Hi all, please be kind its my first post.

I'm trying to roll my own bait on a rolling table for the first time and all has not gone to plan.

When I've rolled my sausage to the correct size and put it on the rolling table im either getting bait with cracks in or they almost smear in the groove. Is this a simple case of insufficient eggs? Mix too hard? Or some other obvious beginners mistake?

Thanks.

In reply to Post #1
Are you using a sausage gun?

In reply to Post #2
No, I'm using a Gardner sausage roller. It does the same job as a sausage gun.

In reply to Post #1
Baits with cracks can be a few things.

1. The mix is too dry. Especially if the baits crack once air dried.
2. If your baits seem to be hollow through the middle then it's possible the nozzle is too big.
3. Dry dusting the table with a bit of base mix in case it's sticking to the table.

What are you trying to roll? Pop ups or bottom baits?

In reply to Post #3
They don't - guns will compress the mix more than a table, and with a table you could end up with a “loose” sausage which will do as you've said. Depends very much on the mix.

In reply to Post #1
What does your mix consist of ?

In reply to Post #4
It seems be sticking to the rolling table quite a bit, I tried dusting the table but it didn't seem to improve things much.

Could the mix be too hard? I've heard people talking about experimenting with one egg mixes until you find a winning combination? I've a load of new base mix ingredients arriving this week and have time on my hands.

In reply to Post #6
When all my new ingredients arrive I'll be looking at something like:

25% semolina
20% soya flour
15% megablend red
15% sardine fishmeal
10% skimmed milk powder
5 % krill
5% hemp powder
5% dried blood powder

and probably some brewers yeast.

Included in the liquid/eggs will be:

5ml/kg Shellfish flavouring
5ml/kg Tutti Fruity flavouring
15ml/kg Molasses
10ml/kg olive/advocado oil

8 eggs/kg

In reply to Post #8
Looks alright I would put the fish meal up to 35% and cut the soya and semo down - flavour levels are high less is more try 2.5 ml of each 😉. Also a gun will compact the mix more you will get a better sausage to roll and it's quicker. 👍

In reply to Post #9
Thanks fella,

If I increase the fishmeal can i get shut of the dried blood as well? The fish in the water i go to show a preference for lighter coloured baits.

In reply to Post #10
Could do add the 5% to the mega blend. Why olive oil as well - supermarket cod liver oil or hemp oil sold in Tesco's 👍

In reply to Post #11
The oil was reduced in Asda but i have cod liver oil as well, i'll swap one for the other. I'll scrap the blood and increase the megablend.

Ta for your help :~)

In reply to Post #12
I'm sure some of the chaps on here will help you out as well good luck fella 👍

In reply to Post #8
My advice with any new home bait roller and a new mix is start small and get it right first on a 1 egg mix,
I do little 142 gram test mixes, so your ingredient percentages for a 1 kilo mix, just divide each ingredient by 7.

Enough on average for 1 egg mix, bit of olive oil, molasses, 1ml of flavour. If it doesn't roll well, I have only wasted a much smaller amount.

Then build up the eggs and size of mix until you get it to 7/8/9 egg mix to a kilo.
Happy rolling.

In reply to Post #13
Ta for your help everyone, it now rolls perfectly :~)

In reply to Post #3
i started using these.

you get better results from a gun.

get yourself down to screwfix and gert one of the small foil gun they do a 400ml and 600ml for under 20

In reply to Post #15
What's your mix mate?