Bait According To... Bill Cottam
From his belief in big fish baits—and their ability to make catching carp easier—to his best bait-related purchase in recent times, Bill Cottam reveals all when it comes to his bait choices
The bait that changed everything for me was Trigga. Although you can never say for sure, when you have been involved with bait, bait development and bait production as long as I have, you tend to have reasonable idea of how effective a prototype recipe is likely to be, before it is even put through its paces. I knew from the combination of quality ingredients that went into Trigga that there was every likelihood it would catch a few, but what happened in the months and years that followed, ensured that every bait I used going forward, would be compared to the effectiveness of Trigga. I understand, of course, that the argument as to whether big-fish baits exist is a nonsense to many people… I can only assume they have never bought a bag of Trigga!
The game-changing baiting moment which altered everything for me was coming to terms with the fact that a sensibly and steadily applied balanced foodbait that, over time, becomes accepted as a food source, makes catching carp a great deal easier. This was massive for me, and undoubtedly it shaped my approach from that day forward.
On my wish list for a future bait-related item would be raw materials at more realistic prices. This is something that is desperately needed by the bait companies at the moment, and if current trends continue, I fear suppliers will have little alternative but to cut a few corners with the quality of the ingredients they use. I am in the fortunate position of being able to see things from both sides: from the position of the manufacturer, and more recently, that of a member of the bait-buying public. Believe me, the job of the bait companies is getting harder and harder.
I have an excessive collection of floats. When I was a rather wet-behind-the-ears coarse angler, plying my trade and drowning maggots in and around the ponds of South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, I used to buy floats for the sake of it. Nowadays, I seem incapable of going into a tackle shop without walking out with fifty-three pots of pop-ups… most of which I will never use!
A bait I long to use again goes right back to my first effort at putting my own bait together. It was a paste-bait concoction that was made from ground pellets, some bits and pieces from the local health food shop and some flavours and essences I pinched from Mum’s cooking cupboard. They were exciting times that I would love to have the opportunity to relive.
My preferred baiting approach nowadays is predominantly one that utilises mixed sizes of RG Baits’ Formula + Arctic Crab boilies, with a generous scattering of Carbon Baits’ hempseed added for good measure.
In my bait bag you will always find an assortment of hardened hookbaits that I can confidently leave in position for as long as it takes… and a baiting needle that is up to the job of making a hole through them without breaking!
A bait-related item I would never part with would be my RidgeMonkey Advanced Boilie Crusher. It goes everywhere with me. Mixing the shapes and sizes of baits in an attempt to confuse the carp and keep them guessing has long been a tactic of mine, and it has served me well. Adding crumbed, broken and halved baits to the equation only complements what I am looking to achieve.
My preferred hookbait colour is white.
My preferred hookbait and freebie size depends on the venue and the fishing situation, but generally speaking, as far as freebies are concerned, I mix the shapes and sizes—only on very rare occasions do I sit behind just one size of free offering. Hookbait-wise, I favour 16mm pop-ups and bottom baits for the UK and for my overseas fishing, 16mm pop-ups (my usual presentation of choice) and an 18mm or 20mm bottom bait topped off and critically balanced with a trimmed-down 16mm pop-up, fished Snowman Rig-style.
My best bait edge is having total belief and confidence in the bait I am using. If I have a poor run of results, it never enters my head that my bait might be the problem.
TOP 5 BAIT ITEMS
If you want to minic what’s inside Bill Cottam’s bait bag, these are the bits and pieces you’ll need to pick up...
1. Formula + Arctic Crab Boilies
“Only on very rare occasions do I use more than one bait, and my boilie of choice for the last few seasons has been RG Baits’ Formula + Arctic Crab. Bait choice is all about putting your faith in the recipe that best suits your own specific needs. This one has proved incredibly effective for me and it ticks all the boxes.”
2. Formula + Arctic Crab 3mm Pellets
“I am not a regular PVA bag user by any stretch of the imagination, but there are occasions when I consider them to be the order of the day. These tiny, high-attract pellets are ideal for such an approach. When mixed 50-50 with boilie crumb and dampened with Formula Liquid Food, they pack down perfectly and make a lovely bag filler.”
3. Alternative Hookbaits
“I have long been a fan of using an alternative hookbait over a generous scattering of foodbaits, and my bait stash always includes a good selection of both high-attract pop-ups and bottom baits.”
4. Bait Soak Sprays
“I have never been of the opinion that good-quality foodbait freebies need to be swimming in additional liquids to render them effective, but high-attract hookbaits undoubtedly benefit from a little-and-often boost with a bait soak spray. My bait bag always includes booster sprays that match all my hookbaits.”
5. Wrapped Hookbaits
“I am honestly starting to believe that crayfish follow me around from water to water, and to ensure I can get topside of them, I always carry a selection of shrink tube and wrapped, air-dried hookbaits. Invariably, I can then put pay to their attempts to devour by hookbaits.”
