[rich66]

I've tried loads of different pellets and either failed or struggled with them. However; I really like (and so do the fish!) Robin Red pellets in various sizes, for me definitely the best.

I’ve got a lot of confidence in Robin Reds. I nearly always put a few micros in my ground bait mix
Stickybaits bloodworm pellets do ok for me too.

 

[mikench]

I agree with the robin red pellets as seemingly more attractive to fish particularly the 10/11mm size. It's always good to have a range of pellets just to ring the changes. When Binka took me barbel fishing on the Trent we used two pellets in tandem or one pellet and a cube of meat. The barbel seemed appreciative at the time.

 

[Lark]

I've not used the Robin Red pellets.... yet, but my experience of Robin Red generally has been excellent.
That and the amazing Van Den Eynde 'Pigeon Sh*t' groundbait additive. Me and a couple of mates were deemed to be mental back in the late 80's and 90's for using them. Robin Red was a bird-breeding food supplement, I believe, and we used to buy it from the old pet shop in Burnham. Virtually no one believed us that it worked really well.
As regards Sonubaits soft hooking pellets, I think they're excellent, particularly the 6mm and 8mm, and they have a really long life.
Once opened I transfer them from the bag to the smallest, sealable plastic container that they'll fit into.
I don't think those bags really re-seal properly once opened. I've had a lot of success with both halibut and krill versions in the past for Stillwater roach, Crucians, tench and Rudd. With the 6mm they present really well on hooks as small as size18.
Not so much success on rivers though, but that may be down to my preference for more traditional/conventional river baits.

 

[108831]

I think confidence is the main thing,I've been using carp pellets from g&m growers(Biggleswade)and doing ok,that said some carp pellets are totally ineffective imo,so a bit of trial and error is a must,imo trout pellet was best,which now is very difficult to obtain,Titmuss at Wheathampstead sell some,but they're very dark,similar to halibuts which I don't like much,the old chestnut brown ones are the ones for me...

 

[valetudoguy]

I have been using Ringers are am fairly happy. Though I always make a mixed bag of sizes too.

 

[theartist]

There needs to be more red pellets on the market, why on earth are they brown still. Look at the confidence there is in red maggot which is now the most popular colour.

 

[John Keane]

I keep a tub of these in garlic flavour in my bait bucket along with two sizes of Ringers Chocolate Orange banders. Caught more fish on the Choccy Orange than any other bait. (feel free to insert obligatory comment on how I’m bound to catch more on them if I fish them the most) :wh

 

[rayner]

Sonu baits make an 8mm expander, if you need a firmer pellet soak them with gelatine. A plus with them is they don't need pumping just soak. They also sink when dry.

 

[John Keane]

Sonu baits make an 8mm expander, if you need a firmer pellet soak them with gelatine. A plus with them is they don't need pumping just soak. They also sink when dry.

I hate fishing expanders on the pole as every missed bite is a ship-in and re-bait. Hard banded or drilled hard pellets on a tight hair are much more user-friendly.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Have a look on Matchman Supplies website, they do a lot of Sonu bait in 6, 8, and even 11mm, which suit an size 10 hook and good for chub. Soft hookers are soft enough to put on the hook, band, or hair rig.
SonuBaits Bloodworm Fishmeal S-Pellets, 11mm - SSPT/BW11 - Buy Online

 

[bracket]

I hate fishing expanders on the pole as every missed bite is a ship-in and re-bait. Hard banded or drilled hard pellets on a tight hair are much more user-friendly.

I understand your objection to expanders. I use them for most of my stillwater fishing and have the same experience. However I just liken it to caster fishing when a rebait every cast is mandatory. I mostly use Ringer or BaitTech expanders, which require pumping, often more than once. Recently I have been trying the Sonubait 6mm pellets and so far I can't fault them. Just soak in water for two hours and they are ready with everyone sinking. One thing I have learnt when using them is to keep them submerged in water otherwise they will crack and come off the hook. Pete

 

[seth49]

Another vote for the Sonu baits expert pellets, I do them as des ship recommended on his u tube video, place pellets in a small container, fill to the top with water, and place in fridge overnight.

There available in 4 6 and 8mm, I’ve been adding some of the dynamite baits robin red oil just before I use them, after draining the water off, the roach especially seem to like this, had some decent roach on them, tried without the oil and I get more bites with it.

 

[no-one in particular]

I tried the sonubaits soft pellets yesterday while watching the river for sign of mullet, just free lined in the margins with a few small handfuls thrown in and not a twitch. I tried three swims that I know are good fish holding areas with plenty of small fry on top and managed two bigger chub on the fly. So, although a hot day the water was colored and a couple of fish managed but not even a tremor on the soft pellets which I fished for about an hour or more in total. Not a proper test but it signified to me its education is the problem. I am sure I would have some attention with bread in these swims as I know them well but wild river fish will not recognize them. But, I am surprised that I can with bread and sweet-corn, hardly a recognizable bait and fish will readily take them even in an un-fished river; why not nice smelling pellets? -just find that odd.
I did stop in the bigger better stocked tackle shop locally and they sell big bags of robin red for £5. Probably last me a lifetime, the tackle bloke said they keep forever so these will suit me and I will buy some next time. I will give them a try next time on the river and on the couple of commercials I visit two or three times a year.
Thanks for all the replies and advice.

 

[peterjg]

Mark g, re your comment about RR pellets. I have tried most sizes but prefer the 8mm, they do soften and disintergrate, I recast every 60 mins. They are particularly good for roach and carp but I have caught tench, bream, chub and barbel on them. The 4mm and 6mm do not soften as fast as the 8mm. Good luck.

 

[no-one in particular]

Mark g, re your comment about RR pellets. I have tried most sizes but prefer the 8mm, they do soften and disintergrate, I recast every 60 mins. They are particularly good for roach and carp but I have caught tench, bream, chub and barbel on them. The 4mm and 6mm do not soften as fast as the 8mm. Good luck.

Thanks Peter, the sonu ones I tried were 8mm and I reckon they were just right on a 14 hook, I could also get two on with the point just showing for a bigger bait. It would be amazing if they caught mullet and eels rejected them but I doubt I would get that lucky. I will give them a go next time and take some bread as well and see what happens.

 

[no-one in particular]

I went to buy some red robin yesterday but they were all hard and holed for fishing hair rigged style. I really wanted something soft that would just go on the hook. I ended up buying dynamite krill based soft pellets £3.50 for a small a pot. They are red which I liked but I think they will prove a big draw for eels still, I will give them a go.

 

[108831]

Small fish home in on soft pellets,these days most fish see pellets,some not often,but unknown fisheries are rare and our EE friends have the ability to find them all,as my recently joined club is finding,they have a website,but no directions to the three waters,yet still they get set lines,I don't understand,I had a job finding them with directions.
Sorry OP back to topic,I do well in soft pellet,but once small fish become active I have found myself using hard pellet more and more,usually on the band,sometimes on the hair,I tend to use 6mm,8mm,10mm,but have used up to 14mms pellets,the good thing is that with such a vast range of pellets available,your choice of flavours,colours is infinite...