Groundbait refers to a powdered dry mix that is usually wetted to allow it to be used properly. Groundbait is a massively underused tactic in 'big carp' fishing. Traditionally thought of as a match anglers bait, there has been a trend in recent times where carp anglers are slowly coming around to the idea of match fishing baits such as groundbait, luncheon meat and paste. Groundbait is very versatile and can be used in so many ways, wetted down and balled up, it can be used in stick mixes, solid PVA bag mixes, it can be used to stodge up spod mixes or even over-wetted into a slop mixture and spodded out over zig rigs. Here are a few groundbaits that you need to try in your own fishing.
WHAT IS GROUNDBAIT?
A good groundbait is a mixture of different powdered attractors and crumbs, mixed together and sold in 1kg or 2kg bags. The ingredients are all bone dry so it needs a lot of water and a bit of careful prep work before it is at its most effective. Dedicated groundbaits, stick mixes and bag mixes are all classed as groundbaits, basically anything that is a dry crumb/powdery mix.
So how do you use them effectively? Well, that depends on what you want to achieve. The stick mix seems to have fallen out of fashion recently, but it has been a deadly tactic for many years, in that instance you would simply take a 2-pint bait tub and pour some of the stick mixes in, adding any other dry ingredients and give it all a good mix. Then, add your PVA-friendly liquids, in the summer I like to add a slosh of hemp oil or salmon oil. Give it an even better mix and leave it for 20 mins, this allows the dry ingredients to suck up all those liquids. After 20 mins give it another stir and do a test batch by putting a small amount into your stick mix PVA tube and compressing it with moderate pressure, it should stay in its form and not break down, and also not be dripping with liquids. Once you are happy, thread a small 3-inch stick onto your hooklink and off you go!
CC Moore Krill Bag Mix
Sticky Baits Manilla Active Mix
Sonubaits Exploding Fishmeal Mix
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Sounbaits Exploding Fishmeal Mix - A modern feeder mix which is based on hemp and fishmeal. Due to the particle sizes it explodes out of the feeder providing a perfect feeding area. The speed at which it comes out of the feeder means you can very quickly build a swim with regular casts. Exploding Fishmeal Feeder can be mixed quite dry which means that it will empty from the feeder even more quickly. It can be used as a straight mix or can be used for plugging the ends of your feeder when introducing other baits into the swim.
Stick Baits Manilla Active Mix - Designed to complement the rest of our Manilla range, but an awesome stand mix to use for bags, sticks, ground bait and spod mixes with any of our baits. Within are high levels of the matching base mix, along with a boosted level of soluble ingredients, which results in a far faster release of attractors than a boiled bait could ever achieve. When submerged in water, the Manilla Active Mix really comes to life releasing small food particles that will rise through the water column, drawing fish in and giving them that extra encouragement to feed whilst keeping food items to a minimum.
This product was designed for carp anglers to use for bags and sticks but will appeal to a huge percentage of anglers, whatever their target. No cheap bulking-out agents are added to this high-quality mix, so if money is tight, it can be cut 50/50 with crumb and still remain a very effective mix. We suggest dampening it down with our Cloudy Manilla Liquid for the ultimate in fish-pulling natural attraction.
CC Moore Krill Bag Mix - Krill are small crustaceans, which live in the Antarctic Southern Ocean and contain both high-quality protein and oil. Their protein contains essential amino acids and their oil is rich in nutritionally beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Only the purest, Antarctic krill (Euphausia Superba) is used within CC Moore products as they are from the clean and barely-polluted waters of the Antarctic, making them of superior quality to others.
This highly attractive, moist loose feed mix contains high levels of our potent natural Krill Micromass & Krill Meal and is the perfect mix for using in PVA bags or sticks when fishing with savoury baits containing fish, shellfish and other ingredients.
So, we asked around at TFT HQ and on the banks of Berners Hall Fishery to find out what was the best choice, and the resounding winner was the CC Moore Krill Bag Mix!
KEY POINTS
- Atlantic Krill highest quality krill is used
- Amino Acids are packed with the good stuff!
- Salts natural salts that appeal to carp
- Soluble can be used all year round
- Quality the best quality ingredients
- 1kg Bags resealable for freshness