elmoputney Posted February 12, 2020 Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 Hi guys I've taken the decision to try something out with pva and plastic baits, and I am tempted to not use boilies for a bit to see how it works, but I am also mindful I could be heading to snotsville, I've just received some banging mini 2mm pellets which smell amazing and are soft I'm hoping they firm up a bit over time but they seem like mini attraction gold, I want to add a firmer small pellet which will be a slower breakdown and that's the bags sorted, I am thinking a range of enterprises finest for my hookbaits, Now when it comes to spod mix I am thinking mixed pellets up to 11mm and particles, is there a particle bream don't like but carp love am hoping its pigeon conditioner BTW 😁 I don't mind catching a few snotties if the big girls also appear, I am also hoping to avoid catfish if possible maize and tigers are banned 🙆 Thanks all in advance yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmcee Posted February 12, 2020 Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 Pellets are a breams first love. They eat everything and anything. To avoid bream/nuisance fish I go through boilie only route. Hookbaits being 22mm or double 18mm etc. Just particle and pellet and I'd say you will be in bream city. yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted February 12, 2020 Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 1 minute ago, emmcee said: Pellets are a breams first love. This! If I'm fishing a water that hold bream the pellets are first to go. Followed by particles lol. Nuts and boilies all the way for me. welder and emmcee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salokcinnodrog Posted February 12, 2020 Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 48 minutes ago, elmoputney said: Hi guys I've taken the decision to try something out with pva and plastic baits, and I am tempted to not use boilies for a bit to see how it works, but I am also mindful I could be heading to snotsville, I've just received some banging mini 2mm pellets which smell amazing and are soft I'm hoping they firm up a bit over time but they seem like mini attraction gold, I want to add a firmer small pellet which will be a slower breakdown and that's the bags sorted, I am thinking a range of enterprises finest for my hookbaits, Now when it comes to spod mix I am thinking mixed pellets up to 11mm and particles, is there a particle bream don't like but carp love am hoping its pigeon conditioner BTW 😁 I don't mind catching a few snotties if the big girls also appear, I am also hoping to avoid catfish if possible maize and tigers are banned 🙆 Thanks all in advance If you go back onto Virginia, I found bream and tench absolutely loved particles and pellets, including pigeon conditioner, with an exception in one swim that has extreme depth changes on the causeway between Pats/Georges and Virginia. A bush to the right in front, a tree with barbed wire to the left in front and you had a gravel bar coming down from the far bank. Anywhere else if you piled in anything other than boilies you would get hit. My belief is that the depth changes stopped the bream hoovering the bottom and they weren't keen on that feature. Best way to avoid bream is stick to boilies, and if you do use pellets, only in a PVA bag on your casting out. yonny and elmoputney 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 I can't actually remember catching a bream last time I was there tbh, I am sure they will be there though 👀👀 I did catch a tench though maybe I will add some boilies just incase I need to switch 😁 Nuts are banned unfortunately otherwise I would yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salokcinnodrog Posted February 12, 2020 Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 8 minutes ago, elmoputney said: I can't actually remember catching a bream last time I was there tbh, I am sure they will be there though 👀👀 I did catch a tench though maybe I will add some boilies just incase I need to switch 😁 Nuts are banned unfortunately otherwise I would Main lake was rife with them, and basically in any long line like from the coach company through the cut into main lake, or from coach company towards Reeds join the bream could pester you over particles. Even the big 2lb+ rudd would get onto them around lilies. There was almost a triangle in the islands end the lake of bream routes. Add the sunken island (reeds growing in shallower water) which was tench heaven, particles were a no go. Saying that, in most cases, I tended not to fish into open water, preferring to fish safely as close to features as I could, with the winter exception of fishing from the 'point' towards the open water to the right of the islands. elmoputney 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 12 minutes ago, salokcinnodrog said: Main lake was rife with them, and basically in any long line like from the coach company through the cut into main lake, or from coach company towards Reeds join the bream could pester you over particles. Even the big 2lb+ rudd would get onto them around lilies. There was almost a triangle in the islands end the lake of bream routes. Add the sunken island (reeds growing in shallower water) which was tench heaven, particles were a no go. Saying that, in most cases, I tended not to fish into open water, preferring to fish safely as close to features as I could, with the winter exception of fishing from the 'point' towards the open water to the right of the islands. I was thinking of getting a whole site ticket and being able to just go where I pleased with a bait that didn't need a lot of introduction lol but seeing how that's been scuppered already 😁 Seriously it was a concern now it's a bigger concern 😂 i am still quite keen to persevere with the plastic and pva approach for the hookbaits though I have 3 rods can mix them up , even feeding boilies it may work well, I can handle the odd bream or tench but I would get fed up catching lots of them 😢 Cheers all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 Do bream still eat nut based boilies or does that slow them down a bit ? I just wonder as last time I fished there was on the old fav P42 which had nuts in it, and I wonder if that was why I didn't get plagued by them? yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted February 12, 2020 Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 Bream eat all boilies Elmo, just not as bad as pellet/particle. Nothing can stop them tbh, but boilies are your best bet. elmoputney 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2020 56 minutes ago, yonny said: Bream eat all boilies Elmo, just not as bad as pellet/particle. Nothing can stop them tbh, but boilies are your best bet. my thinking was if I used a nut based bait they may not like it as much as someone else's and let me be 😂 But if a bream turns his nose up that might also mean it isn't a very good bait 😁 I can try some ideas on one rod I guess, he who dares rodders and all that yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmcee Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 If you want to achieve consistent results then stick to boilies. If you wish to clear spots in weed etc then yes go for pellets and particles, but for targeting carp then boilies is the way. I read in one of your replies here that you're buying a cover all permit. If you enjoy going from lake to lake etc catching anything (carp, tench, bream) then the approach you mentioned will work. Though if you are after carp and want consistency then stick to one lake and apply a bait, this is the long term will give you the best results. I once had a ticket which covered me for 4 lakes, fried my head as I kept flitting between two of them, never really getting anything going. But at the end of the day if you enjoy tinkering with one rod etc, moving from lake to lake then go and enjoy and good luck. elmoputney and finchey 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 I feel like I am frying my brain at the moment tbh, I keep thinking about bait and choosing the right one , and how do I choose the right bait for me, when ultimately I still don't have confidence in any, when I last fished there I had a bait I was confident using (not available now) and I feel last year I tried a few and none gave me a lot of confidence,well one did but the supplier didn't, and I also know maybe I should've stuck with one but there is so much choice these days and that still requires a leap of faith , and then there is bait type, what do I want? It's got to be fairly instant and attractive as I dont get to do long sessions? I want to try and not hook too many cats, bream or tench, these are the kind of questions I have, my main options are retro baits, premier and making one unique with the custom bait creator, I've spoken to both tony and Nick burrage and both have been helpful it's doing my head in help 😭 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 18 minutes ago, elmoputney said: I feel like I am frying my brain at the moment You're completely over-thinking it mate. Bait is rarely the difference between catching and not imo. 20 minutes ago, elmoputney said: premier and making one unique with the custom bait creator Premier has been catching since the dawn of time. You don't need a unique bait - especially in your situation where you're struggling for confidence. Just buy a load of Matrix or Aminos w. Peach and BP and know that if you put it in the right place you'll catch carp. oscsha, kevtaylor, Pete Springate's Guns and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscsha Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 Defo over thinking it ,strip back go through your gear get rid of all the hooks and other bit s you keep buying , make half a dozen rigs then make them as you need them on the bank . Keep things basic and get out there on a regular basis . Pick one good fishmeal and stick with it , there is no magic bait or liquid attractant . Remember its only carp . elmoputney 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 1 hour ago, yonny said: You're completely over-thinking it mate. Bait is rarely the difference between catching and not imo. Premier has been catching since the dawn of time. You don't need a unique bait - especially in your situation where you're struggling for confidence. Just buy a load of Matrix or Aminos w. Peach and BP and know that if you put it in the right place you'll catch carp. This is part of me being a habitual over thinker, I've kind of accepted it now, can be useful can be a pain much like now 😁 Tbh I've spent so long looking Into it now I think I'm worse off, I really want a banana based bait if I am honest which is why it would have to be a custom made one, Retro do nutty narna, but nick b seems to think Shropshire gold is the one, but i quite like the sound of most of there baits if I am honest, crazy nut being another, Shall I just pick one buy it in bulk and live with it 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Springate's Guns Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 Personally, I’d stick with a Fishmeal based bait as others have recommended. Premier, ABS, Rollinbaits, Trent baits, DNA etc will all catch you loads👍 I think we’re all guilty of overthinking it at times-paralysis by analysis. Trouble at this time of year is that results can be patchy at best and confidence comes from getting action. Don’t beat yourself up before you start. yonny, finchey and elmoputney 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, oscsha said: Defo over thinking it ,strip back go through your gear get rid of all the hooks and other bit s you keep buying , make half a dozen rigs then make them as you need them on the bank . Keep things basic and get out there on a regular basis . Pick one good fishmeal and stick with it , there is no magic bait or liquid attractant . Remember its only carp . Rigs are sorted now I think as for hooks I've decided trig hammers for most types I need only the HSR needs a chod type hook but I think i can use a few and they will all work, main point being as long as they are sharp, they will work, I just think I need to commit to a bait now and some killer hookbaits and I am pretty sorted, 😁 yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscsha Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 fishmeal fishmeal fishmeal , did I say fishmeal LOL , I'm biased as I use retro but plenty of good fishmeal baits out there . yonny and elmoputney 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 7 minutes ago, elmoputney said: Shall I just pick one buy it in bulk and live with it Yes. A proven one. The Prem has been catching carp for literally 30 years mate. Just grab some Matrix or Aminos and be done with it! oscsha and elmoputney 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 I'm taking notice and going with a fishmeal,😁 but i do like the sound of Shropshire gold tbh,and there is the option of a winterised version it's a natural food bait, natural in colour and apparently it works quite quickly and will appear washed out due to its colour and with no added flavour, some of those factors may help me get the fish feeding quicker which suits my shorter sessions, it suits the bank balance a bit better too free postage and a little cheaper, it does seem to catch fish from the reports I read, apparently it smells like fish food, I haven't read anything negative about retro baits and I have trawled the web looking for it, and I know a couple of people on here have used it and given positive reviews about them so hopefully it's the one for me, I would like to put this chapter to bed tbh, I want to move on from worrying about these things and just knowing I can reach into the freezer and pull out a bag of bait that works is all I need, Thanks all for your input and thanks for getting me back on track 🙏🙏👍 yonny, salokcinnodrog and oscsha 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscsha Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 I've been on a different water the last 3 weeks and nothing has been coming out , but up untill 3 weeks ago I was doing well on Shropshire gold soaked in Hydro squid using a scent from hell pop up . Not bothered with the winterised one . The Retro shelf life are good just a little firmer I always try and keep some shelfies in my bag or car just in case I forget me bait (what wally would do that :)). Nick (retro) is doing the snail pop ups in 14mm now as well you just need to ask him . elmoputney 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 15 minutes ago, oscsha said: I've been on a different water the last 3 weeks and nothing has been coming out , but up untill 3 weeks ago I was doing well on Shropshire gold soaked in Hydro squid using a scent from hell pop up . Not bothered with the winterised one . The Retro shelf life are good just a little firmer I always try and keep some shelfies in my bag or car just in case I forget me bait (what wally would do that :)). Nick (retro) is doing the snail pop ups in 14mm now as well you just need to ask him . Thanks for that I have asked for some 14mm snails with my order, I have placed my order now so its happening 15kg of 18mm golden balls on the way plus 2kg of 12mm that will get me going for now and some wafters and amino spray, like you though I quite fancy using some alternate hookbaits I'm keen to try some proper job pop ups this year but also have a load of dna ones still 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmcee Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 3 hours ago, elmoputney said: I feel like I am frying my brain at the moment tbh, I keep thinking about bait and choosing the right one , and how do I choose the right bait for me, when ultimately I still don't have confidence in any, when I last fished there I had a bait I was confident using (not available now) and I feel last year I tried a few and none gave me a lot of confidence,well one did but the supplier didn't, and I also know maybe I should've stuck with one but there is so much choice these days and that still requires a leap of faith , and then there is bait type, what do I want? It's got to be fairly instant and attractive as I dont get to do long sessions? I want to try and not hook too many cats, bream or tench, these are the kind of questions I have, my main options are retro baits, premier and making one unique with the custom bait creator, I've spoken to both tony and Nick burrage and both have been helpful it's doing my head in help 😭 I've been dealing with tony for about 20yrs now. In those 20yrs I used the matrix RR with matrix flavour for 5 yrs ( only changed because a few anglers found out what I was on) having brilliant results. I've dabbled with his other baits , mainly when fishing on different waters throughout the close season etc and always caught on them. Though one season I used the pro fruit and was top rod for that year on my lake. . I've done really well on his randoms, all his bait is good so I was confident using a mixed bag. Then for 12- 15yrs myself and a few mates have been on the same bait, a custom rolled bait on the superaminos base mix. Sticking to a bait is paramount and I'm afraid as yonny has said it's not the bait that isn't catching but the angler. I've been there, blaming my bait for not catching until someone said its not the bait but me. That person was right, went back to basics and not overthinking and bang started catching again. If you don't want catfish etc then a fishmeal may not be the best bait, but his pro fruit is very good as is his winter blend. I've used both to very good affect. yonny and elmoputney 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmcee Posted February 13, 2020 Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 14 minutes ago, elmoputney said: Thanks for that I have asked for some 14mm snails with my order, I have placed my order now so its happening 15kg of 18mm golden balls on the way plus 2kg of 12mm that will get me going for now and some wafters and amino spray, like you though I quite fancy using some alternate hookbaits I'm keen to try some proper job pop ups this year but also have a load of dna ones still 😁 Good on you, stick with it and I'm sure the results will come for you. As harsh as it may sound but if you're not catching, then look at what you're doing before thinking it's the bait. Tight lines yonny and elmoputney 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoputney Posted February 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2020 11 minutes ago, emmcee said: Good on you, stick with it and I'm sure the results will come for you. As harsh as it may sound but if you're not catching, then look at what you're doing before thinking it's the bait. Tight lines I totally agree with you tbh, st Ives in hindsight was far too big for me to get my head around this year, on the Club lake I caught well on any bait I tried, and when I got it right on Vermuyden it went OK too, this year isn't such a steep learning curve for me, it's more a natural progression from where I left off, all those years ago but with the added bonus of this year's learning, I hope I fried my brain enough last year to make this year work out better, there are positives to be taken, I just think I needed to work through the phooey to get to a place I am confident in what I do, my rigs work when I apply the thinking correctly, a couple of bites will give me the confidence in the bait, it's now down to me and my application of it tbh I can still remember a few spots I caught off so I am not going in blind as it were It's going to be fine this year can't wait to get cracking 👍 Cheers again finchey, emmcee, yonny and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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