Would be interested to know what bait these guys are fishing over with the hookbaits...?
There's no doubt the hookbaits work but the overall Baiting scenarios must play a part....for example, heavy Baiting with boilies loaded with liquids would surely affect the standout attractiveness of the hookbaits...are they more effective over particle....dull flavoured or washed out bait?
Rhetorical questions really as I am sure each angler has his own approach but it does intrigue me!
There's no doubt the hookbaits work but the overall Baiting scenarios must play a part....for example, heavy Baiting with boilies loaded with liquids would surely affect the standout attractiveness of the hookbaits...are they more effective over particle....dull flavoured or washed out bait?
Rhetorical questions really as I am sure each angler has his own approach but it does intrigue me!
In reply to Post #1281
Sweet
Sweet
In reply to Post #1282
Hi Spod.
They all use different freebies pretty much. Some of them fish over a minimum of, or no freebies at all, some fish over a lot of freebies. I'll run through some of them for you now that I know of, I got back to London yesterday and I have a day off today, so have some time.
Ricci Connolly uses a mix of Sticky Krill active, and his own shops particle mix. He previously used ABS gear. Ricci fished on Roach Pit with me, this was where we first met, the first year SHB was formed. He watched me devastate the place with garlic hemp and the hook baits. Ricci has used lots of particle in his fishing ever since. Ricci's a heavy baiter.
John Cash uses Pure Bait Concepts freezer baits, previously Sticky Baits. John also uses a lot of particle for his baiting up. John is slightly different in that he uses a lot of bait to prime spots, but during actual fishing time not much free bait or none at all. John's a heavy baiter.
Mark Harris uses Wraysbury Baits freezer baits. As far as I know Mark prefers a boilie only approach and does not use a lot of freebies.
Ben Jeffery uses them as singles in the main. He is an incredibly gifted & secretive angler. Ben has caught so many big UK carp that I am sadly not allowed to show you.... They would absolutely blow your mind. If he rocked up on your syndicate, no one would know who he was... But his list of special carp captures, is so impressive that it defies belief, proper ones. One day when they are all dead, I will be allowed to show them all. It will blow everybody away, that these big fish fish have all been kept secret from the public. Simply jaw dropping. Ben was also the captor of that incredible unknown/uncaught big common from a large no fishing pit, in the photo where his face was blacked out.
Dan Chappell uses Tails Up freezer baits, previously Mistral freezer baits. As far as I know Dan also does not use masses of free bait in his fishing.
James Sherman uses Mainline freezer baits, James smashes everywhere he fishes.
Gary Watton uses Active Bait Solutions freezer baits, and again is not a heavy baiter.
We literally have customers using every single bait companies freebies going. Our customer base, stretches the length of the UK. These days, we sell just as much bait up north, as we do down south. That has not always been the case. They all have very different approaches obviously. Our hook baits, are being used constantly, in every situation that you could ever imagine. I know that a lot of the fishing industry is suffering quite badly at the moment, especially bait companies. Luckily for us, we are having our busiest ever year. Our customer base has increased every single year since we started a decade ago. For one reason, and one reason alone. Results. A customer gained from a flashy Faceache or Instagram advert, is a very fickle customer... A customer gained, whom watched his mate that used to catch f all, suddenly turn into a carp catching super hero... Is a customer for life. One of the best lessons I have learned. SHB has changed my life, I am a very lucky man indeed. I get to make my living, from my life long passion. Nothing gives me more satisfaction, than the 1000's and 1000's of UK anglers who have caught their PB on my hook baits.
When we first started, it was said constantly that it was not the hook baits, it was in fact only because I was a good angler myself. That I could catch them on anything. I barely get the chance to fish these days. We barely advertise on social media anymore, we do not need to. Our customer base increases by word of mouth. The truth is, this thread is only here in the first place, because I was challenged by a former member of this forum, that our hook baits did not actually catch many fish. It will not be here forever, if I stopped posting on this thread tomorrow, it would make zero difference to our business in reality. Already there is now another hook bait company paying to advertise on here. Good for the forum. I think I have personally proved all of these detractors wrong after a decade of incredible results for our customers. Look around, at how many hook bait companies there are now. Every single one of them was watching us first before they started, and that is a cast iron fact.
Hi Spod.
They all use different freebies pretty much. Some of them fish over a minimum of, or no freebies at all, some fish over a lot of freebies. I'll run through some of them for you now that I know of, I got back to London yesterday and I have a day off today, so have some time.
Ricci Connolly uses a mix of Sticky Krill active, and his own shops particle mix. He previously used ABS gear. Ricci fished on Roach Pit with me, this was where we first met, the first year SHB was formed. He watched me devastate the place with garlic hemp and the hook baits. Ricci has used lots of particle in his fishing ever since. Ricci's a heavy baiter.
John Cash uses Pure Bait Concepts freezer baits, previously Sticky Baits. John also uses a lot of particle for his baiting up. John is slightly different in that he uses a lot of bait to prime spots, but during actual fishing time not much free bait or none at all. John's a heavy baiter.
Mark Harris uses Wraysbury Baits freezer baits. As far as I know Mark prefers a boilie only approach and does not use a lot of freebies.
Ben Jeffery uses them as singles in the main. He is an incredibly gifted & secretive angler. Ben has caught so many big UK carp that I am sadly not allowed to show you.... They would absolutely blow your mind. If he rocked up on your syndicate, no one would know who he was... But his list of special carp captures, is so impressive that it defies belief, proper ones. One day when they are all dead, I will be allowed to show them all. It will blow everybody away, that these big fish fish have all been kept secret from the public. Simply jaw dropping. Ben was also the captor of that incredible unknown/uncaught big common from a large no fishing pit, in the photo where his face was blacked out.
Dan Chappell uses Tails Up freezer baits, previously Mistral freezer baits. As far as I know Dan also does not use masses of free bait in his fishing.
James Sherman uses Mainline freezer baits, James smashes everywhere he fishes.
Gary Watton uses Active Bait Solutions freezer baits, and again is not a heavy baiter.
We literally have customers using every single bait companies freebies going. Our customer base, stretches the length of the UK. These days, we sell just as much bait up north, as we do down south. That has not always been the case. They all have very different approaches obviously. Our hook baits, are being used constantly, in every situation that you could ever imagine. I know that a lot of the fishing industry is suffering quite badly at the moment, especially bait companies. Luckily for us, we are having our busiest ever year. Our customer base has increased every single year since we started a decade ago. For one reason, and one reason alone. Results. A customer gained from a flashy Faceache or Instagram advert, is a very fickle customer... A customer gained, whom watched his mate that used to catch f all, suddenly turn into a carp catching super hero... Is a customer for life. One of the best lessons I have learned. SHB has changed my life, I am a very lucky man indeed. I get to make my living, from my life long passion. Nothing gives me more satisfaction, than the 1000's and 1000's of UK anglers who have caught their PB on my hook baits.
When we first started, it was said constantly that it was not the hook baits, it was in fact only because I was a good angler myself. That I could catch them on anything. I barely get the chance to fish these days. We barely advertise on social media anymore, we do not need to. Our customer base increases by word of mouth. The truth is, this thread is only here in the first place, because I was challenged by a former member of this forum, that our hook baits did not actually catch many fish. It will not be here forever, if I stopped posting on this thread tomorrow, it would make zero difference to our business in reality. Already there is now another hook bait company paying to advertise on here. Good for the forum. I think I have personally proved all of these detractors wrong after a decade of incredible results for our customers. Look around, at how many hook bait companies there are now. Every single one of them was watching us first before they started, and that is a cast iron fact.
In reply to Post #1284
Some cracking fish there Mark picture 6 is rather naughty, lucky man what a fish, mind you any one of them would be welcome in the photo album, some special fish.
Some cracking fish there Mark picture 6 is rather naughty, lucky man what a fish, mind you any one of them would be welcome in the photo album, some special fish.
In reply to Post #1285
Dans fish is from Rowneys on the Wasing complex Ian. A very impressive looking big UK carp indeed.
The fish Ricci is holding, is the big scaly from Wingham that later smashed the UK record (unclaimed) when spawn bound. A very elusive fish when it was alive. In earlier years, it was caught just twice in five or six years, on an incredibly busy syndicate. Both of those captures were on an S2.
The fish John is holding is Son Of Tripe Row from Dinton White Swan. Johns amazing results on the incredibly tricky White Swan, will go down in Dinton history.
The fish Mark is holding is one of the Frimley big mirrors.
The two fish Ben is holding, are the much coveted Wood Common from Spitfire Pool, and a poaching lake special. In my opinion, that is one of the greatest captures ever in the UK. It's from a VERY large pit, which contains just two carp.
James's fish is the big fully from Frimley.
Gary fish is Black Spot from Wingham, a UK 60+ at certain times, and one of the biggest carp in the UK currently.
Dans fish is from Rowneys on the Wasing complex Ian. A very impressive looking big UK carp indeed.
The fish Ricci is holding, is the big scaly from Wingham that later smashed the UK record (unclaimed) when spawn bound. A very elusive fish when it was alive. In earlier years, it was caught just twice in five or six years, on an incredibly busy syndicate. Both of those captures were on an S2.
The fish John is holding is Son Of Tripe Row from Dinton White Swan. Johns amazing results on the incredibly tricky White Swan, will go down in Dinton history.
The fish Mark is holding is one of the Frimley big mirrors.
The two fish Ben is holding, are the much coveted Wood Common from Spitfire Pool, and a poaching lake special. In my opinion, that is one of the greatest captures ever in the UK. It's from a VERY large pit, which contains just two carp.
James's fish is the big fully from Frimley.
Gary fish is Black Spot from Wingham, a UK 60+ at certain times, and one of the biggest carp in the UK currently.
Because I have a day off today, I have some time, which I very rarely get. A nice story, which I hope it will be okay to tell now... His book has been out for a couple of years.
This is Terry Hearn's father Barry, holding the big fully from Frimley. A few years ago, he caught this on an S2, along with a few others, which he had taken from Terry's fridge. I was not allowed to show this photo at the time, because it was being saved for his upcoming book.
Barry has always helped himself to cork balls from his sons fridge that Terry had made. Terry had some S2 that I had given him, but he had replaced the lid so none of his mates who visited his home saw them. Barry took the tub, which contained just five S2. His first session on Frimley, he caught a few fish on them, including this one, which he had desired more than any other for many years. When he asked Terry to desperately to make some more for him rapido... Terry had to tell him that he could not, as they were not made by him, but by me. I sent his father some more.
Due to commercial reasons for him, and his upcoming book... I always kept this story a secret for him. And... No... I am not trying to imply TH uses my hook baits. It's just a nice story, about a fish that his father had wanted to catch for many years. He caught it the very first time he used an S2. Made me very proud at the time.
This is Terry Hearn's father Barry, holding the big fully from Frimley. A few years ago, he caught this on an S2, along with a few others, which he had taken from Terry's fridge. I was not allowed to show this photo at the time, because it was being saved for his upcoming book.
Barry has always helped himself to cork balls from his sons fridge that Terry had made. Terry had some S2 that I had given him, but he had replaced the lid so none of his mates who visited his home saw them. Barry took the tub, which contained just five S2. His first session on Frimley, he caught a few fish on them, including this one, which he had desired more than any other for many years. When he asked Terry to desperately to make some more for him rapido... Terry had to tell him that he could not, as they were not made by him, but by me. I sent his father some more.
Due to commercial reasons for him, and his upcoming book... I always kept this story a secret for him. And... No... I am not trying to imply TH uses my hook baits. It's just a nice story, about a fish that his father had wanted to catch for many years. He caught it the very first time he used an S2. Made me very proud at the time.
In reply to Post #1284
Hi Mark
Thanks for taking the time to reply and a very interesting and thought-provoking reply it is...! I got my delivery of S2's 3's and 4's yesterday by the way so thanks for that.
I am a firm believer in wanting my hook-bait to stand out and be the main source of attraction in my swim, the one thing the Carp home in on....be that colour, flavour, size whatever.....so it is interesting that a good proportion of the lads you have highlighted use little or no bait when actually fishing.
Of course there is no definitive answer and what works on some waters may not on others but it certainly is food for thought. My syndicate is a big fish water, 70 plus acres with a big head of fish and it is generally a huge “bait and wait” water....lots of anglers turn up and do the same thing, Spomb out kilo after kilo, (it's a boilie only water and some will think nothing of using 20K plus over 48 hours), and sit back in the hope that they turn up on you. It works and some have big hits whilst some obviously blank but it that scenario, using whole boilies, chops, crumb, round baits, barrel baits, more often than not soaked in litres of liquid food you may as well use anything on the hook as you are simply playing a numbers game...?
I have decided to experiment a bit and go the other way, introducing little or no bait and relying on the attractor profile of the hookbaits to see what happens....chances are I will be fishing over or near to other anglers old bait but it will be an interesting nonetheless....and not to mention cheaper!
Hi Mark
Thanks for taking the time to reply and a very interesting and thought-provoking reply it is...! I got my delivery of S2's 3's and 4's yesterday by the way so thanks for that.
I am a firm believer in wanting my hook-bait to stand out and be the main source of attraction in my swim, the one thing the Carp home in on....be that colour, flavour, size whatever.....so it is interesting that a good proportion of the lads you have highlighted use little or no bait when actually fishing.
Of course there is no definitive answer and what works on some waters may not on others but it certainly is food for thought. My syndicate is a big fish water, 70 plus acres with a big head of fish and it is generally a huge “bait and wait” water....lots of anglers turn up and do the same thing, Spomb out kilo after kilo, (it's a boilie only water and some will think nothing of using 20K plus over 48 hours), and sit back in the hope that they turn up on you. It works and some have big hits whilst some obviously blank but it that scenario, using whole boilies, chops, crumb, round baits, barrel baits, more often than not soaked in litres of liquid food you may as well use anything on the hook as you are simply playing a numbers game...?
I have decided to experiment a bit and go the other way, introducing little or no bait and relying on the attractor profile of the hookbaits to see what happens....chances are I will be fishing over or near to other anglers old bait but it will be an interesting nonetheless....and not to mention cheaper!
Great insight Mark, no doubting that your hookbaits have taken some incredible carp!
In reply to Post #1288
You will have them mate, get near the carp and you will catch them. Simple.
I am lucky to use a boat for the majority of my angling. I myself and so many of my customers, have often observed that over a large baited spot... After a bite, not one item of food will have been touched. Our hook bait ALWAYS goes first normally.
It's not PC in a world where companies need to sell boilies for me to say this... But it is a cast iron fact. Although they are 100% food based hook baits, they contain things, at levels that would be impossible to put into freezer baits which actually get consumed en masse. Thus, they are FAR more attractive to a carp, than any freezer bait. That is why they go first.
You will have them mate, get near the carp and you will catch them. Simple.
I am lucky to use a boat for the majority of my angling. I myself and so many of my customers, have often observed that over a large baited spot... After a bite, not one item of food will have been touched. Our hook bait ALWAYS goes first normally.
It's not PC in a world where companies need to sell boilies for me to say this... But it is a cast iron fact. Although they are 100% food based hook baits, they contain things, at levels that would be impossible to put into freezer baits which actually get consumed en masse. Thus, they are FAR more attractive to a carp, than any freezer bait. That is why they go first.
Hi mark , just wondering if you could do your GB2 as a bottom bait rather than a pop up or wafter ?
In reply to Post #1291
Yes Chris, I will get some sorted out for you, as I promised previously. WhatsApp message the work phone at some point soon.
Yes Chris, I will get some sorted out for you, as I promised previously. WhatsApp message the work phone at some point soon.
Andrew Parkinson, 59lb8oz. Caught from a wild 450 acre public venue in France on one of our S2 crushed cork pop ups. He only fished our hook baits on one rod... Double 30mm snowmen on the other rods to combat the bream. The one rod with one of our S2 on, produced his fish of a lifetime for him.
Andrew fished our S2 over Baitworks creamino freezer baits.
Andrew fished our S2 over Baitworks creamino freezer baits.
In reply to Post #1284
Love getting these messages. I'm quite certain this is a forum member, first order last week... First time he's used them, he's absolutely smashed his pb. Well done again fella. White S2 balanced.
Mark again, 40+, one of the old girls from Frimley a fish called Lilly. S2.
