Can anyone point me in the direction of some actual hardened hookbaits that last? I recently spent about £50 on some from aqua bait, they’re like mush after 8hrs.

Ideally some 15/20mm and barrels.

Thanks
Joe

In reply to Post #1
The ones of forgotten flavour are worth having a look at

Roll some yourself, using 80% basemix, 10% egg albumen, 10% whey gel, with 10ml MPG preservative per egg. Roll and boil as normal, then stick in a mesh bag in airing cupboard for a week to dry and harden off.
They won’t turn to mush in 8hrs lol.

Just air dry for a week and then leave in a pot of rock salt, I slid and keep adding to salt they will harden within a few weeks.

Thanks for the replies everyone, much appreciated.

I’ve had the aqua baits in rock salt for a few weeks, they still don’t last that long sadly.

Are these for Crays, if so no hardened bait will survive unless a cork ball and even then they'll bugger the presentation up.
Why not wrap the ones you have?

In reply to Post #6
Even when double wrapped in shrink the Crays will have a good go 😡

I get some with my abs order in the hydra k and they do a good job, not cray proof but not much is, they are plenty good enough for small fish attention though

I reckon the best way is to buy proper hardened hookbaits that have been made that way with the addition of suitable ingredients.

Drying, salting etc will work in making regular baits harder but the moment you chuck them in the lake they will soon revert back to what they started as.

Personally I would check out custom cray proof baits used them for a while and find them perfect. Any real hook bait is just going to get destroyed most of the time

Might also be worth looking into bait cages, think a 2 part plastic sphere that clamps over a boilie, again though, they won't stop crays messing with your presentation.

Re wrapping of baits as pek Karlos pic, you can get much thicker shrink than that available to fishing brands and it sets very hard, though the crays will eventually do it. Personally I wouldn't hole punch it, just leave the 2 holes when it shrinks around the bait.

I have a friend who makes them.

@scoot_turner on Instagram! give him a follow.