Well, I finally invested in a couple of bags of range feed (cubes) and a bag of calf manna. 150 lbs for $52 at the local feed store. I'm planning a few trips in the cooler weather to Lakes Austin and Lady Bird in the next few months, as well as seeing what I can accomplish in Lake Houston.

I believe Lake Houston has mid-forties common (a forty was caught a released this year) and am aiming to make a mark in the TxFishes Big Carp/Buff tourney. This and next weekend are out, but the weekend of Nov 14 I'll be there.

I've seen a couple of good calf manna method recipes in another thread ( here ); anyone else have others?

At Lake Austin (Emma), I started mixing manna with the basic method recipe I stole from Crago. Old fashion oatmeal, (not quick oats), quick grits, and chili powder. Seems that the manna helped the method ball break down better in the water, plus it has a unique aroma that I think helps.

I don't normally use it but your best bet is to experiment with with some bread crumbs until you get the break time you need.

Always remember there are 3 parts to a proper method/pack
1) a wetter (lake water, boiled corn water, cream corn)
2) a binder (bread crumbs, instant grits, steam rolled oats)
3) a breaker(pellets, maize, hemp or bird seed, quick grits)

you get the idea

i find that "break time" sometimes isnt important where i fish . i have often caught with the m/ball still on there and the fish hehe. then i go ahead and recast and recatch . guess im just different

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no, just lucky

haha "i would rather be lucky than good "

yeah, around our area i dont really see the break time really making much of a difference at all. As long as you can get the method ball on the bottom, your set. I've done it as well Jesse, and i do believe the fish are going to feed on the method ball either way. And, just throwing this out there, but that might what causes single beeps sometimes. The method ball is stuck together, and the fish are hitting it trying to break it apart. I dont know weather or not its right, but it sounds good to me.

Yep crago and thats why i make them very hard and solid..but bait them up separatly from your hooklink and rig
So they break them up with the nose and eat the peaces around it..and thats were your bait is..it works realy great

Same recipe I stole from him and have been using exclusively.

I got tired of him taking me to school every time we fished together!

when i forst started usuing method, mark (ssf) showed me how to use it and make the stuff up, one weekend we took off to fork and i used his mix, id cast set the rod on the alarm and watch the tip, the tip would bob and bounce and the alarm would beeb away, at first i thought it was line bites, but mark told me it was them pecking at the ball breaking it open and sucking it up. after a few minutes id get a run.

calf manna by itself works great as a method mix. it pack together really well and breakes down pretty fast, and the buffs love the smell. kinda like liquerish. thats my winter mix for austin. just plain ol calf manna.

I love TFF!

I see alot of very complicate concoctions of 5, 10, or more ingredients for method mixes and I am looking for something effective and simple. Your input fits the bill and is very helpful.

Thanks!

Brian, pour boiling water over calf manna, then add breadcrumbs until you get required consistency.