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Freezer Boilies.

Stephen Crowhurst

Stephen Crowhurst

Senior Member
Ive always used shelf life Boilies for convince really. I was given a couple of Kg of freezer based one in return for some corals I propagated for a Carp Angler, he’s one of these bait testers and is very pleased with the bait. Anyway what I’d like to know is how to prepare them properly and how to treat them.

I’ve done a bit of googling but the companies seem to want to sell you “rehydration liquids”, not sure if that’s just nonsense?

They are currently frozen, once defrosted what’s the shelf life? Do I discard after the session?

I don’t know the brand or flavour.
 
They should need no preparation once defrosted you should use them straight away. The shelf life once defrosted will probably be only a few days before they start to decay in the summer. This usually starts with white fuzz on the surface,some people swear that is when they are very effective, not me, Fresh is best. Some anglers re freeze time after time but the flavour will decrease every time and the bait will dry out. Would you refreeze your frozen food at home after defrosting it time after time. It sounds like you do not use a lot of bait so split the frozen bags into day session amount bags and keep them in the freezer. You can air dry them but they go rock hard and become more buoyant I have always found Barbel prefer soft baits.
 
If you air dry them they will go rock hard and shouldn’t mould up but if you stick them in a pot or something before they are dry they will go mouldy quickly. I prefer to take out what I’m going to use that session that way you won’t have loads go to waste
 
Some Baits cannot be made into shelf life without completely changing them a classic example being Cell
surely a good example of how a very good frozen bait can produce results
 
If you are talking about pure milk based Stephen then fresh is best. Fishmeals are a little more forgiving but again always best to use as fresh as possible. Air drying as some say will prolong their life but I will only take enough baits straight from the freezer to use that same day. Any leftovers will be introduced at the end of my session.
Shelf/stabilised baits are becoming more and more popular and are much better quality now then a few years ago.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I typically use one or two 2kg bags a season, fishing June through to November once or twice a week for 4-5 hours at a time. I get through various pellet grades faster as a feed bait. I’m not fishing prolific waters.

The Boilie is a fish meal variety and incredibly pungent. I’ve had to double bag them in the freezer. Il get some out tomorrow morning and defrost for an evening session. Hopefully they won’t be too soft as I don’t like to recast very often and a harder bait gives me more faith that I’m still actively fishing, as opposed to sitting behind an empty hook.

I’d stick to my tried and tested bait but these are there, they look/smell quality and to be perfectly honest having been on Furlough since March and my main client base still unable to open for the foreseeable I’m keen to conserve the pennies.
 
I tried the “new” boilie, the scent is strong enough that it has remained in the defrosting container after it was washed. “You’ll be keeping that pot for fishing then..” we’re her words.
They dried firm and tbh I describe them as very similar in appearance and smell as The Source ones.
The important bit, no, didn’t get a bite. 😆
 
Stephen Crowhurst said:
I tried the “new” boilie, the scent is strong enough that it has remained in the defrosting container after it was washed. “You’ll be keeping that pot for fishing then..” we’re her words.
They dried firm and tbh I describe them as very similar in appearance and smell as The Source ones.
The important bit, no, didn’t get a bite. 😆
Click to expand...

Oddly I use frozen for all my carp fishing and they are in and out of the freezer all the time (ie thawed and refrozen). I've never had a problem doing this. Just refreeze as soon as you can after your session. It's not uncommon to go on a weekend or extended carp trip with the mates and take a 5kg bag out of the freezer, I'll use maybe a kilo or two and the rest, after some time out, will go back in the freezer. Shelflife is much handier for my barbel fishing as I can leave them in the rucksack and don't have to worry about emptying my car boot when I get home late. I did buy a new brand of boilie to try for barbel and although my order was for shelfies, they sent me frozen. No biggy really, although it's just something else I have to remember to get out before I set off to fish and I have to remember to pop them back in the freezer when I get home. Same thing I do with hemp to be honest 👍
 
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