How long will my bait last?

[Ken L]

Last year, I bought some bulk pellets and vitalin. Both are stored in airtight barrels.

How long can I reasonably expect them to stay in good condition?

[Martin56]

Last year, I bought some bulk pellets and vitalin. Both are stored in airtight barrels.

How long can I reasonably expect them to stay in good condition?

Have a look at this Ken, but I reckon as you're only using it for fishing it'll be yet another "BEST BEFORE LIE".

If stored in a dry place & no visible mould has formed, then reckon they'll last much much longer than the advertised 6 Months.

 

https://www.tailsup.co.uk/shop/pro-fish/76-method-mix

Edited March 10, 2018 by Martin56

[Phone]

All,

 

What ingredient would limit the shelf life? Most of my dry carp bait inert ingredients would survive well over several years.

 

Maybe I should make that a question (?). - - For now, that is my opinion.

 

Phone

[chesters1]

I guess if you buy a bunch of the biggest moisture absorbing bags and plonk them in it should last indefinitely.

More if you vacuum sealed it into multipul bags ,i have dozens of packets of microwave porridge in the shed for 18 months and i tried the oldest lot last week when i ran out and it was fine.

I found a bag of boilies i had stored opened and they were dust ,i am sure if it was unopened they would be fine and vacuum sealed more so

Edited March 11, 2018 by chesters1

[Martin56]

Rule of thumb is - if they look & smell OK - then they are OK!!

 

The term "Rule of Thumb" (for anyone interested) actually stems from the maximum thickness of a stick that a man was permitted to use in order to beat his wife - ie up to the thickness of his thumb!!

 

The good old days!!!!

Edited March 11, 2018 by Martin56

[Ken L]

Thanks guys. I may consider vacuum packing some of the pellets and transferring some of them to a spare fridge.

[Phone]

Ken,

 

I looked yesterday and forgot to post. I have trout pellets from 1996 in a reasonably well sealed 5 gal. bucket. They look and smell just fine? FYI this particular batch is about the size of a pencil erasure and very oily. Probably very high protein although I failed to mark the bucket.

 

Phone

[Puzzled]

Moisture in dry ingredients is your enemy and you will almost have certainly packed some of this when you sealed your containers. It's virtually impossible to exclude all moisture unfortunately, and how much is in there will ultimately determine how long they remain usuable.

 

In my experience, it's usually OK from one season to another - probably around six months tops. Best bet is to make it up into session-sized batches and freeze it. Will last indefinitely and you can bring it out to use as and when needed.

 

I learnt the hard way after most of a big bag of Vitalin went very mouldy and smelt absolutely awful!