Are any of you still gluing your hookbaits onto a hook or is this a thing of the past now?
Had a really frustrating day yesterday where the fish were in front of me and I just could'nt get one to take my hook bait.
No one seems to have any soft hookable baits in stock anymore and pop ups just seem too buoyant and the fish wont take them. Tried all the imitation dog biscuits going with little success.
Advice would be very much appreciated.
Had a really frustrating day yesterday where the fish were in front of me and I just could'nt get one to take my hook bait.
No one seems to have any soft hookable baits in stock anymore and pop ups just seem too buoyant and the fish wont take them. Tried all the imitation dog biscuits going with little success.
Advice would be very much appreciated.
Moved to bait section 
The crafty catcher floater hookbaits are soft enough to side hook. Seem to be available.
In reply to Post #1
Baker small meaty chunks are hookable. If your allowed to use them.
But them carp know the difference between a hookbait and a freebie. Dont kn9w how but they do. I've freelined dog biscuits up close and personal for very nieve carp in over stocked mud puddles. But that hookbait is still treated with caution..crazy..
Baker small meaty chunks are hookable. If your allowed to use them.
But them carp know the difference between a hookbait and a freebie. Dont kn9w how but they do. I've freelined dog biscuits up close and personal for very nieve carp in over stocked mud puddles. But that hookbait is still treated with caution..crazy..
Have a look at the match fishing world, Baitech, Dynamite etc make soft floating hookers among others.
Another alternative, buy a pellet pump and experiment making your own.
Another, use something like a mix of bottom and top baits, in my case DNA Crayfish mini hooker with a stick topper of whatever flavour, other bait firms are available.
Another alternative, buy a pellet pump and experiment making your own.
Another, use something like a mix of bottom and top baits, in my case DNA Crayfish mini hooker with a stick topper of whatever flavour, other bait firms are available.
About 40 years ago all I ever done was surface fish for Carp. I used to soak my chum mixers the night before, roughly 10 mixers to a 5ml teaspoon (yes, I had time on my hands for counting!)
Into the plastic bag would go the supercook colouring/flavouring (almond was always a winner). Twist bag, shake to evenly spread out water.
Next morning they were all plumped up and ready to go. They do come off the hook easily, but, if you prepared them slighly further in advance you could let them start to dry out a bit.
They then used to go a bit rubbery.
It may be that Vossy's suggestion of a pellet pump would speed that up a bit, never used one.
Into the plastic bag would go the supercook colouring/flavouring (almond was always a winner). Twist bag, shake to evenly spread out water.
Next morning they were all plumped up and ready to go. They do come off the hook easily, but, if you prepared them slighly further in advance you could let them start to dry out a bit.
They then used to go a bit rubbery.
It may be that Vossy's suggestion of a pellet pump would speed that up a bit, never used one.
In reply to Post #6
I used to do similar, but chum mixers changed many years back.
They would absorb a bit of water and barely float, and almost crumble apart.
I used to do similar, but chum mixers changed many years back.
They would absorb a bit of water and barely float, and almost crumble apart.
I bought a bag of the Parker Baits monster crab flat spot floating pellet, crikey do they pong !
Not used them in earnest yet, but was loose feeding them at 6' to a known 30lb mirror, seemed to float well and it liked them, fingers crossed they'll be good!
Not used them in earnest yet, but was loose feeding them at 6' to a known 30lb mirror, seemed to float well and it liked them, fingers crossed they'll be good!
In reply to Post #1
Floating trout pellets for free offerings and an Enterprise fake peanut or tiger with the ends trimmed off to mimic a pellet.
You can trim them to perfectly suit your chosen hook pattern.
Floating trout pellets for free offerings and an Enterprise fake peanut or tiger with the ends trimmed off to mimic a pellet.
You can trim them to perfectly suit your chosen hook pattern.
£30 I've just paid for 12kg of chum mixer ...
And I've got a packet of the ESP fake floaters in a pop up pot with a dose of Cap oil ...
However it's bloody freezing in the west mids again
And I've got a packet of the ESP fake floaters in a pop up pot with a dose of Cap oil ...
However it's bloody freezing in the west mids again
In reply to Post #1
Every decent floater angler i know uses a trimmed down popup as hook bait. Trim a size 12 popup down by shaving of the edges until its mixer size. Short hair tight to hook. Doesnt come off like mixers.
If i wanted to use mixer or floating pellets on the hook id use a bait band.
Every decent floater angler i know uses a trimmed down popup as hook bait. Trim a size 12 popup down by shaving of the edges until its mixer size. Short hair tight to hook. Doesnt come off like mixers.
If i wanted to use mixer or floating pellets on the hook id use a bait band.