fishing last night at a local holidaymaker runs water and two teenagers (i'm not going to say "kiddies") came over and started looking over my gear. after some approving words ("those rods are like lee jacksons"......"where d'you get those spools?"......"i wanted one of those unhooking mats!") they started asking what bait. i told them (essential f-10) and they told me what they were using.
from memory:
activ8
assasin8
maple8
nash f-1
dynamite source
red october
tutti's
trigga
they were a bit worried as they had only had 11 fish to 12lb between them, and they wanted a bigger fish. someone else had told them to try to get some of the top secret "cruddy bait" as it guarantees a 20.
I'll usually stick with a "going bait" on a specific water, but I like to have a reasonable selection, as its good to have an alternative if they are not 'having it'.
Further to this, its good also to 'be different' - and being so will often bring a carp on the bank when others are blanking.
point was that they were changing every hour or so and confusing themselves when any 1 of those baits would have been fine. not exactly a hard water. i take alternatives, but rarely find they catch more than my main bait - bait application has more of an effect