| Many anglers now use pellets exclusively for | | | | pellets now available. When used in |
| their carp fishing. It's not surprising given | | | | combination with added soaks and mixed |
| their effectiveness. Even the use of pellets | | | | together, and used with a ground bait as an |
| as a particle bait while fishing boilies over | | | | added dimension, they really give the carp |
| the top was once a massive edge, fooling the | | | | much lower chances of avoiding the hook! |
| fish into picking up baits that were | | | | |
| dissolving and not dissolving at the same | | | | Pellets do not even have to be fish or |
| time. | | | | shellfish meal based. Many now are cereal |
| | | | based with very innovative extracts and meals |
| These days it is common on many waters to | | | | added. Many are flavoured to match the |
| know carp are ravenously clearing up your | | | | boilies you are using. In fact so many are |
| free chum bait pellets while your hook baits | | | | absolutely ideal for use as fish pulling and |
| get ignored. The use of trout pellets, salmon | | | | triggering attractor carriers. The old 'sheep |
| pellets and now the infamous halibut pellets | | | | nuts' or corn steep liquor pellets are highly |
| is just down to angling fashions changing as | | | | soluble and take on soaks well. |
| they always do. Even though halibut pellets | | | | |
| are hugely convenient and available today, | | | | They variety of pellets is endless as |
| they do not represent an edge over all the | | | | producers strive for a different product. |
| other anglers on your water who are also | | | | They are ideal for building up feeding fish |
| using them! | | | | in your swim without filling them up and |
| | | | holding fish with there dissolved goodies in |
| Where many ready made boilies fail is in the | | | | the water. Many many types can pull fish from |
| fact that they are less soluble and less | | | | long distances too. |
| digestible than halibut pellets for example | | | | |
| and indeed many types of trout and salmon | | | | For some strange reason, many carp anglers |
| pellet too. Not only this but their | | | | seem to avoid achieving a edge and often use |
| nutritional profiles may be weaker in terms | | | | what their mates are using even if their |
| of attraction also. Fish meals and shellfish | | | | mates do not catch many more fish than they |
| meals have very much going for them with | | | | do because everyone is all using the same |
| essential amino acids, omega oils, vitamins, | | | | bait. The increased use of bloodworm pellets |
| minerals, enzymes and so on all doing their | | | | and the popularity of pineapple flavours got |
| stuff to pull in the fish. | | | | me scratching my head on this one. |
| | | | |
| Having said that, boilies made from halibut | | | | The relative effectiveness of one type of |
| pellet powder are very effective and more | | | | pellet to another is an interesting one and |
| resilient than pellets themselves. Pellets | | | | prone to personal experiences on different |
| can often be wasted because so many other | | | | waters, opinions and even second opinions of |
| fish species love them. Their effectiveness | | | | adverts! Used efficiently together, pellets, |
| can be limited literally to the amount you | | | | particles and boilies are incredibly |
| can keep introducing into your swim over time | | | | effective. But how many angler even think of |
| as all kinds of species eat them and it might | | | | fishing over chopped fish, chopped 'seasoned' |
| take far more bait than you are prepared to | | | | squid or luncheon meat any more. Using these |
| pay for to create a desired carp feeding | | | | in a ground bait with particles and samples |
| frenzy! | | | | of the currently most popular pellets and |
| | | | boilies in your lake is extremely effective. |
| On some waters it appears at first sight as | | | | |
| if all the carp are interested in is eating | | | | Even sprinkling betaine and liquidized liver |
| halibut pellets making it tricky to get takes | | | | or green lip mussel extract and seaweed |
| on other baits, but this is easily solved! | | | | powder in solution and solution over your |
| | | | pellets, gives you an attractive different |
| Boilies made as pellets or alternative shapes | | | | bait to the usual. How many anglers have |
| can actually be easier and far less time | | | | tried the juices from canned vegetables like |
| consuming to produce and far more effective | | | | sweetcorn, fruits like pineapple or papaya or |
| than round boilies anyway. Not that many | | | | oils from various tinned fish like salmon or |
| anglers think of combining a boilie and | | | | tuna, as alternative attractive soaks? |
| pellet on the hook. Permutations to avoid | | | | |
| copying baits and methods of your fellow | | | | Anyway, give it a thought; the pellet world's |
| anglers are easy to find and work so well. | | | | your oyster! |
| How many anglers use a floating pellet with a | | | | |
| sinking pellet on the hook rig? | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait |
| | | | 'edges' up his sleeve. Every single one can |
| Bait density and buoyancy are vital things to | | | | have a huge impact on catches. (Warning: This |
| consider when achieving an edge when avoiding | | | | article is protected by copyright.) |
| the standard way of doing things. | | | | |
| | | | By Tim Richardson. |
| There are thousands of different types of | | | | |