How to make the most of single hookbaits

Casting out single hookbaits without any free bait at all can be a daunting prospect to some anglers. Simply because you can’t help but wonder how the heck the fish are going to find that little single bait in all that water? Well the fact of the matter is they will – with a lot of efficiency is some cases, and once you get your head around that fact you’ll be onto one of the best winter methods going!

Although, like any winning tactics, there are good ways of applying them, as well as improved, better ways that achieve increased results – which is exactly what we’re going to look at now…

1 Use a highly flavoured bait

To improve the chances of catching with single hookbaits, you need to do everything you can to appeal to the sensory functions of the carp. The flavour and smell of the hookbait will go a long way towards improving these chances. So don’t be afraid to use a strong, highly flavoured hookbait. Savoury, spicy, a fruit sweetness or fish flavour, it doesn’t matter, just pick something that will leak plenty of attraction.

2 Use bright colours

Make it easier for the fish to locate a bait that they may have already received a flavour signal from by using a brightly coloured hookbait.

This also increases the chances of a pick-up through curiosity. Different colours may standout out better on any given day due to light levels etc. So try different colours across your rods and change after periods of inactivity, until hopefully you discover what works best.

3 Glug the hookbait

Remember the hookbait is only going to be sampled by investigative carp and hopefully once will be enough to hook it. Because it’s not meant to actually be eaten like a free bait, the flavour level can be taken to the max. Using a hookbait dip to glug hookbaits prior to casting out can really boost the attraction of a single hookbait, as well as leak an instant food signal throughout the water column.

4 Increase the flavour leakage

With boilie style hookbaits, the bulk of the flavour and attraction is locked inside the bait by the skin formed during the boiling process. This will leak out over time, but it’s a good idea to improve this release of attraction, especially when the hookbait is used alone. Simply trimming off the sides of the hookbait to dramatically increase the flavour leakage and food signal sent to the carp – come and get me!

5 Cast at showing fish

We’ve talked about ways of getting carp to come to the hookbait, but the quickest way of doing this will always be putting the bait as close to a fish as possible in the first place. Carp don’t generally move about too much in cold water, making it a good idea to recast to different areas every so often, and without hesitation always cast at a showing fish. This will often result in a quick take soon after.