A few small tweaks to try and get the edge needed to unlock what has been a very difficult water producing no more than a handful of carp since the last week in October. This needs to be small but effective as I didn't want the carp getting preoccupied from over baiting the swim.
At this time of year where winter turns to spring I stick with my winter approach of scaled down end tackle and just enough free baits to attract interest and go from there with quantities dependant on success.
Liquid Attractors.
While I use these all year round it's a particularly good edge when you are keeping your baiting minimal, Making the few offerings used as attractive to the carp as possible. For this I used Haith's Liquid Robin Red with Chilli.
A fantastic way of getting a deep even coverage with freezer baits is to defrost the required amount of boilies needed, Then once defrosted drizzle a light coverage over the top layer of boilies then with your hand or a bait spoon turn them until all the baits are shiny and covered with your chosen Haith's Liquid and leave to soak for 12 hours. Then give them another mix around and re freeze them for 24hrs.
After this defrost again and repeat the process, the more times you do this the deeper the attraction gets as soaking then re freezing draws the liquid deeper every time. I normally do mine 3 or 4 times as I fit it around work as follows.
1. Defrost overnight .
2. Cover with one of Haith's Liquids and turn before I go to work in the morning.
3. Turn and re freeze when I get home from work.
4. Leave in freezer a day.
5. Repeat
Its Easy..! and well worth the 20 minutes a day it will take to do.
Paste
Once on the bank I measured a cup full of Haith's Robin Red and Chilli base mix with a cup full of Haith's Super Red.
Tip both into a strong plastic bag then fill with air, Twist the top of the bag and shake well mixing the two together. I then tipped the contents of the bag into a container and beat one full egg in the cup adding a bit at a time to the powder while mixing with a fork until I could use my hands finishing with a dough that doesn't stick to your hands.
This gives another fantastic attraction wrapped around your hook bait and I also wrap a few of the free baits as well or make small paste discs if fishing over a soft silty bottom so they flutter down and lay on the top rather than sinking into the silt. If I do this I also use chops rather than whole boilies for the same reason.
I then put a selection of hook baits into a small washed out treacle tin or jar and drizzle with the same Liquid Robin Red and Chilli, put the lid back on and give them a shake to cover. I leave the tin on top of my bait freezer so I can give them another shake every morning and night. The longer these are left to soak the better, I have a few different containers with hook baits soaking in different flavours.
As they say the proof is in the pudding as my efforts saved a blank with this cracking little 16lb 8oz common and a bonus Tench at 8lb. Considering the number of good anglers who drew a blank who were there fishing at the same time, It proves that small details can make a big difference !
Written by Wayne Maltby
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