Bait
I used to think there was some magic boilie or pellet that would work everywhere, but these days I’ve learned to adapt. The fish change their preferences with the seasons, the weather, and even what the angler before you was chucking in.
Local knowledge is king. If the guy in the next swim’s catching on strawberry crème, I’m not stubborn enough to ignore it. But I’m also not about to bankrupt myself on branded bait just to carpet the lakebed. These days, I’ll grab big, cheap bags of base mix from places like Decathlon or eBay deals, then pair them with a small bag of something top-shelf for the hookbait. It keeps costs down without skimping on quality where it counts – right next to the hook.
At the end of the day, bait’s just one piece of the puzzle. I’d rather save money on loosefeed and spend it on extra sessions or better gear. Because the real secret? It doesn’t matter how fancy your bait is if you’re not putting it where the fish are.
Fruity Baits
When the water turns cold, I’m going all-in on fruity sweetness – pineapple boilies will be my winter workhorse, with blackcurrant wafters in the mix for when I need that slight lift off the bottom. I’ve even got some small pineapple pop-ups ready to roll for trickier presentations.
That said, citrus has never quite clicked for me (despite the hype), so once the temperatures rise, I’ll be switching gears to berry flavours. There’s something about those sharp, jammy notes that just feels right for summer – maybe it’s the brighter water or the way carp seem more willing to chase bold tastes when they’re active. Either way, I’m keeping it simple: less guesswork, more time fishing.
Fishy Flavours
I’ve always gone with the classic "fruit in the cold, fishy in the heat" approach – tuna, squid, all those savoury punches for when the water’s warm and the carp are hunting. But this year, I’m flipping it.
Call it a hunch, but I’m rolling with berry in the summer (sharp, bright, aggressive) and fishy in the winter (slow, oily, lingering). No hard evidence, just a gut feeling that maybe we’ve all been following the same script for too long.
Will it work? No idea. But that’s half the fun – testing the rules to see if they’re really rules or just habits.
Krill based
I’ll admit, I tried to jump on the krill hype train. Those little red pellets made their way into my mesh bags and spod mixes, adding what I hoped would be a next-level attractor. And sure, in theory, that rich, marine kick should’ve been catnip for carp. But in practice? For me, it never quite delivered.
I’m cutting krill from the lineup. Back to trusty fruit and fishmeal bases that’ve actually put fish on the bank for me. Sometimes, the "magic ingredient" isn’t so magical after all.
Pop-ups
There’s something about a perfectly balanced pop-up rig that just feels right. For me, it’s usually a 12mm white chocolate pop-up or a blackcurrant wafter, paired with a 15mm bottom bait – that combo gives me just the right hover above the lakebed. And yeah, I’m that guy who tests the buoyancy in the margins before casting out. No guesswork, just confidence.
At night, I go full pop-up mode, scattering a few boilies around to keep the area active. Because let’s be real: nothing kills the vibe like reeling in at dawn to find your bait’s been stripped without you knowing.
Zig and Float
Fake baits only get a look in during high summer, when the carp are cruising up top and I can actually see what’s happening. That’s when the imitation dog biscuits and zig floaters come out to play. There’s something satisfying about watching a carp sip a plastic bait off the surface – plus, if I do crack off, at least I’m not leaving a live hook in the water.
This season, I’m giving zigs and surface tactics a proper chance – no more ignoring what’s happening right in front of me.
Sweetcorn
I’ll admit, sweetcorn has always played second fiddle in my fishing—tossed into spod mixes as cheap filler rather than starring on the hook. But this summer, I’m changing my tune. Those bright yellow kernels are getting a promotion.
Spomb it – A shower of corn to get them competing
Hook it – Single grain on a zig or float for visual fishing
Mix it – Blended into groundbaits for instant color and attraction
Maggots
Let’s be honest—if the fishery sells maggots, you’d be daft not to use them. I’ve yet to have a bad session when these wriggly little powerhouses are in play. Sure, my hookbaits might not win any beauty contests—a tangled cluster of maggots skewered on a hook isn’t exactly Instagram-worthy—but who cares when the fish are queuing up to bite.
Tigernuts & Hemp
I’ll admit, I slept on tigernuts and hemp for way too long. Watched everyone else swear by them while I stuck to my boilies and pellets.
But now, Fully converted. These naturals are next-level fish magnets – that sweet, nutty pull brings carp in from all corners of the lake.
Glugs and Dust
so my 2023 season will invole glug and dust all my hookbait before it goes out. i have a tuna glug and dust combo and the same for citrus.
so what i do is have 2 pots with a bit of each in - i dip my hoobait in the glug and then rub it through the dust, with all that attactrion dissovling off it can only be helping me.
I also use the same in the spod mixes to dispurse in the water with the chunnks of chopped boilie and sweetcorn that i use in the mix
Update 2024: I use this every session now and i feel the extra matching scents really do the job.