Your hook bait is arguably the most important element when it comes to bait selection yet, so few anglers give their hook baits the thought and attention they deserve.
Hook baits basically fall into 3 categories, bottom baits, wafters and pop ups.
Bottom baits are designed to be fished on the bottom and contain no ingredients to alter their buoyancy. Wafters on the other hand contain an element of buoyancy that when attached to a rig enable them to waft just off the bottom and are often referred to as being of neutral buoyancy. Pop ups however are designed to sit up off the bottom and are held down by a piece of weighted putty or a split shot. Which one you choose will depend on the rig, the situation and the topography of the lake bed you are fishing over.
Your favourite boilie brands will all have a range of hookbait options to match and this makes choosing what hook bait is best for you a lot easier. Sticky Baits, CC Moore, Mainline Baits, Dynamite Baits, Nash Tackle and Richworth Baits are all in stock and ready to be sent out!
We also stock a wide range of dedicated hook baits that are either high visibility, perhaps a fluro colour or maybe even a washed-out colour to imitate a bait that has been sat in the water longer and therefore appears safer to eat to the carp.
Of course, it doesn’t stop with the colour, there are a myriad of various flavour options, from sweet and fruity to fishy and smelly! Richworth Tutti Fruitti is still one of the best Winter single hook bait options out there and it’s a bait that has really stood the test of time well.
Thinking Tackle Top Tip – on any given day the colour of a hookbait can make a big difference to your catch results. It pays to carry a selection of hook bait colours and flavours so that you can change hook baits until you find the right one on the day.
For added attraction you can try boosting your tubs of hook baits with a Goo type liquid. Designed to soak in to the hook baits and release once on the lake bed over a long period of time, there a load of options in terms of colour and flavour and how quickly the flavours and attractors are released. A winning combination is a white Mainline Milky Toffee pop up, soaked in the Korda Almond Goo, only add enough to cover each bait and give them a shake every day to ensure each bait gets a good coating. What you don’t want is a layer of Goo in the bottom of the tub, add just enough to cover each bait.
So, there you have it, plenty of options for your hook baits and all available at Total Fishing Tackle!
FAQs
What Are the Best Popups for Carp Fishing?
A nice super buoyant, super attractive pop is hard to beat. Fished on the correct rig, in the right place of course! Any of the main bait companies produce good popups but the Sticky Baits Mulbz and the Mainline Pineapple Juice are my favourites!
What Are the Best Hookbaits for Carp Fishing?
Literally anything! I have caught carp on boilies, pellets, sweet corn, popups and wafters, but also on bits of cork and bits of foam! Do some research into the venue you are going to visit, ask the bailiffs and they will put you right. Always carry a selection of different hook bait options.