Baiting Strategy

[Danny Ash]

Evening all, just wanted to pick your brains about how you go about fishing any stretch of river, I'm still trying to scale down my gear and I'm still taking a fair amount of baits, only small pots but I'm taking 7/8 different hook bait options, boils with pellets and a crumb/feeder mix. Would you cut this down to 1/2 hook baits with a feeder mix? At the moment I have caught my 2 chub on boilies and meat, would you stick with this now? How critical is the hook bait is the main point I'm making really? Look forward to seeing your thoughts.
Thanks

 

[Jamie Dawson]

IMO 2 different hook baits at most if not your mind will start playing tricks with you

 

[Danny Ash]

IMO 2 different hook baits at most if not your mind will start playing tricks with you

I think so mate, possibly giving the fish to much credit, I think id be confident just sticking with meat and boilies, with my normal mix in the feeder.

 

[Alex Gowney]

How you loose feed is probably more important than what you put on the hook. Overfeeding will ruin your chances but you need enough to get them feeding and searching for more. For this reason I think hemp is still number one. Pellets will certainly attract the barbel but also fill them up quicker. Hemp keeps them foraging without filling them and I usually take boilies, meat and maybe a handful of pellets. But if I have any, lobworms too.

 

[John Care]

Hemp for me too, it gives me great confidence. Hookbaits i tend to stick to meat/boilies, maybe a paste wrap. I've not caught a barbel on pellet so far this season.