Specialized Hookbaits

[kevtaylor]

2 minutes ago, greekskii said:

I pierce mine so they dont bother me. If anything they feel more secure with the large chunks for me. Funny how the attachment you use can change your view on something so drastically! 

I would keep buying them but at £20 a pot is the reason I'm looking down the making my own route. Basemix from my bait guy and I can add to it and do what I want then. Probably cost me less than £20 a tub but I havent worked that out yet!

Yes far too expensive to warrant that price for me, although I paid it lol

Good luck with the bait making 👍

[elmoputney]

I still really like proper jobs, I have loads of  pots of pop ups with different liquids and coatings, goos, powders, liquids on them. 

Match the hatch soaked in matching bait spray and coated with stick mix, proper job KLS unsullied,and now innovates choc orange soaked in minamino are the three I start with, I know they all work 😳

I've tried loads of different ones with wondergredients like goo and I'm yet to be convinced they work any better, I think as others have said, they still need to be in the right place. 

[Old_Skool_Carper]

@salokcinnodrog hiya...

re: "I'd stick with my own spiced garlic pop-ups. "

i;ve been playing around this season with garlic-essential-oil from whole foods, only using 2 drops per 1 KG of dry mix what a PONG!!!😷

caught but catches haven't been great, i remeber you saying you spiced yours, my question is do ya use cayenne pepper or some other spice, can ya say or is it a secret?!

PM if ya like , CHEERS!

 

 

[salokcinnodrog]

10 hours ago, Old_Skool_Carper said:

@salokcinnodrog hiya...

re: "I'd stick with my own spiced garlic pop-ups. "

i;ve been playing around this season with garlic-essential-oil from whole foods, only using 2 drops per 1 KG of dry mix what a PONG!!!😷

caught but catches haven't been great, i remeber you saying you spiced yours, my question is do ya use cayenne pepper or some other spice, can ya say or is it a secret?!

PM if ya like , CHEERS!

 

 

Not a secret at all, Megaspice.

You may also find that Versele Laga Garlic Oil at around £17 for 250ml is a better buy.

I go to putting liquids in eggs, get a better mix through than adding it to the eggs and base mix.

Don't forget that I use the Garlic spice baits for hookbaits only, so the flavour level is that recommended for 4 eggs in a 1 egg mix.

https://rodhutchinson.co.uk/product/legend-flavour-megaspice/

I did put the whole recipe 

I've dropped the additional liquids just relying on garlic and megaspice

 

 

[elmoputney]

Rather than relying on liquids you could try adding some of this, i use 2 little scoops in my spod mix and it honks,it was my little secret lol, but it has done me really well for the last 2 years 😳 

[PureBlood]

Just joined and want to say thank you very much for this info thread as you've saved me a lot of money, because was going to buy four different flavor pots!

Edited Sunday at 07:38 by PureBlood
spelling

[Dave Fowler]

They're no better or worse than any other 'premium' brand.

I've tried 3 types, caught on the first pot, absolutely stuff all on the subsequent purchases, same lake, same spots.

Bloke goes bananas on there if you don't sing his praises, what epic ranting.

[yonny]

16 hours ago, Dave Fowler said:

They're no better or worse than any other 'premium' brand.

*In your opinion.....

In my opinion, this statement is a mile off. Yes, there are plenty of great hookbaits available, but most 'premium' brands are to this day just a load of pop up mix and flavouring. While imo there is actually a place for such hookbaits, for me they cannot compare to a well crafted buoyant food bait.

To add balance to the thread, I've tried the garlics and several versions of the S2. Did well on all of them. Decent hookbaits imo.

[kevtaylor]

If you like a garlic bait, Urban baits - absolutely stink and very reliable bouyancy, great baits - was using these with the Premier Aminos Garlic and Tuna.  MEGA!

[elmoputney]

I've not used them myself, they do seem to catch some decent fish though if you look at the catch reports. Now I am making my own bait I know I will probably get into making up some "specials" with coatings and crusts etc at some point, and can see how the process they use makes them the price they are. They seem well thought out IMO and have learnt it's not usually the bait that is the reason for not catching it's usually location, application and procrastination are the main factors for blanking. 

[yonny]

7 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

the reason for not catching it's usually location, application and procrastination are the main factors for blanking. 

I agree Elmo 👍

[elmoputney]

14 minutes ago, yonny said:

I agree Elmo 👍

Something else that sticks with me is Elliot Grays description of what he wants his hookbait to achieve and that is to give the fish a choice of whether to take it or not. He makes his hookbaits a blatent pink pop up or wafter and by making it the most clearly visible highest attraction bait in the swim. The fish then has the choice. I can see these pop ups doing the same sort of job. 

[kevtaylor]

2 hours ago, elmoputney said:

Something else that sticks with me is Elliot Grays description of what he wants his hookbait to achieve and that is to give the fish a choice of whether to take it or not. He makes his hookbaits a blatent pink pop up or wafter and by making it the most clearly visible highest attraction bait in the swim. The fish then has the choice. I can see these pop ups doing the same sort of job. 

Does he then miss out on all the fish that avoid a bright one, all his eggs in one basket?  There are lakes and times of year that I'd use a bright, other lakes where I wouldn't dream of it. 🤷‍♂️

Surely he has seen thousands of carp spook off brights on camera.

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, kevtaylor said:

Does he then miss out on all the fish that avoid a bright one, all his eggs in one basket?  There are lakes and times of year that I'd use a bright, other lakes where I wouldn't dream of it. 🤷‍♂️

Surely he has seen thousands of carp spook off brights on camera.

I think that was his go to for a long time but the underwaters have definately made him question it a bit.But I can't speak for him. Thing is Kev without a camera we probably won't know half the times we get done or a carp won't take a bait. We can only go onthe ones we catch. (or not 😂) so the more you use a bright or match the hatch one the more you will catch on them 😬

Another thing I gleaned from a podcast was to change hookbait colour depending on whether you were targetting a mirror or common. Now when I look at my big common captures they have been on a yellow pop up. Maybe to catch the bigger mirrors I need a match the hatch or duller bait. The theory was that commons are more sight feeders than mirrors. Again Just a theory but I might use more match the hatch type hookbaits this year as I want to catch the big mirrors. 

[kevtaylor]

18 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

I think that was his go to for a long time but the underwaters have definately made him question it a bit.But I can't speak for him. Thing is Kev without a camera we probably won't know half the times we get done or a carp won't take a bait. We can only go onthe ones we catch. (or not 😂) so the more you use a bright or match the hatch one the more you will catch on them 😬

Another thing I gleaned from a podcast was to change hookbait colour depending on whether you were targetting a mirror or common. Now when I look at my big common captures they have been on a yellow pop up. Maybe to catch the bigger mirrors I need a match the hatch or duller bait. The theory was that commons are more sight feeders than mirrors. Again Just a theory but I might use more match the hatch type hookbaits this year as I want to catch the big mirrors. 

I agree with the common thing they do seem to go for yellow a lot and I don't use yellow much and catch mainly mirrors, gonna use this as I actually want to target a big common this year.

Underwater vids aside, I just wouldn't consider using brights after spring on a busy water where they see everything all the time, 90% anglers on brights with ronnies all year round says to me AVOID THIS

I think you'll catch more over a season on match the hatch, just my opinion though👍

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, kevtaylor said:

I agree with the common thing they do seem to go for yellow a lot and I don't use yellow much and catch mainly mirrors, gonna use this as I actually want to target a big common this year.

Underwater vids aside, I just wouldn't consider using brights after spring on a busy water where they see everything all the time, 90% anglers on brights with ronnies all year round says to me AVOID THIS

I think you'll catch more over a season on match the hatch, just my opinion though👍

Maybe keep at least one on a yellow all year then, is that "the big common" 😍

I do kind of agree with the give them a choice kind of hookbait still though. Maybe just tone it down a bit later on in the year, and go for something similar but different if that makes sense. At times I've done quite well on the brown proper jobs. Something a little different but not greatly. 

Also I've never been one to use the same hookbait on all 3 rods, so I can't ever be conclusive about it 😂

[salokcinnodrog]

On 08/02/2026 at 14:22, Dave Fowler said:

They're no better or worse than any other 'premium' brand.

I've tried 3 types, caught on the first pot, absolutely stuff all on the subsequent purchases, same lake, same spots.

Bloke goes bananas on there if you don't sing his praises, what epic ranting.

 

11 hours ago, yonny said:

*In your opinion.....

In my opinion, this statement is a mile off. Yes, there are plenty of great hookbaits available, but most 'premium' brands are to this day just a load of pop up mix and flavouring. While imo there is actually a place for such hookbaits, for me they cannot compare to a well crafted buoyant food bait.

To add balance to the thread, I've tried the garlics and several versions of the S2. Did well on all of them. Decent hookbaits imo.

Many premium brands as @yonny has said are pop-up mix and flavour, that could be any brand, although there are some that have that something.

8 hours ago, kevtaylor said:

If you like a garlic bait, Urban baits - absolutely stink and very reliable bouyancy, great baits - was using these with the Premier Aminos Garlic and Tuna.  MEGA!

Garlic is one of those additions that can really put fish on the bank, but it is finding the garlic that works; in pop-ups I never found powdered versions work, possibly not enough smell, and I am not scientific enough to work it out, but in a food bait they may work well.

 

7 hours ago, elmoputney said:

I've not used them myself, they do seem to catch some decent fish though if you look at the catch reports. Now I am making my own bait I know I will probably get into making up some "specials" with coatings and crusts etc at some point, and can see how the process they use makes them the price they are. They seem well thought out IMO and have learnt it's not usually the bait that is the reason for not catching it's usually location, application and procrastination are the main factors for blanking. 

Oh those coatings can be fun to make, can be as simple as rolling dried baits in egg, then rolling in powder.

4 hours ago, kevtaylor said:

Does he then miss out on all the fish that avoid a bright one, all his eggs in one basket?  There are lakes and times of year that I'd use a bright, other lakes where I wouldn't dream of it. 🤷‍♂️

Surely he has seen thousands of carp spook off brights on camera.

 

2 hours ago, kevtaylor said:

I agree with the common thing they do seem to go for yellow a lot and I don't use yellow much and catch mainly mirrors, gonna use this as I actually want to target a big common this year.

Underwater vids aside, I just wouldn't consider using brights after spring on a busy water where they see everything all the time, 90% anglers on brights with ronnies all year round says to me AVOID THIS

I think you'll catch more over a season on match the hatch, just my opinion though👍

 

2 hours ago, kevtaylor said:

I agree with the common thing they do seem to go for yellow a lot and I don't use yellow much and catch mainly mirrors, gonna use this as I actually want to target a big common this year.

Underwater vids aside, I just wouldn't consider using brights after spring on a busy water where they see everything all the time, 90% anglers on brights with ronnies all year round says to me AVOID THIS

I think you'll catch more over a season on match the hatch, just my opinion though👍

 

20 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

Maybe keep at least one on a yellow all year then, is that "the big common" 😍

I do kind of agree with the give them a choice kind of hookbait still though. Maybe just tone it down a bit later on in the year, and go for something similar but different if that makes sense. At times I've done quite well on the brown proper jobs. Something a little different but not greatly. 

Also I've never been one to use the same hookbait on all 3 rods, so I can't ever be conclusive about it 😂

Funnily enough I have caught far more on a food bait equivalent than on a yellow pop-up on most waters. The yellow pop-up produced fish on 'small fish' waters, but not on big fish venues, although the past couple of years did produce stocked fish rather than original fish on the syndicate.

Thinking back to various 25lb+ commons I have caught, none came on yellow baits, all but one were on snowman baits, food bait with an identical coloured pop-up (not necessarily same flavour), the one that didn't was on a single 15mm food bait.

 

 

As an add, I did remove the 'disagreement', not going to have it get nasty. Express an opinion, give your point and don't have a go.

[Dave Fowler]

19 hours ago, yonny said:

*In your opinion.....

In my opinion, this statement is a mile off. Yes, there are plenty of great hookbaits available, but most 'premium' brands are to this day just a load of pop up mix and flavouring. While imo there is actually a place for such hookbaits, for me they cannot compare to a well crafted buoyant food bait.

To add balance to the thread, I've tried the garlics and several versions of the S2. Did well on all of them. Decent hookbaits imo.

Do you consider SHB a premium brand or not ?