Groundbait

How to Make Groundbait for Carp Fishing: Mixing Groundbait

Not so long ago you had little choice when it came to groundbait. It was breadcrumbs or bust! But now you have a mind-boggling choice! But that newfound choice means life is a little more complicated. Regardless of which groundbait you choose you will have to prepare it properly to maximise its potential.

Whether you choose ready mixed groundbait or would like to formulate your own recipe, preparation is required. You will need a large mixing bowl or bucket and an atomiser spray is also useful for perfecting your mixes. A container for water will help you to measure your moisture content more accurately.

Mixing Your Groundbait

As you experiment with your mixes, write down your recipes so you can replicate the successful ones when you need to. It can be hard to remember the proportions of ingredients and water that you used in each mix! Choose your proprietary bait or mix of ingredients. A stickier mix is ideal for deeper water or long range distribution whilst fluffier mix is better for quick release. Add the bait to your bowl or bucket and then gradually add water. You will usually be looking for the consistency of wet sand to start with, wet sand that you could build a sandcastle with. Mix vigorously so that all of the particles can absorb the moisture. You may also wish to include attractants in your recipe.

Using Your Groundbait

Your finished mix must stick together and yet break apart easily. Occasionally, however, you may find it beneficial to create a sloppier mix. Small helpings of sloppy groundbait featuring bread can send particles swirling down the current at some distance and this will attract the interest of large roach and chub.

You will be able to make a significant impact on large still waters by balling your bait. Here a catapult will come in handy particularly when angling for bream at long range. When pole angling, you can be more precise with your groundbaiting and can use cups or pots attached to your pole to drop the bait exactly where you need it. Cupping enables you to drop groundbait in loose form to produce a fine bed that encourages fish to feed for longer in your swim. Just remember that once you put your groundbait in, you can’t then take it out again! Balling large amounts of feed may work in certain circumstances but you are often better off adopting the little and often approach.

Trial and Error

By experimenting with your mixes and attractants and the way you feed them, you will discover what works best for you, your target fish and your chosen venue. There is no such thing as a universally success recipe or approach for carp or any fish so if your first attempts at mixing groundbait do not yield the desired results, try something new! Seek the advice of fellow anglers in your area and put your own twist on their ideas. You could come up with the ultimate winning formula.

The Dark Side

Black and darker groundbait are a great choice for clear water. They are not so visible on the bottom and so will not attract the attention of birds. In addition, many fish dislike hovering over light patches on the bottom as this makes them stand out to predators. Mix your groundbait using our black breadcrumbs, ground halibut and Skretting Nutra Plus to go to the dark side.

Seeing Red

Red groundbait is a favourite with carp, bream and tench and works well in the warmer months, particularly in lakes of a strong colour. It can also be used in clear waters. Our red breadcrumbs are ideal for creating vibrant red mixes.

Crushed Hemp Seed

This is a fabulous ingredient if you are looking to make your groundbaits more active. The seeds are oily and so help to ensure that your bait forms a tempting cloud of particles. Your groundbait could be irresistible with the inclusion of hemp seed.

Bulking Out

Breadcrumbs are the perfect solution for bulking out your groundbait. They do not distract from the flavour of the bait but provide an excellent consistency for your mixes. White crumb is more binding than brown and will break down more quickly in the water.

A-Maize-Ing

Maise makes for great bait so why not include this in the mix for your groundbait. Carp, bream, barbell, tench and chub all love it and it adds an enticing attractant to your recipe.