I've started buying my hemp in tins now the 700g size. Reason was I had hemp in the garage going off, and moths breeding in it. Plus it fills up the fridge when a make a pint or two. Yes, it's dearer, but so convenient, as I can take a tin with me, and use it or now. The small amount I may not use I freeze. So now I buy a few tins at a time, and it's always at hand, no smelling out the kitchen any more, misses really happy. Rich
Hemp.
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rich66
Well-known member
I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never fished with hemp or tares as hookbait. I’ve tried the odd grain of hemp but never had a bite.
Works for me in my groundbait
Works for me in my groundbait
Golden Eagle
Well-known member
Totally agree with the OP, that unless you’re using large quantities then tinned is much more convenient.
A couple of points:
Careful if freezing leftovers as it may float.
And tinned tends to be rather soft and therefore not good for hooking.
As for it being over rated, I’ve had days when hemp has saved me a blank, caught on it when nothing else has been of interest.
Also find it very useful for margin fishing where groundbait is either not allowed or will waft about too much, carp and barbel love it and it’s density means it stays on the deck better than groundbait.
A couple of points:
Careful if freezing leftovers as it may float.
And tinned tends to be rather soft and therefore not good for hooking.
As for it being over rated, I’ve had days when hemp has saved me a blank, caught on it when nothing else has been of interest.
Also find it very useful for margin fishing where groundbait is either not allowed or will waft about too much, carp and barbel love it and it’s density means it stays on the deck better than groundbait.
I would disagree on it being over rated, as in my experience hemp and caster or hemp and tares can be very successful bait combinations.
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Peter, in all honesty have you ever actually seen fish eating hemp? Seeing your combinations I would imagine the fish were more attracted by the casters. Just for reference, I have used all those baits myself for years and in many combinations.
A good friend of mine and myself once did a experiment with hemp over a number of outings just to see if it did work. We fished sessions where we would use it and sessions without it and caught equally well. Infact we often caught equally well if we used no hemp or attractants at all !
Manys the time i've fished above my friends on the river who have sworn hemp is a great holding bait for barbel and chub, and yet i've caught lots more fish using alternative baits/attractants (they were every bit as capable at angling as myself, prolly better).
Same when targetting tench on still waters, and it's happened to often to be a coincidence. Those m8's of mine never bother boiling up copious amounts of hemp any longer.
As I said, i've simply given my opinion and others will think i'm talking bullshine, good luck to 'em.
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Yes, on many occasions . . . . conventional thinking seems to accept that fish take hemp seeds as it looks like small water snails.
On its day it is unbeatable and I've had many a good bag of roach and dace on hemp , both on the hook and as loose feed.
We all only speak from our own direct experiences and mine are that it can be a terrific bait, on its day.
On its day it is unbeatable and I've had many a good bag of roach and dace on hemp , both on the hook and as loose feed.
We all only speak from our own direct experiences and mine are that it can be a terrific bait, on its day.
Tinned (any precooked & branded type) hemp - for me - is only useful when fed via a pole cup and 'dumped' in or when added to groundbait. It tends to be small, inconsistent, over-cooked for the hook but very oily. For accurate loose feed I prefer cooking it myself and for hookbaits definitely cooking it myself.
theartist
Well-known member
I've got mixed views on hemp but boy do fish eat it. Spent quite a few summers watching them in clear rivers and the way the different species react is quite a sight.
As a loosefeed in midsummer it's often the only bait chub really go for on a heavily fished water I know, when even maggots start to spook the chub. They just take it oh so delicately yet so confidently if that makes sense, so using a matchstick float is lots of fun in low water, I've tried freelining fake hemp which works but even in the clearest water it's a sod to see. You think the chub are precise you should see the speed the dace hit the stuff. Because of seeing this I believe a lot of the missed bites when hemp fishing are often dace and bleak.
Whilst doing that the big roach can be seen picking single grains off the deck whilst the ones under a pound compete with the chub and dace, it could be why tares pick off the bigger roach as it gets them off the deck competing for a bait the smaller fish struggle with.
Barbel and carp just get in a frenzy over the stuff on the bottom but things do get messy unless it's clean gravel, another reason larger visible baits over the top work best, funny enough the barbel work in straight lines before returning to the bottom of the swim and working up again, if there's a group of them they will bounce over each other, twisting but usually facing upstream, you can see them sucking it all up before they repeat the whole process, carp on the other hand are picky when solo but in a group they get their heads down and will uproot anything in their path to get at the stuff. What's noticeable is the carp's feeding will be more sporadic whereas the barbel will spend longer hoovering away. When they are doing this the biggest thing that spooks them are their fins touching a tight line on the bottom, another reason float can out fish lead in clear water.
I've seen all the above duplicated with pellets as well and they are all observations from low clear summer levels, but that's when particles work best I guess.
Ps Fake hemp does work but is nowhere near as good as the real stuff, they can tell the difference
As a loosefeed in midsummer it's often the only bait chub really go for on a heavily fished water I know, when even maggots start to spook the chub. They just take it oh so delicately yet so confidently if that makes sense, so using a matchstick float is lots of fun in low water, I've tried freelining fake hemp which works but even in the clearest water it's a sod to see. You think the chub are precise you should see the speed the dace hit the stuff. Because of seeing this I believe a lot of the missed bites when hemp fishing are often dace and bleak.
Whilst doing that the big roach can be seen picking single grains off the deck whilst the ones under a pound compete with the chub and dace, it could be why tares pick off the bigger roach as it gets them off the deck competing for a bait the smaller fish struggle with.
Barbel and carp just get in a frenzy over the stuff on the bottom but things do get messy unless it's clean gravel, another reason larger visible baits over the top work best, funny enough the barbel work in straight lines before returning to the bottom of the swim and working up again, if there's a group of them they will bounce over each other, twisting but usually facing upstream, you can see them sucking it all up before they repeat the whole process, carp on the other hand are picky when solo but in a group they get their heads down and will uproot anything in their path to get at the stuff. What's noticeable is the carp's feeding will be more sporadic whereas the barbel will spend longer hoovering away. When they are doing this the biggest thing that spooks them are their fins touching a tight line on the bottom, another reason float can out fish lead in clear water.
I've seen all the above duplicated with pellets as well and they are all observations from low clear summer levels, but that's when particles work best I guess.
Ps Fake hemp does work but is nowhere near as good as the real stuff, they can tell the difference
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sylvanillo
Well-known member
I caught my first fish on feeder using this receipt
It has liquidised bread, liquidised hemp seed, gingerbread, polenta.
Got the hemp at the decathlon store in Brussels, here they have GROUND HEMP 700gr for £2.99 or GROUND HEMP 5KG for £14.99. They also sell it in tins. Once opened the bag doesn't need to be frozen, just kept in a dry cool place.
NOW I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING! Avoid crossing the UK border with a bag of this, or having recently stored this in the boot!!!!!
The last time I did this, the dogs went crazy and the customs checked the car entirely. Plus the strange faces when saying I was a European Commission's counter terrorism officer!!!
It has liquidised bread, liquidised hemp seed, gingerbread, polenta.
Got the hemp at the decathlon store in Brussels, here they have GROUND HEMP 700gr for £2.99 or GROUND HEMP 5KG for £14.99. They also sell it in tins. Once opened the bag doesn't need to be frozen, just kept in a dry cool place.
NOW I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING! Avoid crossing the UK border with a bag of this, or having recently stored this in the boot!!!!!
The last time I did this, the dogs went crazy and the customs checked the car entirely. Plus the strange faces when saying I was a European Commission's counter terrorism officer!!!
sam vimes
Well-known member
I don't use hemp much these days. It's far too expensive in the quantities I preferred to use it in. I've never believed it to be a magic bait the way some do. The theory of it being addictive to fish is just a load of old toot. However, it had its time and place. I'd happily use a gallon of hemp as feed and float fish maggot and caster over the top. My best days for Trent barbel have come doing just that.
These days I've substituted stewed wheat. I don't think it's quite as effective as hemp, but I often get it free, or for less than a third of the price of hemp. It's also a hell of a lot easier to prepare.
These days I've substituted stewed wheat. I don't think it's quite as effective as hemp, but I often get it free, or for less than a third of the price of hemp. It's also a hell of a lot easier to prepare.
I wouldn't go out without hemp for some kinds of barbel fishing, and for some roach waters where I've found - and I'm not the only one - you can catch on whatever you like, but hemp or hemp and tares will always produce the better fish.
I'm not that attracted to the tinned stuff. In fact, I like cooking it, don't mind the smell, (why "smell"? it's an aroma) and always feel confident, when I'm bagging up a couple of pints of freshly cooked hemp in the evening, that the fish are going to appreciate it the next day. Similarly, I think freshly cooked wheat looks good enough to eat, and a pint of casters fresh off the riddle is a beautiful sight. I'd pick up tins in the tackle shop if I were really pushed for time, but as it is the bait prep is an enjoyable part of the fishing.
I'm not that attracted to the tinned stuff. In fact, I like cooking it, don't mind the smell, (why "smell"? it's an aroma) and always feel confident, when I'm bagging up a couple of pints of freshly cooked hemp in the evening, that the fish are going to appreciate it the next day. Similarly, I think freshly cooked wheat looks good enough to eat, and a pint of casters fresh off the riddle is a beautiful sight. I'd pick up tins in the tackle shop if I were really pushed for time, but as it is the bait prep is an enjoyable part of the fishing.