Carp Fishing Baits - Pellets

Carp Fishing Baits - Pellets

Carp fishing baits do not come any more convenient than pellets. They are a very versatile bait, which can be used in many different carp fishing situations. There are so many different types of pellets now available i will not try to list them all here, they come in almost every size from as little as 1mm to 45mm.

Pellets are high in protein, oils, flavour and will readily take on additives, such as flavour enhancer's, glugs, dips, and fish oils.

They can be used as ground baits, or crushed and made into pastes, or as hook-baits, they even come pre-drilled ready for mounting on a hair rig.

Carp fishermen should be careful about the over use of "trout" pellets, as there is far too much oil in them for the carp's digestive system to cope with, but having said that, in small quantities they are quite harmless and the carp love them. There are many pellets now widely available that have been designed especially for carp fishing and will not harm the carp in any way.

Carp Fishing With Pellets

Pellets can be fished in many ways, beds of bait, PVA bags, stringers, etc. My preferred way when using pellets is the PVA bag, giving a single carp a small meal so as to ensure it eats all the available pellets, including your hook-bait. The trick with carp fishing in this manner is to locate the carp's patrol routes and holding areas. Then accurately casting your pellet filled PVA bag to these hot spots.

It is surprising how many carp, even those that are highly pressured, will respond to this tactic. One of my preferred places for ambushing a patrolling carp in this way is in a deep margin under overhanging trees and bushes where the carp will feel secure.

To fish this way successfully you should use the "old style" PVA bags, rather than the "new style" mesh/stocking type PVA. When you fill the PVA bag you can first place the baited hook length in the bottom of the bag, then next your pellets go in and on top of them your lead/weight. Tie off the bag and now you can cast at your chosen location with the confidence of knowing that if you over-cast your PVA bag, the hook which is buried inside the bag will not hook into the trees and bushes, giving you a far better chance of retrieving all your line and tackle than if you were using exposed hooks as with the "new style" mesh/stocking type PVA.

After a little practice and patience you will find casting at these overhanging trees and bushes accurately becomes easier, adding another quite deadly style of carp fishing to your carp fishing tactics.

Beds of pellets can work very well when carp fishing, but they can also attract nuisance fish like the bream, tench, catfish etc. One way of stopping this is to fish boilies as hook-baits over your pellets and ensure that you have scattered some free boilies in with your pellets when you lay you bed of pellets down.

However you fish with pellets, you will find they are very convenient, very easy to use, very versatile, fairly cheap if bought in bulk and a very effective carp fishing bait.