Following on from a few recent threads about shelf life baits and differing opinions on some of them , are there any shelf life boilies out there that you would use if you had to ? I've always used freezer baits but shelflifes are a lot more convenient when you only have room to store 5kg at a time in the kitchen freezer. Which are the very best shelflife out there that you may use over a freezer bait.
In reply to Post #1
A lot of people rate the A Bait shelfies. Not tried them personally, but if you do a search, you should find some positive reviews.
A lot of people rate the A Bait shelfies. Not tried them personally, but if you do a search, you should find some positive reviews.
In reply to Post #1
DNA S7
but if I absolutely had to then I think I'd ask ABS to make a short shelf life of one of their baits.
DNA S7
but if I absolutely had to then I think I'd ask ABS to make a short shelf life of one of their baits.
In reply to Post #1
Check out The A Baits owned by Jay Rider .
His bait making knowledge is vast and produces some fantastic boilies for a decent price .
Check out The A Baits owned by Jay Rider .
His bait making knowledge is vast and produces some fantastic boilies for a decent price .
In reply to Post #1
live system cc moore
live system cc moore
The Source - Dynamite Baits
Pacific Tuna - CC Moore
King Prawn - Crafty Catcher.
Use with confidence.
Pacific Tuna - CC Moore
King Prawn - Crafty Catcher.
Use with confidence.
In reply to Post #1
I use shelf-life baits exclusively along with particles, I don't use many of them in my fishing and they are always fishmeal.
Convenience is the biggest factor for me and I'm willing to accept the trade off against fresh homemade bait in my fishing.
I have used baits from Baitworks, DNA Baits, Turner Baits & Oxford Carp Baits, all of them have have produced a very good reaction & feeding response from the fish as I was expecting, which when all said and done is what matters.
Unfortunately unless you personally know the people involved then it's good old research, recommendations and assumptions I'm afraid but none of them want to make a bad bait.
For me the ideal way would be make your own bait the evening before your going and use it as fresh as possible, not a freezer or preservative in sight, maybe the fridge if you want to keep it a little longer.
I use shelf-life baits exclusively along with particles, I don't use many of them in my fishing and they are always fishmeal.
Convenience is the biggest factor for me and I'm willing to accept the trade off against fresh homemade bait in my fishing.
I have used baits from Baitworks, DNA Baits, Turner Baits & Oxford Carp Baits, all of them have have produced a very good reaction & feeding response from the fish as I was expecting, which when all said and done is what matters.
Unfortunately unless you personally know the people involved then it's good old research, recommendations and assumptions I'm afraid but none of them want to make a bad bait.
For me the ideal way would be make your own bait the evening before your going and use it as fresh as possible, not a freezer or preservative in sight, maybe the fridge if you want to keep it a little longer.
In reply to Post #1
If I didn't make my own, without question it would be Sticky baits Krill.
If I didn't make my own, without question it would be Sticky baits Krill.
Baitworks or DNA for me.......both excellent SL baits......
Sticky krill
Dynamite source
Cc moore live system.
Dynamite source
Cc moore live system.
Been on DNA shelflife baits since they started doing them so the last 4 years or so. I'd always used freezer baits but lost access to a bait freezer around the time they released the shelflife baits, I've had access to a bait freezer now for over a year or so but have carried on using the shelflife baits just because of the convenience of keeping a bag in the van
In reply to Post #1
A baits 👍 plum zing or wasp
A baits 👍 plum zing or wasp
In reply to Post #1
I suppose my obvious ones being as I get it cheaper are Rod Hutchinson, Monster Crab, KMG and Infusion.
They have worked for me on Alton Water and my current venues.
I would also happily use Crafty Catcher Crab and Sea Salt, and King Prawn.
All of those baits I know if I put them in the right place I will catch on them.
I suppose my obvious ones being as I get it cheaper are Rod Hutchinson, Monster Crab, KMG and Infusion.
They have worked for me on Alton Water and my current venues.
I would also happily use Crafty Catcher Crab and Sea Salt, and King Prawn.
All of those baits I know if I put them in the right place I will catch on them.
In no particular order.
Complex T..Dynamite baits
Resource, Mirage baits..
Complex T..Dynamite baits
Resource, Mirage baits..
Bait works
Sticky krill or bloodworm.
Sticky krill or bloodworm.
In reply to Post #1
Any of the baitworks ones or A baits for me.
Any of the baitworks ones or A baits for me.
In reply to Post #16
Sorry but noooooooo
Sorry but noooooooo
In reply to Post #14
What are the resource like? Seen them on ebay wondered what they like seem very good value
What are the resource like? Seen them on ebay wondered what they like seem very good value
In reply to Post #1
Baitworks 👍
First choice for me would be CreAmino, try them.
Then shelf life breaks down quicker than some of the mass produced freezer baits from certain companies...
Baitworks 👍
First choice for me would be CreAmino, try them.
Then shelf life breaks down quicker than some of the mass produced freezer baits from certain companies...
In reply to Post #18
They are a relatively soft bait,and are completely different to the source,and original reservoir special developed by Marcus Watts here in Kernow..
They work,and I've now caught lots of fish using them straight out of the packet,delivery is fantastic,however I go ,or my wife does straight to the factory and pick it up..
I believe it has a lot of Haiths ingredients, and that itself is good enough for me...I don't get the time atm,to make bait,but my son is Haithd mad and makes his own..
Resource is good ,..
They are a relatively soft bait,and are completely different to the source,and original reservoir special developed by Marcus Watts here in Kernow..
They work,and I've now caught lots of fish using them straight out of the packet,delivery is fantastic,however I go ,or my wife does straight to the factory and pick it up..
I believe it has a lot of Haiths ingredients, and that itself is good enough for me...I don't get the time atm,to make bait,but my son is Haithd mad and makes his own..
Resource is good ,..
I have done well on Essential B5 Shellfish Plum shelfies.
They are quite hard, but it has never bothered me.
They are quite hard, but it has never bothered me.
I've always found Baitworks Shelf Life baits excellent. Some in the range are quite soft out of the bag (Atlantic Heat) so you may want some hard hookers for hookbaits!
The same can be said for Nash Scopex Squid. Both baits in Shelf Life, I have done very well on in the past!
The same can be said for Nash Scopex Squid. Both baits in Shelf Life, I have done very well on in the past!
If you want a stupidly long shelf life go with DNA.
My oldest won 5kg of mixed shelflife from DNA at the Brentwood show 3 years ago. I packed it in not long after that. The bait has been sat in their bags, within a bucket since. I opened the bucket at the weekend and they look as 'fresh' as when they went in. Still smelt fine, still soft and no sign of mold. Is this a good or bad thing? Depends on the side of the fence you sit.
My oldest won 5kg of mixed shelflife from DNA at the Brentwood show 3 years ago. I packed it in not long after that. The bait has been sat in their bags, within a bucket since. I opened the bucket at the weekend and they look as 'fresh' as when they went in. Still smelt fine, still soft and no sign of mold. Is this a good or bad thing? Depends on the side of the fence you sit.
In reply to Post #1
I have started using Tails Up shelfies on the OCM
I have started using Tails Up shelfies on the OCM
In reply to Post #1
CC Moore Live System - I've used their shelf life for quite a while now - I see zero difference in terms of results when compared to using frozen bait, hence, I now only use the shelf life. Fantastic bait, catches well everywhere I use it.
CC Moore Live System - I've used their shelf life for quite a while now - I see zero difference in terms of results when compared to using frozen bait, hence, I now only use the shelf life. Fantastic bait, catches well everywhere I use it.
The A Baits Wasp. Would happily use anywhere and it's caught some proper ones.
In reply to Post #27
Preservatives worry the life out of me
Who polices the amounts or types used ?
I've started making my own again, my catch rates are the same
as always, “could do better”
But I'm far happier fishing this way
I once read a study on feed for captive carp and the ones fed solely
on preserved feed all died.
I can't remember if the preservative was mentioned
So maybe the types used currently hopefully won't effect the health of carp
in the wild, also considering they don't consume a diet of only boiled baits
I can't understand how a bait that's described as “ balanced “ and sits in a
bag indefinitely can be described as such
Just out of curiosity “ has anyone got a bag approaching five years old sitting in the shed”
I'm not out to argue the point , I've made my mind up
Preservatives worry the life out of me
Who polices the amounts or types used ?
I've started making my own again, my catch rates are the same
as always, “could do better”
But I'm far happier fishing this way
I once read a study on feed for captive carp and the ones fed solely
on preserved feed all died.
I can't remember if the preservative was mentioned
So maybe the types used currently hopefully won't effect the health of carp
in the wild, also considering they don't consume a diet of only boiled baits
I can't understand how a bait that's described as “ balanced “ and sits in a
bag indefinitely can be described as such
Just out of curiosity “ has anyone got a bag approaching five years old sitting in the shed”
I'm not out to argue the point , I've made my mind up
In reply to Post #28
Why do they? Are you saying you eat nothing at all with preservatives yourself? That study sounds like utter nonsense, fish don't die from eating food containing preservatives (see literally any aspect of the fish keeping hobby).
Why do they? Are you saying you eat nothing at all with preservatives yourself? That study sounds like utter nonsense, fish don't die from eating food containing preservatives (see literally any aspect of the fish keeping hobby).
In reply to Post #28
If your happy making your own then don't worry about it, things have changed compared to the rock hard dusty bittersweet ball bearings from yesteryear.
Some companies print their ingredients as well as the preservatives used on the packaging and advise that they are used within 3, 9 months etc, we can only take their word that they use the minimal amounts needed, like other stuff regarding ready rolled bait you have to put your trust in those you choose.
Couldn't say about 5 years old bait as I like to use mine!
If your happy making your own then don't worry about it, things have changed compared to the rock hard dusty bittersweet ball bearings from yesteryear.
Some companies print their ingredients as well as the preservatives used on the packaging and advise that they are used within 3, 9 months etc, we can only take their word that they use the minimal amounts needed, like other stuff regarding ready rolled bait you have to put your trust in those you choose.
Couldn't say about 5 years old bait as I like to use mine!
In reply to Post #29
That study has been spoken about many times here, and isn't nonsense
That study has been spoken about many times here, and isn't nonsense
Total faith in Shellfish B5, just keeps catching anywhere.
In reply to Post #29
I do actually try to avoid preservatives in my diet, some artificial preservatives just don't appear healthy at all. I don't even like artificial sweetener!
I buy fresh fruit and veg, and where possible, organic. The meat I buy is fresh for freezing myself.
I even check the few tinned things I buy to reduce preservatives.
Now I try to feed the fish the same, as few preservatives as possible, sounds like an oxymoron considering I do use shelf lifes, but I do know decent bait companies that use the glycerol/sugar syrup combination over high levels of artificial preservatives.
Years ago there was a study done on fish fed high amounts of shelf lifes in tanks, the shelfies of the time were not at all healthy, and did result in early mortalities. It is part of the reason why bait companies have made shelf lifes more healthy.
(High oil pellets were also another cause of early deaths).
A lot of tank fish food is freeze dried, so that preservatives are kept to a minimum, although without checking I do not know what preservatives are in say, Skrettings or Coppens pellets
I do actually try to avoid preservatives in my diet, some artificial preservatives just don't appear healthy at all. I don't even like artificial sweetener!
I buy fresh fruit and veg, and where possible, organic. The meat I buy is fresh for freezing myself.
I even check the few tinned things I buy to reduce preservatives.
Now I try to feed the fish the same, as few preservatives as possible, sounds like an oxymoron considering I do use shelf lifes, but I do know decent bait companies that use the glycerol/sugar syrup combination over high levels of artificial preservatives.
Years ago there was a study done on fish fed high amounts of shelf lifes in tanks, the shelfies of the time were not at all healthy, and did result in early mortalities. It is part of the reason why bait companies have made shelf lifes more healthy.
(High oil pellets were also another cause of early deaths).
A lot of tank fish food is freeze dried, so that preservatives are kept to a minimum, although without checking I do not know what preservatives are in say, Skrettings or Coppens pellets
In reply to Post #33
If I could change one thing in carp fishing it would be to reverse the trend and make more go back to freezer baits again. Do a season on freezer baits (including a winter ) and then make the call. I use shelf life to top up with if I'm having a bonanza but always prefer fresh bait and I always will. Our whole team has started to use the fresh baits and they all agree that are happier doing so and catching more. But I will say that shelf life's baits are improving still. The studies into carp deaths and preserves were clear for all to see but it was brushed over quite quickly. One last thing, the price of preservatives has gone crazy this year and many companies are feeling the pinch this year. And putting prices up on the finished bait
If I could change one thing in carp fishing it would be to reverse the trend and make more go back to freezer baits again. Do a season on freezer baits (including a winter ) and then make the call. I use shelf life to top up with if I'm having a bonanza but always prefer fresh bait and I always will. Our whole team has started to use the fresh baits and they all agree that are happier doing so and catching more. But I will say that shelf life's baits are improving still. The studies into carp deaths and preserves were clear for all to see but it was brushed over quite quickly. One last thing, the price of preservatives has gone crazy this year and many companies are feeling the pinch this year. And putting prices up on the finished bait
In reply to Post #29
I thought the same " worry the life out of me " FFS
I thought the same " worry the life out of me " FFS
In reply to Post #35
ABS sell a variant of Malarky through Hampshire Tackle called SS Crab, rate it highly.
ABS sell a variant of Malarky through Hampshire Tackle called SS Crab, rate it highly.
In reply to Post #36
DNA S7 or Dynamite Source
DNA S7 or Dynamite Source
In reply to Post #37
Any of the stabilised ABS baits, or any of A Baits. You'd never tell the difference......
Any of the stabilised ABS baits, or any of A Baits. You'd never tell the difference......
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