Top tips for using corn when fishing
Sweetcorn is a fantastic carp bait. In winter it provides a highly-visible offering that can be fished over minimal feed.
And once the water starts to warm in early spring it’s ideal for feeding, as well as being a brilliant hookbait. It’s cheap, too! But which sort of sweetcorn should you use…and when?
1) Supermarket corn
I use Jolly Green Giant on the hook, as it is often larger than other tinned corns – although this can vary from tin to tin. For loosefeed, I like Heinz sweetcorn. The grains are a little smaller, so my hookbait will stand out well over the top of it.
2) Frozen corn
If you are looking to prebait a wide area or you are likely to use a lot of corn as loosefeed – when targeting specimen carp, bream or tench – frozen corn is a far cheaper alternative to tinned. Boil it two minutes prior to use.
3) Tackle company corn
The most expensive corn, but the big uniform grains are perfect for catapulting. They are generally tougher and more robust, for a better hookhold, and they come pre-flavoured and coloured, so all the work is done for you.
4) Fake corn
This can be cast great distances and is soft, so it feels ‘right’ to the fish. It looks realistic and it is available in either sinking or buoyant varieties.
5) Maize
A larger, tougher grain, it is excellent as a single hookbait for casting long distances on big waters, or if the lake has a high average weight of fish.