Anglers' Net - The UK Online Fishing Magazine: Particle Baits In Europe

Particle Baits In Europe
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chriswoodrow on 21 February, 2001 04:00:00
 
In the UK over recent years there seems to have been a lot of controversy and,
in many instances, misapprehension about the use of particle baits. We now find
ourselves in the position that a large percentage of UK waters totally ban the
use of particles. When I refer to particles I mean of course seeds, nuts,
pulses etc.
Even though the word particle means extremely small piece or amount according
to Collins English Dictionary, I dont intend to discuss mini boilies, chopped
up baits or other small baits.
Particles can of course be dangerous if theyre not prepared correctly, and
this I would imagine is the main reason for the controversy. Undoubtedly,
undercooked particles have killed carp, this being the result of sheer
ignorance on the part of the person preparing the bait.
The second main reason was the peanut problem some years ago when, if I recall
correctly, hundreds of tonnes of peanuts were infected by a mould virus which
was undetectable to the human eye, and was fatal if consumed in quantity by the
carp. I havent heard of any recent problems with the quality of peanuts, so I
guess the problem is now history.
Obviously its important to insist on the best quality particles available. But
how you tell quality, I dont know. I imagine that going to a reputable particle
supplier, such as Hinders of Swindon, would be a good start.
It must also be stressed that sacks of particles need to be stored correctly in
a totally dry, cool environment otherwise youll bring a serious quality problem
on yourself!
Before going on and talking more specifically about particle fishing in France,
I think it would be a good idea to briefly discuss the basics of particle
preparation. Dehydrated particles require soaking in water, normally overnight,
or for at least say 12 hours. Most swell up to at least double their size, so
youll need to consider this when selecting bucket size and level of water in
it. Its also worth adding a flavour to the liquid at this point so that the
bait absorbs it during the soaking process. Colour, if required, can also be
added at this stage.
Once youve soaked your baits, they require cooking, generally using one of two
methods: in a normal cooking pot or in a pressure cooker. Personally, I prefer
the pressure cooker as it doesnt allow so much of the natural smells etc. to
escape. As a rule of thumb 15 minutes to half an hour in boiling water will do
the trick, but youll need to keep an eye on them so that they dont get too
soft, or remain too hard.
After this, particles should be drained and either put in cool water ready to
use, put back in the water used to boil them once it has cooled, frozen, or
allowed to ferment for use.
Fermentation occurs if you leave the particles for a few days, normally a
maximum of three. The dictionary tells me this is the process whereby sugar
turns to alcohol. I read somewhere else that its the starches that turn to
sugar. Either way, once the bucket of particles smells sickly and becomes
milky, theyre at their best. If your bucket becomes vinegary and very acidic,
like youve overdone it, start again!
Tiger nuts and maize are excellent examples of good fermented baits. With maize
Ive had some excellent catches in France when other normal particles havent
produced.
Some particles, such as oat groats, only require minimal preparation, such as
soaking, but you must check before making any assumptions.
OK, now weve established that quality and correct preparation of particles is
of paramount importance, lets go to the point  particle fishing in Europe.
Most waters outside of the UK have no bans on the use of particle baits; some
of the smaller, purpose run lakes in France do though, so its worth checking
with the owners. I dont fish these overstocked places so I cant really
comment. This article is specifically aimed at bigger, lesser-known waters, but
I guess the principles are the same.
With so many particles on the market nowadays where do you begin to start? Good
question.
I normally start out by finding out as much as possible about the place Im
going to fish. Im not referring here to the scenery, but to the make-up of the
lake-bed. Has the lake got a muddy, soft bottom? Is it a pit with a hard bottom?
By finding out you can begin to short-list an appropriate particle.
Obviously, many people have favourites, in which theyre 100% confident.
Indeed, my own favourite is oat groats, and I always take a sack in the car
when going on any session in Europe, regardless of venue. If youve got a
favourite, fine, use it, but why not try another on one of the other rods? You
could be surprised, and maybe find a new favourite!
On lakes with soft, muddy bottoms particles with a flattish side, such as
black-eyed beans, maize, pinto beans, lupins or tiger nuts will settle softly
on the bottom and can be easily taken by our friend, Mr. Carp.
A hard bottom is ideal for the denser particles, such as soya beans, maples or
chickpeas, where sinking out of sight isnt a problem.
With weedy, silty type bottoms, I prefer to use very small particles, such as
oat groats, hemp, pearl barley and the now famous Hinders Partiblend, which
all sit on the weed nicely and dont sink out of sight. Of course, your rig
must take that into account, so well look at that shortly.
Cost is an important factor also. Particles such as tiger nuts are obviously
far more expensive than a sack of maize, so youll have to look at this when
making your choice.
As most waters in Europe allow the use of boats, getting your particles out to
your marked spot is not as much of a problem as it is in the UK. I fish a lot
of very big waters, which require fishing at huge range, so theres no way that
spodding or bait rockets as they now tend to be called, would be feasible.
Mind you, its useful to have this bit of kit in your tackle box.
When dropping particles from a boat, if Im using a reasonable quantity, I use
an old piece of drainpipe and simply prefill it and tip it vertically when in
position so that the baits drop accurately into the precise location. When
using a small quantity of bait, I either drop it in by hand from the boat or
use a PVA bag in weedy/silty conditions because itll tend to pull your
hookbaits into the weed or silt.
Rigs. As Ive stated in previous articles, I like to keep rigs as simple as
possible when fishing in France. Whilst waters in Europe, especially France,
are now receiving far more pressure than in years gone by, I still consider
simple rigs work effectively.
When fishing with particles, I prefer to use pop ups or, indeed fish a pop up
boilie over a light scattering of particles. Im not too bothered about
critical balancing; Ive tried both critical balancing and anchoring baits to
the bottom, and both seem to give similar results. One thing though which Im
sure is always overlooked when critically balancing baits is that colder water
is denser than warm water, creating slightly more buoyancy. In other words the
deeper you go, the more buoyant it gets, so if youve balanced your bait in a
bucket by your bivvy it wont act the same in 20ft of water. Think about it&
To summarise: think carefully about which particle youre going to take to
Europe with you. For the record, a 30/70 mixture of pinhead oatmeal and groats
is my personal favourite, and of course tiger nuts!
I hope this article has been of interest, maybe some use, and has given you
some food for thought.
Good Luck.
Chris Essex Man Woodrow