The makeup of the lake is silt in places also lots of weed and silkweed and grass weed
Will a nut bait work better over a fish meal?
Very natural lake with a river right next to it and in winter it can flood into the lake
Will a nut bait work better over a fish meal?
Very natural lake with a river right next to it and in winter it can flood into the lake
I'd just use what ever you usually use and have confidence in - for me it would be Trent Freshwater Shrimp.
In reply to Post #1
DNA bug or S7 for me but glug some hook shots due to it being silty
DNA bug or S7 for me but glug some hook shots due to it being silty
If you have areas of silt (most likely) I'd certainly consider a highly boosted hook bait, silt tends to draw any noticeable flavour (maybe other attractants) out very quickly and leave it smelling muddy, sometimes right to the core.
Having said that, they'll eat it anyway so matching isn't a issue.
Having said that, they'll eat it anyway so matching isn't a issue.
In reply to Post #1
I've fished quite a few old estate lakes and have always found birdfood and milk protein boiles or nut boilies have always out fished fishmeal baits on these types of waters, I'm not sure if its to do with the lighter colour of the baits standing out or if it's because they take on less of the silty smell than a fishmeal but it's the only type of water where I will always only use these types of baits instead of a fishmeal.
I've fished quite a few old estate lakes and have always found birdfood and milk protein boiles or nut boilies have always out fished fishmeal baits on these types of waters, I'm not sure if its to do with the lighter colour of the baits standing out or if it's because they take on less of the silty smell than a fishmeal but it's the only type of water where I will always only use these types of baits instead of a fishmeal.
Does it have to be boilie?
I'd try a few pints of maggots, worm, corn and pellet and take a mobile approach
I'd try a few pints of maggots, worm, corn and pellet and take a mobile approach
I'm usually a big pellet fan but I never had much joy with them on really silty old waters. Not sure if they just break down into the silt and don't get the carp going in the same way.
I had some good results with the original frozen Sticky Bloodworm boilies but they don't make them any more. Always seemed to do better on bigger (20mm) baits than smaller bits. If I went back I'd carry on with the Atlantic Heat or a similar bait, something like the Trent Shrimp maybe.
I had some good results with the original frozen Sticky Bloodworm boilies but they don't make them any more. Always seemed to do better on bigger (20mm) baits than smaller bits. If I went back I'd carry on with the Atlantic Heat or a similar bait, something like the Trent Shrimp maybe.
All this stuff about silt masking the bait - how do fish find food buried 12” down that lives in it? They have no problem finding a big smelly boile/pellet/whatever
In reply to Post #8
That's kind of the point they won't be big or smelly but your quite right and like I said before they will find/eat it.
I started my Carp fishing on silty Cheshire Mere's and my go hook bait was a birdfood/milk with triple the level of Mulberry Florentine which even at it's normal rate is potent. Bring the boilie in after a night and virtually all you'd smell is silt.
It could be argued that the increased level will be totally alien and maybe should be avoided as I'd imagine Mere fish to be very tuned in to smaller signals given the silt, having said that acids or salts (as shown by Frank Warwick) were both very succesfully on the Meres.
That's kind of the point they won't be big or smelly but your quite right and like I said before they will find/eat it.
I started my Carp fishing on silty Cheshire Mere's and my go hook bait was a birdfood/milk with triple the level of Mulberry Florentine which even at it's normal rate is potent. Bring the boilie in after a night and virtually all you'd smell is silt.
It could be argued that the increased level will be totally alien and maybe should be avoided as I'd imagine Mere fish to be very tuned in to smaller signals given the silt, having said that acids or salts (as shown by Frank Warwick) were both very succesfully on the Meres.
In reply to Post #6
that was my thought too, I'd be all over some fermented maize with a couple of semi buoyant plastic maize hook baits
that was my thought too, I'd be all over some fermented maize with a couple of semi buoyant plastic maize hook baits
In reply to Post #8
I completely agree with you about fish feeding and finding food in deep silt. A local estate lake to me the regulars would try and find the harder silt and present there bait on top of it with light leads. I fished straight into the deep silt with big heavy leads and had most of the stock out in a short period of time but have always found on these types of lakes birdfood milk protein boiles always out fish fishmeal boilies. Shame about that lake it had a big fish kill recently then the otters turned up and had a few of the bigger fish that survived this winter.
I completely agree with you about fish feeding and finding food in deep silt. A local estate lake to me the regulars would try and find the harder silt and present there bait on top of it with light leads. I fished straight into the deep silt with big heavy leads and had most of the stock out in a short period of time but have always found on these types of lakes birdfood milk protein boiles always out fish fishmeal boilies. Shame about that lake it had a big fish kill recently then the otters turned up and had a few of the bigger fish that survived this winter.
Don't use a boilie that has an open matrix of ingredients. Soak them in water if you can so they won't absorb once in the water. Glug your hookbait.
In reply to Post #9
Might smell of silt to us, but not to a fish
Might smell of silt to us, but not to a fish
In reply to Post #12
Or over roll with a oil of choice.
Might smell of silt to us, but not to a fish
Yep, hence this bit
It could be argued that the increased level will be totally alien and maybe should be avoided as I'd imagine Mere fish to be very tuned in to smaller signals given the silt, having said that acids or salts (as shown by Frank Warwick) were both very succesfully on the Meres.
Or over roll with a oil of choice.
Might smell of silt to us, but not to a fish
Yep, hence this bit
It could be argued that the increased level will be totally alien and maybe should be avoided as I'd imagine Mere fish to be very tuned in to smaller signals given the silt, having said that acids or salts (as shown by Frank Warwick) were both very succesfully on the Meres.