| After using Sillybait for a while and finding it a great bait and ground
bait, I had to find out more, I caught up with Howard Webb the creator of Sillybait, to
see if I could find out the secret behind there success: Catchpole: What is Sillybait? (in general) Howard: Now Gray, if I told you I'd have to kill you!! Not really, but all joking aside the 'silly' ingredient is an extremely secret ingredient and is the key to Sillybait’s success. Only I know what’s in the bait - when we have the groundbait made up all other people in the making room have to leave when I add it to the basic mix. To be honest, I have the ingredient list kept in a safety deposit box and it will be left to my family in my will! Apart from the 'silly' ingredient the rest of the ingredients are made from the best quality natural produce - the fishmeal used is some of the highest available and this again adds to the effectiveness of the bait. The amount of 'silly' ingredient added to the groundbait took several years to get just right before Sillybait was released to the general public. Too much and the fish are overpowered by it, too little and it is not effective - if you have used Sillybait we hope you agree that we have got the right amount. As to what the Silly ingredient is, well, like I said I can’t say but I will tell you its a substance that you would not normally relate to fishing, this is why so many people have tried, but failed to copy it! I’m the only person who knows the entire ingredients and is still made up by me at home in the West Country before it is bagged and distributed by Van Den Eynde. Catchpole: Where did the name Sillybait come from? Howard: The name Sillybait came from the early days when I was testing the bait myself. Because of its effectiveness, I used to win a hell of a lot of matches and people used to say, "Oh, Howard won again on that silly bait". It was said in envy at first but over time the name caught on and people used to say, "What are the fish taking at the moment". The reply, "Sillybait". And therein lies the answer! Catchpole: I notice that Sillybait can be used as groundbait and as a paste, how does this work? Howard: The difference between the paste and bait is simple. Because of its major diversity, depending on the amount of moisture and amount of kneading you give the bait depends on whether you get a groundbait or a paste. Hopefully, over the summer our website will have detailed pictures of how to produce the perfect paste and bait so keep your eyes open. Catchpole: You have three types of Silly ground bait black, red, and original, what are the differences between the three? Howard: The differences are as follows. Sillybait original was the first bait in the Silly range and is still a firm favourite in the summer for carp, tench and bream fisherman, although it is just as happy being used for all types of fish and in all conditions. Sillybait red was the second release – it’s a perfect change groundbait if times are hard and contains a slightly sweeter ingredient designed to get carp and tench in a feeding frenzy and from all the reports we get on it, it certainly does that. Sillybait Black was our latest release and is designed for the winter in clearer waters when you need that little bit extra to get the fish to feed. It is of a finer consistency than that of the other two baits and also has a lower food content, which shows why it is perfect in winter. It should be noted, however, that all the groundbaits can be used in all waters, in all conditions and for all species of fish - even barbel and chub! Catchpole: You also produce Silly pellets, what are these? (in general) Howard: Sillypellets are the world’s first truly hookable soft pellet – there is no need for fiddly bait bands and they contain a lot of oil which all fish find irresistible. They come in three different sizes and can be used in all situations - add them to groundbait, fish them up in the water or as a margin attractor, the possibilities are endless! Catchpole: The amount of oils that come out of the Silly Pellets when they are squeezed is amazing, how is this achieved? Howard: The amount of oil is amazing, and that is why the pellet is such a phenomenal fish catcher. Why it happens is all in its ingredients and manufacture and, again, I’m afraid that will stay a closely guarded secret as well!! Catchpole: And is this a factor in the success of the pellets. Howard: Yes, all fish especially carp, tench and bream love the oil that the pellets release as it forms a trail that they can follow, even when the water temperature is really quite low so it is an all round bait. Although those species mentioned are those that the pellets seem to catch most, we have had reports of all fish being caught on Sillypellets - even a pike!! Catchpole: Are Sillypellets and Sillybait best used in conjunction with each other? Howard: Both Sillybait and sillypellets work well when used in
conjunction with each other as much as they do when they are used separately. Sometimes
using groundbait as a base and fishing and feeding pellet over the top can be a killer
combination. Then, as the fish (particularly carp) come up in the water, stop using
groundbait and fish the pellets on their own up in the water and wait for that rod to get
wrenched round!!! Catchpole: Can you give any tips to our readers on using Sillybait products? Howard: I think for this you should check out our website as throughout it contains helpful hints and tips!! Catchpole: Have you any other exiting Silly products in the pipeline? Howard: Yes, at the moment I’m looking at a couple of very exciting products to add to the Sillybait range, of course they are highly secret and only I know what they are - keep an eye on our website for updates but I promise they will help you catch more fish Catchpole: Why does the colour of Sillybait Original sometimes change from packet to packet? Howard: An interesting one this, Gray. The colour changes are all to do with the quality of fish meal we use within Sillybait. We only use the finest quality grade of fishmeal and because it is a natural product we have no control over the colour of the meal itself. Sometimes the fishmeal originates from Scandinavian waters, other times from Chilli - this is why the difference in colour noticed within Sillybait are not down to us. Sometimes it resembles a light caramel, other times a dark chocolate. The quality, however, always remains the same, wherever the fishmeal comes from it is always extremely pure, another key to Sillybait’s success. Many other groundbaits on the market always have the same consistency in colour, we feel that at Sillybait, a change in colour is acceptable in order to maintain the high quality of groundbaits that we are proud to label with the name Sillybait. Thanks to Martin Preston for making this possible and Howard, for taking the time to do the interview. Gray-Catchpole You can see Gray's own site. Pleasure Fishing In South Wales, at: http://catchpole.cjb.net/ |