Tee-Cee
Senior Member
At this time of year,with temperatures dropping,I tend to give this bait a good workover at my local pit as it definitely does the trick for Autumn carp and roach.
Generally speaking I use Plumrose as it has a good stong smell but Princes is also very good and also produces fish.
However,as temperatures have dropped this last 2/3 weeks(from 59degrees three weeks ago to 51degrees yesterday)I noticed the bait(seemed)to be getting harder after immersion in water for a period of time and not all runs turned into fish.This hardening of the bait may well be my imagination because it comes out of the water so very cold.....
Last week when I needed a tin or two for a quick trip I asked my wife to get some from Asda but all she could get was Ye Old Oak brand which I hadn't used before and although I didn't really fancy it(looked very soft and spongy!)I had little choice!
Well,its been a revelation and little short of amazing as far as fish caught is concerned.
Yes,this brand is very soft and probably wouldn't take much heavy casting but its consistency is very fine and the softness seems to be ideal for taking fish.Catches have improved and the takes are very,very positive.
I have also noticed that it seems to sink at a different rate to the two brands mentioned above,both of which are far more solid(more dense)so would sink quicker.In fact,I have noticed that very small pieces(and I mean small!)actually float on the surface but this may be caused in the surface film...
As far as colour is concerned the Oak brand is lighter than the other two.
As a matter of interest I fish the meat on a shortish hair in cubes(or balls shaped with a knife)of about 12mm although I took my last fish yesterday-a 10lb plus mirror-on a cube 25mm square.The take was without notice and the fish had gone 20' or more before I could move.........(this may be due to slow,age related,reactions!)
I would be interested to hear of experiences with other brands but for the time being Ye Old Oak gets my vote.............................'til next week anyway!!
Generally speaking I use Plumrose as it has a good stong smell but Princes is also very good and also produces fish.
However,as temperatures have dropped this last 2/3 weeks(from 59degrees three weeks ago to 51degrees yesterday)I noticed the bait(seemed)to be getting harder after immersion in water for a period of time and not all runs turned into fish.This hardening of the bait may well be my imagination because it comes out of the water so very cold.....
Last week when I needed a tin or two for a quick trip I asked my wife to get some from Asda but all she could get was Ye Old Oak brand which I hadn't used before and although I didn't really fancy it(looked very soft and spongy!)I had little choice!
Well,its been a revelation and little short of amazing as far as fish caught is concerned.
Yes,this brand is very soft and probably wouldn't take much heavy casting but its consistency is very fine and the softness seems to be ideal for taking fish.Catches have improved and the takes are very,very positive.
I have also noticed that it seems to sink at a different rate to the two brands mentioned above,both of which are far more solid(more dense)so would sink quicker.In fact,I have noticed that very small pieces(and I mean small!)actually float on the surface but this may be caused in the surface film...
As far as colour is concerned the Oak brand is lighter than the other two.
As a matter of interest I fish the meat on a shortish hair in cubes(or balls shaped with a knife)of about 12mm although I took my last fish yesterday-a 10lb plus mirror-on a cube 25mm square.The take was without notice and the fish had gone 20' or more before I could move.........(this may be due to slow,age related,reactions!)
I would be interested to hear of experiences with other brands but for the time being Ye Old Oak gets my vote.............................'til next week anyway!!