Why you should make your own hookbaits

Making your own hookbaits is defiitely worth doing. By either buying the paste or base mix that matches your chosen boilie, you can create the perfect baits for the job. Corkballs are the best example of this but you can also create bottom baits with an element of buoyancy. The corkball pop-ups are a very buoyant type of hookbait, there’s no ifs or buts with this. The bottom baits, on the other hand, can be made to a particular specification.

You can create super-buoyant pop-ups by plug conventional ones with cork

By playing around with different levels of cork dust or Polaris within your custom made bottom baits you can make baits with the perfect amount of buoyancy. It does get quite tricky to begin with as the drying process etc. will all affect the bait’s weight but once you’ve made a few batches it gets easier. Making your own baits also gives you a chance to add a few extras such as GLM or Mussel Powder to the mix, boosting the bait’s appeal.

Hand-rolling ‘special’ hookbaits to match your free offerings is an edge, you can make these of a certain buoyancy, perfect for certain rigs. I make both pop-ups and bottom baits

Hookbait edges

Three little tips to give your hookbaits a boost

1 Tying your bait on rather than piercing it with a needle will prevent water absorption, especially with corkball pop-ups.

2 To use any of my pop-up rigs you’ll need a lighter – blobbing the floss to secure the bait is of paramount importance.

3 If you’re adding a fleck of colour, such as this piece of foam, remember this too will affect the buoyancy of the bait.