All You Need to Know About Bait!
An Extensive List of Baits, How to Use Them and even
How to Make those that you can Prepare Yourself.
How to Make those that you can Prepare Yourself.
WORMS
Dendrobaena Worms:
These are one of the the most popular of the worm baits for fresh water fishing and are available in most good tackle shops and also in Decathlon sports stores.
They are tough and lively and will survive quite well in the coldest of waters and they are also a good bait to use in brackish water. They will survive for weeks in moist moss and peat with some vegetable peelings for them to eat. Keep them in a cool place but not to cold, also keep them covered but able to breath or they will escape.
Red Worms:
These can be found in damp manure heaps, they range from 3 to 5cm and are very lively indeed. Can be used as a single one on a small hook, or as a bunch on a large one.
The Lob Worm:
The Lob worm is the largest worm that I have used for fresh water fishing, they have a flattish tail and range from 5cm upwards. You can use them whole on a size 8 or 6 hook or the tail end on a 10 or 12 they can also be chopped up and used as loose feed or in a feeder.
Mealworms:
These are the larval stage of the Flour Beetle or also called the mealworm beetle they are around 2cm long and are very attractive to most fish, they will keep for quite a time stored at 5 to 8ºC. The mealworm is best kept in a mixture of flour, oats and bran, also add some slices of raw potato with them as a source of water. Mealworms are very popular as a food source for Birds, Reptiles, and many other small mammals
The Humble Maggot:
Maggots have always been one of the most popular baits for course fishing, they will catch fish of all species, from the very large to the very small.
The four types of maggot used as bait:
The Large White:
These are the mainstay of the maggots available to us in Spain. They are the larvae stage of the Bluebottle Fly. They are mainly brought in two colours white mixed with some red ones but at times you will get some blue and yellow ones.
Pinkies:
These are smaller than the conventional large whites. They are the larvae of the Greenbottle fly and they are a very active maggot, and they are great escape artists. These are great used on a 18-20 or 22 when bites are very hard to come by.
Squats or Feeders:
These are the larvae of the common house fly, they are the smallest of the maggots used and are very often kept in sand. used as a feeder or on very small hooks.
Casters or Chrysalises:
These are the pupa stage of the maggot this stage will vary from the ones that have just started to turn to a light brown colour, these to me are the best to use but they will catch fish right up to when they are, very nearly black.
When hooking maggots just nick the hook through the skin on the blunt end, this will allow the maggot to wriggle more. When you purchase maggots from a tackle shop they will come in either sawdust or maize meal. This is to help keep them fresh, a lot of anglers will riddle them every day or two to remove any dead ones and also to keep them fresher. At this point flavouring may be added such as curry powder or turmeric and also fresh meal or sawdust, keep in the refrigerator.
PELLETS
Expander Pellets:
This is probably the most common way that pellets are fished with. Using commercially produced expander pellets you can either soak then in cold water till they swell up to a perfect size to fish with, or by using a pellet pump to produce a soft pellet that will slowly sink to the bottom. You can also buy tubs of commercially produced soft pellets from many different companies.
When fishing with soft pellets you must remember that you are fishing with a very delicate bait. So your rig must be as sensitive as possible so using a Pole is the best way to fish this particular bait. One way to do this is to present your bait as close to the bottom as possible with the shot about 15cm from the hook.
Feed with either a pole cup or by using a catapult filled with micro pellets.
Hard Pellets:
The hard pellet can be either attached to your hook by a hair rig using a pellet that has a hole drilled in it, a band, or by the lasso method which is a hair slipknot. The rigs used generally involve for float fishing are the bulk weight a couple of feet from the hook and just fishing on the bottom or 4 to 8inches over depth and slowly coming up in the water if needed. Good fished using the feeder or with a light bomb and feeding with the catapult.
Expander Pellets:
This is probably the most common way that pellets are fished with. Using commercially produced expander pellets you can either soak then in cold water till they swell up to a perfect size to fish with, or by using a pellet pump to produce a soft pellet that will slowly sink to the bottom. You can also buy tubs of commercially produced soft pellets from many different companies.
When fishing with soft pellets you must remember that you are fishing with a very delicate bait. So your rig must be as sensitive as possible so using a Pole is the best way to fish this particular bait. One way to do this is to present your bait as close to the bottom as possible with the shot about 15cm from the hook.
Feed with either a pole cup or by using a catapult filled with micro pellets.
Hard Pellets:
The hard pellet can be either attached to your hook by a hair rig using a pellet that has a hole drilled in it, a band, or by the lasso method which is a hair slipknot. The rigs used generally involve for float fishing are the bulk weight a couple of feet from the hook and just fishing on the bottom or 4 to 8inches over depth and slowly coming up in the water if needed. Good fished using the feeder or with a light bomb and feeding with the catapult.
BREAD
Mashed bread and hooking your bread flake. To me bread is a greatly under rated, and is a very effective fishing bait
on its day. But it also can be a very frustrating style of fishing to many.
Mashed Bread for Ground Bait:
To start with it is best if the bread has been allowed to stale for 3 or 4 days before you use it. Put the bread into a bucket and just cover with cold water. When the bubbles subside squeeze out all the excess water, mash up the bread and if it is still too wet to form balls squeeze in a tea towel.
As this mix is quite heavy it is easy to throw out into your swim. It will quickly sink releasing small particles as it sinks. when it gets to the bottom of the swim it will break down quickly, so hopefully attracting fish into your swim to feed.
Hooking Bread Flake:
The bread that you use for flake must first of all be very fresh, as dry bread flake will just come off the hook in the water.
You will get about 4 good flake baits to use on a size 6 hook from a normal slice of white bread. If you are using a smaller hook you will get more. Fold the piece of bread flake in half, pinch it at the fold so creating a firm doughy bit to insert your hook through once, then fold the piece of flake again and squeeze and pinch it onto the shank of the hook. This will leave you a generous fluffy hook bait with the point just of the hook just sticking out.
How to Prepare Bread for Punched Bread:
Use fresh bread, cut off the crusts, then micro wave a slice for 6 to 9 seconds roll out each slice and then cut in half and wrap each piece in cling film. At your swim unwrap one half slice and pinch out discs to the size that you require using different sized bread punches keep the bread covered so that it does not dry out. It is better if you use medium sliced bread.
Fish this method with very fine white breadcrumbs with the crusts removed and blitzed very fine add a little water at a time and mix to a soft ball stage when squeezed. If you are using liquidized bread on a river you can add cooked hemp seed or fine gravel to get it to the bottom quickly.
Bread Crust:
Bread crust is nearly always fished as a surface bait as bread is naturally buoyant. For this style of fishing use uncut crusty bread. Tear off a piece to the size that you require push the bend of the hook through the crust from the flake side, then twist the hook 90º degrees and then gently push the hook back into the crust. Crust may also be fished as a ledger bait with care.
Care must be taken when fishing with crust in the presence of wild life. [Birds]
Mashed bread and hooking your bread flake. To me bread is a greatly under rated, and is a very effective fishing bait
on its day. But it also can be a very frustrating style of fishing to many.
Mashed Bread for Ground Bait:
To start with it is best if the bread has been allowed to stale for 3 or 4 days before you use it. Put the bread into a bucket and just cover with cold water. When the bubbles subside squeeze out all the excess water, mash up the bread and if it is still too wet to form balls squeeze in a tea towel.
As this mix is quite heavy it is easy to throw out into your swim. It will quickly sink releasing small particles as it sinks. when it gets to the bottom of the swim it will break down quickly, so hopefully attracting fish into your swim to feed.
Hooking Bread Flake:
The bread that you use for flake must first of all be very fresh, as dry bread flake will just come off the hook in the water.
You will get about 4 good flake baits to use on a size 6 hook from a normal slice of white bread. If you are using a smaller hook you will get more. Fold the piece of bread flake in half, pinch it at the fold so creating a firm doughy bit to insert your hook through once, then fold the piece of flake again and squeeze and pinch it onto the shank of the hook. This will leave you a generous fluffy hook bait with the point just of the hook just sticking out.
How to Prepare Bread for Punched Bread:
Use fresh bread, cut off the crusts, then micro wave a slice for 6 to 9 seconds roll out each slice and then cut in half and wrap each piece in cling film. At your swim unwrap one half slice and pinch out discs to the size that you require using different sized bread punches keep the bread covered so that it does not dry out. It is better if you use medium sliced bread.
Fish this method with very fine white breadcrumbs with the crusts removed and blitzed very fine add a little water at a time and mix to a soft ball stage when squeezed. If you are using liquidized bread on a river you can add cooked hemp seed or fine gravel to get it to the bottom quickly.
Bread Crust:
Bread crust is nearly always fished as a surface bait as bread is naturally buoyant. For this style of fishing use uncut crusty bread. Tear off a piece to the size that you require push the bend of the hook through the crust from the flake side, then twist the hook 90º degrees and then gently push the hook back into the crust. Crust may also be fished as a ledger bait with care.
Care must be taken when fishing with crust in the presence of wild life. [Birds]
PASTE
A fishing paste bait is very similar in appearance to a ball of sort sweet pastry dough, it can be produced from a wide range of dry ingredients with water, eggs, oil or fat, all mixed together with colouring and flavouring of your choice.
There lots of base dry ingredients available from many different companies like Dynamite Baits, Sensas, Ringers, Marukyu, and Sonu baits. These companies also produce tubs of ready mixed pastes as well.
Cheese Paste:
A favourite recipe for this bait is as follows.
200 gram grated strong Cheddar cheese, 50 gram grated Danish Blue cheese, tablespoon of fat or oil, corn meal.
Put the cheese into a bowl, add the fat or oil and add a little corn meal mix to a smooth dough, it can be a little sticky but smooth, put into a plastic bag and place into the refrigerator
Bread paste can be prepared by just soaking liquidized white breadcrumbs in milk then drain and squeeze out in a tea towel. mix well together with colouring and any flavour that you want. Mould into balls if a little too wet add some corn meal.
A fishing paste bait is very similar in appearance to a ball of sort sweet pastry dough, it can be produced from a wide range of dry ingredients with water, eggs, oil or fat, all mixed together with colouring and flavouring of your choice.
There lots of base dry ingredients available from many different companies like Dynamite Baits, Sensas, Ringers, Marukyu, and Sonu baits. These companies also produce tubs of ready mixed pastes as well.
Cheese Paste:
A favourite recipe for this bait is as follows.
200 gram grated strong Cheddar cheese, 50 gram grated Danish Blue cheese, tablespoon of fat or oil, corn meal.
Put the cheese into a bowl, add the fat or oil and add a little corn meal mix to a smooth dough, it can be a little sticky but smooth, put into a plastic bag and place into the refrigerator
Bread paste can be prepared by just soaking liquidized white breadcrumbs in milk then drain and squeeze out in a tea towel. mix well together with colouring and any flavour that you want. Mould into balls if a little too wet add some corn meal.
PARTICLE
What are particle baits? These are practically every form of large seed or nut and pellets.
How do I prepare them?
Peanuts Fresh - Soak for 12 hours then boil for 30 minutes.
Maize - Soak for at least 24 hours then boil for 40 minutes.
Hemp - Soak for 12 hours then boil till just splitting.
Maple Peas - Soak for 12 hours the boil for 30 minutes.
Wheat - Boil till tender.
Barley - Boil till tender.
Tares - Boil till tender.
Broad Beans dry - Soak for 12 hours then boil for 30 minutes.
Broad Beans fresh - Boil for 3 minutes.
Melon Seeds - Boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
Sunflower Seeds - Boil for 1 to 2 minutes
Chic Peas - Soak for 12 hours the boil for3 0 minutes
Chic Peas - Tins-use straight from the tin.
Dry Beans - Soak for 12 hours then cook till just tender.
Brazil Nuts - Soak for 12 hours the boil for4 to 6 minutes.
Hazel Nuts - Soak for 12 hours then boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Almonds - Boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Tiger Nuts - Soak for 24 hours then boil for 30 minutes can be left to ferment in the water.
Please note that these times are only approximate. All particle baits can be improved by adding flavours like salt, curry powder, chilli, aniseed, honey, strawberry, vanilla and many others.
What are particle baits? These are practically every form of large seed or nut and pellets.
How do I prepare them?
Peanuts Fresh - Soak for 12 hours then boil for 30 minutes.
Maize - Soak for at least 24 hours then boil for 40 minutes.
Hemp - Soak for 12 hours then boil till just splitting.
Maple Peas - Soak for 12 hours the boil for 30 minutes.
Wheat - Boil till tender.
Barley - Boil till tender.
Tares - Boil till tender.
Broad Beans dry - Soak for 12 hours then boil for 30 minutes.
Broad Beans fresh - Boil for 3 minutes.
Melon Seeds - Boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
Sunflower Seeds - Boil for 1 to 2 minutes
Chic Peas - Soak for 12 hours the boil for3 0 minutes
Chic Peas - Tins-use straight from the tin.
Dry Beans - Soak for 12 hours then cook till just tender.
Brazil Nuts - Soak for 12 hours the boil for4 to 6 minutes.
Hazel Nuts - Soak for 12 hours then boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Almonds - Boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Tiger Nuts - Soak for 24 hours then boil for 30 minutes can be left to ferment in the water.
Please note that these times are only approximate. All particle baits can be improved by adding flavours like salt, curry powder, chilli, aniseed, honey, strawberry, vanilla and many others.
Luncheon meat has been used as a bait for many years especially for Carp and Barbel. Feeder fishing is the normal method used, but it is also effective on a waggler or pole, as it can be used either on a hair rig or straight on to the hook.
Cut the meat into the size that you require and keep cool. A method that can be used is to cut the meat up and lightly quick fry in chilli oil to crisp up the outside and add flavour. Many other meat products can also be used as bait.
Cut the meat into the size that you require and keep cool. A method that can be used is to cut the meat up and lightly quick fry in chilli oil to crisp up the outside and add flavour. Many other meat products can also be used as bait.
There are also many types of artificial baits on the market.
Plastic corn-maggots-worms-pea-nuts-flies-plugs and various types of spinner baits, etc. But in a lot of cases these catch the angler and not the fish.
In the long history of fishing, maggots and worms in all shapes and sizes, have to come out tops!
Plastic corn-maggots-worms-pea-nuts-flies-plugs and various types of spinner baits, etc. But in a lot of cases these catch the angler and not the fish.
In the long history of fishing, maggots and worms in all shapes and sizes, have to come out tops!