Barbel and Boilies

I am currently playing around with flavours and recipes for barbel, both flavouring meat baits and making boilies. This is mostly in preparation for getting back on the lower Severn where I hope to gain a bit of an edge over trditional hemp and meat tactics.

Anyone want to share ideas and successful recipes, favourite flavours etc.?

Dave I have had a couple of good Barbel on Trout pellets on the Medway and a guy a few weeks ago had a 14Ib Barbel on Grange boiles. A couple of the bait boys are now producing boilie and paste mixes for Barbel which tend to be of a spicey flavour which I am going to try in the new year on the Great Ouse.

Dave,
I used the John Baker Barbel mix in conjunction with the Search4 flavour on the Kennet in the Autumn. Only had a few trips before THAT rain set in.
In total had 8 or 9 fish. The best three, no monsters admittedly, six pounds 10 the best, all took the boilie while most fish 4-5 1/2 pounders prefered maggots.
As I say, not long enough to draw any real conclusions but my mate had been using the Mike Wilmot stuff for a few weeks longer and he felt they revolutionised his fishing. Several 8 pounders falling to bolt rig and boillie tactics.
Hinders are stocking the JB barbel baits in 12mm at the moment. As soon as this freeze is out of the way I intend to use them on the avon (CM!) in conjunction with a bit of paste of the same mix round the hookbait.

Dave, I started to use boilies on the lower Severn just before the rains came. I only fished a couple of times but had barbel and also a chub. They were home made concoctions.

I picked up several flavours from Hinders a couple days ago. JB Search 4, which I have used before, JB's new Frost and Flood flavour (smells like caramel), plus some Action Baits Sausage Sizzle.

I have made boilies with the Frost and Flood using the standard recommended dosage, plus I have coated 20 or so in the flavour before freezing to enhance the flavour for use as hook baits. Anyone used this flavour yet?

I shall be interested in seeing how my catch rate differs to standard meat baits (it can't get worse surely?).

I also intend experimenting with groundbaits, with meat and flavours added. Any ideas?

Give luncheon meat a try. I've had a few decent fish legering it on the bottom with a 6-inch hooklength.

Dave,
For groundbait on a fast flowing river then you've got to try Vitalin.
It's a dry cereal based dog food that you add water to, it holds particles well and can be easily flavoured.
A 10kg sack is about ?5 to ?6.

Experiment at home because so you can get the consistency right.
If you make it up in a bucket and then squash another bucket inside and pack it down until it sets, you can break off lumps that sink like a stone and break up on the bottom.

Alternatively, I think one of the major manufacturers are developing a new set of Golden B*ll*cks, that I've been field testing this year.........