rich66
Well-known member
Whats the advantage of riddling groundbait, I never have, I mix mine up with my fingers held stiff. After that you squash it together anyway to lob it out . So why riddle ?
Groundbait to riddle or not ?
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Aknib
Well-known member
It helps it break down quickly and avoids lumps of groundbait which fish might engulf in one go and fill up on quickly.
I'm a big fan of preparing and riddling groundbait the night before even if it means using tap water, I don't always do it due to circumstances at the time but given the choice I'd riddle every time.
Another good reason is that when it hits the bottom you will often get a fizzing on the surface as the groundbait breaks down and the air is released, it's amazing how many times you think you've balled in accurately only to find said fizzing a metre or so away from your float or rig, especially on a sloping bottom.
If you've ever ordered crispy shredded duck in your local Chinese it's a similar story, you wonder how such a small portion will feed a table of six but once the bloke has taken to it with a couple of knives it multiplies up and makes a great pile, groundbait when riddled is very similar.
I'm a big fan of preparing and riddling groundbait the night before even if it means using tap water, I don't always do it due to circumstances at the time but given the choice I'd riddle every time.
Another good reason is that when it hits the bottom you will often get a fizzing on the surface as the groundbait breaks down and the air is released, it's amazing how many times you think you've balled in accurately only to find said fizzing a metre or so away from your float or rig, especially on a sloping bottom.
If you've ever ordered crispy shredded duck in your local Chinese it's a similar story, you wonder how such a small portion will feed a table of six but once the bloke has taken to it with a couple of knives it multiplies up and makes a great pile, groundbait when riddled is very similar.
mikench
Well-known member
I'd ràther have crispy duck . I have never riddled but do mix it well the night before.
Paste paul
Well-known member
Canal anglers tend to riddle the dry ground bait to get bigger bits out because they don’t want to feed the fish of with big lumps then they mix it and end up with a fine mix........
When you mix ground bait up it can go lumpy all the lumps are is lumps of bait that have accepted more moisture so some people feel the need to riddle it ..... it disperses the lumps and makes the mix more even ...... as said it also tends to mix air in making light and fluffy and more active.
It’s not a necessity to riddle ground bait but it certainly doesn’t give you a disadvantage .
So I guess it’s how much you feel you need to do to catch fish or more fish !
When you mix ground bait up it can go lumpy all the lumps are is lumps of bait that have accepted more moisture so some people feel the need to riddle it ..... it disperses the lumps and makes the mix more even ...... as said it also tends to mix air in making light and fluffy and more active.
It’s not a necessity to riddle ground bait but it certainly doesn’t give you a disadvantage .
So I guess it’s how much you feel you need to do to catch fish or more fish !
Some groundbaits can be knocked up nice and fluffy and no need to riddle.
Others clog no matter how careful your are and benefit from being riddled.
I can't see myself joining the blokes with a set of giant buckets, a power drill and a whisk.
But a small atomiser is handy for the final touches, or for dampening it if it dries too much.
Others clog no matter how careful your are and benefit from being riddled.
I can't see myself joining the blokes with a set of giant buckets, a power drill and a whisk.
But a small atomiser is handy for the final touches, or for dampening it if it dries too much.
rayner
Well-known member
One bait that really needs riddling is punch crumb, no matter how carefully it's mixed it always has lumps that soak more water.
I'm a serial ground bait riddler I think it makes for better feed, it's not a must but a better mixed crumb gives me more confidence.
I'm a serial ground bait riddler I think it makes for better feed, it's not a must but a better mixed crumb gives me more confidence.
Paste paul
Well-known member
The sonus baits don’t need riddling just add water then leave for 15 minutes and then knock it up and it’s sorted.
S-Kippy
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Life's too short to mess about riddling groundbait. If its lumpy then you havent mixed it properly imo.
Paste paul
Well-known member
Love this quote ??
I must be rather OCD when it comes to baits and ground baits.
When mixing it is not possible to avoid lumps so for me riddling is essential. Many mixes I will riddle twice especially punch crumb.
I want to attract fish and not feed them great lumps of ground bait.
When mixing it is not possible to avoid lumps so for me riddling is essential. Many mixes I will riddle twice especially punch crumb.
I want to attract fish and not feed them great lumps of ground bait.
rayner
Well-known member
A lot of folks can't see the point in riddling ground baits, I don't really know what to say to that 
philistines comes to mind unless they're just not too fussy.
philistines comes to mind unless they're just not too fussy.The guys above have already covered it really but I'll add my 2p worth in for good measure.
I used to always riddle groundbait, my theory was the lumps are the bits that have attracted the most water! So to make an even mix I needed to break the lumps and as a result spread the water more even throughout the mix. Now my dad takes an @S-Kippy approach and hardly ever riddles, I learned from the days he did well if there is a tangible benefit or not. I think in fast flowing rivers or on venues with a large head of hungry fish, you know venues where over feeding isn't an issue, I'll be lazy and not bother but if I'm being precise I'm getting the riddle out.
I used to always riddle groundbait, my theory was the lumps are the bits that have attracted the most water! So to make an even mix I needed to break the lumps and as a result spread the water more even throughout the mix. Now my dad takes an @S-Kippy approach and hardly ever riddles, I learned from the days he did well if there is a tangible benefit or not. I think in fast flowing rivers or on venues with a large head of hungry fish, you know venues where over feeding isn't an issue, I'll be lazy and not bother but if I'm being precise I'm getting the riddle out.
I'm with Skippy on this. Ha Ha.....first you riddle the groundbait to remove lumps then you add lumps back in the form of particles/maggotys/pellets to put in the feeder . Another alternative is to feed lumps(sorry pellets) straight in the aqua. WTF!!!!
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
On another current thread groundbait paste fished on the hook in a lump...
I do riddle mine, then mould it into big round lumps.
I do riddle mine, then mould it into big round lumps.
mikench
Well-known member
You won’t believe this but I bought and use a Whisk for mixing my gb. I attach it to my drill and whisk away in a large gb bucket. I then transfer it to a smaller bucket. I do this the day before. I don’t riddle it though; Rome wasn’t built in a day
All I will say is do this test in the bath.
Make up your ground bait mix and don’t riddle it but squeeze a ball and drop it it the bath and tune how long it takes to turn to a carpet of bait.
Then do the same will well riddled ground bait and see how less time that takes.
Also look carefully at what you have got left when all dissolved. The non riddled one will have lumps left whereas the riddled one will be a smooth carpet.
Personally I always riddle my g.b. Sometimes two or three times depending on what I want it to do or how I want it to break up.
PS for the married chaps, don’t tell the missus.
Make up your ground bait mix and don’t riddle it but squeeze a ball and drop it it the bath and tune how long it takes to turn to a carpet of bait.
Then do the same will well riddled ground bait and see how less time that takes.
Also look carefully at what you have got left when all dissolved. The non riddled one will have lumps left whereas the riddled one will be a smooth carpet.
Personally I always riddle my g.b. Sometimes two or three times depending on what I want it to do or how I want it to break up.
PS for the married chaps, don’t tell the missus.
rayner
Well-known member
The whisking of groundbait gets a fluffier mix than riddling better than riddled if you only riddle once. Extra times going through the riddle always gets a fluffier mix, on a par with the mix achieved with a drill, I should say for me it does.
Using the groundbait paste is nowhere close to lumps in groundbait to my mind the paste has to be mixed to the right consistency to be effective, groundbait not mixed to the right consistency forms lumps.
Particles added to groundbait can never really be described as lumps, could be bits but not lumps.
If you feel there's no need to riddle your groundbait who's to say you're wrong to go with it.
For one I would be thinking my groundbait was not right so riddling for me is a must. If my bait is right coupled with what I consider to be correct feeding then I've done all I can.
Using the groundbait paste is nowhere close to lumps in groundbait to my mind the paste has to be mixed to the right consistency to be effective, groundbait not mixed to the right consistency forms lumps.
Particles added to groundbait can never really be described as lumps, could be bits but not lumps.
If you feel there's no need to riddle your groundbait who's to say you're wrong to go with it.
For one I would be thinking my groundbait was not right so riddling for me is a must. If my bait is right coupled with what I consider to be correct feeding then I've done all I can.
seth49
Well-known member
I’ve been using an electric food mixer for groundbait lately, one of the hand held jobs with two whisks, mix it the night before, mix it once and then half an hour later when it’s absorbed the water, wet it again and then whisk till it’s smooth with no lumps, can then Squeeze into a ball, but if rubbed between hands it goes back to a loose mix with no lumps.
You should always riddle the groundbait when it's been mixed. You want to make sure you don't have any lumps of groundbait that could overfeed the fish. And it does act much better on the bottom. Always make sure that any particles left in the riddle after the lumps are pushed through, are put back into the groundbait, as these are attractants added to the bait, and taking them out will make an active groundbait inert, which makes it a waste of money buying it.
Look,this is a relatively recent practice,years ago it was never,ever heard of,this was in the day when you never fished a match without seven to 10lbs of crumb minimum,I understand the practice,particularly in matches,in winter,for quality fish however i'm not sure it matters too much,I do not normally mix much more than half a kilo at a time,when it dries out after the first wetting,I break the balls with my fingers before dampening to the right consistency ,before running my fingers through,bath test,no,down the edge test yes,I don't see many,if any lumps,bread punch crumb is absolutely vital to riddle,it's balls are like concrete(like mine,lol)...