Almost all bait companies will provide matching liquids to complement their range of boilies but there is so much more available than just your bog-standard boilie dip or glug…....
There are a whole host of various liquids and additives available, all designed to help you trick the trickiest of fish and you can find them all right here!
The humble boilie dip has evolved considerably over the years, gone are the days that the required boilie flavour would be added to a carrier like glycerine creating a thick, sticky liquid that could be applied to boilies to allow them to soak up the flavour and boost their attraction slightly. Now we have a myriad of liquid and powdered ingredients combined to pump out food signals into the water, attracting the fish and leading them right to your bait and rig.
All the big bait companies, Sticky Baits, Mainline, CC Moore, Nash, Mainline, Dynamite Baits etc all have their own ranges of various liquids which can be a bit confusing
Dips, glugs, soaks, oils, liquids, syrups and sprays. All serving different purposes and all extremely effective on their day, but which one is right for you?
Dips and sprays are predominantly designed to allow you to give your hookbait a quick boost before casting out into the water, usually more concentrated and in smaller bottles as only a little will go a long way. You can of course allow hook baits to soak in these liquids for longer periods of time, boosting their attractiveness but be careful not to overdo it.
Total Fishing Tackle Top Tip – when zig rig fishing with bits of foam, let the foam soak in your favourite spray or dip for 10 mins before casting out, Hinders Betalin is one of the very best out there!
Glugs, soaks, and oils are designed to be added to your free offerings in larger quantities and allowed to soak into or coat the contents. You can add them to boilies, pellets, particles and even floating baits for the summer surface fishing. A batch of floating pellets coated in salmon oil or something similar can whip the laziest of summer carp into a feeding frenzy!
Another Total Fishing Tackle Top Tip is to soak your boilies in your chosen liquid and drain them off. Whist they are still wet add a good dose of a matching powder or groundbait and leave them to ‘cure’ overnight. In the morning the baits will be coated with a dry paste and when used they will leak off the powdered and liquid attractors leaving a smell and taste in drifting through the water column and pulling carp into your swim.
Syrups are the newest name to find itself on the side of a plastic jerry can, with a few different manufacturers now produce liquids under the ‘syrup’ name. Many are designed for adding to spod mixes, soaking into boilies or solid bag mixes, but the options are only limited by your imagination really. One thing to be aware of, make sure if you plan to use a liquid in a PVA bag mix or stick mix, that it is PVA friendly!
Powdered additives are mainly used for bait making but can be added to your favourite dip or hook bait soak to further increase its attraction. If you use a savoury boilie and dip then try adding some Green Lipped Mussel powder, just half a tea spoon to your pot of hook baits.
For a sweeter note try adding a similar amount of CC Moore betaine powder, a great edge when using a sweeter profile boilie or hook bait.
Of course, if you make your own hook baits then our range of powdered additives will be a big help in boosting your baits and making them more appealing to Mr Carp!
So, there you have it, a liquid for every occasion and situation and as always, if you are unsure what is the right product for you then get in touch and we will point you in the right direction.
FAQs
What Are the Best Bait Additives for Carp Fishing?
In my boilies, I always make sure I use extra betaine as it is super sweet and the silt on the bottom of the lake I am fishing doesn't mask the smell. GLM (green-lipped mussel) powder is another brilliant one and so is Belachan shrimp paste. Dissolve some in a dribble of hot water for a real edge!