Groundbait mix for rivers

[TF_CriagH66]

Best groundbait mix for deep slow rivers such as the Lower Warks Avon, Soar or larger Fenland rivers and drains. A mix for roach, skimmers, perch etc. Not selective, more for holding numbers of smaller fish with the chance of a bonus.
I would always use equal parts Sensas Lake (substitute Sensas River if we’ve had rain and its likely to be pushing) , Sensas Roach Noire and brown crumb mixed to a rather wet constituency and then add Sensas Terre de Somme. Perhaps a little black Tracix if the water is clear. Amount of leam to groundbait depends on the time of year and numbers of fish expected, more in Winter, less in Summer.
However, on a recent Soar match I caught over this mix for the first hour and half before bites faded away to nothing. Re-feeding did not bring them back. I fed five hard balls and one soft to start and had fish from the first put in. Re-fed two smaller soft balls at the hour and half stage as bites died and the line never produced again.
i only put small amounts of pinkie, caster and hemp in the mix. Added a little chop on this occasion to edge my bets with the Perch on an early season river. Loose fed hemp over the top.
One clever chappie made me think after the match. Claimed the fish follow the leam cloud out of the peg and you loose them downstream out of pole reach. He uses just groundbait and PV1 binder to make hard balls that break up slowly and hold the fish longer. Others claim molehill out performs leam every time.
Anybody got any good experience and knowledge they would like to pass on concerning the leam, molehill, terre de rivierre, PV1 debate, pro’s and cons. I’ll not be changing my base mix.

[TF_chaveyParticipant]

Ive been using Bait tech pro natural dark for the last year and find it good for the fishing you describe, I just add molehill to it to make it heavier for the deeper venues I fish, although I have noticed that they have brought out an ‘extra’ version which binds better. So will be trying that in the future. On the last match I fished I started in a similar way to you but again bites dwindled away, when I cupped a couple of balls in I had a couple of quick fish then nothing so I deduced they were coming to the groundbait ( or what was in it? Dead pinkies!) so I started to throw in a nugget every chuck almost instantly I started to get fish, and ended up 3rd in the match from an ordinary peg, the winner coming from a noted peg and 2nd from the end peg! From getting no roach, it was a roach a chuck. I think there is a lot of mumbo-jumbo spoke about groundbait, I think its a carrier to get the feed to the fish, ok my stuff was clouding but I don’t think they were following the cloud out of the peg, as for what reason? there was nothing there they could actually eat. I think you should top up sooner, more regular but smaller balls? give it a try

[TF_joffmiester]

Hi Craig
very difficult river at the moment the river soar loads of tinny fish and better fish don’t really want to feed at the minute . personally i wouldn’t put leam in my G/B at this time of year as it does break your balls down quickly plus being light it will drift down your peg taking what fish you have in front of you .little fish which at this time of year are a pest as they are too small to hook home in on the leam cloud . Sensas River is a great binder but PV1 will make your G/B balls hard which is always gets them to the bottom without anything coming off them .Sensas Gros Gardons roach i always put some boiled crushed hemp[this doesn’t float after you have poured boiling water over it] in mine with a little sensas lake for the smell remember PV1 is sweet . i also add dead pinkies and some hemp to the mix. one and half hours is about right for the soar i then put another ball in if i don’t get a reaction from this i some times put a pot of cooked hemp down the hole anything to try and get a reaction. sometimes on the soar loose feeding can work as well generally i do this towards the end of a match as this will push the fish down your peg. the good news is the Soar will get better each round 😉

[TF_CriagH66]

Chavey, Joff.
Thanks for the input. A few tweaks to the mix for the next round of the Soar Masters. I’ll let you know how it goes.

[TF_geepsterParticipant]

Just to add to this if experience is that if you put groundbait in you will get piked out, how would you guys approach things.

[TF_CriagH66]

Not a lot you can do Geeps. By fishing a natural venue in this way and attracting loads of small fish chances are you will have Pike problems at some stage, though not always. Annoying thing is they leave the half ounce/one ounce fish and grab anything larger.

[Darrel WilliamsParticipant]

Many people teach others to making Ground bait and mixing it into the river. After mixing in the river they showing essay soft their technique and exposed the way in front of others.

[Madison CarrParticipant]

Need real Online Class Help reviews? Follow the link to find out what students think about their writing help.

[Author]

Posts