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