| Pellets catch fish period! But what do you do if they | | | | 'takes.' You may lose more fish due to 'hook-pulls' |
| are losing effectiveness as a standard pellet? Here's a | | | | with fish being more lightly hooked. |
| few ideas... | | | | You can begin by changing the sizes of pellet you |
| Trout pellets have been historically, the mainstay of | | | | use to smaller ones. Hook rig changes like changing |
| many carp and catfish fishermen for generations as | | | | 'hair-rig' hair length, hook length and hook size are |
| hook baits and economical ground bait. This very | | | | simple starting points. Very often sharpening your |
| popular pellet has achieved a great track record of | | | | hook far more with a diamond sharpener makes a |
| big fish catching success, not least because it is | | | | massive difference and very few anglers really take |
| formulated for fish rather than animals and so is | | | | the time with this extremely important detail. More |
| more able suitable as bait, with attractive oils, and | | | | fish are lost by fish being very lightly hooked on a rig |
| providing for many fish dietary and digestive | | | | and being able to get off the hook as a result of a |
| requirements and so on, although not perfectly of | | | | few shakes of the head, or even up-side down body |
| cause for catfish or carp. | | | | spins by the more 'clued-up' crafty carp! |
| There are so many pellets as a result of demand to | | | | With catfish the same situation can occur where |
| create a never-ending bewildering array of new | | | | they learn to be wary of pellets - despite their |
| fishing bait alternatives. It is a fact that baits in | | | | previous success, but this happens with 99 percent |
| general can lose their initial effectiveness after a | | | | of baits used in general by fishermen. There are very |
| varying period of captures. Therefore, the more bait | | | | few baits which when 'hammered' consistently on a |
| changes or even small tweaks can keep bites coming | | | | single water consistently produce the biggest fish |
| just like any fresh new bait when first introduced | | | | year in year out, but there are many variables |
| can. | | | | involved here too! |
| Many pellets have a binding agent or effect. Often | | | | Catfish can be caught very effectively on sinking (or |
| this is a gluten containing meal or flour or a similar | | | | floating for that matter) catfish or trout pellets. Most |
| type of ingredient. Many cheaper pellets have a | | | | anglers prefer baits that stay on the hook for longer, |
| higher cereal content and lower protein content. | | | | so sinking baits are used more. Many fishermen |
| Often these pellets also have lower quality oil content | | | | overlook other possibilities to consider, many are |
| and the protein source is less digestible by the fish. | | | | very simple. Dog or cat biscuits or cube of luncheon |
| Trout pellets are often used as a supplemental feed | | | | meat or piece of fish, shellfish or prawn alongside a |
| as part of a mixture of more expensive pellets in | | | | pellet bait on a 'hair' (or 2 or more) keeps results |
| modern European carp fishing. | | | | coming. |
| Trout pellets have been scorned because they do | | | | Where it seems that pellets have become so |
| not have the profile of nutrition ideal for carp and | | | | established that they appear to be the 'dominant bait' |
| there are dietary concerns of sorts here, but this has | | | | to the average angler, then his results may tend to |
| never stopped carp from devouring shed loads of | | | | be 'average' too unless he is an outstanding |
| them. The good old trout pellet is one of those baits | | | | fisherman anyway. To get better than average |
| that is a reliable dissolving bait for many fishing | | | | results on pellets can just be a case of a simple dip |
| applications and these days they are used alongside | | | | or bait soak as you would use for boilies or in fact as |
| specifically designed carp pellets and other fish rearing | | | | a dip bait itself. Dips and soaks are used with very |
| pellets with exceptional fish catching properties of | | | | good reason, boosting attraction of all kinds of hook |
| attraction and digestibility including certain salmon | | | | baits and raising catch rates for many anglers. |
| pellets and halibut pellets. | | | | Ordinary peanut oil, or canned fish oil as a dip can get |
| Trout pellets have many common nutritional features | | | | the fish 'going' even better or perhaps try mixing |
| in general and have never let me down as attractor | | | | together oils of different types. Combining various |
| feed or as part of ground bait mixtures. Chumming | | | | vegetable oils and fish oils for example. 'Taste' is the |
| with a variety of sizes and qualities of pellets is the | | | | dominant sense in catfish and strong tasting |
| common modern trend here in the UK where | | | | ingredients usually reserved for use in making carp |
| popularity of pellets has exploded. | | | | paste and boilies can be made into dips by adding |
| In the States, catfish pellets are frequently as easily | | | | liquids. Cheap pellets soaked in fish protein and amino |
| available as trout pellets are here in the UK and have | | | | acid supplements for example. Crustacean extracts |
| many nutritional similarities to trout and carp pellets as | | | | classically provide exceptional attraction for both carp |
| opposed to pet feeds or animal feeds like pelleted | | | | and catfish and make your pellets unique. |
| sheep feeds, rabbit feeds etc. "Dynamite baits" are | | | | Even evaporated milk or coconut milk can be used |
| making the infamous 'halibut 'marine' pellets more | | | | effectively and catfish like carp seem to love |
| available in the States and when used in quantity can | | | | sweeteners of a wide variety from sugars and |
| be very effective however, very often this can | | | | molasses to sweet products like lactose, Talin or |
| make fish highly 'dependant' on them on certain | | | | even canned fruit syrups as a cheap option. The |
| waters where used almost exclusively. | | | | effectiveness of 'energy drinks' is another quick |
| In circumstances where these pellets have 'had their | | | | alternative if you have some in the cool box while |
| day' and results have slowed down there is lots you | | | | fishing and fancy trying this angle. |
| can do. Often the first signs of pellets initial | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait 'edges' up |
| effectiveness reducing is how you are hooking fish. | | | | his sleeve. Every single one can have a huge impact |
| Perhaps hook holds get much lighter and far more | | | | on catches. (Warning: This article is protected by |
| bites are missed or do not develop into confident | | | | copyright. |