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Pellet users

S

Steve Lewis

Senior Member
Not that I consider pellets to be a go-to hookbait or loose feed by any stretch, but I always used to like to have a few on standby, just as an alternative.

But the sheer variety now available is a bit mind-boggling, when back when I was last fishing in the 90s there was basically just a choice of basic trout and halibut pellets, typically made by the same one or two fish food manufacturers.

My question is basically - is there that much difference (aside from flavours) between all the different ones available now? I see prices don't vary that much, although the no-name fish food pellets seem to be marginally cheaper. But is there a particular make that remains quite solid for longer, or leaks slower, or leaks more intensely, etc etc? Any that should be avoided on fish health grounds?
 
Hinders Elips - they aren't even lliptical any more but catch Barbel
Buy the small for feed and the medium for the hair rig
 
I've gone right off Hinders Elips and firmly believe that over the years they have lost their ‘super attraction’? Certainly compared to the originals, with their deep orange colour, from the now long omitted astaxanthin ingredient.

For hinders, I now prefer their 3mm high betains (which I always used to blend with small and medium elips). I now buy a 10KG bag and blend in a few larger pellets (4mm and 6mm) from the Sonubaits/Dynamite ranges.

Tempted to try Skrettings Elite FR, which you can get with added astaxanthin; however 25KG sacks become expensive (and take up space), when I want to blend different sized pellets. Also we shouldn't be feeding trout feed to Barbel, which also included the earlier elips models?
 
Neil Blood said:
Also we shouldn't be feeding trout feed to Barbel, which also included the earlier elips models?
Click to expand...

That's correct, however I seem to remember that there were also concerns some years ago about using astaxanthin in bait as well. Could that be why Hinders have stopped using it? Or more likely cost?
 
Hinders (and Sonubaits) never made elips, they were from the aquaculture industry (feed for farmed Salmon, Trout , Halibut etc). I believe astaxanthin was used to turn farmed Salmon and Trout flesh pink; it was eventually omitted/replaced due to cost?

The elliptical pellet shape, was designed to slow the rate at which feed pellets sunk through fish cages, but I believe the thinking here changed and hence why you don’t get this shaped pellet anymore.

Whatever Hinders are flogging now as elips, ain’t anything near the original and for many pellet lines, they rely solely on what feed is produced for/by the aquaculture industry.
 
Can only echo what Neil has said - very few pellets are made specifically for fishing/angling baits.
It makes me laugh about various claims and names that are given to pellets that are the same thing.
I have around 6kg of Bfw Salips pellets which contain astaxanthin which in my opinion is more effective than the old (orange) elips. Kept in deep freeze they are still good baits. They did tend to break down a bit faster than elips, thought due to their higher oil content. These pellets also stayed fresher due to certain additive inclusions.
Add a new lease of life to old faithful pellets by adding a bit of flavour - I did this many moons ago when catch numbers started to slow. The old SBS Red Crab flavour was perfect for this - until they changed it!
 
synthetic astaxanthin

A study carried out by EFSA to determine the dangers to humans from eating the salmonids fed on such pellets was interesting. While not exactly all revealing, it may be of some value to us as anglers.

It seems that eating the salmonids which had been fed a diet of synthetic astaxanthin coated pellets was not a danger to humans, at the levels used in the production of those pellets. We can also infer from the fact that these fish were healthy up until the time they were harvested means that it did them no obvious harm either. However, that argument falls down a bit in regard to possible long term problems, because they are usually harvested as four year olds. So, of limited value as far as barbel goes I guess.

However, it IS interesting to note that the reason for all that lovely dark orange oil that coated the ellipse bags was that synthetic astaxanthin is sensitive to heat, so was only sprayed onto the pellets post production. Then again, that fact begs yet another question...how much of that would be washed off before wild fish such as barbel get to eat the pellets? The salmon eat the pellets the instant they are introduced to the cages, due to the competitive nature of overcrowded fish...and those that are not consumed instantly fall straight through the cage and out the bottom. Obviously, that would not usually be true of barbel, carp etc.

All food for thought, and I suppose we can conclude from that that if the danger to humans was not the reason why astaxanthin is no longer used, then it most probably was the cost.

Quick edit. Just looked online. Animal feed suppliers charge £20/£200 per kilo and more, depending on quantity ordered. So yep, it would be the cost, lol.

Cheers, Dave.
 
Interesting reading, Dave - I thought I remembered something about an astaxanthin study, but couldn't quite put my finger on it.

So, what we're saying then, is, unless they're on offer (the 3mm and 16mm Bait Tech pellets, for instance, seem to be permanently in the clearance bin in one of my local tackle shops), or you want a specific pre-flavoured one, then there's no point buying anything other than basic no-name halibut pellets.
 
Steve. If they are a good deal.
Get the 3mm bait tec pellets and use them in a drennan maggot feeder with slightly enlarged holes.;)
 
Curious now, as the Sonubaits website still lists ‘Elliptical Pellets’ (4mm, 6mm, 8mm and 12mm), which in turn are still offered by several Angling Retailers; are they still manufactured by the aquaculture feed industry or do they have a mountain of old stock?
 
Have read several times now that it is not a good idea to fish for Barbel using Trout or Salmon pellets, are these pellets really that much worse than fishing for Barbel using Spam (garlic or not) or something like Pastrami sausage stuff:confused: I really don't know, but i'm sure someone will:)

Thanks
Stephen
 
David Gauntlett said:
synthetic astaxanthin

A study carried out by EFSA to determine the dangers to humans from eating the salmonids fed on such pellets was interesting. While not exactly all revealing, it may be of some value to us as anglers.

It seems that eating the salmonids which had been fed a diet of synthetic astaxanthin coated pellets was not a danger to humans, at the levels used in the production of those pellets. We can also infer from the fact that these fish were healthy up until the time they were harvested means that it did them no obvious harm either. However, that argument falls down a bit in regard to possible long term problems, because they are usually harvested as four year olds. So, of limited value as far as barbel goes I guess.

However, it IS interesting to note that the reason for all that lovely dark orange oil that coated the ellipse bags was that synthetic astaxanthin is sensitive to heat, so was only sprayed onto the pellets post production. Then again, that fact begs yet another question...how much of that would be washed off before wild fish such as barbel get to eat the pellets? The salmon eat the pellets the instant they are introduced to the cages, due to the competitive nature of overcrowded fish...and those that are not consumed instantly fall straight through the cage and out the bottom. Obviously, that would not usually be true of barbel, carp etc.

All food for thought, and I suppose we can conclude from that that if the danger to humans was not the reason why astaxanthin is no longer used, then it most probably was the cost.

Quick edit. Just looked online. Animal feed suppliers charge £20/£200 per kilo and more, depending on quantity ordered. So yep, it would be the cost, lol.

Cheers, Dave.
Click to expand...
Interesting post from 2016.
 
As I understand it, pellets were designed to put as much weight as possible, at the cheapest possible price, for fish farmers cultivating small fish to table with little or no natural food alternatives. The 30% protein requirement came from that. In the natural environment fish will struggle to find anything over 15% protein. The main difference between pellets designed for aquaculture and fishing is that the former don't usually require taste enhancers. In my neck of the woods pellets made with squid and / or krill outfish conventional pellets hands down.

So, in a nutshell; any pellet should attract and retain fish as it offers a higher nutritional content than can be found naturally. But it is better to use something more attractive as a hook bait.
 
I like Hinders Barbel Blitz - I'm sure they are an Elips pre-glugged
Don't know( or care that much) but they are a consistent catcher but in warmer months do need checking as can get very soft relatively quickly
Do they catch any better than a standard Elips - ?????
 
All the above does beg the question , why do the cheaper bulk purchased pellets bagged by the tackle shops work as well as the expensive branded stuff that seems to be heavily advertised ?

I am sure that pushing a branded “ bait” by slick advertising is as responsible for its use as is the actual results of using branded baits.

Its like using Plumrose or Tescos own brand Pork Luncheon etc , versus Spam imo.

In fact, I know a chap that uses Ewe nuts as a reliable and cheap barbel bait. No branding there, he just grabs a bagfull from his sheep feed bin and catches well enough . The fish , I am sure dont care when a food item is in front of them , its a situation where if one fish does not get it, then another one will.

David
 
David Craine said:
All the above does beg the question , why do the cheaper bulk purchased pellets bagged by the tackle shops work as well as the expensive branded stuff that seems to be heavily advertised ?

I am sure that pushing a branded “ bait” by slick advertising is as responsible for its use as is the actual results of using branded baits.

Its like using Plumrose or Tescos own brand Pork Luncheon etc , versus Spam imo.

In fact, I know a chap that uses Ewe nuts as a reliable and cheap barbel bait. No branding there, he just grabs a bagfull from his sheep feed bin and catches well enough . The fish , I am sure dont care when a food item is in front of them , its a situation where if one fish does not get it, then another one will.

David
Click to expand...
I imagine the Ewe nuts are probably largely based around CSL. I've been using goat mix as a ground bait for carp, tench and bream for years, good stuff provided its given a good soaking first. Just don't ever use pig nuts as you'll kill the swim dead. And possibly one or two fish!
 
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