Bait Preparation

[Nicky Dodds]

I don't like wastage so if it can be frozen it goes back home. A lot of my matches involve two different groundbait mixes that you aren't guaranteed to catch over which could mean £16-18 of groundbait mixed but you might only use £3 worth. I've had fishmeal feeder mixes in and out of the freezer 5 times when it's not worked. Usually you know if it's usable once it's defrosted. Whatever pole mix is left goes home as it will bulk out next weeks batch.
Feeder mixes definitely mixed at least day before and pole mixes on the day once I know where I've drawn.
Hemp and tares re-frozen in plenty of water so they don't dry out. On the odd occasion I use micros they've always been done as soon as I get to the peg. Any leftovers will get re-used if I know it will be within a couple of days.

 

[davylad]

If I was fishing for bream, I certainly wouldn't want any fizzing, and particles floating up. I used to make my GB the night before to stop this. Just my opinion on this, different for other species.

 

[OldTaff]

I’ve gotten into the habit of making up groundbait and pellets an hour or two before I set off for the lake simply because it means I can fish the second I’ve tackled up and that means a far less twitchy 4yr old who feels any delay is a personal,of front and a mortal crime.

All seems to be working fine at the moment

 

[Mike atkinson]

I always knock my gbait up the nite before, no problems here

 

[Maesknoll]

I always knock my gbait up the nite before, no problems here

Makes a huge difference if you want an active GB for roach, I wouldn’t advocate mixing a roach GB the night before.

 

[baggy]

I always mix my groundbait the night before, I know Chris has said it’s not good for roach but I’ve never had a problem catching roach using it. I find that triple mixing, riddling then bagging and putting it in the fridge means that all of the particles in the mix can absorb the water.

I also always do my micros and expanders the night before as I find that they are always better done that way again put in the fridge. I even do my sweetcorn at home rinsing it and bagging it.

I find by doing this at home means I have extra time setting up before a match, it probably saves 30 minutes that can be spent doing other things.

 

[Northantslad]

I enjoy watching Des and Jamie and co, picked up a few tips whilst really watching their videos for entertainment and because its fishing you don't see anywhere else, clearly top anglers.

If ever planning anything major in terms of changes or adopting anything new, and doing the research in advance, i tend to watch a good few and from various anglers and then see what i know i could achieve and give it a go and dismiss what i know couldn't be done, not dismiss as in i know better, i don't, but you do have to look at the bigger picture. In terms of contradictions if you aren't careful you could chop and change your approach every week almost with new things or new ways of doing things that come out.

Off topic but on a theme, look at the recent trend of slim pole floats coming out, but then look deeper and you see why, most of the venues Jamie targets are pellet and F1 based for him, so looking in his rig box its slim floats mainly.

This is the thing for me and time is a big factor in my fishing with it not being my full time job and it's very handy to grab some groundbait and or pellets i froze last time out, stick them in the fridge the night before and away i go in the morning, then just a bit of riddling and livening up on the bank. Sometimes if i have the time the night before to get and prep bait i will do, expanders now always thanks to Des/Sonu/Preston for the new ones that don't need a pump on that one. With groundbait and depending on what i am trying to achieve i do follow a night before or on the bank rule whenever i can or if i know this aspect is going to be critical.

I came to the conclusion a while back and linking to this theme, that you could give the top anglers old bait, fresh bait, new bait, previously frozen, etc etc and they will make it work, because they know what to do with it and when, i,e the most important factor to get right- feeding, based on a knowledge of what the fish want. On that i have to say that what Jamie Hughes thinks about and shares during his sessions regarding what the fish are doing is taking knowledge to a different level and basing approach around it and how he thinks about it, is just another example of why bait choice/prep/make (despite the brands they promote) are irrelevant really, it's what they are doing with it.

If you are enjoying your fishing and catching a few, regardless of how you prefer to prep bait, then great it works for you.

 

[Mike atkinson]

Makes a huge difference if you want an active GB for roach, I wouldn’t advocate mixing a roach GB the night before.

Makes no difference if yer feeding slop in yer feeder, if it’s mixed the night before, that’s what a lot of us are doing, fishing for roach, 15/16mtrs out.

 

[tedstriker]

I've always tended to wet the pellets the night before so I can start fishing sooner, honestly can't say if it has made any difference in catch rates