For years I've meticulously changed hookbaits after every fish but have been experimenting recently by re-casting the hookbait I just caught on. Be it a pesky bream or a carp, I've found it knocks off after two fish. I was driven to this partly due to having a spot rocking & not wanting to faff flossing another bait on. Any thoughts, experiences, similar tests?
In reply to Post #1
I reuse hookbaits all the time, as long as they look OK, still pop up or waft, or the hook doesn't need changing.
I reuse hookbaits all the time, as long as they look OK, still pop up or waft, or the hook doesn't need changing.
In reply to Post #1
I'm more interested in the hook still being sharp. If the hook is fine, and the hook bait looks fine (i.e. hair not half cut through the boilie as it sometimes can) then will cast back out. If I need a new hook/rig that will go out with a fresh bait on
I'm more interested in the hook still being sharp. If the hook is fine, and the hook bait looks fine (i.e. hair not half cut through the boilie as it sometimes can) then will cast back out. If I need a new hook/rig that will go out with a fresh bait on
In reply to Post #1
@Toronto - isn't this because of the volume of fish where you are (Canada) and the feeding competition, tigers are well documented for being recycled between fish?
I was using flossed on pop-ups and wasn't sure whether to go hi-attract better for continuous use or something more 'washed out' - diluted after several casts. Also not sure if having been in a bream's mouth or other species makes it less attractive to carp (obviously checking hooks and wiping slime of hooklink / bait between casts) ?
@Toronto - isn't this because of the volume of fish where you are (Canada) and the feeding competition, tigers are well documented for being recycled between fish?
I was using flossed on pop-ups and wasn't sure whether to go hi-attract better for continuous use or something more 'washed out' - diluted after several casts. Also not sure if having been in a bream's mouth or other species makes it less attractive to carp (obviously checking hooks and wiping slime of hooklink / bait between casts) ?
In reply to Post #1
If said fish has taken the bait, i cast it out again, as long as its in good condition.
If said fish has taken the bait, i cast it out again, as long as its in good condition.
In reply to Post #6
if its bream, and the bait has not been whittled down, out it goes again especially as some nights/trips i can get 6/7 flipping bream
if its bream, and the bait has not been whittled down, out it goes again especially as some nights/trips i can get 6/7 flipping bream
In reply to Post #1
I try to use the same hookbait after catching fish on it. Obviously if it is falling apart then I put on a fresh one, for that reason I often mesh baits so I can reuse it.
Tim Paisley explained it roughly as "a fresh hookbait smells of the angler, and may not be instantly acceptable. An 'old' hookbait smells of the water and fish, for that reason I use the same bait for as long as possible, or I may be starting from scratch again".
I try to use the same hookbait after catching fish on it. Obviously if it is falling apart then I put on a fresh one, for that reason I often mesh baits so I can reuse it.
Tim Paisley explained it roughly as "a fresh hookbait smells of the angler, and may not be instantly acceptable. An 'old' hookbait smells of the water and fish, for that reason I use the same bait for as long as possible, or I may be starting from scratch again".
In reply to Post #6
Yep same, I had three fish on an overnighter in July on the same bait
( you could call me lazy ) 
Yep same, I had three fish on an overnighter in July on the same bait
( you could call me lazy )
In reply to Post #8
That's an extremely good point. 👍
That's an extremely good point. 👍
In reply to Post #7
if its bream, and the bait has not been whittled down, out it goes again especially as some nights/trips i can get 6/7 flipping bream
Yep, that's me at the moment.
if its bream, and the bait has not been whittled down, out it goes again especially as some nights/trips i can get 6/7 flipping bream
Yep, that's me at the moment.
In reply to Post #11
If you're catching that many Bream and no carp then I would think it would be better to change tactics, or even move swim.
If you're catching that many Bream and no carp then I would think it would be better to change tactics, or even move swim.
In reply to Post #12
Or a carp could move in and you catch it in the middle of the bream action. On Ardleigh Reservoir, Go Fishing with John Wilson he had a scaly in the middle of the bream he was catching.
Strangely enough, the exact same swim I caught a couple of carp in the middle of a night of non stop bream.
Or a carp could move in and you catch it in the middle of the bream action. On Ardleigh Reservoir, Go Fishing with John Wilson he had a scaly in the middle of the bream he was catching.
Strangely enough, the exact same swim I caught a couple of carp in the middle of a night of non stop bream.
In reply to Post #13
I did say " and no carp" sometimes they move in and push the bream out. But sometimes a big shoal of bream will just eat everything you throw at them. I don't mind a few but not every chuck all night. I'd be prepared to be exhausted for a busy night of decent carp, but would be annoyed at catching 5lb bream all night on 3lb.tc carp rods.. Might be a different scenario on match gear though.
I did say " and no carp" sometimes they move in and push the bream out. But sometimes a big shoal of bream will just eat everything you throw at them. I don't mind a few but not every chuck all night. I'd be prepared to be exhausted for a busy night of decent carp, but would be annoyed at catching 5lb bream all night on 3lb.tc carp rods.. Might be a different scenario on match gear though.
In reply to Post #1
I only change the hook bait if there's a reason to do so, e.g. it's lost some buoyancy, been in the water for more than a day or a reggie has taken a nibble at it - doesn't make any difference to re-cast one you have just caught on, been doing that for years, same goes for the chaps I fish with. Tigers I never change the hook bait, LOL.
I only change the hook bait if there's a reason to do so, e.g. it's lost some buoyancy, been in the water for more than a day or a reggie has taken a nibble at it - doesn't make any difference to re-cast one you have just caught on, been doing that for years, same goes for the chaps I fish with. Tigers I never change the hook bait, LOL.
In reply to Post #14
The catching bream all night at Ardleigh did happen. From 10pm until 1am I was catching bream, then caught a carp, back to bream, then at 5am another carp.
Exactly the same method was producing both species, a ball of Vitalin groundbait moulded around the lead with a double 15mm boilie hookbait.
The catching bream all night at Ardleigh did happen. From 10pm until 1am I was catching bream, then caught a carp, back to bream, then at 5am another carp.
Exactly the same method was producing both species, a ball of Vitalin groundbait moulded around the lead with a double 15mm boilie hookbait.