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Making your own bait.

Simon Archer said:
Is it worth it ??

My Carp fishing friend is going to start making some hook baits for himself and it's got me thinking of having a go myself, but not really sure it's worth it though. I don't use many boilies a season. I'm already up to £100 in my basket on John Bakers website. Trouble is, I have to do things right, I can't just roll a few sausages out and cut them up on the worktop, I'll end up getting the whole kit, I know I will, I always do.

A bag of off the shelf boilies isn't that expensive, less work and more than enough for me for the season. I understand it must be magic to catch a fish on home made bait, but I can see myself becoming a little obsessive with it.

Is it worth it ??
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There's so many good baits out there nowadays and I'm not just talking about the big rip-off merchants, the most important thing is where you put them and don't forget particles
 
Yes, Rich you have. What you are doing is "telling" me what I've "got" to do, rather than "why don't you try this" there's a subtle difference. If I'd have gone along with what people had said from the start, I'd have bought a bag of John Bakers base mix and a flavour, mixed them together and be done with it.

I'm having a laugh making mixes and flavour combinations up. We spent nearly three hours in my shed today making a complete hash of things. But it was good fun doing it. Some of what i write is a little tongue in cheek, but the OCD in me makes it true. I have to get it right, my mates the same.

Im thankful for all the advice, but I'm going to question it if don't think its relevant.
 
Simon Archer said:
Yes, Rich you have. What you are doing is "telling" me what I've "got" to do, rather than "why don't you try this" there's a subtle difference. If I'd have gone along with what people had said from the start, I'd have bought a bag of John Bakers base mix and a flavour, mixed them together and be done with it.

I'm having a laugh making mixes and flavour combinations up. We spent nearly three hours in my shed today making a complete hash of things. But it was good fun doing it. Some of what i write is a little tongue in cheek, but the OCD in me makes it true. I have to get it right, my mates the same.

Im thankful for all the advice, but I'm going to question it if don't think its relevant.
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Simon, nobody is telling you what you should and should not do, they are only offering advice from their own bait making experiences, just trying to offer some help. By all means, accept it or reject it. There are no rules. Each to their own. If you want perfect spheres, so be it. Personally, i couldn't give a shite what shape they are. But good luck in your venture. :)
 
Simon Archer said:
Yes, Rich you have. What you are doing is "telling" me what I've "got" to do, rather than "why don't you try this" there's a subtle difference. If I'd have gone along with what people had said from the start, I'd have bought a bag of John Bakers base mix and a flavour, mixed them together and be done with it.

I'm having a laugh making mixes and flavour combinations up. We spent nearly three hours in my shed today making a complete hash of things. But it was good fun doing it. Some of what i write is a little tongue in cheek, but the OCD in me makes it true. I have to get it right, my mates the same.

Im thankful for all the advice, but I'm going to question it if don't think its relevant.
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That’s an interesting way of discouraging people from replying to your posts…..
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Unless your casting into the horizon or throwing them out with perfect accuracy a hundred yards then round is probably the worst shape to use.
They see round every day. Do something different. That’s the entire point of making your own. Mine are often cylinders or ovel or even little blocks. Step away from the norm.
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I totally agree with this. I can't see any advantage in having round boilies for river fishing, only disadvantages.
 
It must be a matter of perspective; I wouldn't know Richard if he was sat next to me now but I always find his posts helpful and interesting. I never get the impression that he is preaching but do feel that he is genuinely trying to be helpful.

My first thought when you posted a pic of the elongated boilie was "that's what I'd be aiming for rather than a round one". The fact that Richard was helpful enough to say so should be applauded in my opinion.

Anyway, no desire to fuel any disagreements, just my view for what it's worth.

Steve
 
Water off a ducks back as far as I’m concerned. Thick skinned Yorkshire man so I ain’t gonna worry about it.

I did reply with one of those instant “Right you…..” type of replies which I soon deleted after as it was only going to stir the pot

Good luck with the bait Simon. 👍🏻
 
If you boil the sausages before rolling them into boilies you can then cut them into pellet shaped sections, offers something similar to pellets but a little different being softer and having your own ingredients in them rather than off the shelf pellets 🙃

Just had a thought as well, could even air fry said sausages so all the flavour doesn't boil away into the water 🤔

So many options and ideas, just trying different things can take up all your time and leave no time for actual fishing 😆
 
Air drying baits without boiling them would surely just be dehydrated like a biscuit? Then split if piecing them or turn into a soft paste when rehydrated in the water.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
I totally agree with this. I can't see any advantage in having round boilies for river fishing, only disadvantages.
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Same here. If I could id have all mine made in cubes, I roll my own in dumbbells due to time but all my hookbaits are made by hand into little square and brick shapes. Surely this helps them not roll around on the river bed. Also, how many people are using square baits? Maybe being a little different and the barbel seeing hundreds of round balls of food, they might now associate these with danger. The key words there are 'might' and 'maybe' because we could all be giving them a bit more credit and over thinking it.
 
We still catch on round boilies, big fish too.

If we think about all the baits we put in and catch on, there's so many different colours and shapes already.

Corn, Pellet, Boilie, cube luncheon meat, maggot, casters, worms to name but a few.

If anything the fish would associate food with danger i would assume, but they all have to eat at some point.
 
Many years ago I used the Dave Preston ‘cling film’ method to cook baits in a brick. I then cut up the brick to provide a variety of different sized square(ish) baits. This was for a heavily pressured carp water. It was very effective.

In my current barbel fishing the primary issue is location, rather than bait size/shape.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Unless your casting into the horizon or throwing them out with perfect accuracy a hundred yards then round is probably the worst shape to use.
They see round every day. Do something different. That’s the entire point of making your own. Mine are often cylinders or ovel or even little blocks. Step away from the norm.
Click to expand...
When I used to make them I’d always keep a few sausages and boil them then just chop of bits however long I felt like using on the day
 
Simon Archer said:
Is it worth it ??

My Carp fishing friend is going to start making some hook baits for himself and it's got me thinking of having a go myself, but not really sure it's worth it though. I don't use many boilies a season. I'm already up to £100 in my basket on John Bakers website. Trouble is, I have to do things right, I can't just roll a few sausages out and cut them up on the worktop, I'll end up getting the whole kit, I know I will, I always do.

A bag of off the shelf boilies isn't that expensive, less work and more than enough for me for the season. I understand it must be magic to catch a fish on home made bait, but I can see myself becoming a little obsessive with it.

Is it worth it ??
Click to expand...
IMO yes it is, but it’s a long road of learning, it’s no good having a dabble, you need to actually enjoy doing it, and it does depend on what you want from your fishing, if you’ve got a hang up about it becoming obsessive, then you’d best not do it, because to a degree you do need to be, also if it becomes a real chore, then it’s also not for you.
 
One thought that occurs to me Simon, if you don't mind me sharing it, is that the Upper Trent probably isn't the best venue to be experimenting with baits. It's just too sparsely stocked, it doesnt matter how good your bait is if the nearest barbel is half a mile upstream. I think you'd find the more prolific Middle a better testing ground, and arguably on the more pressured stretches.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
One thought that occurs to me Simon, if you don't mind me sharing it, is that the Upper Trent probably isn't the best venue to be experimenting with baits. It's just too sparsely stocked, it doesnt matter how good your bait is if the nearest barbel is half a mile upstream. I think you'd find the more prolific Middle a better testing ground, and arguably on the more pressured stretches.
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I’m not sure Joe
I think the upper is perfect if the bait is a good HNV and Simon wants to try and establish it, then I absolutely believe his returns will improve.

If it’s just about experimenting with different colours and flavours and just used on the day to see if they’ll eat it then yes 100% agree, chuck it in at east stoke and I’m sure you will pick up a handful on them.
 
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