Peanuts - a query

[eamonn321]

was thinking of trying peanuts for carp/tench and have read through some old threads about them. I was thinking of using a pellet band for putting the nuts on the hook. Some posters mentioned "preparing" peanuts and I wondered what that meant. I thought I could use the plain old peanuts that you buy for feeding the birds but now I'm a bit confused. Also slighlty worried as I've chucked a few in my garden pond and the koi seem to love them.

[Mat Hillman]

was thinking of trying peanuts for carp/tench and have read through some old threads about them. I was thinking of using a pellet band for putting the nuts on the hook. Some posters mentioned "preparing" peanuts and I wondered what that meant. I thought I could use the plain old peanuts that you buy for feeding the birds but now I'm a bit confused. Also slighlty worried as I've chucked a few in my garden pond and the koi seem to love them.

 

 

Peanuts swell up when wet, so you need to soak them long enough (48 hours or so) for them to fully expand before using them as bait, as the peanuts swelling up inside a carp that has eaten lots of them wouldn't be very healthy for the fish!

 

I've never used peanuts, seems too much hassle to me, but please find out how to prepare them correctly before you do!

 

Mat

[Newt]

Dried peanuts swell when put in water. Fresh ones do not. The ones you buy for feed are probably partly dried and will swell a little although much less than maize does.

 

I have read many times on here that peanuts swelling while in a carp's gut is harmful to the fish. However, I have not found anyone who has actually seen this happen. I live in an area where peanuts are grown and processed and it is usual for the processing plant to dump tons (tons) of dried discards into a nearby river. Carp come in great numbers to eat the discards and I don't recall seeing sick or dead fish in the area.

 

You do need to be careful to source the peanuts from an approved source. Poor storage of peanuts (damp storage) can lead to an infection by the mould fungus Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus releasing the toxic substance aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is harmful to fish and is often fatal.

 

Peanuts sold for human food are always safe. The ones in birdseed should be as well. In fact, the danger with any shelled peanuts should be very, very low. United States, Argentina, Sudan, Senegal, and Brazil are the major producing countries and of these, only nuts from the Sudan or Senegal would worry me.

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

People fire out chum mixers which swell to probably 4 times their size by volume.............never seen a carp explode yet!

[Rob Hale]

was thinking of trying peanuts for carp/tench and have read through some old threads about them. I was thinking of using a pellet band for putting the nuts on the hook. Some posters mentioned "preparing" peanuts and I wondered what that meant. I thought I could use the plain old peanuts that you buy for feeding the birds but now I'm a bit confused. Also slighlty worried as I've chucked a few in my garden pond and the koi seem to love them.

 

You MUST prepare peanuts before use, this is very important for fish welbeing, but also, makes attaching to the hook a lot easier.

 

All you need to do is cover them with water in a bucket for 24-48 hours, then boil them & allow them to simmer for 30 minutes. You can add flavouring if you like when soaking, but they are great without.

 

Use sparingly, but keep a handfull going in every now and again.

 

Once prepared, you can use a baitband, hair-rig them with a baiting needle, or a bail-drill.

 

Storage: Buy from a wholesaler, pet food shop etc. Peanuts sold in the UK are ok, as the fungus mentioned is constantly checked for and is on the EU & DEFRA watch lists. Store them off the ground, in a cool, dry & dark place.

 

Not used them for tench, but carp love them. Try a hair-rig with a light hook, either ledgered, or how about with a float, fished using the lift method?

 

For attractant, prepare, then liquidise some peanuts - you can use on it's own or with groundbait & it clouds up really nicely.

 

Hope this helps, Good luck

 

Rob

Edited July 11, 2006 by Rob Hale

[eamonn321]

Thanks for the replies. Went fishing yesterday having soaked some overnight. Didn't catch anything on them though.

[Zaphod]

Thanks for the replies. Went fishing yesterday having soaked some overnight. Didn't catch anything on them though.

 

 

Soaking "Overnight" Will NOT do.....

 

Peanuts need a MINIMUM of 24 hours soaking, then bring to boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

They can be very harmful to the fish if not prepared properly.

 

This is why they are banned in the majority of waters....

[GlennB]

Soaking "Overnight" Will NOT do.....

 

Peanuts need a MINIMUM of 24 hours soaking, then bring to boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

They can be very harmful to the fish if not prepared properly.

 

This is why they are banned in the majority of waters....

 

I'm not arguing with you (don't even use peanuts and don't suppose I ever will) but I think some of us would be interested to hear about what evidence there is to support this.

Edited July 11, 2006 by GlennB

[Elton]

I have read many times on here that peanuts swelling while in a carp's gut is harmful to the fish. However, I have not found anyone who has actually seen this happen.

 

In all the years he's been on here, Newt has always asked for some evidence of this happening.

 

The silence must be deafening him

[gozzer]

In all the years he's been on here, Newt has always asked for some evidence of this happening.

 

The silence must be deafening him

 

 

With the effect peanuts have on me, all those bubbles wouldn't be just from feeding. And there's nothing silent about it.

Edited July 11, 2006 by gozzer