The Insider's View

The Big Questions

Frank, you’ve created many baits over the years, but why this combination of ingredients, spices and flavours to create Smokey Jack?
“Over the years I learnt through experience what ingredients switch fish on and keep them wanting the bait, but more importantly the correct inclusion levels; it’s easy to overdo it or on the other hand not put enough in to make a difference. Both liquid and powdered ingredients have to blend well and work as a package, I don’t want a bait that you have to pre-bait with it to try to wean carp on to it; I want it to be instantly attractive and palatable so they are switched on instantly.

“Through my research over a number of years I found carp are massively attracted to smoke compounds, and the way these are created is a science in itself and probably not what you might expect. It is both a feeding trigger and taste enhancer so naturally it’s part of this unique bait.

“To my mind, if you are going to do something, then it must be the best you can do - no compromises - it’s no good talking something up or hyping a mediocre bait by spending a fortune on advertising to create a false impression. I let the results on the bait, in the way of action, do the talking - surely the best way?”

What makes this bait so much more special to anything you’ve created before?
“Well, it’s 2018 and things naturally progress and evolve, and the older I get, the more I learn. The flavour house I use is possibly the best in the world, and predictably they are annoyingly expensive. I’ll be honest about that: I think the boss, Pele, nearly fainted when he saw the price of the flavours I use and insisted on! But as I said, if you want the best, it doesn’t come cheap; they are the best for a reason. Luckily Pele is quite the perfectionist and saw how passionate I am about using the best things for the task and agreed it was crucial as I wanted the bait to keep working, and palatability and taste is vitally important to achieve this, as is a high degree of digestibility.

“Over the years I have created a number of baits I am justifiably proud of but I think the Smokey Jack will take some beating in my humble opinion.”

How long a process was it putting this bait together and did it evolve much during that period?
“If I am honest, it’s not just come about during my time with Spotted Fin, it’s been a lifetime’s work. As some may know, I had my own bait company previously and I had a number of years there trialling and selling various baits, and before that I worked for 10 years at another well-known bait company, and prior to that I sold my own successful mixes when I had a tackle shop, so the accumulation of time and accrued knowledge has been a long interesting process.

“Pele has his own interesting thoughts and ideas about making good successful baits - that’s what struck me and intrigued me about his business and made me want to be part of it. I told him I had this bait I wanted to make and said, “Let me make it and hand it to the testers and see what they say.” It was unconditional that if they said it wasn’t good enough we would go back to the drawing board, but I knew it would be a success, however, as I said, let the testers have the last word.

“We made some adjustments as is normal over perhaps a year or so until we were satisfied. Very soon after sending it out to guys who were using it on all manner of diverse waters all over the UK and across Europe, we had some truly outstanding feedback and super positive captures that made it all so compelling that we simply had to make plans to launch as the demand went mad.”

We can always remember you doing the complete opposite to every other angler on Horseshoe Lake during the Fish With The Stars event and absolutely smashed it. The method: 20mm boilies put out with a throwing stick, while everyone else spodded out pellets and hemp to tight areas. Do you still do things like that: use the 20mm boilies in the range rather than the 15s like everyone else does?
“I learnt a long time ago that going right against the normal approach can work wonders; not always of course, but more often than not, many anglers given the choice, certainly up North, prefer smaller boilies to feed with and use on the rig. I guess big baits look a bit uncouth on the rig and don’t visually appeal to the angler; the fish, however, quite often have different ideas and simply love a big easy meal.

“I have a friend, Chris Thompson, that has lived in France for many years, fishing big public lakes, and he had a typical English mentality when he first moved over there, with the idea that 18mm baits would be sufficient. He got breamed stupid and soon made much bigger baits through necessity rather than choice.

“He made his baits 26mm and bigger and had some really amazing catches on massive double bottom baits. Now he uses them everywhere and to great effect. His consistency is remarkable if I’m honest, and when he went to Parco de la Brenta in Italy, he fished by design his massive baits. These go against the grain as the Italians really are like us and they like smaller baits. Well, Chris shared the swim with our friend Henrik Hansen who used smaller 15mm baits in the same mix - Catalyst. Both caught well either side of the marker, but Chris absolutely caned it and had noticeably much bigger averages with carp to 69lb 12oz.

“He did the same trick last September and I saw him have seven commons over 55lbs in a row. Now no matter where you are, that’s incredible, so think on when planning your trips, as this can work in the UK because virtually no one does it.”

First time out with the bait on my syndicate water in Shropshire resulted in the two largest commons in the lake!

Finally, Frank, have you got any little edges/tips for when it comes to using the bait and the range of back-up products, like the pellets, paste, etc.?
“Do you know what, if I am honest, I don’t find I need to get too tricky with the Smokey Jack elements to get bites. As long as I take time really getting on the fish that’s the most important bit and then the bait takes care of the rest.

“I use the various sizes of pellets a lot, and chopped baits mixed with whole baits to get them rooting. I also always take hempseed and sweetcorn to add to the mix if I fancy.
“For something different, try the Smokey Jack Paste wrapped around a SJ Wafter. Once you have wrapped the hookbait, I get ‘Freeze It’ spray from a plumber’s merchant - it’s the stuff for freezing water pipes, it’s about £10 a can - and give it a quick blast; the paste is then frozen solid in an instant. You can then cast as hard as you want and you’re left with a hookbait that’s giving off unbeatable levels of attraction.”