Innovative Bait Ideas for Fishing: Tips and Techniques

May 9, 2024

Here are a few bait ideas you may have seen in this blogs section before but have skipped over as you thought that they were not relevant to the type of fishing you were doing. To you guys I say, ignore them at your peril! My missus knows not to dismiss them, as this near-60lb mirror proves.

Ken Townley's Wife with a 601b catch of the day.

You may have noticed a small number of dark seeds in some of your base mixes and in finished bait. You might have wondered: What are these little black bits in my bait? In all probability they are Niger Seeds. Niger Seeds are tiny, oil-rich seeds that has special oil releasing properties. They also feature in many Asian and Indian recipes and my missus uses the seed and the associated oil content to spice up her curries, chutneys and other foods. Carp love them as they are rich in omega-fatty acids, and lineloic acid (a polyunsaturated, omega-6 fatty acid).

Like any seed or particle bait Niger Seed works best when it has been soaked and then boiled. Soak overnight and they transfer to a saucepan along with the water in which it has been soaking.

Bowls showing niger seed before & after being boiled.

Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat until the water is at a fast simmer. When it is simmering vigorously, turn down the heat still further and simmer for an added ten minutes.

Pan showing niger seed being boiled to make fishing bait.

Now drain the seed and add 1g citric acid to boost the attraction.

Niger seed after being boiled for fishing bait.

Citric acid is a very powerful investigation trigger, so make sure you don't overdo it. Yes, one gram is a tiny amount but the carp can detect it at that level I can assure you.

Scoop of citric acid to be added to fishing bait.

You will probably have seen the tip about preparing tiger nuts in Coke or similar but have you ever tried it with peanuts? There is a blog elsewhere on these pages that outlines the preparation and use of Stoned Nuts in more detail.

Bag of Haith's premium peanuts, bottle of coke and caster sugar ingredients for fishing bait.

Basically the attraction comes from the reaction of the sugar content in the Coke which turns to a concentrated gooey slime similar to the reaction you see when tiger nuts 'turn'.

Haith's premium peanuts soaked in cola & sugar for fishing bait.

Talking about bait 'on the turn', try leaving a tin of sweetcorn in direct sunlight for a couple of days: again the sugar content turns to that same sticky slime that carp find so attractive.

Sweet corn pouring out of a bowl - fishing ingredient.

Experimenting with bait is always going to be risky. Does it work? Is it worth persevering, are you prepared to waste precious fishing time using bait they don't like? Yes, your results will go some way towards determining the effectiveness, or otherwise, of your bait. However, there is a simple short cut to success and nothing instils confidence like actually watching carp feed on your bait. This magnificent 20kg mirror was caught on a bait positioned in only four feet of water. I actually watched it pick up the hookbait.

Now that the days are getting longer and the sun is doing its stuff, keep an eye out for carp basking in those areas where they feel safe. It might be in among the branches of a fallen tree or under a bush. This big old grey back can usually be seen in the same place day after day hiding under the gorse and rhododendrons on one of my local lakes. Mind you, seeing it there and catching it from that spot are two entirely is a different things!