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Allan Parbery Q&A
3rd November 2011
Mr Mick Davison asked:
Is there any truth in the rumour that Rosehip is crayfish proof? Trying to fish a lake crawling with them and only artificial baits last more than an hour.
Allan Parbery Answered:
Sorry for the delay - I've been away for a few days.
I have heard from many people that crays prefer not to eat the Rosehip boilies if there is another food source close by. My beliefs are similar - I would say that they are a better poisson chat deterrent than a cray deterrent though.
The jury is out on that one - I presume it works for some people and not others. I certainly wouldn't allow anybody to write on a piece of Mistral headed paper that they would 100% do the trick for you.
Sorry I've not been much help but they may be worth a try if everything else is failing. Possibly just use a hard hookbait overdosed in flavour and feed up with pellets etc that you know they like.
Let me know if you get on with that method - it may help the next guy who has a problem.
Mr Mick Davison asked:
Is there any truth in the rumour that Rosehip is crayfish proof? Trying to fish a lake crawling with them and only artificial baits last more than an hour.
Allan Parbery Answered:
Sorry for the delay - I've been away for a few days.
I have heard from many people that crays prefer not to eat the Rosehip boilies if there is another food source close by. My beliefs are similar - I would say that they are a better poisson chat deterrent than a cray deterrent though.
The jury is out on that one - I presume it works for some people and not others. I certainly wouldn't allow anybody to write on a piece of Mistral headed paper that they would 100% do the trick for you.
Sorry I've not been much help but they may be worth a try if everything else is failing. Possibly just use a hard hookbait overdosed in flavour and feed up with pellets etc that you know they like.
Let me know if you get on with that method - it may help the next guy who has a problem.
18th July 2011
Mr George Ward asked:
I'm 17 years of age and love fishing and every bit of free time I get is for fishing. I was wondering how you think the best way is to become a fieldtester for Mistral?
Allan Parbery Answered:
You possibly don't realise that we get hundreds if not thousands of such requests each year. I will be honest that we delete most of them without replying. As yours has come as a question for the website I will use this time to explain what we, and all of the other proper baits companies, need from their team.
Firstly you will be a very successful angler and you will have sent capture reports and pictures to the Angling Times, Anglers Mail and Carp Talk on several occasions. You will be amongst the best anglers on the waters you fish - nobody will really be looking for an angler that fishes just one lake. You will also be a liked person on these waters and will be looked up to by the lesser experienced anglers for whom you offer advice about baits etc. If you have done all of this and have caught the fish on Mistral this would not have harmed your chances.
If you have ever featured in a magazine article you should keep a record and show it to any prospective sponsor.
You may possibly have entered the carp matches and done quite well - if you win the final, or are placed, this would help your application.
Ideally you will be up to date on forums and face book and will have participated regularly in this media type. You will have shown your captures to all friends and readers of the forums mentioning the baits used.
You will ideally know people in the angling media who can help you promote yourself.
To be honest it will take most anglers many years of promoting themselves and the bait they are using at their own expense. Bluntly you will have to do something for a bait company before they do something for you. Business is a harsh world to be in and we just cannot afford to give stuff away.
I hope this helps you - one day in the future you, or one of the readers of the website, will come to us with a great portfolio that we will be very interested in.
Mr George Ward asked:
I'm 17 years of age and love fishing and every bit of free time I get is for fishing. I was wondering how you think the best way is to become a fieldtester for Mistral?
Allan Parbery Answered:
You possibly don't realise that we get hundreds if not thousands of such requests each year. I will be honest that we delete most of them without replying. As yours has come as a question for the website I will use this time to explain what we, and all of the other proper baits companies, need from their team.
Firstly you will be a very successful angler and you will have sent capture reports and pictures to the Angling Times, Anglers Mail and Carp Talk on several occasions. You will be amongst the best anglers on the waters you fish - nobody will really be looking for an angler that fishes just one lake. You will also be a liked person on these waters and will be looked up to by the lesser experienced anglers for whom you offer advice about baits etc. If you have done all of this and have caught the fish on Mistral this would not have harmed your chances.
If you have ever featured in a magazine article you should keep a record and show it to any prospective sponsor.
You may possibly have entered the carp matches and done quite well - if you win the final, or are placed, this would help your application.
Ideally you will be up to date on forums and face book and will have participated regularly in this media type. You will have shown your captures to all friends and readers of the forums mentioning the baits used.
You will ideally know people in the angling media who can help you promote yourself.
To be honest it will take most anglers many years of promoting themselves and the bait they are using at their own expense. Bluntly you will have to do something for a bait company before they do something for you. Business is a harsh world to be in and we just cannot afford to give stuff away.
I hope this helps you - one day in the future you, or one of the readers of the website, will come to us with a great portfolio that we will be very interested in.
20th May 2011
Mr Dan Rutland asked:
I have been using your bait (rosehip for a while) and have not had many results, but that is due to the type of water I fish, not the bait. I was reading your letter in carpology and read that you don't tend to use this bait in the summer and wanted to know the reason? It would be great if you could answer this for me.
Allan Parbery answered:
Good question and one I should have anticipated beforehand.
The simple reason is that carp need animal protein between the months of April through to July because of the stresses of 'waking up from the winter', spawning and the recovery period thereafter. Rosehip boilies do have a bit of animal protein but not huge amounts so I generally use baits such as the No Name range or the new i40 range. However all waters are different and one that I fish regularly continues to throw up many carp on the Rosehips all year round. Maybe a personal preference plays a part in my choice. One thing is certain though and that is as soon as the water cools the carp in my pond at home really do make for the Rosehip boilies - a great confidence booster if ever one was needed.
Best wishes.
Mr Dan Rutland asked:
I have been using your bait (rosehip for a while) and have not had many results, but that is due to the type of water I fish, not the bait. I was reading your letter in carpology and read that you don't tend to use this bait in the summer and wanted to know the reason? It would be great if you could answer this for me.
Allan Parbery answered:
Good question and one I should have anticipated beforehand.
The simple reason is that carp need animal protein between the months of April through to July because of the stresses of 'waking up from the winter', spawning and the recovery period thereafter. Rosehip boilies do have a bit of animal protein but not huge amounts so I generally use baits such as the No Name range or the new i40 range. However all waters are different and one that I fish regularly continues to throw up many carp on the Rosehips all year round. Maybe a personal preference plays a part in my choice. One thing is certain though and that is as soon as the water cools the carp in my pond at home really do make for the Rosehip boilies - a great confidence booster if ever one was needed.
Best wishes.
16th May 2011
Mr Loic Lievre asked:
I am planning to roll my own rosehip isotonic boilies using your ready mix and rosehip flavour. Sorry but I do not see any receipe, do you recommand any sweetner? if I roll with water only, can I expect same resistance to catfish and crawfish as with the ready made?
Allan Parbery answered:
In instances where the catfish and crayfish are a pest I would certainly use eggs instead of water to make these boilies. I would add 1 to 2ml of flavour per large egg along with any dyes or sweeteners you want to use. Most sweeteners should be used at around 0.5 to 1ml per large egg.
Roll the mix as with any other base mixes, boil and leave to dry for several hours. If possible you should dry the baits on a dry towel with a fan blowing air onto them.
Best wishes.
Mr Loic Lievre asked:
I am planning to roll my own rosehip isotonic boilies using your ready mix and rosehip flavour. Sorry but I do not see any receipe, do you recommand any sweetner? if I roll with water only, can I expect same resistance to catfish and crawfish as with the ready made?
Allan Parbery answered:
In instances where the catfish and crayfish are a pest I would certainly use eggs instead of water to make these boilies. I would add 1 to 2ml of flavour per large egg along with any dyes or sweeteners you want to use. Most sweeteners should be used at around 0.5 to 1ml per large egg.
Roll the mix as with any other base mixes, boil and leave to dry for several hours. If possible you should dry the baits on a dry towel with a fan blowing air onto them.
Best wishes.
4th March 2011
Mr David Card asked:
I fished a lake in France recently and poisson chats were present in numbers. I remember an old anglers mail article where you said the Isotonic Rosehip boilies where not liked by these pests and wondered if this would solve the problem? Should I mesh and glug or use the hardened baits.
Allan Parbery answered:
I wouldn't say that you never get problems with poisson chats if you use Rosehip boilies but it does seem from my experience, which has been backed up by hundreds of other anglers from all over Europe, that these baits offer you the best chance of having a relatively hassle free trip. I have found the best way to fish these lakes is to bait up an area with food that these creatures like, low oil pellets etc, and fish your hookbait with some freebies a few feet away. Accuracy is obviously the key here but generally this wins every day. Sometimes you will need to harden the hookbaits (we do sell pre hardened ones), sometimes a mesh may be advisable but we don't get many people say this method didn't work for them.
Best of luck in France.
Mr David Card asked:
I fished a lake in France recently and poisson chats were present in numbers. I remember an old anglers mail article where you said the Isotonic Rosehip boilies where not liked by these pests and wondered if this would solve the problem? Should I mesh and glug or use the hardened baits.
Allan Parbery answered:
I wouldn't say that you never get problems with poisson chats if you use Rosehip boilies but it does seem from my experience, which has been backed up by hundreds of other anglers from all over Europe, that these baits offer you the best chance of having a relatively hassle free trip. I have found the best way to fish these lakes is to bait up an area with food that these creatures like, low oil pellets etc, and fish your hookbait with some freebies a few feet away. Accuracy is obviously the key here but generally this wins every day. Sometimes you will need to harden the hookbaits (we do sell pre hardened ones), sometimes a mesh may be advisable but we don't get many people say this method didn't work for them.
Best of luck in France.
4th February 2011
Mr Vadim Irnazarov asked:
I would like to know how I can make a recipe from The Base mixes & Flavours?
Allan Parbery answered:
These are very simple base mixes to use. Simply break some eggs into a bowl, 1 medium sized egg will make between 30 and 40 15mm boilies. Then add a flavour of your choice - if it is a Mistral flavour 1ml of flavour per egg is about right. You may now add a sweetener or even some sugar. If you use sugar do not use more than 100g in 1000g of base mix. You may also add any oils or other additives now but do not use too much. If you use an oil keep the dose to 3ml per egg as a maximum. You may want to experiment with your own ideas - maybe a small amount of garlic powder in a fishy bait or some sweet spices for a fruity bait.
Mix these ingredients with a spoon and add some dye if required. Now gently add the base mix and mix until you form a paste that is soft enough to roll yet hard enough to avoid mis shaping.
When you have rolled maybe 30 baits drop them into boiling water and keep them there for one minute for a soft bait or two to three minutes for a hard bait. Scoop them out of the water and put them onto an absorbent towel. Leave to dry for several minutes and then transfer them to a dry towel and leave for one hour. You may now use these baits or put them into a polythene bag to freeze.
Mr Vadim Irnazarov asked:
I would like to know how I can make a recipe from The Base mixes & Flavours?
Allan Parbery answered:
These are very simple base mixes to use. Simply break some eggs into a bowl, 1 medium sized egg will make between 30 and 40 15mm boilies. Then add a flavour of your choice - if it is a Mistral flavour 1ml of flavour per egg is about right. You may now add a sweetener or even some sugar. If you use sugar do not use more than 100g in 1000g of base mix. You may also add any oils or other additives now but do not use too much. If you use an oil keep the dose to 3ml per egg as a maximum. You may want to experiment with your own ideas - maybe a small amount of garlic powder in a fishy bait or some sweet spices for a fruity bait.
Mix these ingredients with a spoon and add some dye if required. Now gently add the base mix and mix until you form a paste that is soft enough to roll yet hard enough to avoid mis shaping.
When you have rolled maybe 30 baits drop them into boiling water and keep them there for one minute for a soft bait or two to three minutes for a hard bait. Scoop them out of the water and put them onto an absorbent towel. Leave to dry for several minutes and then transfer them to a dry towel and leave for one hour. You may now use these baits or put them into a polythene bag to freeze.
6th December 2010
Mr Neil Beesley asked:
Can you use the Live-r boillies in Winter?
Allan Parbery answered:
Winter is never a time to base conclusions upon but the Live R is something that will be taken in the cold by carp when they are on the feed. It is an easily digestible bait even though being high in protein.
I have several large double figure/ low twenties carp in the garden pond that I feed with baits every day they are willing to eat. The Live R has been one of the most readily accepted baits that I have ever witnessed, the Rosehip being the other that sticks in my mind. Both of these baits have been taken quite readily until the water temperature plummets to a level where the fish just turn off.
Incidentally we have improved the Live R for 2011 - the new one to look for is SLR. Basically the same but with Squid essence added to a slightly higher protein base. Carpology have just done tank tests with the SLR liquid and it came out equal tops when put up against other rivalling products.
If by any chance you are fishing the rivers this winter the Live R would be a wise choice, it giving the fish something back to replenish their reserves during the cold weather.
Wrap up - its cold out there.
Mr Neil Beesley asked:
Can you use the Live-r boillies in Winter?
Allan Parbery answered:
Winter is never a time to base conclusions upon but the Live R is something that will be taken in the cold by carp when they are on the feed. It is an easily digestible bait even though being high in protein.
I have several large double figure/ low twenties carp in the garden pond that I feed with baits every day they are willing to eat. The Live R has been one of the most readily accepted baits that I have ever witnessed, the Rosehip being the other that sticks in my mind. Both of these baits have been taken quite readily until the water temperature plummets to a level where the fish just turn off.
Incidentally we have improved the Live R for 2011 - the new one to look for is SLR. Basically the same but with Squid essence added to a slightly higher protein base. Carpology have just done tank tests with the SLR liquid and it came out equal tops when put up against other rivalling products.
If by any chance you are fishing the rivers this winter the Live R would be a wise choice, it giving the fish something back to replenish their reserves during the cold weather.
Wrap up - its cold out there.
22nd November 2010
Mr Paul Oliver asked:
Could you help me please I’m looking to start fishing at a new venue near me in Bedfordshire. There arn’t a lot of carp in the lake but there are some un-caught monsters. Would you be able to help me out with a bait choice that I could keep going in on a very regular basis? I’m looking to put a lot of hours into it as I really would like to catch one of these warriors that lurk in the lake.
Allan Parbery answered:
Starting a campaign at this time of year will almost inevitably result in some sort of failure unless the pit has been regularly fished throughout the year. Carp don't generally respond to a 'new form' of bait in the colder months. Do the carp know what boilies are in this pit? If the answer is yes I would pick a bait that can be seen and smelled from a distance. I don't automatically mean a fluoro yellow pineapple bait - I would try the Rosehip Isotonic which still catches immense amounts of carp each year. You won't need many baits but you will have to put them exactly where the carp are. Easier said than done. Time on the bank watch and listening is your best bet - or why not try a 3D echo sounder? A 3D gives you a 60 degree angle of search whilst a normal 2D version gives around 20 degrees. Basically this means in 10ft of water you are covering 10ft of the lake bed instead of 2ft. You will possibly find the carp a couple of feet from the bottom. I know a 2ft pop up sounds and looks daft but it does work if it is cast in the right place.
When spring comes we can start this conversation all over again with different baits and ideas.
Mr Paul Oliver asked:
Could you help me please I’m looking to start fishing at a new venue near me in Bedfordshire. There arn’t a lot of carp in the lake but there are some un-caught monsters. Would you be able to help me out with a bait choice that I could keep going in on a very regular basis? I’m looking to put a lot of hours into it as I really would like to catch one of these warriors that lurk in the lake.
Allan Parbery answered:
Starting a campaign at this time of year will almost inevitably result in some sort of failure unless the pit has been regularly fished throughout the year. Carp don't generally respond to a 'new form' of bait in the colder months. Do the carp know what boilies are in this pit? If the answer is yes I would pick a bait that can be seen and smelled from a distance. I don't automatically mean a fluoro yellow pineapple bait - I would try the Rosehip Isotonic which still catches immense amounts of carp each year. You won't need many baits but you will have to put them exactly where the carp are. Easier said than done. Time on the bank watch and listening is your best bet - or why not try a 3D echo sounder? A 3D gives you a 60 degree angle of search whilst a normal 2D version gives around 20 degrees. Basically this means in 10ft of water you are covering 10ft of the lake bed instead of 2ft. You will possibly find the carp a couple of feet from the bottom. I know a 2ft pop up sounds and looks daft but it does work if it is cast in the right place.
When spring comes we can start this conversation all over again with different baits and ideas.
31st August 2010
Mr Daniel Rushton asked:
I am very intrigued and excited about the boilies mistral have to offer but cant make my mind up!!! What it is i'm going to fish a new lake (milton pools fishery) for a 36hr session on there specimen lake holding carp 20lb+ the lake is only 3 and half acres big really the question i have is what bait you would recommend if any that would give me the edge as such.
Allan Parbery answered:
We get a few questions like this and it is always difficult to choose a bait specifically to do a job like this.
As you are going to give it a bit of time I would go in with a dark bait that has a good food value. I would probably also add a few pellets and/or spod mix into a PVA mesh, possibly with a glug added too. I would keep the baiting quite light on 2 rods and experiment with a 3rd if you are allowed to use it with either heavier baiting or a bright pop up on a chod rig or similar.
What I think important is that you find your spots first, even if you take an hour on each one, and cast once. I wouldn't retrieve at this time of year until I had a run if I was confident my bait was in a good place. The carp will find your bait given enough time and as they are active until well into November you will have a good chance of catching. Generally the small fish are sight feeders and a bit quicker swimming from a to b whilst looking for food. The slower, older fish, take their time and maybe will find your hookbait.
Let us know how you get on.
Mr Daniel Rushton asked:
I am very intrigued and excited about the boilies mistral have to offer but cant make my mind up!!! What it is i'm going to fish a new lake (milton pools fishery) for a 36hr session on there specimen lake holding carp 20lb+ the lake is only 3 and half acres big really the question i have is what bait you would recommend if any that would give me the edge as such.
Allan Parbery answered:
We get a few questions like this and it is always difficult to choose a bait specifically to do a job like this.
As you are going to give it a bit of time I would go in with a dark bait that has a good food value. I would probably also add a few pellets and/or spod mix into a PVA mesh, possibly with a glug added too. I would keep the baiting quite light on 2 rods and experiment with a 3rd if you are allowed to use it with either heavier baiting or a bright pop up on a chod rig or similar.
What I think important is that you find your spots first, even if you take an hour on each one, and cast once. I wouldn't retrieve at this time of year until I had a run if I was confident my bait was in a good place. The carp will find your bait given enough time and as they are active until well into November you will have a good chance of catching. Generally the small fish are sight feeders and a bit quicker swimming from a to b whilst looking for food. The slower, older fish, take their time and maybe will find your hookbait.
Let us know how you get on.
01st July 2010
Mr Philip Basson asked:
My name is Philip Basson I'm 14 and live in south Africa and my life is all about carping.
All I wanna know is the following: I fish a lake (100acre plus) where there is a lot (and I really mean a lot of naturals like mussels bloodworm snails and thousands of crabs). So the one day I went out and I always try to do something different so I made a big bed of spread out boilies in a margin then I walked on and climbed up a tree and I saw two monster carp probably 40 plus and swam through the swim and one stopped next to a crab and ate it. I went and did research and saw that carp eat crab and know I know why 30 kg plus fish come out cause they thrive on naturals and don’t really need our bait so what boilie has enough qualities to beat all the naturals? I thought something like the crab crème or what suggestions would you give because as I said there are thousands of crabs, but that’s on the gravel when I stand in the silt in the margins with my wader and walk out there bloodworm and snails get stuck on my boots and its juicy red ones so if you name two baits one for the crabs on gravel and the other in silt that imitates the bloodworm.
Thanks and i'll let you know how I do (just started using your bait the other day and i'm very impressed I can see you have 22 years of bait making behind you)
Tight lines and good luck with the bait.
Allan Parbery answered:
You will have your work cut out here Philip - these waters are amongst the hardest to tempt a fish from especially if there is as much natural as you say. I fish a similar lake that I catch nothing from in 5 or 6 sessions and then I will catch 8 carp on the next visit. Infuriating.
What you have to do is plenty of fishing at this place and I am certain your results will mirror mine. I am tending to think that at certain times of the year much of the natural food either dies off, is eaten or is otherwise unavailable. This is when you may score well.
The Crab Creme is a good bait for this but you will need to keep it going in. If you bait up regularly with hemp and maize and add some boilies, eventually you will get the fish interested. In the meantime continue fishing this lake with these methods on 2 rods. I think the third rod you should use something different like our Rosehip boilies. Although not as good a food source as Crab Creme many hundreds of thousands of carp have been caught on this bait as far apart as Russia, the USA and South Africa. It comes into its own in the winter and as you have winter at the moment it would be a good time to try.
Keep us posted.
Mr Philip Basson asked:
My name is Philip Basson I'm 14 and live in south Africa and my life is all about carping.
All I wanna know is the following: I fish a lake (100acre plus) where there is a lot (and I really mean a lot of naturals like mussels bloodworm snails and thousands of crabs). So the one day I went out and I always try to do something different so I made a big bed of spread out boilies in a margin then I walked on and climbed up a tree and I saw two monster carp probably 40 plus and swam through the swim and one stopped next to a crab and ate it. I went and did research and saw that carp eat crab and know I know why 30 kg plus fish come out cause they thrive on naturals and don’t really need our bait so what boilie has enough qualities to beat all the naturals? I thought something like the crab crème or what suggestions would you give because as I said there are thousands of crabs, but that’s on the gravel when I stand in the silt in the margins with my wader and walk out there bloodworm and snails get stuck on my boots and its juicy red ones so if you name two baits one for the crabs on gravel and the other in silt that imitates the bloodworm.
Thanks and i'll let you know how I do (just started using your bait the other day and i'm very impressed I can see you have 22 years of bait making behind you)
Tight lines and good luck with the bait.
Allan Parbery answered:
You will have your work cut out here Philip - these waters are amongst the hardest to tempt a fish from especially if there is as much natural as you say. I fish a similar lake that I catch nothing from in 5 or 6 sessions and then I will catch 8 carp on the next visit. Infuriating.
What you have to do is plenty of fishing at this place and I am certain your results will mirror mine. I am tending to think that at certain times of the year much of the natural food either dies off, is eaten or is otherwise unavailable. This is when you may score well.
The Crab Creme is a good bait for this but you will need to keep it going in. If you bait up regularly with hemp and maize and add some boilies, eventually you will get the fish interested. In the meantime continue fishing this lake with these methods on 2 rods. I think the third rod you should use something different like our Rosehip boilies. Although not as good a food source as Crab Creme many hundreds of thousands of carp have been caught on this bait as far apart as Russia, the USA and South Africa. It comes into its own in the winter and as you have winter at the moment it would be a good time to try.
Keep us posted.
26th April 2010
Mr Daniel Joseph asked:
Are frozen baits really better than shelf life?
Allan Parbery answered:
One of my favourite questions this is.
There are several trains of thought regarding the difference between shelf life and frozen baits.
Let us look at the things we eat - just about everything from apples to zucchini's have a preservative on or in them and you can't taste it. That is a fact. Some people reckon they can tell the difference between an organically grown carrot to one that has had fertiliser chucked at it all year. Well I don't believe this - one is more likely to taste better than another because of what soil it was grown in, its variety and the age it was picked.
I can state categorically that fresh vegetables are better than frozen, fresh meat is better than frozen, fresh fish is better than frozen and frozen strawberries are close to inedible. So, freezing does something to certain foods that makes them slightly substandard. Fats don't freeze well but many boilies contain vast quantities of fish oil.
Some people reckon that all things with a chemical symbol are dangerous but this is certainly not the case. Would you put C12 H22 0II in your cup of H20 with a tea bag? I'm sure you would as do millions of others every day. That takes care of chemical symbols then so lets not listen to the uneducated on that score. Sugar, by the way, is one of the best preservatives around - have you ever seen a rotten sherbet lemon? All of the stabilisers that we would use to stop rot or mould are odourless and close to tasteless.
What about boilies then? Well we are looking at trying to catch a simple creature with food supplements. Sweets, biscuits etc would be our similar snack. So we need to make them tasty as well as nutritious if possible. This is relatively simple with experience of available ingredients so it now comes down to your question - is either better?
Let us look at shelf life baits. Most of the better companies about use very similar products to keep their baits from going off. However the most important thing to stop this is the quality of the dryers used in the factories. The less moisture you have in a bait the less likely it is to go furry so the better companies have spent much money getting this aspect right. Whatever is used in a bait to stop it going off is almost secondary to the drying process. Anything that is used is generally used at low levels too so don't listen to anybody who says shelf lifes are 'full' of preservatives. They just don't know what they are talking about - you wouldn't listen to a carpenter if you need the advice of a mechanic so why listen to a carpet cleaner talking about bait? Most anglers can only give an opinion rather than state a fact and that does go for some of the very big names in the sport too. Check out if they are sponsored by a company specialising in frozen baits. Always read between the lines too - it is very easy for anybody to start a business in their shed and create 'the best boilie in the world' . These will always be frozen baits due to one thing only - they do not have the expertise to offer anything else so they will possibly slate ready made shelf life baits.
In essence I believe that there is very little, if any, difference between the baits. The only obvious thing you will notice is that air dried/shelf life boilies will be harder than the frozen ones in general due to the freezer baits only being partly dried.
I hope I have been some help to you Daniel.
Mr Daniel Joseph asked:
Are frozen baits really better than shelf life?
Allan Parbery answered:
One of my favourite questions this is.
There are several trains of thought regarding the difference between shelf life and frozen baits.
Let us look at the things we eat - just about everything from apples to zucchini's have a preservative on or in them and you can't taste it. That is a fact. Some people reckon they can tell the difference between an organically grown carrot to one that has had fertiliser chucked at it all year. Well I don't believe this - one is more likely to taste better than another because of what soil it was grown in, its variety and the age it was picked.
I can state categorically that fresh vegetables are better than frozen, fresh meat is better than frozen, fresh fish is better than frozen and frozen strawberries are close to inedible. So, freezing does something to certain foods that makes them slightly substandard. Fats don't freeze well but many boilies contain vast quantities of fish oil.
Some people reckon that all things with a chemical symbol are dangerous but this is certainly not the case. Would you put C12 H22 0II in your cup of H20 with a tea bag? I'm sure you would as do millions of others every day. That takes care of chemical symbols then so lets not listen to the uneducated on that score. Sugar, by the way, is one of the best preservatives around - have you ever seen a rotten sherbet lemon? All of the stabilisers that we would use to stop rot or mould are odourless and close to tasteless.
What about boilies then? Well we are looking at trying to catch a simple creature with food supplements. Sweets, biscuits etc would be our similar snack. So we need to make them tasty as well as nutritious if possible. This is relatively simple with experience of available ingredients so it now comes down to your question - is either better?
Let us look at shelf life baits. Most of the better companies about use very similar products to keep their baits from going off. However the most important thing to stop this is the quality of the dryers used in the factories. The less moisture you have in a bait the less likely it is to go furry so the better companies have spent much money getting this aspect right. Whatever is used in a bait to stop it going off is almost secondary to the drying process. Anything that is used is generally used at low levels too so don't listen to anybody who says shelf lifes are 'full' of preservatives. They just don't know what they are talking about - you wouldn't listen to a carpenter if you need the advice of a mechanic so why listen to a carpet cleaner talking about bait? Most anglers can only give an opinion rather than state a fact and that does go for some of the very big names in the sport too. Check out if they are sponsored by a company specialising in frozen baits. Always read between the lines too - it is very easy for anybody to start a business in their shed and create 'the best boilie in the world' . These will always be frozen baits due to one thing only - they do not have the expertise to offer anything else so they will possibly slate ready made shelf life baits.
In essence I believe that there is very little, if any, difference between the baits. The only obvious thing you will notice is that air dried/shelf life boilies will be harder than the frozen ones in general due to the freezer baits only being partly dried.
I hope I have been some help to you Daniel.
12th April 2010
Mr Lee Butler asked:
With so many bollies on the market how do you know which one is best for you? Is it how many you catch, is it the one that gets the biggest, or is it what every one uses. I have been Carp fishing for 4 years now i have got myself some nice 20+ which is great but I have still not caught the big ones on my club water and have tried every thing, all the new baits from all companies and I have tried using what every one else uses but still no look, so what should I look for in a bait which will let me use it any where and one that carp love and I am sure that if I give it time that one of them will be in my net thanks.
Allan Parbery answered:
The best thing to do Lee is to stick to one of the boilies - try the No Name or the new i40 and stick to the one you choose. Don't go off it and try other things - just keep on it. If you don't get the 'big ones' ask yourself a question. Are they in your lake? Many times they are not - its no good chasing rumours. There is always the story about the one that got away. If there are not enough big ones in the lake to chase with a good chance of catching one you may have to wait for a long time. Why not try another lake to see if your luck changes in this instance?
Mr Lee Butler asked:
With so many bollies on the market how do you know which one is best for you? Is it how many you catch, is it the one that gets the biggest, or is it what every one uses. I have been Carp fishing for 4 years now i have got myself some nice 20+ which is great but I have still not caught the big ones on my club water and have tried every thing, all the new baits from all companies and I have tried using what every one else uses but still no look, so what should I look for in a bait which will let me use it any where and one that carp love and I am sure that if I give it time that one of them will be in my net thanks.
Allan Parbery answered:
The best thing to do Lee is to stick to one of the boilies - try the No Name or the new i40 and stick to the one you choose. Don't go off it and try other things - just keep on it. If you don't get the 'big ones' ask yourself a question. Are they in your lake? Many times they are not - its no good chasing rumours. There is always the story about the one that got away. If there are not enough big ones in the lake to chase with a good chance of catching one you may have to wait for a long time. Why not try another lake to see if your luck changes in this instance?
1st April 2010
Mr Chris Hancock asked:
I have been using fresh rolled fishmeal based baits and am back on a lake that in the past produced fish to your rosehip popups. I'm interested in using your isotonic basemix but would like to know if i should be adding fish oil, betain and multimino boosters to the mix. Also have you tried the base mix plus robin red as i've had good results adding this to previous mixes to give the mix a different twist. Any ideas would be very welcome.
Allan Parbery answered:
The Isotonic base mix was formulated to work as is - without the need for anything other than a flavour. However, we all like our twists and the Robin Red is one that works well. In fact we use this ourselves within many of the ready made baits we produce so yes use it by all means. As for fish oils carp do like them but keep the levels low if you decide to try this out. Don't use fish oils when the water temperature drops below 10 to 12 degrees though.
Betaine is best added to a finished bait in my opinion - just sprinkle on around 2 grams per kilo of bait that is drying and leave. Bag it up when it has dried and use or freeze as necessary.
Multimino additives are numerous - there are loads of them that could be classed as such, from our Spod & Stick Juices to products that other manufacturers supply. Most are great fish catching aids in my opinion and can be used either in or on a bait. Dosage inside a bait could be anything up to 20ml per egg generally but keep an eye on the suppliers recommendations. Ours are totally natural as I suppose are some others so inclusion rates are personal and can be adjusted to suit. I have never seen fish get on a bait as quickly as I saw when testing the Live R juice on my pond carp. They were straight on it. I'm not so sure I would use that in conjunction with Rosehip though - sounds a bit yuk!
Mr Chris Hancock asked:
I have been using fresh rolled fishmeal based baits and am back on a lake that in the past produced fish to your rosehip popups. I'm interested in using your isotonic basemix but would like to know if i should be adding fish oil, betain and multimino boosters to the mix. Also have you tried the base mix plus robin red as i've had good results adding this to previous mixes to give the mix a different twist. Any ideas would be very welcome.
Allan Parbery answered:
The Isotonic base mix was formulated to work as is - without the need for anything other than a flavour. However, we all like our twists and the Robin Red is one that works well. In fact we use this ourselves within many of the ready made baits we produce so yes use it by all means. As for fish oils carp do like them but keep the levels low if you decide to try this out. Don't use fish oils when the water temperature drops below 10 to 12 degrees though.
Betaine is best added to a finished bait in my opinion - just sprinkle on around 2 grams per kilo of bait that is drying and leave. Bag it up when it has dried and use or freeze as necessary.
Multimino additives are numerous - there are loads of them that could be classed as such, from our Spod & Stick Juices to products that other manufacturers supply. Most are great fish catching aids in my opinion and can be used either in or on a bait. Dosage inside a bait could be anything up to 20ml per egg generally but keep an eye on the suppliers recommendations. Ours are totally natural as I suppose are some others so inclusion rates are personal and can be adjusted to suit. I have never seen fish get on a bait as quickly as I saw when testing the Live R juice on my pond carp. They were straight on it. I'm not so sure I would use that in conjunction with Rosehip though - sounds a bit yuk!
2nd March 2010
Mr John Gurrin asked:
I would like to try something like the halibut dusted pellets or similar for sea fishing, this is just so i can carry some-thing around with me that is easy to use. Do you know if any one has had any success with these?
Allan Parbery answered:
Strange that I wondered exactly that some years ago so I tried them whilst on holiday. The good news is that you can catch sea fish on these pellets plus the fishy or meaty pastes we do. OK they are not going to take over the world regarding unimaginable captures but they are effective, easy to use products that will get you a few bites. We will be making an item especially for sea anglers within the next few months and I expect them to be put to the test just after that. If we can make something that fish will eat we will have won the battle - again we are not looking to replicate natural foodstuffs because this is just about impossible but something that you can keep in the bag as a reliable reserve is what we are striving for.
Good luck and if you get something good let us know.
Mr John Gurrin asked:
I would like to try something like the halibut dusted pellets or similar for sea fishing, this is just so i can carry some-thing around with me that is easy to use. Do you know if any one has had any success with these?
Allan Parbery answered:
Strange that I wondered exactly that some years ago so I tried them whilst on holiday. The good news is that you can catch sea fish on these pellets plus the fishy or meaty pastes we do. OK they are not going to take over the world regarding unimaginable captures but they are effective, easy to use products that will get you a few bites. We will be making an item especially for sea anglers within the next few months and I expect them to be put to the test just after that. If we can make something that fish will eat we will have won the battle - again we are not looking to replicate natural foodstuffs because this is just about impossible but something that you can keep in the bag as a reliable reserve is what we are striving for.
Good luck and if you get something good let us know.
25th February 2010
Mr Filipe Varela asked:
Can you give me some tips to try large wild fish for carp in a large lake where there are many small-sized carp? I am available to go baiting every day, just needed some tricks to help get big carp to eat in my fishing in the long term.
Allan Parbery answered:
This sounds like a fantastic challenge you have in front of you and one that I am sure I can help with, having set my sight on similar projects over the years.
First I would suggest that your local knowledge has identified that big fish are in fact present in your lake and secondly you have chosen a couple of areas where you think these fish might frequent. Sounds basic but a lot of people think there must be big fish in a lake when sometimes there aren't. You say there are lots of small carp and these can take a bit of shifting from an area.
My preference would be to choose a time of day when you know you will be free every day of the week. You will have to guess how many fish will come to your area - there is no way of doing this accurately - and start baiting up. Lets say you think that 10 kilos of bait will keep the fish interested for a while. Obviously due to the cost you will have to use mostly particle baits or pellets. I suggest hempseed, wheat, maize and soya to start with. Add a few large boilies to the particles and get baiting - the whole lot in one night. Leave things for a few days, maybe 5, and repeat the 10 kilo baiting at the same time of day. Repeat again a few days later and after that halve the amount of bait but put it in more frequently, say every three days. After a couple of weeks bait up every day with say a kilo or two. I would suggest that the fish should really be on your bait by now so ensure on your first session you get cast out several hours before the baiting up the fish are used to. However keep the amount of bait going in very light - just have enough to make the carp think that they have been beaten to it. I would suggest that the fish in the swim will be the larger ones and being much slower than small carp they will stay in the lightly baited area for quite a while. It is quite probable that the bigger carp will have bullied the smaller ones over the weeks and that they only feed after the bigger ones have left. It is a method called the 'Baiting Pyramid, which was often used during the 1980's in the UK and a method I have used many times on unpressured waters - especially rivers. I would probably use a 25mm boilie as hookbait or a double 20mm just to help keep off a few of the smaller fish - the Rosehip being my first choice.
One word of warning is that I would not let anybody see what you are doing and I would also clear up any spilled baits from the margins. I know that Portugal doesn't have the amount of carp anglers we have here but it would be horrible if somebody spoiled your chances for you. Good luck with this and let us know if you start catching some big fish.
Mr Filipe Varela asked:
Can you give me some tips to try large wild fish for carp in a large lake where there are many small-sized carp? I am available to go baiting every day, just needed some tricks to help get big carp to eat in my fishing in the long term.
Allan Parbery answered:
This sounds like a fantastic challenge you have in front of you and one that I am sure I can help with, having set my sight on similar projects over the years.
First I would suggest that your local knowledge has identified that big fish are in fact present in your lake and secondly you have chosen a couple of areas where you think these fish might frequent. Sounds basic but a lot of people think there must be big fish in a lake when sometimes there aren't. You say there are lots of small carp and these can take a bit of shifting from an area.
My preference would be to choose a time of day when you know you will be free every day of the week. You will have to guess how many fish will come to your area - there is no way of doing this accurately - and start baiting up. Lets say you think that 10 kilos of bait will keep the fish interested for a while. Obviously due to the cost you will have to use mostly particle baits or pellets. I suggest hempseed, wheat, maize and soya to start with. Add a few large boilies to the particles and get baiting - the whole lot in one night. Leave things for a few days, maybe 5, and repeat the 10 kilo baiting at the same time of day. Repeat again a few days later and after that halve the amount of bait but put it in more frequently, say every three days. After a couple of weeks bait up every day with say a kilo or two. I would suggest that the fish should really be on your bait by now so ensure on your first session you get cast out several hours before the baiting up the fish are used to. However keep the amount of bait going in very light - just have enough to make the carp think that they have been beaten to it. I would suggest that the fish in the swim will be the larger ones and being much slower than small carp they will stay in the lightly baited area for quite a while. It is quite probable that the bigger carp will have bullied the smaller ones over the weeks and that they only feed after the bigger ones have left. It is a method called the 'Baiting Pyramid, which was often used during the 1980's in the UK and a method I have used many times on unpressured waters - especially rivers. I would probably use a 25mm boilie as hookbait or a double 20mm just to help keep off a few of the smaller fish - the Rosehip being my first choice.
One word of warning is that I would not let anybody see what you are doing and I would also clear up any spilled baits from the margins. I know that Portugal doesn't have the amount of carp anglers we have here but it would be horrible if somebody spoiled your chances for you. Good luck with this and let us know if you start catching some big fish.
11th January 2010
Mr Darren Griffiths asked:
I'm fishing in france in April at bills lake and am struggling to choose a bait to take, have you got any suggestions and why? I would like to try 1 of your baits so any hints and tips would be great.
Allan Parbery answered:
Bills Lake is one I have not fished but have heard good reports about from some of our customers.
When going to France I like to take a bit of a choice of bait. Firstly without any doubt I would take a few bags of Rosehip Isotonic. Carp love it but the nuisance species that may or may not be there seem to avoid it. Being April time it is unlikely that Poisson Chats and Crayfish will have ‘woken’ from the winter in many waters but why take the chance? Wherever I was carp fishing I, and countless others, would take Rosehip Isotonic.
The second bait would be a fishmeal offering such as one of our No Name baits. Over the years the UK anglers have chucked in tonnes of fishmeals all over the continent and now many waters respond very well to these baits. Around April time carp will be more active and thinking about spawning within a few weeks. Being masters of their environment they automatically know they need animal protein to rebuild their bodies from winter and to aid the forthcoming reproduction cycle. Baits such as the No Name fit the bill perfectly. My personal favourite is the standard No Name but many others prefer the Spicy Peppersarni or the fishy Tuna/Shellfish varieties. The base mix is all but the same so the choice is whether you like flavours or not. If cost is a factor our Oyster Fishmeal would be a good bet too at about half the price.
Have a good holiday.
Mr Darren Griffiths asked:
I'm fishing in france in April at bills lake and am struggling to choose a bait to take, have you got any suggestions and why? I would like to try 1 of your baits so any hints and tips would be great.
Allan Parbery answered:
Bills Lake is one I have not fished but have heard good reports about from some of our customers.
When going to France I like to take a bit of a choice of bait. Firstly without any doubt I would take a few bags of Rosehip Isotonic. Carp love it but the nuisance species that may or may not be there seem to avoid it. Being April time it is unlikely that Poisson Chats and Crayfish will have ‘woken’ from the winter in many waters but why take the chance? Wherever I was carp fishing I, and countless others, would take Rosehip Isotonic.
The second bait would be a fishmeal offering such as one of our No Name baits. Over the years the UK anglers have chucked in tonnes of fishmeals all over the continent and now many waters respond very well to these baits. Around April time carp will be more active and thinking about spawning within a few weeks. Being masters of their environment they automatically know they need animal protein to rebuild their bodies from winter and to aid the forthcoming reproduction cycle. Baits such as the No Name fit the bill perfectly. My personal favourite is the standard No Name but many others prefer the Spicy Peppersarni or the fishy Tuna/Shellfish varieties. The base mix is all but the same so the choice is whether you like flavours or not. If cost is a factor our Oyster Fishmeal would be a good bet too at about half the price.
Have a good holiday.
27th October 2009
Mr Daniel Buckingham asked:
I have just received a bag of your Isotonic base mix for my 15th birthday and would like to know how to use it properly? I made a small batch and boiled them for 1 minute, and they seemed a bit hard but on reading your advert in Carpology I am wondering if I should have boiled them at all. I love the idea of not using any eggs and would also like to know how to store them once I have made them correctly?
Allan Parbery answered:
You have done everything correctly first time, however the baits must be boilied. If you would prefer a slightly softer bait just boil them for 30 to 45 seconds and let the boilies dry on an old tea towel or similar. When they have dried off a bit – say after 30 minutes – put them onto a dry towel and leave for a few hours. After this secondary drying process you should freeze the baits to stop them going off if you are not going to use them within a few days. Alternately, you may immerse the boilies completely in sugar. Baits prepared this way should last several weeks, if not, months.
Good fishing.
Mr Daniel Buckingham asked:
I have just received a bag of your Isotonic base mix for my 15th birthday and would like to know how to use it properly? I made a small batch and boiled them for 1 minute, and they seemed a bit hard but on reading your advert in Carpology I am wondering if I should have boiled them at all. I love the idea of not using any eggs and would also like to know how to store them once I have made them correctly?
Allan Parbery answered:
You have done everything correctly first time, however the baits must be boilied. If you would prefer a slightly softer bait just boil them for 30 to 45 seconds and let the boilies dry on an old tea towel or similar. When they have dried off a bit – say after 30 minutes – put them onto a dry towel and leave for a few hours. After this secondary drying process you should freeze the baits to stop them going off if you are not going to use them within a few days. Alternately, you may immerse the boilies completely in sugar. Baits prepared this way should last several weeks, if not, months.
Good fishing.
20th October 2009
Mr S Hays asked:
I've got 5kg of rosehip shelflife which i'm not planning to use until i go to france next summer. Would it be best to freeze it or will it still be ok as it is?
Allan Parbery answered:
The boilies you mention will be fine until next year as long as you keep them dry and away from greatly fluctuating temperatures. However, what may happen is that they may go a little harder and appear to lose some of their smell. This won’t affect their fish catching capabilities but it may affect your confidence. The flavour is still there but the boilies will not release it until it has had time to re hydrate. If this is the case you may spray over them with a bait wizard or simply drop a few teaspoons of dip into the bag and shake well. Personally I would not do either because I prefer baits myself that do not smell much and to be honest I have had some of my best French catches on older baits.
As for the freezing this will not affect the baits other than drying them out by a small amount. The flavour will still be there and I would expect most anglers would choose this option to be ‘on the safe side’ Lets face it – most people leave their bait in the garage or shed and mice love these places especially in the winter.
One thing however that puzzles me – Rosehip is one of the best boilies to use in the winter in the UK – it really comes into its own league and will outfish most other baits. Try them and see.
Mr S Hays asked:
I've got 5kg of rosehip shelflife which i'm not planning to use until i go to france next summer. Would it be best to freeze it or will it still be ok as it is?
Allan Parbery answered:
The boilies you mention will be fine until next year as long as you keep them dry and away from greatly fluctuating temperatures. However, what may happen is that they may go a little harder and appear to lose some of their smell. This won’t affect their fish catching capabilities but it may affect your confidence. The flavour is still there but the boilies will not release it until it has had time to re hydrate. If this is the case you may spray over them with a bait wizard or simply drop a few teaspoons of dip into the bag and shake well. Personally I would not do either because I prefer baits myself that do not smell much and to be honest I have had some of my best French catches on older baits.
As for the freezing this will not affect the baits other than drying them out by a small amount. The flavour will still be there and I would expect most anglers would choose this option to be ‘on the safe side’ Lets face it – most people leave their bait in the garage or shed and mice love these places especially in the winter.
One thing however that puzzles me – Rosehip is one of the best boilies to use in the winter in the UK – it really comes into its own league and will outfish most other baits. Try them and see.
21st August 2009
Phillip Murray asked:
I have been using the Rosehip Isotonic, my question is what's the best way to keep this bait fresh once the packs opened till the next trip, also what if you have some left and won't be fishing again for a few months, do you just leave it, or freeze it, or glug it?
Allan Parbery answered:
If you keep it in the packet and re-seal it the bait should stay fresh for many months. I have some hanging around in the back of the van that has been there since last year and it smells fine, feels fine and looks fine. As long as you keep the baits away from direct sunlight and any moisture they should be ok to use for ages.
Phillip Murray asked:
I have been using the Rosehip Isotonic, my question is what's the best way to keep this bait fresh once the packs opened till the next trip, also what if you have some left and won't be fishing again for a few months, do you just leave it, or freeze it, or glug it?
Allan Parbery answered:
If you keep it in the packet and re-seal it the bait should stay fresh for many months. I have some hanging around in the back of the van that has been there since last year and it smells fine, feels fine and looks fine. As long as you keep the baits away from direct sunlight and any moisture they should be ok to use for ages.
31st July 2009
Joe Cook asked:
I'm fishing a very quiet unknown gravel pit near my home in Yaxley near Peterborough. I've seen some great looking carp just over the 30lb mark, may be a little bigger though. My main base of attack has been tiger nuts as I don't know of any carp that will not eat them and they are very tentative feeders so tiger nuts seemed a natural option. I did a short night session a couple of weeks ago and hooked a large fish during the early hours. Unfortunately the hook pulled at the net, but I saw the fish at least and recognised it as one of my targets. Bearing in mind that there are as far as i know only a handful of carp in there so my question is; what chance is there that that particular fish has wised up to my tiger nut approach. Should I stick with my current tactics now the fish are relatively comfortable with the bait or should I change in case they now see it as dangerous?
Allan Parbery answered:
It is great finding these waters isn’t it? Unknown fish, no crowds and the element of surprise is what it’s all about.
I have a very easy answer for you here and that is carry on as before with 2 rods and maybe try a boilie, or a different particle on the third. Tigers are working and I know from experience that they will catch some carp time after time after time. Tigers are a bit of a random shape and it is very unlikely that the particular carp in question will realise what has happened.
For a sustained campaign on this water I do think that you will be much better off introducing boilies at some time in the near future. Particle baits seem fine to use in the warmer months but their effectiveness can be called into question after August on many lakes. I think that maybe this is due to the fact that carp must know they will need to put on reserves of weight for the coming winter. Particles, generally, are very poor food baits with little goodness in them. Even the cheapest boilies may be a better bet later in the year.
Joe Cook asked:
I'm fishing a very quiet unknown gravel pit near my home in Yaxley near Peterborough. I've seen some great looking carp just over the 30lb mark, may be a little bigger though. My main base of attack has been tiger nuts as I don't know of any carp that will not eat them and they are very tentative feeders so tiger nuts seemed a natural option. I did a short night session a couple of weeks ago and hooked a large fish during the early hours. Unfortunately the hook pulled at the net, but I saw the fish at least and recognised it as one of my targets. Bearing in mind that there are as far as i know only a handful of carp in there so my question is; what chance is there that that particular fish has wised up to my tiger nut approach. Should I stick with my current tactics now the fish are relatively comfortable with the bait or should I change in case they now see it as dangerous?
Allan Parbery answered:
It is great finding these waters isn’t it? Unknown fish, no crowds and the element of surprise is what it’s all about.
I have a very easy answer for you here and that is carry on as before with 2 rods and maybe try a boilie, or a different particle on the third. Tigers are working and I know from experience that they will catch some carp time after time after time. Tigers are a bit of a random shape and it is very unlikely that the particular carp in question will realise what has happened.
For a sustained campaign on this water I do think that you will be much better off introducing boilies at some time in the near future. Particle baits seem fine to use in the warmer months but their effectiveness can be called into question after August on many lakes. I think that maybe this is due to the fact that carp must know they will need to put on reserves of weight for the coming winter. Particles, generally, are very poor food baits with little goodness in them. Even the cheapest boilies may be a better bet later in the year.
27th April 2009
Rodney Smith asked:
Congrats on being in business over 21 years. I just want to ask you if you could recommend one of your Euro-Boilies for me to fish the Thames & it's backwaters around the Oxford area please.
Allan Parbery answered:
Good question this one and many thanks for your congratulations.
Over the years I have done quite a bit of river fishing for carp from places like the local Nene to vast rivers such as the Saone and Rhone in France.
Generally speaking river carp are nomadic creatures and many fish known to have been in one stretch of the Nene are regularly caught miles away some time later. I am sure this will apply to the Thames too.
Bait then is something that has got to be good enough to stop the carp and get them feeding. As it is possible the fish you catch today will be from a different shoal to those you will catch tomorrow the protein content of the boilies does not have to be the same as you would use in your syndicate water. It is probably not worth the effort to get the fish used to one particular good food source because they are nomadic. If you do get repeat captures then the rules may change.
Baiting up is of utmost importance for river fishing and most of us would do this after work in the evening. The more regularly you can do this the better. Keep it at the same time too if possible. The fish will now be used to finding food available in the evenings and at night so the colour choice is probably not going to matter that much. I probably wouldn't use the fishmeal baits because bream may well munch through your pre baiting. I would look at something that had a decently strong flavour level without being too overpowering and in this instance it would be the Banana Tutti. Why? - well it has a good pedigree and has been successful for lots of anglers up and down the country, and abroad, in situations just like yours. It is as instant as you can make a boilie be and does have a surprising nutritional value for a cheaper bait. Chub don't like Banana Tutti as much as carp do in my experience so that's another bonus because chub are in the Thames by the bucketful.
Good luck.
Rodney Smith asked:
Congrats on being in business over 21 years. I just want to ask you if you could recommend one of your Euro-Boilies for me to fish the Thames & it's backwaters around the Oxford area please.
Allan Parbery answered:
Good question this one and many thanks for your congratulations.
Over the years I have done quite a bit of river fishing for carp from places like the local Nene to vast rivers such as the Saone and Rhone in France.
Generally speaking river carp are nomadic creatures and many fish known to have been in one stretch of the Nene are regularly caught miles away some time later. I am sure this will apply to the Thames too.
Bait then is something that has got to be good enough to stop the carp and get them feeding. As it is possible the fish you catch today will be from a different shoal to those you will catch tomorrow the protein content of the boilies does not have to be the same as you would use in your syndicate water. It is probably not worth the effort to get the fish used to one particular good food source because they are nomadic. If you do get repeat captures then the rules may change.
Baiting up is of utmost importance for river fishing and most of us would do this after work in the evening. The more regularly you can do this the better. Keep it at the same time too if possible. The fish will now be used to finding food available in the evenings and at night so the colour choice is probably not going to matter that much. I probably wouldn't use the fishmeal baits because bream may well munch through your pre baiting. I would look at something that had a decently strong flavour level without being too overpowering and in this instance it would be the Banana Tutti. Why? - well it has a good pedigree and has been successful for lots of anglers up and down the country, and abroad, in situations just like yours. It is as instant as you can make a boilie be and does have a surprising nutritional value for a cheaper bait. Chub don't like Banana Tutti as much as carp do in my experience so that's another bonus because chub are in the Thames by the bucketful.
Good luck.
14th April 2009
Trevor Jones asked:
Having used T1 on a lake last year to good effect I was wondering if you could suggest an alternative from your range that would be as good or better?
Allan Parbery answered:
I am glad somebody has asked me such a question to answer on the website - it is one that crops up regularly on the phone.
This may surprise you and many others but I have no idea what T1 is. Yes I have heard of it but have never seen it. The same can be said of any products that our competitors make - I suppose at least we could never be accused of copying that way. However this doesn’t answer anything so lets have a go at a proper answer for you.
Firstly I would never change a bait that is working for me in the hope the next one will be better. If you think the bait is losing its effectiveness or you weren’t 100% happy with it anyway then I would change.
I take it that the T1 is a fishmeal bait - most are nowadays. If your water responds very well to this type of bait you should stick to using similar offerings - Mistral’s ‘Bait with No Name’ springs to mind instantly. The original version of this bait is still the one to use on a syndicate I fish. Many hundreds of 20’s and 30’s have been caught on it since 2004 and last season was the best yet. Why you may ask? Well I think that it is because the ‘Bait with No Name’ has no flavours inside it at all. It doesn’t smell of anything bar the base mix so there is little for the carp to get wary of. Baits that stand the test of time will be of a similar type I’m sure.
However a well known angler once said ‘If you want to catch the same as everybody else - do as everybody else. If you want to catch more, experiment’. Good advice indeed. So what would the experiment be? You may notice that we have a new ‘No Name’ bait called ‘Live R’. Yes it is liver based and is an exceptionally high protein bait that I and a few others done really well on last year. At the moment it is on a ‘buy one get one free’ offer so the wise money may go that way especially if you get a few friends on it too.
Trevor Jones asked:
Having used T1 on a lake last year to good effect I was wondering if you could suggest an alternative from your range that would be as good or better?
Allan Parbery answered:
I am glad somebody has asked me such a question to answer on the website - it is one that crops up regularly on the phone.
This may surprise you and many others but I have no idea what T1 is. Yes I have heard of it but have never seen it. The same can be said of any products that our competitors make - I suppose at least we could never be accused of copying that way. However this doesn’t answer anything so lets have a go at a proper answer for you.
Firstly I would never change a bait that is working for me in the hope the next one will be better. If you think the bait is losing its effectiveness or you weren’t 100% happy with it anyway then I would change.
I take it that the T1 is a fishmeal bait - most are nowadays. If your water responds very well to this type of bait you should stick to using similar offerings - Mistral’s ‘Bait with No Name’ springs to mind instantly. The original version of this bait is still the one to use on a syndicate I fish. Many hundreds of 20’s and 30’s have been caught on it since 2004 and last season was the best yet. Why you may ask? Well I think that it is because the ‘Bait with No Name’ has no flavours inside it at all. It doesn’t smell of anything bar the base mix so there is little for the carp to get wary of. Baits that stand the test of time will be of a similar type I’m sure.
However a well known angler once said ‘If you want to catch the same as everybody else - do as everybody else. If you want to catch more, experiment’. Good advice indeed. So what would the experiment be? You may notice that we have a new ‘No Name’ bait called ‘Live R’. Yes it is liver based and is an exceptionally high protein bait that I and a few others done really well on last year. At the moment it is on a ‘buy one get one free’ offer so the wise money may go that way especially if you get a few friends on it too.
30th December 2008
Mark Hibbitt asked:
I'm looking to use Mistral Baits this year, but don't know which bait to use? The water I'm fishing is about 7 acres, with fish stockings of 180, including 5 thirties, and around 30-40 twenties. They like their boilies, what sort of price would I pay for about 30kg of boilies?
Allan Parbery answered:
This is a question I get asked regularly and the answer depends upon lots of variables.
Can I suggest that this lake is a local club/syndicate water with many other anglers fishing it?
If so I would try to team up with one or two other anglers to save a bit of money on the bait firstly, but secondly and far more important it means that the bait is going in more regularly. You can share baiting up chores 3 ways and have a whole better season to show for it.
What type of bait? Well I would suggest that fishmeals are being used on your lake and have been for a few years. If this is the case I would certainly look at one of the No Name range of boilies or something similar. These are high protein fishmeal baits, with the exception of the new Live R which is liver and meat based. Any of this range contain all of the necessary ingredients suitable for catching carp and lots of them too. The prices for these are about £11 per kilo.
It is well worth keeping an eye on our ‘special offer' page on the website for some bargains. I know that we don't have any of the No Name range at present but there are many others that would get the job done for you. One that springs to mind is a Monster Crab flavoured fishmeal/birdfood bait that we make for the European market. They are great boilies that contain Robin Red, PTX, LT94 and loads of other goodies. We have a whole load of these boilies that are not quite round so we sell them off for £40 per 10 kilos. The ingredients are all there it is just that a part of the machine was worn just a little too much before we replaced it. If you get 2 or 3 mates to have the same 30 kilos or so you will be in with the very best chance to have a great season at a low price. At my local syndicate this is how we fish. Six or seven of us decide on a bait and stick with it - The No Name original still being the choice of most.
If price is the defining criteria most baits will catch carp for you - it just seems that keeping one bait going in all of the time will help you far more than if you swap and change every week.
The good thing about the No Name and the Monster Crab baits mentioned is that they are also effective for fishing in all but the coldest of conditions - the first time I tried them was in February 2004 and I caught a nice low twenty within 10 minutes followed an hour later by another one a bit bigger.
What you have to do is feed your chosen bait regularly and fish well with them. This may mean scratching your head and thinking about the lake, it's inhabitants and your successes and failures in past sessions. However as most of the lakes will be iced up now you should have plenty of time to do this.
Have a super 2009.
Mark Hibbitt asked:
I'm looking to use Mistral Baits this year, but don't know which bait to use? The water I'm fishing is about 7 acres, with fish stockings of 180, including 5 thirties, and around 30-40 twenties. They like their boilies, what sort of price would I pay for about 30kg of boilies?
Allan Parbery answered:
This is a question I get asked regularly and the answer depends upon lots of variables.
Can I suggest that this lake is a local club/syndicate water with many other anglers fishing it?
If so I would try to team up with one or two other anglers to save a bit of money on the bait firstly, but secondly and far more important it means that the bait is going in more regularly. You can share baiting up chores 3 ways and have a whole better season to show for it.
What type of bait? Well I would suggest that fishmeals are being used on your lake and have been for a few years. If this is the case I would certainly look at one of the No Name range of boilies or something similar. These are high protein fishmeal baits, with the exception of the new Live R which is liver and meat based. Any of this range contain all of the necessary ingredients suitable for catching carp and lots of them too. The prices for these are about £11 per kilo.
It is well worth keeping an eye on our ‘special offer' page on the website for some bargains. I know that we don't have any of the No Name range at present but there are many others that would get the job done for you. One that springs to mind is a Monster Crab flavoured fishmeal/birdfood bait that we make for the European market. They are great boilies that contain Robin Red, PTX, LT94 and loads of other goodies. We have a whole load of these boilies that are not quite round so we sell them off for £40 per 10 kilos. The ingredients are all there it is just that a part of the machine was worn just a little too much before we replaced it. If you get 2 or 3 mates to have the same 30 kilos or so you will be in with the very best chance to have a great season at a low price. At my local syndicate this is how we fish. Six or seven of us decide on a bait and stick with it - The No Name original still being the choice of most.
If price is the defining criteria most baits will catch carp for you - it just seems that keeping one bait going in all of the time will help you far more than if you swap and change every week.
The good thing about the No Name and the Monster Crab baits mentioned is that they are also effective for fishing in all but the coldest of conditions - the first time I tried them was in February 2004 and I caught a nice low twenty within 10 minutes followed an hour later by another one a bit bigger.
What you have to do is feed your chosen bait regularly and fish well with them. This may mean scratching your head and thinking about the lake, it's inhabitants and your successes and failures in past sessions. However as most of the lakes will be iced up now you should have plenty of time to do this.
Have a super 2009.