by bgit » 30 Mar 2009 20:52
Having tested baits for a few companies, was one of the people that tried prebaiting and using boilies in the 80's (during the Geoff Kemp and Hutchie early days) at Avoncliffe and LS, then my advice is find a good bait that works for you, apply it well and stick with it.
I have two freezers loaded with ingredients but still reckon that a safe way to go is to use something you have confidence in, keep additives and flavours to a low level. If you feel it's losing it's effectiveness then tweak it but think long and hard about it.
I prefer to use natural ingredients and extracts (examples GLM, Liver powders etc) to tweak baits. Keep your solubles up for the winter, half your oil content and use an oil that stays liquid - you can put some in a fridge to test it. Also add something to 'open the bait out' or texture it to aid leakage.
For flavours add it at half the recommended dose maximum for most available flavours.
There are some instant baits out there Source, Trigga, Blitz and some others which as a single hook bait work most times from the off, providing the fish are there!
I caught barbel and chub on trout pellets many years before the pellet revolution and also on pastes made from fish pond food.
Remember that cheap ingredients can be just as effective as expensive ones as the fish don't know how much they cost!
Cheers
Bob