Meat survey

[roachy]

Any bait will catch fish,however it is all down to presentation and bait placement.

 

[Judas Priest]

Agreed Roachy but the thread is about meat its size, shape and which brand.

 

[meatman]

Interesting debate here, as someone else alluded to on here. I am starting to think that a barbel will take or refuse a meat bait, to some extent regardless of the shape, flavour etc.
I recall a couple of seasons ago fishing Spam on a flooded river and didn't get a bite for 3 hours, I switched to garlic Spam and had a barbel after about 10 minutes. Cracked it I thought, and carried on with garlic Spam getting no more bites. In the last half hour, changed back to 'ordinary' Spam and within minutes the rod was nearly yanked off the rest by a savage take.
These are the things that drive us mad! Did the first fish take the bait because it was different - or had it simply moved in on my bait trail and would have taken any meat or even any bait? Was the second fish down to a change of bait flavour, or would I have caught it regardless?
Of course this is what makes fishing so fascinating, where would the fun be if it was predictable?

 

[Fred Bonney]

I think meat is a confidence bait.
I've had more better barbel with a quarter of a big tin of Garlic Spam, than any other variety and size, it means a wait generally though.
The apple corer size plain Spam does work quicker and quite well for the lesser size fish.

 

[robtherake]

Matteson's smoked sausage - the garlic variety - and Bacon Grill, fried in turmeric.

Once the meat is mounted I like to make shallow longtitudinal cuts all around it to improve leak off; it also changes the appearance by "blurring" the edges.

 

[Judas Priest]

Another ruse I've had a lot of fish on is when it is flooded, and I'm not talking two foot on here but a lot more, is to thread two lobworms up the line then a large chunk (1/4 tin) straight on a size 2 , then slide the worms down onto the meat.
Whether they follow the trail of the meat then see two juicy lobs I don't know but the takes are savage and it does outfish just meat on many an occasion.

 

[shaunyboy]

Always makes me laugh how we as anglers tend to make things difficult , do we rip chunks off , or do we cut with a knife , and if using a knife , do we use the sharp side or do we use the blunt , i have a sneaking suspicion that the barbel dont care , and why should they ! They have no idea wether the meat is torn or cut , in fact they dont know what a bloody knife is mg:

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

I find that on some pressured waters that very small half inch cubes can outfish thr normal big lumps for the big lumps. Chopped ham and pork for me.

Whatever happened to meatballs? In sauce or tomato?

 

[Judas Priest]

Agreed Graham it's all about doing something different than the rest, whether that be shape, colour, size or flavour.

Also the size of the bait doesn't relate to the size of the fish caught as even a moderate sized barbel can easily engulf a 1/4 tin of meat never mind those 20 mm boilies.

---------- Post added at 07:41 ---------- Previous post was at 07:40 ----------

Meatballs are so old hat mate NOBODY uses them anymore, especially the half a meatball in gravy.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Quite right Judas.

AND for me a dusting of Cajun spice will outfish all that pongy french stuff.

 

[binka]

I find that on some pressured waters that very small half inch cubes can outfish thr normal big lumps for the big lumps.

I'll be doing exactly that later today... well, smaller baits that is.

I found out through sheer laziness and buying firm German sausage that is hard enough to band as an alternative when fishing pellet... it saves having to change from a banded hook to a hair or simple hook rig and you just band it the same as pellet but without the band cutting through it, i've taken some good fish lately on 10mm punched meat

 

[belsh]

I used some chorizo sausage that the Mrs bought me back from Gran Canaria.
It worked a treat on a size 10 hook.
Don't tell the Mrs though.

 

[smufter]

Has anybody else tried "Old Ghost" hookbait sausage?
Bridgewater Tackle Old Ghost Hookbait Sausage

I'm a keen meat user, most of my carp and tench fishing has been carried out using either flavoured Spam, bacon grill or plain old luncheon meat.
I read about this bait last year, seemed quite interesting, and managed to pick some up a month or two ago.
Comes in four "flavours" (Snail, Sweetcorn, Bloodworm & Squid). I've tried them all but it's the snail or bloodworm versions that are working for me.
I've caught some nice carp on both of them, and am doing an overnighter on a nice lake for the first time next Sunday with some decent sized carp in there and these baits will be the first thing going in the tackle bag.
Easy to use, stays on the hair well too.
Little bit more expensive than tinned stuff from the supermarket, and maybe not for "general" use, but if you are going somewhere a little bit special with the chance to hook into something decent, might well be worth giving it a go to make a change from the usual range of baits that are lobbed in there all the time.
The Bloodworm variety stinks a bit and is a nice deep red colour.
The Snail version is a snotty green colour and again has a distinct aroma about it. Might be worth a bash?????
Rob