Boilie size

[Pipe]

Just out of interest, what size boilies do you tend to use and why? What do youn think of different shapes boilies? What shapes do you use other than round and why?

[RobStubbs]

I normally use 16mm for convenience and to overcome the nuisance fish. There's a very good argument for using smaller baits but on my lake you'll catch quite a lot of rudd. As for shape, I crumb or break up round baits if I can get them to where I'm fishing. I have also used sausage shaped baits that I then break into smaller pieces - only good though for close in work or with a fairly wide bore spod.

 

And what do you prefer ?

 

Rob.

[in-line]

hi pipe

i used to use 20mm but found these a bit large so i have started using bolies around 15mm or trimming the 20mm down.

i think it depends on what your more happy fishing with. as at the end of the day a small fish can still take a big bait and a big fish will always take a smaller one.

what size have you got more confidence in?

 

if you keep thinking to yourself "this 20mm bolie wont work" and keep bringing it in and changing the bait around you wont catch as you are just desturbing the swim. you must have faith that your bait will get picked up.

 

to add to this a while ago angling times did and article on big vs small bolies. 10mm vs 26mm and i believe that the bigger bolie won (might be wrong but thats the result thats lodged in my head)

again like i said about you pellet post its just something different. if fish are used to being caught on small bolies they may be more willing to take a bigger bait and vice versa

 

cheers

in-line

[Elton]

I generally like to use as small a bait as I can get away with. I see bigger baits as a way of avoiding smaller fish, so would only use them if smaller fish were a problem.

[Pipe]

I generally like to use as small a bait as I can get away with. I see bigger baits as a way of avoiding smaller fish, so would only use them if smaller fish were a problem.

 

I mainly use 15mm on most waters to keep the fish above 9lb and I use 10mm for other species in our waters! If I know there is a lot of bigger fish and catfish I move up to 20mm boilies!

 

What flavour boilies do you use? What time of year do you use these favours and on what type of waters do you use them?

[in-line]

I mainly use 15mm on most waters to keep the fish above 9lb and I use 10mm for other species in our waters! If I know there is a lot of bigger fish and catfish I move up to 20mm boilies!

 

What flavour boilies do you use? What time of year do you use these favours and on what type of waters do you use them?

 

 

well on larger waters with low stock levels you would want a nice smelly bait to attract the carp in.

during summer you would want a more nutritional bait(fish meal) as the heat has increased the carps metabolisium and during winter small amounts of baits and smaller baits altogether.

on highly stocked waters fish will take most flavours of bolies aslong as your presentation is ok.

 

cheers in-line

[Steve Burke]

during winter small amounts of baits and smaller baits altogether.

 

Let me start by saying that I don't go winter carping. However I do catch more than a few carp in winter when after perch. In fact the carp can be a flaming nuisance!

 

Big baits have been far more successful for me. Indeed, this applies to all species, and the colder the weather the bigger the bait I prefer.

 

I know this is contrary to what the old books say. I discuss the reason in this article: http://anglers-net.co.uk/authors/steve05.htm

 

However, as I wrote in the article, I do agree with cutting back on the feed.

 

One other tip: I catch most of my winter carp off the bottom. And not just popped up a couple of inches, but in midwater. On or near the bottom I get a lot less carp in winter.

Edited October 28, 2007 by Steve Burke