THE AUTUMN BAIT MIX
Jim Wilson explains why showing your bait a little extra love as temperatures drop can transform your results…
IT’S THE time of year when we need to really consider how we apply bait throughout our session and in what form. The ingredients in my standard mix don’t change, but the quantity and consistency of the feed certainly does!
Despite cooling water temperatures, I’m still using a quality fishmeal boilie like The Krill Active. I mix the sizes of these baits (usually 12mm and 16mm) but end up crumbing/chopping at least half of them beforehand.
To make the mix, I start by putting a good four or five scoops of crumbed boilies into a bucket, along with a few handfuls of Bloodworm pellets. These pellets are formidable, especially at this time of year. They work even better when the carp are actively seeking out any remaining natural food in the lake. Half-a-kilo to a kilo of corn is the next addition and adds a visual appeal to the mix. Hemp plays a role too, adding masses of attraction and plenty of crunchy bits.
Less is more with liquids
I tend to shy away from using masses of liquids during autumn. The juice from the hemp is enough to help stodge the mix together. My only liquid addition will be few cap-fulls of Calanus liquid. This is highly potent, and only a small amount can transform your bait’s attraction. It’s also soluble and super thin, which means it’ll disperse easily when in the water, unlike some other liquids which would potentially congeal.
Keep them grubbing around
Once all of the ingredients are mixed thoroughly, I leave the mix to stand in the bucket to allow it time to stodge up. The crumb binds the mix together perfectly, while the corn and hemp provide small food particles on the lakebed. As time moves on and we welcome the colder weather, the only thing I’ll change is the amount I apply to the spot. At the moment, I’m fishing on silty areas and this mix keeps them
grubbing around for a very long time.
If the mix seems too wet, simply add more crumb to get that perfect consistency. Carp can’t resist crumb and, as long as it’s damp, it’ll always make its way to the lakebed. The end result is less food but more attraction on the bottom, which will keep your spot working even after a bite.
Show your hookbaits some love
When fishing over this feed I always go for a boosted hookbait. My choice varies depending on the situation. If the carp are clearly up for a feed, I use a ‘match the hatch’ pop-up boosted with glug.
Krill glug is a great additive to use to ramp up the attraction levels. To ensure it lasts in the water, I allow the glugged bait time to dry out in the wind/sun before I cast it out. This forms a sticky layer around the hookbait, which will cling on for longer in the water. Couple this with dusting it off before the cast with a dip of Pure GLM powder and it locks the goodness in.
When it gets colder or if I’m feeding very little, I’ll opt for more striking hookbaits like the Mulbz. These have been phenomenal fish-catchers since their release, and will no doubt carry on catching plenty of big carp through the winter months too.