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The Method

If you want sticky groundbait add the water from a boiled kettle to maize groundbait, enough to cover it, then stir in some flavouring and corn flour. Leave to cool and for the maize to swell. Cheap chocolate drink powder or custard powder will also add starch to the mix.

If you have milled maize and ground hemp seeds you can make a method mix by simmering the grains in just enough water to cover them, for ten minutes. Then stir in some corn flour and leave overnight. That will give you a sticky porridge that you can refine by adding a little powdered milk or fine maize groundbait and kneading it into a thick paste.
 
20 years ago on the BS Lower Severn above Pixham it was the go to method method ( ha)
Cricket ball size moulded on a lead.

Was effective. Lots more barbel then.
 
Anyone remember 'Vitalin' as a ground bait additive and bulker in method mix? Very cheap and the fish seem to like it.

Cheers
Bob
Vitalin dog food? I've heard a lot of it but never tried myself. Which flavour is better? Seems not cheap anymore now.
 
Vitalin dog food? I've heard a lot of it but never tried myself. Which flavour is better? Seems not cheap anymore now.
The original mix, and it'll be just over a pound per kilo (£/kg). It absolutely SUCKS water up so your prepared groundbait will be well under 50p/kg. Walk into any 'Pets at Home' or .....
 
Vitalin dog food? I've heard a lot of it but never tried myself. Which flavour is better? Seems not cheap anymore now.
Used the original but occasionally put it through a grinder (not really necessary but had access to one) and added flavours now and again.
Seem to remember it was cheaper and also smelt after a time if the soaked stuff was unused.

Our Japanese Akitas wouldn't eat it, neither would our Korean Jindo.

Cheers
Bob
 
The original mix, and it'll be just over a pound per kilo (£/kg). It absolutely SUCKS water up so your prepared groundbait will be well under 50p/kg. Walk into any 'Pets at Home' or .....
That’s a far more reasonable price, thanks Terry.
 
Used the original but occasionally put it through a grinder (not really necessary but had access to one) and added flavours now and again.
Seem to remember it was cheaper and also smelt after a time if the soaked stuff was unused.

Our Japanese Akitas wouldn't eat it, neither would our Korean Jindo.

Cheers
Bob
Thanks Bill, will give it a go.
 
This is what you can do if you release and enhance the starch from maize and hemp.

2015-09-03 17.00.29.jpg


These were made using the method described above using coa-coa powder to soak up the liquid that was left over from the simmering process. The mixture was stirred regularly while cooling then, when cool enough to handle, moulded into balls. These were air dried for three days then stored in the freezer. I used them for baiting up before fishing. They are perfectly dry to touch and each ball takes about 45 minutes to fully disintigrate. I would take half a dozen out on mole-patrol and chuck them in a swim I intended fishing on my days off.

You could use the same idea to make smaller method type baits which would last longer in a river than the usual method mix would.
 
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