Near 40lb grassie caught on tiger nuts

This article is aimed at encouraging healthy debate about carp baits rather than simply educational. Unfortunately this does move in and out of the realms of commercialism, so no doubt we’ll get slaughtered along the way (nothing new there then, so bring it on!). The big bait battle for me is a war between boilies and particles; both have their uses and both are superior to one another at certain times and situations, but ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘why’, are the true secrets in revealing the correct choice of use for the angler.

Like the majority of our fishing, if we knew the answers before we cast out then our catch rate would go through the roof (albeit a potentially dull experience based on the quest in hand being so easy). So if we knew what bait to start off with; whether particle or boilie, then surely we’re halfway there? Or are we?

So, where is all this pointless drivel going and what difference does it make to us anglers? Okay, here goes. I would like to instigate debate regarding the pros and cons of both the boilie and the particle and then try to pigeonhole the right and the wrong time in which to use them. This is where I put my fat arse on the line and expect nothing less than to be shot down with your conflicting views and opinions. The end result is a fully laid out think tank of opinions. If, of course, you’re brave enough to participate?

Boilies

Lets take a good tried and tested fishmeal brand such as The Grange. I use this bait a lot in winter and have had some good results to date. I was advised to get on the bait by Andy Jackson whose advice is always readily available on FISHINGmagic. As I understand it, the bait has been around a few years now and, since its inception, has taken a backseat by its newer family members Activ-8 and NRG. The Grange comes in many sizes, from 10mm to 20mm, and has a stonking smell and internal attractant and is a light brown in colour once thawed.


Typical boilies – better than particles?
I would personally use this bait if I was either fishing 24 hours and beyond or had established this bait over many non-fishing visits in certain holes and hotspots on a particular lake and then fished that lake on short sessions. With the amount of boilies that are thrown into so-called commercial puddles these days, unless you are on the fish, I feel it would be difficult to attract a take unless you’d established the bait or had set a precedent by leaving the hookbait and surrounding freebies in the water for a longer session without calling upon lady luck.

So for me the pros of this bait are an already tried, tested and successful boilie, with a strong level of attractant leakage and smell. The down side for me is that everyone and their mother uses boilies and you’ll never know what your up against when setting up with the bait used by previous anglers in your swim, whether or not they’ve thrown in Tangerine and Apple boilies, Strawberry, fishmeal or Stu’s Pant’s flavour.

The other negative is the traditional shape of the boilie. I’m far from convinced that a round boilie has any advantage other than being able to give you an additional 3 yards when casting 120 yards to the horizon. And how much long-range fishing do we encounter as a rule? Also, I have serious issues with the hooking arrangement and ease of rejection of perfectly round and formed baits. (yes, before you start I know we can cut them in half or make chops, etc, but let’s get that covered in the debate side of things).

Particles

Tiger nuts, corn, maize, chick peas, peanuts, wheat and hemp are just a few fantastic baits that have proved to catch carp time and time again. If not directly on the hook, certainly with other hookbaits fished over the top of them. This year has seen me take a couple of good-sized commons on critically balanced tigers when boilies on the other rods have failed miserably. The shape and size of these particles make good anti-eject tactics, which wipe the floor with round boilies.


Tiger nuts – better than boilies?
The colours of a thick bed of corn and hemp alone can stop a carp in its tracks. Whilst boilies continue to become ever more popular and dished out in a magnitude of colours and flavours in which to catch the angler, and onwards to hopefully bank a few fish too, particles don’t change. Okay, you can add a different flavour or soak them in coca-cola if you wish, but as time goes by they are becoming more and more ‘the traditional bait’ as bread, worm and maggot did.

But, with every up there is a down and I’m afraid to say the same goes with particles. Personally I tend to shy away from the likes of tigers in the winter months and stick with boilies. Why? Well, I like my baits to stink to high heaven in the winter and soaking and cooking my particles in molasses or soya sauce just doesn’t do it for me at this time of the year.

I love the particles through early summer to late Autumn, but as far as I’m concerned, (as much as particles, while soaking are absorbing fluid for re hydrating purposes) they are not taking on a strong scent of the surrounding flavour, as where the boilie can leak its flavour from the inside out. (if you found that confusing to read and follow, imagine how hard that was to write – phew!)

So there you have it, there are pros and cons to both the boilie and the particle in my opinion. As you’d expect, I have many views on both and would like the opportunity to discuss and brainstorm the benefits of using either bait or different occasions. It’s fair to say we can all learn from each other here as this think-tank progresses, so lets get going with this: see the thread below.

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