Groundbait, groundbait, groundbait - is it for the angler or the fish?

[Dave]

Okay, I've got itchy fingers this evening, starting to get pre day's fishing excited even though it's a few days away yet - bet i don't sleep tonight now

But, anyway, I've just been milling around the online stores looking at groundbait - I know what I wanted but was absolutely taken aback at the amount and variety of groundbait available now - one store alone boasted some 115 different types of groundbait!


To me there was always fishmeal based and non-fishmeal based, natural colour or dark/black, but now it seems you can get every flavour and colour under the sun.
I thought, simples, a bag of Sensas Roach & Silver fish, but now I'm bamboozled with more options than I'd know what to do with

Is groundbait to catch fish or is it to catch the angler? Are we going down the Boilie path with Groundbait?

 

[Total]

@Dave ......Are you in 'Zerkalo' mode with these questions?

 

[tipitinmick]

@Dave ......Are you in 'Zerkalo' mode with these questions?

You joined another forum Mark ? If not my advice is ...... you should.

 

[dave brittain 1]

Dave I'm a big believer in specific mixes for roach on rivers to the point where I'll compromise on bream and carp mixes but not with roach. I don't use roach mixes on still waters as I find loose feed to be more consistent, however with rivers I'll always use a roach mix.

 

[Total]

You joined another forum Mark ? If not my advice is ...... you should.

^^......Just 'cos you rescued a goose wearing your underpants, don't start on me!

 

[Dave]

I was initially looking for brown breadcrumb but that's showing my age lol

 

[mike fox]

Just like artificial flies. Thousands of them but you only need half a dozen.

 

[Total]

Dave I'm a big believer in specific mixes for roach on rivers to the point where I'll compromise on bream and carp mixes but not with roach. I don't use roach mixes on still waters as I find loose feed to be more consistent, however with rivers I'll always use a roach mix.

I pretty much rely on loose feed as well and found it more productive. When on the feeder, I love using particles, casters, hemp etc with any type of groundbait, usually a sweet fishmeal to plug the end or cover over if using a window feeder etc....Live maggot or pinkie on the hook....Happy days and cast regularly.....

 

[Total]

I was initially looking for brown breadcrumb but that's showing my age lol

Brown crumb is absolutely fine......

 

[Dave]

Just found my Punches as well...

 

[Silverfisher]

Dave I'm a big believer in specific mixes for roach on rivers to the point where I'll compromise on bream and carp mixes but not with roach. I don't use roach mixes on still waters as I find loose feed to be more consistent, however with rivers I'll always use a roach mix.

I’m quite similar to that. Very rare I’ll use groundbait for stillwater roach as loose feed alone seems to usually work well. But on rivers I usually use groundbait as well (not always though sometimes loose feeding alone holds them) and I am quite particular in what I’ll use. Frenzied hemp original and/or black, Dynamite Silver X roach, Sensas Roach original and/or black being the main ones and occasionally sonubaits so natural black roach.

But on the OP topic there are a ridiculous amount available. Must have tried about a dozen before I settled on the above.

 

[tipitinmick]

^^......Just 'cos you rescued a goose wearing your underpants, don't start on me!

Hey, until you’ve rescued a goose in your under crackers you’ve not lived. A very liberating experience. I enjoyed it as well.

 

[Total]

Hey, until you’ve rescued a goose in your under crackers you’ve not lived. A very liberating experience. I enjoyed it as well.

That goose is still in rehab' though mate!

 

[OldTaff]

Fished with a guy in my teens who was the first person I’d ever known use continental groundbaits and he smashed us to pieces in matches week after week but he also shared info too.

I got into using Sensas and my catch rates went through the roof using mixes like Lake, Gros Gardons, Brem, etc

Now I’m back and on Sensas for my river fishing but Sonubaits method mix as that’s what the mighty Des Shipp recommended in the first video I watched on method feeder & it worked.

May be a sucker for advertising but if it works I’ll probably give it a go at some point

 

[Maesknoll]

Fished with a guy in my teens who was the first person I’d ever known use continental groundbaits and he smashed us to pieces in matches week after week but he also shared info too.

I got into using Sensas and my catch rates went through the roof using mixes like Lake, Gros Gardons, Brem, etc

Now I’m back and on Sensas for my river fishing but Sonubaits method mix as that’s what the mighty Des Shipp recommended in the first video I watched on method feeder & it worked.

May be a sucker for advertising but if it works I’ll probably give it a go at some point

You won’t go far wrong with Sensas and Sonubaits groundbait, their ranges should cover everything you’ll ever need

 

[tipitinmick]

That goose is still in rehab' though mate!

He writes me sometimes. Doing well apparently. Just needs meds now to help him with the flashbacks. Can’t blame him. I did have loose fitting underpants on at the time.

 

[Philnun87]

It is a lot more confusing now days. I just stick to using green swim stim and halibut for the method / as well as the green for paste, Sonu baits chunky fish for margins and crushed expander occasionally for other uses.

I then restrict it to thatchers and F1 dark or super sweet for silvers.

I think it’s just a case of finding a few mixes which work for you and you have confidence in for different circumstances and sticking to them

a lot of ground airs are very similar imho to be honest so more of a confidence level.

I wish more brands did zip / resealable bags though...so I sits used to do 2 litre bags with a refill bit. Was really useful if you just need a bit of groundbait fir binding on a method for example

 

[dave brittain 1]

There are a number of things to consider when thinking about groundbait particularly for roach. First of all I don't think they like crumb and that they prefer a biscuit and seed based groundbait.

The three things I want from a roach groundbait is 1), to carry the feed to the bottom, 2), to break up in a controlled and consistent matter to release the feed and 3) to be active so that the mix attracts fish into the swim.

My base mixes depending on what rivers I fished were always based on Sensas Roach Noire and Sensas River, with Sensas Match Blend added on slower rivers.

However in 2006 I won two boxes of groundbait in the Dynamite Baits festival at Stafford Moor and with the intention of fishing a number of matches on the River Wye after Xmas, I asked them to send me a box of Silver X Roach and Silver X River.

Come the Wye opens in January and guesting for Hereford in the winter league in 8 matches I had 3 wins, 69lbs of roach and dace , 66lbs of roach, 59lbs of roach, dace and perch, with an average weight over the 8 matches of 42lbs, (lowest weight 8lbs).

Over the years I've had some great roach weights and results, regardless of which river I've fished. The one thing that has stuck with me throughout is my belief in the groundbait mixes I've used.

Psychology and confidence do play a big part in angling, however after discussing mixes with a number of other accomplished anglers it's surprising how we all have our own preferred mixes and beliefs in how they work.

With carp, bream and commercials I'm not overly fussy providing the carp groundbait is fishmeal based and the bream groundbait is a sweat fishmeal mix.

 

[tipitinmick]

It is a lot more confusing now days. I just stick to using green swim stim and halibut for the method / as well as the green for paste, Sonu baits chunky fish for margins and crushed expander occasionally for other uses.

I then restrict it to thatchers and F1 dark or super sweet for silvers.

I think it’s just a case of finding a few mixes which work for you and you have confidence in for different circumstances and sticking to them

a lot of ground airs are very similar imho to be honest so more of a confidence level.

I wish more brands did zip / resealable bags though...so I sits used to do 2 litre bags with a refill bit. Was really useful if you just need a bit of groundbait fir binding on a method for example

I’ve tried lots of different gb over the years and always end up coming back to swim stim on commercials. Very versatile isn’t it.

 

[Nicky Dodds]

VDE G5 and Supercrack roach with optional molehill soil or Sensas gros gardons and lake 3000 again optional soil or leam.