Hi guys

I've decided to try and make my own boilies and was after some advice.

Does the below sound ok for a 1kg base mix?

150g soya flour
150g semolina
100g corn meal
100g CLO
300g Fish meal
100g lamlac milk powder
50g crushed hemp
50g bird seed mix

I want to get a good base mix sorted that rolls well and holds together then I will start experimenting with flavours.

In reply to Post #1
Looks ok. A bit low on solubles. I'd take out some of the bulk binders and add some soluble fish protein. 100g to go with your 300 fishmeal should do it and it will still roll fine. Add 10mil per egg of a hydro liquid rather than bung flavours at it.i like spices in my mixes too. Something like and equal blend of paprika, chilli, garlic and fenugreek at 50 g per kilo will perk it up no end.

100 soya
100 semo
100 maize
100clo
100 of pd fishmeal
250 fishmeal
100 lamlac
50g crushed hemp
50g spice
50g birdfood (robin red would be my choice)
Add liquids as you wish but I'd keep it simple with a little bit of oil and a decent hydroslate liquid or belachan and a flavour if you think it needs it.

In reply to Post #2
Thanks for the help

I'm off to France for a week in May and want to get decent boilie ready to save a bit on cash. I usually take about 20kg over with me so if I can knock up a decent bait for under £5 a kilo I'll be happy.

I'm off work this week and want to start experimenting with it. I've looked online and Quality Baits looks like it has everything I will need. They're not too far away either so I could go and pick up tomorrow.

In reply to Post #3
Sounds like a plan. You could save yourself the hassle and just pick up some of their Patsull park basemix and roll it yourself. Tried and tested mix that one.

In reply to Post #4
I'll have a look at that. Is it ready to go, just add eggs and flavour?

In reply to Post #5
Yes. Add a decent amount of krill hydro and you're good to go.

In reply to Post #4
Second that, great mix and very cheap

In reply to Post #5
Add hydros and spices, don't waste your money on an artificial flavour

In reply to Post #8

In reply to Post #8
What spices work well? I have plenty in the cupboard. Chilli powders, curry powders, garam masala etc.

Also, is Sticky Baits liquid krill a good liquid to use?

In reply to Post #10
Yep all of those, fenugreek, garlic, turmeric, different peppers. Go to around 50g or so per kg.

In reply to Post #11
That's great

Quality Baits isn't open till Friday, I'm gonna grab a kilo to try.
Me and my dad are down our local lake for a day session on Sunday so I'll make some to try.

I'm going to be rolling by hand, if I'm happy with how they turn out I'll be getting a rolling table to make it easier for a bigger mix.

In reply to Post #11
Ignore my comment about sticky Baits pure krill. Just seen that they have stopped selling it to save stock for themselves. Won't be available till 2022.

I'll either look for another krill liquid or maybe try there tuna one. Would this work ok?

In reply to Post #13
If you're going to visit quality baits why not ask them if they have any krill, it's a lot cheaper buying from one source. If they don't I'm sure they will be able to suggest an alternative.

In reply to Post #14
I've just checked their website and they do liquid krill for £6 for a 500ml bottle. Think I'll give it a go

In reply to Post #13
All krill (or any hydros for that matter) are not created equal. A lot are thinned down or padded out with glycerine. I use the ones from British Aqua Feeds. Top quality. The QB ones may be fine but I've not used them.

In reply to Post #16
I am thinking of making 2 different baits. One with spices, one with marmite.

Could I just mix some marmite with the eggs and hydro before adding the base mix?

In reply to Post #17
You can add marmite to your spice baits if you want. Saves faffing about with 2 mixes

In reply to Post #18
I'll give it a go. I used to love marmite with bait. Nice chunk of cheese dipped in marmite worked wonders on a lake I fished as kid

In reply to Post #19
I am also going to be giving patshull park a go. what hydros do people reccomend to go with it. im also going to be trying the winter version as we are into the colder months now anyway

In reply to Post #20
Use whatever hydro you fancy chap, they are all decent

Check this stuff out.

In reply to Post #20
I will be trying this

http://www.qualitybaits.co.uk/bait-ingredients/169-liquid-krill.html

Can get this and the patshull mix from the same place then. Saves on delivery or fuel

In reply to Post #22
Nice product, Ken.
I found that while looking for a krill hydro replacement and tipped Luc at Feedstim about it.

In reply to Post #24
Bit on the pricey side, and lower in protein than several others.....

In reply to Post #24
Hi Sturla


Is that what you sent me over?

Looks and sounds pretty much bang on

In reply to Post #25
I know, but it seem to have that crustacean factor that can't really be measured from a spreadsheet.

Edit:
Hi Dean,
yes that's the stuff.

In reply to Post #21
Does anybody know if the spicy bird and Fish mix is any good from quality Baits?

Thinking of getting a kilo of it to make some for my dad. He used to use chilli fish boilies and loved them.

Will add some krill hydro and 50g of mixed spices to it from the kitchen.

In reply to Post #28
Seems to me there are a lot of people enquiring over the quality baits base mixes. I'm not surprised as they are cheap, that's because they are fairly basic but to an amateur bait maker that is perfect as you can start with a mix that will catch fish - they all will - and tweak it with your own ideas, the spices are an excellent idea...that's the way to learn, trial and error, and you will soon learn what works and what doesn't....

If you are not interested in what makes a bait tick and just want to make an economical bait just use straight out the bag and has been said before just add your liquids and eggs they will all catch.

In reply to Post #29
That's why I looked at their mixes, good price for me to start practicing with.

Once I've made a few batches and am happy that I can do it well I'll be looking at experimenting with my own mix.

In reply to Post #28
I've done well on their hnv spicy bird and fish. I'm no expert but easy to roll and catches fish

In reply to Post #30
That's the way to do it mate, get the hang of rolling bait then start experimenting with your own mixes if you fancy

In reply to Post #32
Me and my dad aren't fishing this weekend now, we are going next week though.

I'm still going to have my first go at making boilies tomorrow. Will it best to freeze them when they're dry and get them out next week or could I air dry them and they'll still be good for a week?

In reply to Post #33
Personally I always freeze my baits, never been keen on air dried baits unless I can fully rehydrate before fishing.

In reply to Post #33
Either way will be fine mate

In reply to Post #34
Rehydrating baits with the right liquids can be a real edge. Don't think of air dried baits as inferior. Thry just need a bit more forward planning.

Hi guys

I've got the patshull Park mix and made up just a one egg batch to try, after drying for 24 hours they are quite hard.
Is this a problem with my mix (too much mix/egg) or did I boil too long?
I was hand rolling so they vary a bit in size but are around 14mm. I boiled them for about 90 seconds.

In reply to Post #37
I use the patshull park mix and I think it can be a little on the hard side, 90 secs is fine time wise for 18mm baits. I would invest in a cheap caulking gun and a small gardener 16mm rolling table, it will make it much easier and you will be more satisfied with the end result. I only dry for half hour or so then freeze if not using within a day.

In reply to Post #38
I've ordered a 16mm and 20mm rolling table, 20mm will to try some out in France in May.

I've broke a couple of the boilies open and they are fine inside, just a really hard shell.

I'm hoping after being in the water for a bit they will soften. I've dropped one in my fish tank to check on in the morning

KNocked up a 4 egg mix tonight and they look better than the ones I tried before.

What do you guys recommend as a minimum drying time before popping them in the freezer?

In reply to Post #40
I'd leave them at least 6 hours

In reply to Post #41
That's great thanks.

I'll leave them overnight then and bag them up in the morning.

I added some pure squid liquid this time and mixed some chilli powder and turmeric in. They smell pretty good.

In reply to Post #42
Well done Adam, great to see you have started experimenting already, you are now on the slippery path that bait making can take you on.... Good luck with the baits but I'm sure you will catch on them.

In reply to Post #43
A good trick, particularly at this time of year, is to boil your baits for the minimum amount of time possible, just enough to lightly skin them

In reply to Post #44
Better still, don't boil them at all! Roll out the paste as normal and then air-dry the resulting paste ball...Not boilies but pasties

In reply to Post #45
Can the same be done for Pop-ups ? Lightly boiled say 20 seconds or so or left to air dry from rolled.

In reply to Post #46
This may come as a surprise to you but I have never made my own pop-ups in over forty years of carp fishing...Ask me one on films...!

In reply to Post #45
Or soluballs as nashy used to call them..

In reply to Post #43
Me and my dad are off to our local lake for a day session on Saturday.

I'll update with a catch report if I get anything.

In reply to Post #49
Can i make boilies out of groundbait then?

In reply to Post #50
Sure i have seen some were that you can never used it like that my self

In reply to Post #50
Probably from some, buy WHY would you when there are so many boilie mixes available which will have been tested to ensure they roll, bind and boil properly... No groundbait mix will have been tested in this way so you will have to do that yourself.

In reply to Post #50
Yes, but why would you?

Hi guys

Been a while since I posted on here.

Thought I'd post a quick update. Had 2 short day sessions at Barston since lockdown and the homemade boilies done the job. I used the patshull park mix and added liquid krill, marmite and chilli.

Had 8 carp from 7 to 19 pound.

In reply to Post #2
robin red would be my choice, or paprika mixed with beetroot powder, , believe me this is what robin red is, ive had insider info

In reply to Post #55
well, yes. Up to a point!

In reply to Post #55
Over rated is what it is.....

In reply to Post #55
Don't forget the main ingredient, breadcrumb