PAUL GARNER
Get your groundbait right whatever you’re river fishing for
Get your river mix right
IT’S INTERESTING to compare and contrast how different anglers approach the same species.
One area where match anglers have a definite edge is in the art of using groundbait, especially on rivers. Many anglers would never consider using it on running water, but they’re missing out by not doing so.
Roach
Dark mixes are the way to go with roach. Roach can be very spooky over brighter groundbaits because they are silhouetted against the light substrate. A scattering of maggots in the mix will give the fish something to eat when they arrive, and they can also be used as a hookbait.
Bream
Fishmeal groundbaits are brilliant for river bream, to the point where I know a lot of barbel anglers who avoid these kinds of mixes because they attract the ‘slabs’ so well!
I tend not to stray too far from the Marine Halibut groundbaits, which are sticky enough to hold a lot of feed.
A large cage feeder loaded with groundbait, chopped worm, and caster is a winning combination for the species.
Chub
Over the years I’ve tried a lot of groundbaits for chub, but one has really stood out – Swim Stim Green – which is actually made using a crushed koi carp pellet mix. I add crayfish meal to boost its attraction further, and this can be a real edge when fishing rivers that contain a lot of these invasive crustaceans.
Barbel
Few people use groundbait when barbel fishing, but it can be deadly. In warm water conditions when the fish are feeding well I use a mix containing whole and crushed pellets, whereas when the going is tough I’ll use a finer mix containing no large particles.
To avoid catching the bream at your chosen water, try adding three drops of Black Pepper Oil to each pint of mixing water.
Barbel love this additive, bream less so.