I fish local low stock gravel pits of about 15-30 acres.
These waters are stocked with F3 carp every year and hold a low/normal stock of 10-24kg fish. Only a few over 15kg.
I can only fish work overnighters there and I tend to bait up whenever I can. As a rule randomly 1-2 times a week.
What is your opinion on baiting up after an overnighter under such circumstances?
There are not many anglers on these waters and they tend to fish other swims as me, so I cannot waste their spot by overbaiting.
Does it make sense to bait up after fishing when I cant fish for 1-2 weeks at a time?
Is it a waste of money and resources/bait when I throw in 1-3kg of bait per spot after fishing and dont fish or bait for another 5-7 days?
Or should I rather only bait up more heavily once 2-3 days before fishing?
Best idea as always is to find fish and not try to draw them in with bait (which is rarely working). But albeit at the moment I dont have time for that.
These waters are stocked with F3 carp every year and hold a low/normal stock of 10-24kg fish. Only a few over 15kg.
I can only fish work overnighters there and I tend to bait up whenever I can. As a rule randomly 1-2 times a week.
What is your opinion on baiting up after an overnighter under such circumstances?
There are not many anglers on these waters and they tend to fish other swims as me, so I cannot waste their spot by overbaiting.
Does it make sense to bait up after fishing when I cant fish for 1-2 weeks at a time?
Is it a waste of money and resources/bait when I throw in 1-3kg of bait per spot after fishing and dont fish or bait for another 5-7 days?
Or should I rather only bait up more heavily once 2-3 days before fishing?
Best idea as always is to find fish and not try to draw them in with bait (which is rarely working). But albeit at the moment I dont have time for that.
In reply to Post #1
What's the bird life like ?
On both my syndicate lakes the coots, swans and tufties are a nightmare, so I never bother baiting when I leave as I know the birds will just clear it up.
What's the bird life like ?
On both my syndicate lakes the coots, swans and tufties are a nightmare, so I never bother baiting when I leave as I know the birds will just clear it up.
In reply to Post #1
Does it make sense to bait up after fishing when I cant fish for 1-2 weeks at a time?
Not to my eyes.
But the 2/3 days before would be my choice.
IF, I couldn't visit to throw some bait in more regularly
Does it make sense to bait up after fishing when I cant fish for 1-2 weeks at a time?
Not to my eyes.
But the 2/3 days before would be my choice.
IF, I couldn't visit to throw some bait in more regularly
In reply to Post #1
I'd go with your final idea and just bait up 2-3 days before fishing, if you feel the need to.
I'd go with your final idea and just bait up 2-3 days before fishing, if you feel the need to.
In reply to Post #1
Have you caught from there during the session or have you seen fish in the area - If yes to either or both I would bait up without worrying. You can get something going with it.
If you haven't caught and seen nothing I wouldn't risk introducing bait that could end up rotting and ruining a spot.
Have you caught from there during the session or have you seen fish in the area - If yes to either or both I would bait up without worrying. You can get something going with it.
If you haven't caught and seen nothing I wouldn't risk introducing bait that could end up rotting and ruining a spot.
In reply to Post #5
Thanks much for your comments!
Great advise as usual.
I will stop then baiting up after fishing as I can never be sure when I find the time to bait up or fish again.
Also havent seen any signs of fish on the spots I am fishing at the moment. Major blank time. Guess I will have to fish for something else till May in the forthcoming years.
Gudgeon or roach and not waste my expensive bait...
Thanks much for your comments!
Great advise as usual.
I will stop then baiting up after fishing as I can never be sure when I find the time to bait up or fish again.
Also havent seen any signs of fish on the spots I am fishing at the moment. Major blank time. Guess I will have to fish for something else till May in the forthcoming years.
Gudgeon or roach and not waste my expensive bait...
In reply to Post #1
Depends how much fresh bait you have at the end of each session and whether you re-freeze or use quickly afterwards? If you're not in a team on the same gear then it cannot hurt IMO - but I'd spread it everywhere / randomly with a stick over a large area (rather than dumping clusters on untested spots etc); the idea being that fish pick can pick up individual baits anywhere safely and recognise your 'label' when you next fish . . .
Depends how much fresh bait you have at the end of each session and whether you re-freeze or use quickly afterwards? If you're not in a team on the same gear then it cannot hurt IMO - but I'd spread it everywhere / randomly with a stick over a large area (rather than dumping clusters on untested spots etc); the idea being that fish pick can pick up individual baits anywhere safely and recognise your 'label' when you next fish . . .
I use readymade so taking them back wouldnt be a problem. Spreading out sounds like a really good idea though as an alternative to not bait up at all. Thank you.
In reply to Post #8
Shelf life baits = heresy!
I know bait preservative profiles have improved over the years but I'd never use them unless the lake had a head of catfish to clear them up. I fished a lake 20+ yrs ago that got drained one year . . .the bottom was littered with uneaten shelf-life boilies with uranium levels of half-life . . .
By fresh and either air-dry (for re-use) or vac seal in the short term to negate freezing!
Shelf life baits = heresy!
I know bait preservative profiles have improved over the years but I'd never use them unless the lake had a head of catfish to clear them up. I fished a lake 20+ yrs ago that got drained one year . . .the bottom was littered with uneaten shelf-life boilies with uranium levels of half-life . . .
By fresh and either air-dry (for re-use) or vac seal in the short term to negate freezing!
In reply to Post #9
As you say preservatives have changed a lot over the years. Most people use shelf life bait at my place, we netted again last weekend and not a single boilies was found in the net, despite it picking up oodles of rotting leaves and silt.
As you say preservatives have changed a lot over the years. Most people use shelf life bait at my place, we netted again last weekend and not a single boilies was found in the net, despite it picking up oodles of rotting leaves and silt.
In reply to Post #10
Prefer fresh baits that you can wash out / go soft quick . . .do 'modern' shelf-lifes do this?
Prefer fresh baits that you can wash out / go soft quick . . .do 'modern' shelf-lifes do this?
In reply to Post #11
I've got some Baitworks boilies that are a year and a bit old. They are still soft and wash out well.
I've got some Baitworks boilies that are a year and a bit old. They are still soft and wash out well.
In reply to Post #11
The ones I was using would yes and it was something I did regularly.
The ones I was using would yes and it was something I did regularly.
In reply to Post #13
My take so if you can only get their every 2 weeks say, what I would do if I wanted to get a couple of spot going. First off bait two places as you may not always get on the peg to especially if people are watching don't just do one this gives ya options if the fish have moved . Also try find spot where not everyone can fish nothing worse than people using your hard work for other gain alot of places etiquette isn't present.
Ideally you want to go every couple days and bait so fish get into a routine observe patrol routes and get ahead of the fish with your baiting. If I could only get there limited and no one else would bait for me I'd bait heavy so 10kg plus of bait on your spots after fishing then top up with just a kg a couple days before fishing. Unless there having it what I've found when you put a good hit of bait most lakes take a few days for the fish to get on the bait as will shy off to start with so use your time to your advantage.
My take so if you can only get their every 2 weeks say, what I would do if I wanted to get a couple of spot going. First off bait two places as you may not always get on the peg to especially if people are watching don't just do one this gives ya options if the fish have moved . Also try find spot where not everyone can fish nothing worse than people using your hard work for other gain alot of places etiquette isn't present.
Ideally you want to go every couple days and bait so fish get into a routine observe patrol routes and get ahead of the fish with your baiting. If I could only get there limited and no one else would bait for me I'd bait heavy so 10kg plus of bait on your spots after fishing then top up with just a kg a couple days before fishing. Unless there having it what I've found when you put a good hit of bait most lakes take a few days for the fish to get on the bait as will shy off to start with so use your time to your advantage.