Hi, new here and I've been experimenting making my own boilies for the first time.
I want to make a vibrant red example without using any synthetic ingredients whatsoever. So that means no food dyes. Any red boilie video I can find on yt consists of synthetic food colouring.
So in my first attempts I've encountered numerous problems. First of all they turn out far too soft to use on the hook. Using a John Baker fish meal and Robin red groundbait mix and fresh eggs, I boiled the first batch for 2 whole minutes and air dried around 12hrs and they were too soft to last much longer than an hour on the hook.
Secondly they wash out mega fast, so any reasonable red colour I got from additives like beetroot powder, paprika etc soon washed out.
So I'm really curious to know how commercial companies do it. Most of them are all decently firm boilies with strong colouring and scent, I'm wondering if maybe they're adding stuff post boil? Maybe they dunk in a glaze and then blow dry using hot air?
I tried another mix taking the yolks out. Reading that egg white powder is a good hardener and not having any yet, I figured just using egg whites would help harden....it didn't 🥴
So I was thinking maybe using liquids like beetroot juice and blended raspberries and then substituting eggs totally for whey gel, albumen etc might be the way to go?
Whatever the case, how the hell do Mainline, DT etc do theirs in general?
Tia
I want to make a vibrant red example without using any synthetic ingredients whatsoever. So that means no food dyes. Any red boilie video I can find on yt consists of synthetic food colouring.
So in my first attempts I've encountered numerous problems. First of all they turn out far too soft to use on the hook. Using a John Baker fish meal and Robin red groundbait mix and fresh eggs, I boiled the first batch for 2 whole minutes and air dried around 12hrs and they were too soft to last much longer than an hour on the hook.
Secondly they wash out mega fast, so any reasonable red colour I got from additives like beetroot powder, paprika etc soon washed out.
So I'm really curious to know how commercial companies do it. Most of them are all decently firm boilies with strong colouring and scent, I'm wondering if maybe they're adding stuff post boil? Maybe they dunk in a glaze and then blow dry using hot air?
I tried another mix taking the yolks out. Reading that egg white powder is a good hardener and not having any yet, I figured just using egg whites would help harden....it didn't 🥴
So I was thinking maybe using liquids like beetroot juice and blended raspberries and then substituting eggs totally for whey gel, albumen etc might be the way to go?
Whatever the case, how the hell do Mainline, DT etc do theirs in general?
Tia
In reply to Post #1
Are you making a basemix or using a shop bought one? Adding robin red (Haiths, also available elsewhere such as CCMoore) or Kingfisher Red from AA Baits would be my starting point. 5-10% will make a very red bait.
Are you making a basemix or using a shop bought one? Adding robin red (Haiths, also available elsewhere such as CCMoore) or Kingfisher Red from AA Baits would be my starting point. 5-10% will make a very red bait.
In reply to Post #1
Add more binding ingredients to the basemix you have.
But they sound ideal, you'd be better making a batch of just hookbaits to use which are harder and will last longer. Instead of compromising all the boilies so you can pick one out the bag to use as a hookbait.
Add more binding ingredients to the basemix you have.
But they sound ideal, you'd be better making a batch of just hookbaits to use which are harder and will last longer. Instead of compromising all the boilies so you can pick one out the bag to use as a hookbait.
In reply to Post #1
rearding the softness, JB base mixes are designed to create soft baits, with minimal boiling.
He sells hookbait mixes which have hardner in to create more durable hookbaits.
Or take some of the base mix and add Dr Oetker egg white poser at 10% (or 5%?) will produce a different mix which will be more durable.
rearding the softness, JB base mixes are designed to create soft baits, with minimal boiling.
He sells hookbait mixes which have hardner in to create more durable hookbaits.
Or take some of the base mix and add Dr Oetker egg white poser at 10% (or 5%?) will produce a different mix which will be more durable.
I think the problem with the softness is the Robin Red Groundbait Mix. If this is the Sonubaits product then it will not have enough binders in it, after all it is a groundbait and designed to break down quickly.
In reply to Post #5
I want to make a vibrant red example without using any synthetic ingredients whatsoever - you sure robin red is solution for that?
I want to make a vibrant red example without using any synthetic ingredients whatsoever - you sure robin red is solution for that?
In reply to Post #5
Possibly but I also then tried a 50/50 semolina and almond meal mix, same turn out...even softer in fact.
Possibly but I also then tried a 50/50 semolina and almond meal mix, same turn out...even softer in fact.
In reply to Post #5
No it's one from abroad, even after postage still costs a 3rd the price of UK rip off groundbaits. ProEliteBaits and it consists of haiths Robin red, corn, wheat, carob, hemp, bakery products, cereal byproducts, pepper, red beef extract, sugar, veg oil, colourants and zoo technical aromas whatever the hell that is lol.
So yeh some of that sounds a bit snythetic but it smells fish mealy not all lovely like UK groundbaits. I won't use that any more now I'll use beetroot powder and add egg white and hope for improvements.
Still curious what commercials protocols are. I actually know and live 2 miles away from the owner of DT baits but don't know him well enough to ask for secrets 🥴
No it's one from abroad, even after postage still costs a 3rd the price of UK rip off groundbaits. ProEliteBaits and it consists of haiths Robin red, corn, wheat, carob, hemp, bakery products, cereal byproducts, pepper, red beef extract, sugar, veg oil, colourants and zoo technical aromas whatever the hell that is lol.
So yeh some of that sounds a bit snythetic but it smells fish mealy not all lovely like UK groundbaits. I won't use that any more now I'll use beetroot powder and add egg white and hope for improvements.
Still curious what commercials protocols are. I actually know and live 2 miles away from the owner of DT baits but don't know him well enough to ask for secrets 🥴
In reply to Post #8
I actually know and live 2 miles away from the owner of DT baits
Personally - I would just pop I and speak to Neil or Fenton, ask their advice, you are local, so would save ££ on postage, and It would be as fresh as possible.
Proven baits.
I actually know and live 2 miles away from the owner of DT baits
Personally - I would just pop I and speak to Neil or Fenton, ask their advice, you are local, so would save ££ on postage, and It would be as fresh as possible.
Proven baits.
In reply to Post #8
It still sounds like there are not enough binders. Have a look at the approved boilie recipe on the first page, it is a good mix as is but can be tweaked. I feel using a groundbait as a base mix will always give problems. Good luck it's great fun when you get it right.
It still sounds like there are not enough binders. Have a look at the approved boilie recipe on the first page, it is a good mix as is but can be tweaked. I feel using a groundbait as a base mix will always give problems. Good luck it's great fun when you get it right.
In reply to Post #9
Yeh I've already had many batches from Fenton, they're good enough baits for sure, but he won't sell much less than you can get bulk on the site itself. I just wanna make my own designs, I'm sure I'll get bored of it in no time and buy DT again
Yeh I've already had many batches from Fenton, they're good enough baits for sure, but he won't sell much less than you can get bulk on the site itself. I just wanna make my own designs, I'm sure I'll get bored of it in no time and buy DT again
So WPC80, egg albumen and blood plasma are all hardening products, saying anything from 5-10% of the mix. Praps 5% of each making 15% total in hardeners would be an idea? Still using fresh eggs of course
A few more details of how much base mix and quantity of other items added plus number of eggs would help us point you in the right direction.
In reply to Post #11
If you are using quite a lot of the ProEliteBaits groundbait within your boilie mix, the groundbait, I suspect, will have a lot a breadcrumb within it, and this in higher quantities, will cause binding and rolling issues, and will 'wash out quickly' without extra binders or substance ingredients.
If you are using quite a lot of the ProEliteBaits groundbait within your boilie mix, the groundbait, I suspect, will have a lot a breadcrumb within it, and this in higher quantities, will cause binding and rolling issues, and will 'wash out quickly' without extra binders or substance ingredients.