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Shelf life of pellets

Ian Clayton

Senior Member
Just sorting my gear out for start of the season , got a bucket of pellets left Probably 2 years old now do I bin them or use them .
 
If the packet is open then Pour boiling water over them before you use them and soften them down to be squeezed into a feeder etc.
That’s gonna kill any thing that might of grown on them over the years. If the package ain’t open then use em as they are
 
The only pellets I've known to really go 'off' is the old Elips pellets. I had a (seemingly) sealed container of them that had doubled in size with undissolvable mold ...it was like rubber!
My rule would be ...it they look ok, and smell ok, then they're ok.

The oil that would secrete out of the original Hinders elips and collect at the bottom of the bag or tub was legendary. I had some prolific catches of the Middle Trent putting some of those oily pellets in the feeder when there was a bit of water on. The Elips available today, whilst still excellent, don’t seem to secrete any like the oil the old ones did.
 
I think it's the oil in the pellets that goes off first. I guess the best thing to do is to use your nose. I keep mine in my bait freezer that way I know they are as good as they can be. Probably a confidence thing 😉
 
I keep all my pellets in buckets , only ones I’ve had trouble with in a bucket was halibut with high oil content , the oil started seeping from them .
 
Whilst completing the annual shed clear out and tackle stock take I came across these, Teme Severn Lamprey Hookers, unopened and looking good, no idea how long I've had them but what a bait!👌
20200529_153127.jpg
 
thanks everyone,you have just answered my question about stored baits for along time,i have a few pellets and boilies still in bags unopened,so will try them on the severn when we are allowed to fish.still waiting for shrewsbury fisheries to give ok. thanks again. first timer on here and barbel fishing
 
if it looks like a pellet, and smells like a pellet, its probably a pellet; and fish love a pellet. Got loads in air tight storage bin i got off ebay - pre-baiting starts on saturday ;-)
 
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