10 Bait tips to catch more this weekend!
Always pack floaters
On sunny days the carp will often be found warming themselves up in the upper layers of the water, and the chances are that they will be suckers for floating baits. Most anglers don’t start thinking about using surface baits until we are well into summer, by which time the canny angler will have already have been using them for several weeks.
Feed Groundbait Short
A tactic that has worked wonders on a number of venues already this year has been to feed groundbait just off the rod top at the bottom of the marginal slope. Whether I have been fishing for crucians, tench or carp, groundbait has proved far superior to anything elseat attracting and holding fish in the relatively cold water. A nugget of Sensas Super-G each cast is plenty. Try fishing a 6mm cube of meat, a pinch of bread or sweetcorn over the top.
Fruity Additive For Tench
For some reason, pineapple flavour is one of the greatest tench attractors of all time. When using maggots, this is the additive that I turn to, adding just half a teaspoonful to a pint of grubs. You can even dip your hookbait in the neat liquid to give it maximum attraction.
Sweetcorn Really Takes Off
The bright colour and salty/sweet taste of sweetcorn will prove very effective over the coming weeks. While this bait attracts mainly carp, don’t be too surprised if tench, bream, F1s and even big roach put in an appearance when you have corn on the hook. A couple of tins is more than enough for a session. I prefer to feed little-and-often. A dozen grains of corn fed every few minutes, or after every bite, will be enough to get the swim rocking in no time, so always carry this bait in your tackle bag.
Boilie Time
If I am planning on spending my time over the coming weeks fishing one venue for carp then I will begin a baiting campaign. This doesn’t have to be hundreds of kilos of bait – just a handful or two in the right place can make all the difference. Choose a quality bait – I normally stick with NashBait TG Active – and at the end of every trip introduce a few whole and broken boilies. In no time at all the carp will start to recognise your bait as a free meal.
Micros For The Method
When carp are my target, micro pellets are what I will mould around my Method feeder. Even though the weather might be warm, the water is likely to be several degrees cooler, so it is easy to overfeed carp, even when using just a medium-sized feeder. Micros release maximum attraction and keep the carp working hard, so are ideal for the Method at this time of the year.
Solid Bags
When I need to get a bite fast, especially if I am on a new water, then solid PVA bags are often my first choice. Each bag is filled with broken boilies and micro pellets to create maximum attraction on the lakebed. With the rig and hookbait also inside the bag there is no chance of the rig becoming tangled or catching on weed, giving me the perfect ‘dinner plate’ every time. Tied tightly, solid bags also cast incredibly well, and make a completely different sound to a lead crashing into the water – making them ideal for casting at showing fish.
Zigs In High Pressure
Carp can be hard to catch when the air pressure is high. On warm, still days try a zig, even if the venue isn’t very deep. Start with one set at half-depth and lengthen it to fish closer to the surface as the day wears on. Dark zigs work best for me as they are highly visible when viewed from the side or below. On prolific venues try spodding soup or firing slow-sinking pellets over your zigs.
Meaty Hookbaits
Punched meat has been an absolute revelation to me over the last few years and has caught me specimens of a number of different species. The unique texture, bright colour and strong flavour of meat mean that it is a bait that really stands out. What is more, it is very easy to prepare. I cut a tin of luncheon meat into 8mm thick slices and then use a bait punch to produce hookbaits on the bank. For small species, such as crucians, a 6mm bait is best, while for bream and carp I use 8mm or 10mm baits.
Feed The Edge
Punched meat has been an absolute revelation to me over the last few years and has caught me specimens of a number of different species. The unique texture, bright colour and strong flavour of meat mean that it is a bait that really stands out. What is more, it is very easy to prepare. I cut a tin of luncheon meat into 8mm thick slices and then use a bait punch to produce hookbaits on the bank. For small species, such as crucians, a 6mm bait is best, while for bream and carp I use 8mm or 10mm baits.
