The 'brick'

With so many anglers looking ahead, looking for the next new, big thing, and perhaps the next carp-catching edge, it’s easy to forget the past and only look to the future. Many of the tips and tactics from yesteryear can provide a modern-day edge, simply because they have not been employed for so long. And for the vast majority of anglers out there, this month’s bait edge is exactly that.

‘The Brick’ was a bait practice that first become popular many years ago when bait tactics were evolving from paste methods to tough, durable boiled baits. In fact, the process of forming The Brick is similar to that of making boilies, only on a different scale. Instead, a larger piece of boilie paste is formed into a brick-like shape and boiled ,giving a variety of taste, texture and attraction levels throughout the cross-section and giving you a mass of presentation possibilities and applications.

It’s an ‘old school’ method revitalised and here’s how it’s done…

The recipe

Ingredients: 1 capful of Hybrid Activator per two eggs; Hybrid Dedicated Base Mix.
Equipment: Mixing bowl, measuring spoon or pipette (optional), fork, spoon(s), drying
towel, saucepan and sieve or strainer.
Production time: Approximately 90-minutes.
Ready to use in: Immediately.

How to make 'the brick'

It's like making boilies - just a damn sight easier as there's no rolling involved!

STEP 1 Begin the process by breaking two (four eggs if you want larger bricks) into a mixing bowl.

STEP 2 Add your flavours/liquids next – in this case one capful of Hybrid Activator per two eggs.

STEP 3 With the eggs and Activator combined, give the liquids a light whisk for an even mix of flavour.

STEP 4 The dry ingredients go in next. Add the Hybrid Dedicated Base Mix a little at a time like so.

STEP 5 Slowly build-up what will be a pliable paste like this – mixing with a fork and then by hand.

STEP 6 The finished paste should look like this: not too wet and sticky, but also not too dry and crumbly.

STEP 7 Form compact ‘bricks’ of around this size and shape before boiling vigorously for ten minutes.

STEP 8 Once the boiling time is complete, remove the bricks from the water and place onto a towel to dry.

STEP 9 The finished brick(s) will regain colour and harden on the outside but retain a soft inner texture.

Brick edges

Three little ways to use the brick

1 The Brick can provide hookbaits of various sizes, shapes and textures – all packed with high-leakage attraction!

2 Crushing up some of The Brick can create a high-attract crumb for PVA Sticks and bags with very little work.

3 Attraction levels can be further increased by keeping The Brick in a plastic bag with a coating of Mainline’s Meta-Mino.