**Real Reviews by Real Anglers**
I am by no means a baits and flavours fanatic – in fact I can be quite cynical about some of the claims that some bait and flavour manufacturers make about their products. But sometimes there comes along a bait or flavour that makes me sit up and take notice. One of these is a flavour known as corn steep liquor, which has been used for some time now as a boilie flavour and a boilie dip. Now we have corn steep liquor – or CSL, as it is better known – flavoured pellets. But before I go on to tell you about these particular pellets from SBS, a word or two about what corn steep liquor is. 
Corn steep liquor originates from maize grain. It is the condensed liquid in which corn has been soaked during the wet-milling process. It looks and is not unlike molasses. It is used in liquid feeds and in the fermentation media in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products. It is an excellent source of amino acids, proteins, minerals, energy, B-vitamins, and organic acids and trace elements. It is used extensively by cattle feedlots, liquid feed manufacturers, and dairies.
Put simply, it is the brew that results from soaking and fermenting corn. American bait anglers discovered what an excellent bait additive it was many, many years ago when they took a scoop from the liquor barrels when on their way to farmland ponds.
Coincidentally, maybe, SBS Corn Steep Liquor Pellets are made in America especially for SBS, using a secret process from only natural maize ingredients. They break down very rapidly in cool water and extremely rapidly in warm water. The aroma given off them when made into a mush with hot water has to be smelled to be believed. It is so good I hope they’re not around when I’m feeling extremely hungry for I’ll probably scoff loads and make myself sick! I’m not surprised that fish love them; it is a heady, stimulating aroma, that wafts into your nostrils like the steam in a Bisto ad.
The SBS blurb on the packaging says that ‘each pellet is packed with vitamins, minerals, betaine HCI, natural sugars and free amino acids. There is no denaturing of any ingredient, and because of the UNIQUE method of production they immediately start to fizz and bubble on entering the water.’
I’ve been using them for some time now and I can quite honestly say that they have made a difference. Fish really do love them. I’ve had a catch of eight barbel from the Dove when using them, and the stretch in question has only ever previously given up a maximum of four of its citizens to me in the past.
I’ve successfully used them for crucian carp, barbel, carp, roach, tench, bream and chub. Most significantly, I mixed some soaked pellets in with my usual groundbait, 50/50, in my last two club matches, came second in the first match, just 1oz behind the winner, and first in my last match with 8lb 8oz, over 5lb more than the runner-up. SBS make a pellet meal, however, that will mix directly with groundbait, but I have yet to try it. It sells at the same price as the pellets. 
I threw some in the margins of the river Ribble to watch how fast they broke down and was amazed to see the patch turn black with minnows, thousands of them, in minutes. I walked 50yds away and threw in a handful of trout pellet and quite a large shoal of minnows formed over those. So I threw in a handful of SBS CSL Pellets a yard away from the trout pellets. Within two minutes all, and I mean ALL, the minnows had moved off the trout pellet and onto the CSL’s, and another minute or two later the patch was black with them.
I’ve fed them with a rocket and in PVA bags, and occasionally stuffed a few in a blockend feeder just so the smell and a few grains of pellet will invade the swim. And that leads me to what, really, is my only crib about them. I just wish they were sold in a smaller size as well as the present size of 5mm, then they would be great in a blockend feeder.
They’re an excellent product that leaves you in no doubt about their fish-attracting qualities.
The pellets are available in some shops but in case of difficulty they can be purchased direct from SBS at:
SBS International
Unit 3
Willow Industrial Estate
Avis Way
Newhaven
East Sussex
BN9 0DD
Telephone: 01273 612835Fax: 01273 307011
E-mail: carpbait1@aol.com
PRODUCT: SBS CSL Pellets
RANGE: 2.5kg and 5kg bags, and 10kg tubs
AVAILABLE: Many shops or direct from SBS
PRICE: 2.5kg bag £ 6.25, 5kg bag £ 12.50, 10kg tub £ 25.00
