Bread flake -

[The Flying Tench]

I find flake stays on the hook OK when float fishing, but lack confidence when feeder fishing. I had a recent trip where this was worse than normal. I reeled in very carefully each time to see if the bait was still there, and at least two-thirds of the time it was gone.

 

Needless to say I have read various aricles on how to put flake on, and as far as I can see I do it roughly right. Two questions:

 

1) Do crays go for bread? I was fishing with a size 6 hook, and it is possible it wouldn't have gone into their mouths, and also there wouldn't have been anything much to hang onto (compared with dead fish, for example).

 

2) Does putting the bread into the freezer affect its stick-togetherness? I used Tesco Stayfresh, which is the kind of stuff some of the articles say you should use. But they say it should be fresh, which isn't quite the same thing as kept in a freezer.

 

By the way, Happy New Year everyone!

Edited January 1, 2008 by The Flying Tench

[starlight]

i used to use a fresh thick sliced cut loaf, pull a chunk off and really squeeze it hard on to the shank. in rivers i used to find that even when the fluffy bread had gone there was normally the bit that had been squeezed tight on the shank remaining. i reckon crayfish will have a go at bread, they eat just about everything else!

[Guest Rabbit]

John I am of the opinion that the bread should fall off on the retrieve if it was placed on the hook correctly. I always rebait bread anyway, and the free offering is a useful attractor. I always strike the bread off before the retrieve for that reason.

For chub I never use anything less than a size 4 hook when using bread. this is reassuring when using bread flake (16 for maggots)

I have used Stayfresh also and its good, but the best by a mile IMO is the white of a split tin or similar.

Happy New Year to you too.

[The Flying Tench]

but the best by a mile IMO is the white of a split tin or similar.

Sorry, what is a 'split tin' Neil?

[Guest Rabbit]

Sorry, what is a 'split tin' Neil?

 

John and I thought of all people you would know your bread!!

Split Tin is another name for a Sandwitch Loaf or perhaps even a Bloomer!! ...

[kleinboet]

I was told this by a super angler who, unfortunately, is no longer with us.

Take a fresh loaf of bread and place five slices into a plastic bag and seal. repeat until the loaf is finished. Put into freezer until you want to use it. When you do, take out a bag, remove the slices and separate them, and put them all into a microwave for 1min 10sec's. CAUTION bread will be hot!! They will come out sticky and will stay on the hook!

Edited January 2, 2008 by kleinboet

[Guest Rabbit]

I dont know if that recipe is for punched bread but certainly the last thing you want from bread flake is sticky.or even doughy, The ideal bread on the hook should be light and fluffy, yes thats FLUFFY Chesters Ha!

Sliced bread is second best to a loaf for those reasons IMO.

[Anderoo]

For flake you want a nice fresh loaf of white bread so it's nice and 'sticky' - the kind that makes you feel constipated just looking at it Tear off a chunk to suit your hook size and fold it around the shank, pressing it around the eye so it sticks on. The bit by the bend and point should be left fluffy.

 

It will often come off when retreiving, especially against a flow.

 

As for crays, I'm afraid the answer is yes. I was fishing the Cherwell in the autumn and saw a cray scuttling around the margins picking up bits of discarded bait. Just to see what happened, I dropped a ball of mashed bread close in and watched in amazement as the little sod hoovered the lot up in under a minute! Worth bearing in mind when using groundbait on rivers with a crayfish problem.

[The Flying Tench]

thanks for some helpful replies. By the sound of it the crays could explain why the bait always seemed to have gone in one swim. I shall certainly try the 'split tin' (not frozen) but I shall also try the microwave idea - whether or not it's kosher 'flake' it still seems to me to be invaluable to have a version that is more likely to stay on the hook when you really need it to!

[Guest Rabbit]

Problem is with bread that will stay on the hook too well it ceases to become attractive to the fish. I when fishing flake never leave the hookbait out for longer than a couple of minutes if ledgering, and if there are fish in the swim then they will be on the bread in an instant anyway. Besides the bread soon becomes too waterlogged if no fish are present and is worthless as a bait.

To be honest John I think the big issue here is the regular changing of the hookbait, and the fluffy white loaf is the best bait. microwave the Crays not the bread.