Dr Paul Garner
reveals the simplest paste you’ll ever make, plus top bait advice
ILOVE paste baits... the rapid leak-off of attraction as they break down is far more effective at attracting fish than harder baits.
The soft texture also makes hooking fish very easy, and the hook can be buried inside the bait for maximum concealment. Yet still I talk to a lot of anglers who struggle to fish paste effectively.
Some have a stringy texture and stay on the hook almost indefinitely, but others melt in seconds and require a much more delicate application. Fortunately, if you choose the right bait for the job you will find that it works well.
I would suggest starting off with a ready-mixed paste until you get a feel for the consistency that you need, then progress to a dry paste mix that you need to prepare on the bank. Or, if you want total control over the bait you are using, making your own mix is the way to go. This can work out cheaper and allow you to include whatever ingredients you want.
I am not the most delicate of anglers, so I need a bait that will stay on the hook well, yet be soft enough for me to strike through it cleanly when I get a bite.
THE SIMPLEST PASTE EVER
Recently I have been testing out a wide range of commonly-available powdered ingredients in a quest for the perfect easy-to-make paste.
Ideally, the bait would have as few ingredients as possible and be cheap to buy. After a few late nights in the bait shed I have come up with a great paste that has only one ingredient... semolina!
This just happens to be used in a great many boilie and paste baits, and of course it makes a tasty pudding too! At around a pound for more than enough bait for a day’s fishing it is very economical too. Semolina is made from ground wheat, so it has a fairly bland taste and off-white colour. It will catch fish on its own, but it lends itself very well to flavours and colours being added.
To make my semolina paste all you need to do is slowly add cold water to the semolina in a mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork and give the water a minute or two to be absorbed before adding more. Once the correct consistency has been achieved – a firm, slightly tacky, paste – put the bait in an airtight bag to stop it drying out. You can freeze it if you want, but I find it so easy to make that I prefer to use it fresh.
Semolina on its own makes quite a dense paste that goes slightly stringy over time, helping it to stay on the hook. It is very easy to mould around the hook and will last over an hour in water, making it ideal for a wide range of tactics.
FLAVOURS AND COLOURS
With its bland taste and colour, creating your own semolina special is very easy. I prefer to add powdered additives to the dry semolina and liquid ones to the water, as this allows for very easy mixing and an even spread of the concentrated ingredients. You can let your imagination run riot and use whatever additives you have confidence in.
Try bright yellow baits right now, switching to dark red as we hit summer. Fruity flavours, such