A friend and I are in the process of making our own bait, with a view to selling some to friends and the like. We're sorted for the boilies, but at a different point when it coms to hook baits. I want to go down the cork dust route for our wafters & pop-ups. He says no one likes that sort of hook bait, and everyone wants wafters and pop-ups made with specialist wafter and pop-up base mix.
What's every ones thoughts please ??
What's every ones thoughts please ??
In reply to Post #1
Doesn't bother me mate, as long as they waft or pop-up.
Doesn't bother me mate, as long as they waft or pop-up.
In reply to Post #1
Either for me, I'm sure someone will be along soon that knows everything.
Either for me, I'm sure someone will be along soon that knows everything.
I'll use either, and I am at present, but I err toward Cork granules now. Not sure why as when I started out I made my own Cork ball type or frying pan jobbies, Cork granule/dust ones weren't really available to my memory.
In reply to Post #1
Cork dust route for our wafters & pop-ups : He says no one likes that sort of hook bait
There are plenty of great cork granule hookbaits out there catching LOADS OF FISH..
However from a making them/manufacturing point of view, to get the quality, and consistency takes time and effort, to get the bouyancy right ( how you want them ) and the right binders in the mix to roll nicely and hold it together well enough to last in the water, and be firm enough to withstand nuisance fish and long range casts.
OR use a wafter/pop up mix made by someone else and hope that the rolling & bouyancy consistency in the mix is good, as that is easier. They all vary.
Cork dust route for our wafters & pop-ups : He says no one likes that sort of hook bait
There are plenty of great cork granule hookbaits out there catching LOADS OF FISH..
However from a making them/manufacturing point of view, to get the quality, and consistency takes time and effort, to get the bouyancy right ( how you want them ) and the right binders in the mix to roll nicely and hold it together well enough to last in the water, and be firm enough to withstand nuisance fish and long range casts.
OR use a wafter/pop up mix made by someone else and hope that the rolling & bouyancy consistency in the mix is good, as that is easier. They all vary.
In reply to Post #1
Having made my own free bait and hook baits for more years than I care to remember, personally I no longer bother making pop ups or Wafters,
I used to buy pop up mix but it's still a right faf so now I just buy unflavoured wafter / pop ups and add my own flavours / attractors.
If anything my catch rate has improved, And I honestly catch more than my fair share on both my syndicate waters, so I really don't think it's worth the time and effort when someone who makes big quantities can do it for you at a reasonable cost.
If you plan on making large quantities and want to make a few bob I understand, and fair play to you for having a go. In that case I'd buy a pop up mix from AA Baits and for the Wafters add approx 30% finely ground base mix then experiment with the exact ratio to get the desired buoyancy.
Having made my own free bait and hook baits for more years than I care to remember, personally I no longer bother making pop ups or Wafters,
I used to buy pop up mix but it's still a right faf so now I just buy unflavoured wafter / pop ups and add my own flavours / attractors.
If anything my catch rate has improved, And I honestly catch more than my fair share on both my syndicate waters, so I really don't think it's worth the time and effort when someone who makes big quantities can do it for you at a reasonable cost.
If you plan on making large quantities and want to make a few bob I understand, and fair play to you for having a go. In that case I'd buy a pop up mix from AA Baits and for the Wafters add approx 30% finely ground base mix then experiment with the exact ratio to get the desired buoyancy.
In reply to Post #3
Same as you, much of a muchness........dust, cork balls, chunks.......fish don't know!
Same as you, much of a muchness........dust, cork balls, chunks.......fish don't know!
In reply to Post #6
We've got pop-up and wafter mix from AA baits. I just don't think they're all that TBH. The finished baits look very artificial, and just plain.
At least with the cork dust, we are using the same base mix as the boilies, and the pop-ups and wafters do actually look similar to the boilies we're making. Whether that matters or not, I don't know. But put the dedicated mix baits, and the cork dust mix baits next to each other, and I know which ones look the best.
We've got pop-up and wafter mix from AA baits. I just don't think they're all that TBH. The finished baits look very artificial, and just plain.
At least with the cork dust, we are using the same base mix as the boilies, and the pop-ups and wafters do actually look similar to the boilies we're making. Whether that matters or not, I don't know. But put the dedicated mix baits, and the cork dust mix baits next to each other, and I know which ones look the best.
In reply to Post #1
Cork granules for me, you can use your matching base mix then. For me cork dust is a waste of time. Nowhere near as bouyant
Cork granules for me, you can use your matching base mix then. For me cork dust is a waste of time. Nowhere near as bouyant
In reply to Post #8
Use the aa baits buoyant pop up mix and cut it with your base mix to add some food bait content.
If you add enough base you can make good wafters.
Use the aa baits buoyant pop up mix and cut it with your base mix to add some food bait content.
If you add enough base you can make good wafters.
In reply to Post #9
It's granules we use, not dust. My mistake. I just find it easier to type "dust" I bought them from John Baker when I placed an order for his flavours.
It's granules we use, not dust. My mistake. I just find it easier to type "dust" I bought them from John Baker when I placed an order for his flavours.
In reply to Post #1
We've just sold two tubs of the pop ups my mate made. I think they look crap TBH. It'll be interesting to see what feedback we get.
We've just sold two tubs of the pop ups my mate made. I think they look crap TBH. It'll be interesting to see what feedback we get.
In reply to Post #12
I'm not sure the anglers perspective means anything, it's the fishes that does, and results will reveal all, as long as applied properly.
I'm not sure the anglers perspective means anything, it's the fishes that does, and results will reveal all, as long as applied properly.
In reply to Post #1
I fish more for barbel than carp these days. Most of the quality pop-ups on the market are too buoyant for my purposes.
I end up buying small wafters or having to chop up pop-ups and adding sections to bottom baits.
I fish more for barbel than carp these days. Most of the quality pop-ups on the market are too buoyant for my purposes.
I end up buying small wafters or having to chop up pop-ups and adding sections to bottom baits.