Innovate Baits, producers of the innovative ‘steamies’ range of steamed, rolled baits have just announced that they have teamed up with top specialist angler, Ian Welch, to develop a totally unique range of steamed baits and complementary pastes and dips designed specifically for the barbel fishing market.
Company partner Trevor Mansfield said: “We are aware that there are a number of boilies on the market which will catch barbel but there are very few indeed which have been developed specifically for the species, and they have totally different requirements to carp. Ian has a solid background in fishery science and has caught more big barbel during the past 30 years than most anglers – so who better to put together a totally new range of products designed specifically for river anglers.”
The Innovate Baits’ philosophy is only to source and use the very highest quality HNV ingredients, flavours and enhancers and to steam their baits to ensure a consistency of protein, nutrient and flavour levels and after lengthy discussions they realised this fitted in perfectly with Welchy’s thoughts on barbel baits.
Ian commented: “To catch barbel consistently, throughout the seasons, requires a level of bait awareness and expertise which few possess and most commercially available boilies and pastes are well wide of the mark; for this reason I’ve always had an edge – particularly when the going gets tough – but the lads at Innovate have persuaded me to ‘spill the beans’ and make my mixes and flavours available to everyone.
I was sceptical to start with but having had a long chat about quality of ingredients and production and having visited the factory I know we will be putting together baits which will be very special indeed and the steaming process is a real revelation – it produces a finished bait which looks and behaves just like a boilie but without any denaturing of the critical ingredients; in exactly the way that a steamed veg is much more attractive – and healthier – for you than one which has been boiled to death! It’s the perfect way to produce top quality barbel bait!”
Ian and his team of field testers will be putting the first of the new prototype mixes through their paces during the autumn and winter and the first releases are expected in the shops in time for the start of the 2012 river season.
