Everything you need to know about Belachan

01 Number of uses

“Belacan (or Belachan as it is more commonly known in angling circles) has been one of those additives in its various formats that was one of the best carp bait secrets and was being used by people in the know in the 80’s! There can be no question it is still a stunning additive and if you can handle the smell of the block, an edge that can be used in numerous applications.”

02 Various types

“The Belacan we tend to have access to in the UK is the standard fermented shrimp block, powder and liquid formulations. Worldwide there are numerous variations ranging from pale liquid sauces to the solid chocolate-coloured blocks we are familiar with. Whilst the shrimp paste has a pungent aroma, the better the quality the milder the aroma becomes. These pastes will vary considerably between the different Asian cultures, with different aromas, textures and levels of salt.”

03 How it's produced

“The Belacan we use tends to be made from fresh tiny shrimp of a Malaysian species known as gerago. The true process involves mashing the gerago into a paste and then buried for several months before being dug up, cooked and formed into cakes. Other varieties are to be found in specialist shops if you care to hunt, these include ‘Terasi’ an Indonesian variation, made from rebon shrimps. ‘Kapi’ comes from Thailand whilst ‘Bagoong alamang’ is made from the species of shrimp known as alamang, in this product you can actually see the formed shrimp.”

Ten Top Tips For Belachan Products...

01 “The first way Belachan block was used in boilies was simply by finely grating and adding into the liquids before adding the boilie mix. This is still a very effective method using between 50 and 100gms per kilo of dry base mix depending on the ingredients therein.”

02 “One of the best methods of getting Belachan block into base, spod, Stick and/or Method mixes is by liquidising the block into a liquid carrier; the more liquid, the thinner the end product obviously. In the summer a nice salmon or cod liver oil, in the winter liquid Betaine or Feedstim XP.”

03 “Grated Belachan can be used in so many applications that it would take a full page to list them all, one method I do like though is to add the grated Belachan in with liquidised bread and use in Sticks. This can be really devastating as the bread will carry the Belachan into the water column.”

04 “One way to use all three forms of Belachan products are with particles and pellets. Firstly, take the pellets and grate in some block Belachan, stirring all the time to aid distribution. Next add the powdered Belachan at around 50gs per kilo and really mix well. Finely glaze the pellet mix with the liquid Belachan. Awesome!”

05 “Another way to use the powder is to add it neat to a pellet mixture, including Belachan infused pellets. Mix well so all the pellets are thoroughly dusted. This can be used as your bag mix and it won’t hurt to add a little neat powder into the bag as well.”

06 “There are several liquid Belachan products on the market and if you want to use them neat in PVA bags as per the Tea Bag Method check they are PVA-friendly! This really is the business product and is great for weed fishing with all the soluble attractive properties it contains. Don’t be afraid to use it in the winter either!”

07 “I also like to incorporate all three products into Stick mixes, but where I really think they have a big edge is in paste baits. All those natural food signals dissolving into the water column, the saltiness which carp like, it just shouts grub up, come and get it.”

08 “Another little edge is to take a piece of the block and mould it around a small corkball to make it lighter than a bottom bait but not popped up. Next mesh it up with fine stocking and burn off before attaching to the Hair as per normal before giving a good dip into liquid Belachan prior to casting out. Natural goodness.”

09 “Both the powdered and liquid versions of Belachan are really good when used on Chum or other floaters. It really is a nice water-borne attraction package that the carp will respond to and react to differently even if they have been hammered off the surface.”

10 “The most import thing is don’t be frightened to experiment with these products as they have so much mileage. Yes, they stink, but hey, that is why they may be so attractive, natural aminos, enzymes, high levels of salt and much, much more. Keep the powder dry and the liquid cool and the block, just allow it to work!”