Let start with something easy and critical….

Let us talk about hooks!
Please answer any and all of the following questions, and feel free to add anything I might have missed.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
3. What size hooks do you use?
4. Where do you buy your hooks?
5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?

Note: Please keep this on topic. We would like to catalogue these for future reference. If you have a future topic, please PM it to me. If someone asks a question not above I will edit this post to add it. If someone feels more qualified to handle this project please let me know.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
I like a heavy gauge hook, wide gape and SHARP. Heavy gauge hooks seem to move around less, less "tearing" and less likely to pop loose and snag the fish.

2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
I like the Korda wipe gape X and long shank X. Have tried many brands and this is my preference.

3. What size hooks do you use?
I normally use 6 or 8 unless fishing a bait out of the ordinary.

4. Where do you buy your hooks?
Big Carp Tackle

5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
size 6 works for most of my needs, I go long shank for certain baits. I downsize for spooky fish or small particle baits. size 8

I like the Korda Wide gape in a size 4. I think I got my last ones from Wacker baits.

I like them because of the strength, the wide gap, and their penetrating ability as demonstrated below. LOL



I will occasionally use a size 2 in venues where know larger fish hang out.

iv used many hooks since i got into carping. i remember when mark showed me how to use a method feeder and different hair rigs. my first hook was a drennian continatel boilie hook. that was a good hook but it dulled easly. then i went to fox, there super sharp but after one broke on a big fish at lake fork i went to korda. korda is my main hook and i use the wide gape and wide gape x. the wide gape x is the same as the wide gape but its make thicker. iv always used the wide gape in size 6. the korda choddy is another hook i use alot (size 6 too) and have had great sucess with it.
i buy most of my stuff from dave at BigCarpTackle.

as for how i use my hooks, well this might get heated but i hope not. i use MY version of the reverse combi rig, instead of useing 2 or 3 different materials, i use fox cortex braid for the hole rig. i sometimes strip a little back above the hook to make a "hinge" then again 90% of the time i use it straight from the spool. no striiping no nothen.


curt ur not gonna let me live that down huh :roflmao:

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
Quality, as in, if I hook a fish of a lifetime.. The hook does not straighten out.
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2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
Mustad kind of guy.
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3. What size hooks do you use?
All depends on the size of the fish I'm targeting. I know what to expect in some areas I fish at; but nothing to large.
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4. Where do you buy your hooks?
Academy Sports & Outdoors
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5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
I use a 30lb braid hair rig, sz 10 mustad hook, and some good 'ol maize! And ALL year round, if no hair rig is available, I'll just use a sz 10 mustad hook with a single cernal of canned sweet corn.
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What hooks have you had bad experiences with?
Mainly eagle claw, I'll buy panfish hooks from them, but rarely hooks for carp. They are sharp though, also demonstrated here!




Way to go DT.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
I look for a strong, sharp forged hook with the eye slightly turned in. I personally am not a fan of curve shank hooks (I know others are). I prefer a brand that I trust.

2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
I now primarily use Gold Label Tackle - Penetrator 1 hooks. Strong and extremely sharp. I also like Kamasan B775 Carp Specialist Hooks . If fishing for dinks I sometimes use cheap Mustad hooks.

3. What size hooks do you use?
I use 4-8, but it depends on the make. Sizes are not all the same.

4. Where do you buy your hooks?
Big Carp Tackle and Resistance Tackle

5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
I use 6 most of the time. If I am getting hookups but the fish are getting off I may size up to
a 4. Larger fish I may also go up to a 4. Spooky fish get an 8. I am more likely to size down when going for Buffalo, but not often.

6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?
I have had Eagle hooks bend on me several times in my early days. I do not remember the style.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
I like a downturned eye, sturdiness, and SHARPNESS (very important).

2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
I like Korda Kurv Shanks, Korda Wide Gape, Nash Fang Twister. I recently bought a bunch of Fox hooks since they were a little cheaper than the above, but I haven't used them yet.

3. What size hooks do you use?
Size 6 for hair rigs, size 6 for float fishing, and size 2 or 4 for freelining bread balls. Sometimes I will move up to #4 or #5 for hair rigs if I'm fishing somewhere with bigger fish (i.e. Austin).

4. Where do you buy your hooks?
Usually BCT or Wacker.

5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
See #3

6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?
For a long time I used Prologic hooks for hair rigs, but after breaking them off in snags a couple of times I moved on to others. They were plenty sharp and worked OK for me, but IMO a carp hook should never break before 12lb. mainline.

I also made the mistake when starting out of thinking that Gamakatsu live bait and baitholder hooks were the same thing. I bought some baitholders but they were so thin and fragile that they didn't work well for carp.

Do you leave the coating on the hair as well?

yes i do. the only mod i might do is the hinge. thats it nothen else.

Hmm...cool. I never really considered leaving the hair intact, thanks.

Owner Fly Liner,

Straight Shank,

Size 6 and 8,

These hooks are extremely strong and the points out last any other hook.

I purchase mine from Cabellas in packs of 52.

I have also used the heavy duty hooks from Scorpion with good results, I think they were called venom x.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
Strength, material,sharpness, and gape size.

2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
I have recently started using Owner Gorilla Light saltwater hooks. Perfect gape, relatively high grade steel, super sharp, and so far haven't had any straighten on me.

3. What size hooks do you use?
Size 1 and 2

4. Where do you buy your hooks?
Cabela's $3.49 for 8...great price!

5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
I pretty much only fish LBL right now, so I have been using Size 1. They have held up to some big fish!

6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?
I have been using these pretty much since I started Carp fishing and they have been great!

those gorillas are monsters! you could catch a smallblock chevy and they wouldn't straighten! Big for my tastes but an awesome hook. used em for Gar on fork once.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
-Long shank and a wide curve

2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
-Been buying Gamakatsu right now since they seem sharp

3. What size hooks do you use?
-#4 since its the smallest I can find at the moment. Prefer a 6. Also have #6 and #8 Eagle Claw but they're not as sharp as the Gamakatsu so I don't use them much.

4. Where do you buy your hooks?
-Fishing Tackle Unlimited

5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
-Pretty much almost always use a number 4 with a few kernels of maize or a boilie. Sometimes use a #6 or #8 with a micro boilie but have not been able to tell a difference between the different sizes.

6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?
-All I know is Eagle Claw is not as sharp as Gamakatsu.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?

gauge, straight or inturned eyelet.

2. What brand hooks do you prefer?

mustad

3. What size hooks do you use?

size 4 "big gun" live bait hooks

4. Where do you buy your hooks?

academy

5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?

i use the same hook all the time

6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?

resistance tackle "rt1" hooks. they're not bad hooks, they're just really light guage and have straightend out on me

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
Reputation, sharpness, strength, and suitability to purpose.

2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
Scorpion, Resistance, End Zone

3. What size hooks do you use?
Mostly 6, but have also use 1/0 down to sz 12 salmon-egg hooks (VMC).

4. Where do you buy your hooks?
Mostly online for my carp fishing. Also Fishing Tackle Unlimited and Academy.

5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
I generally use small hooks for float fishing, and try to fit the size to the bait. I've also tried 'paylake' style a bunch of times.
For bottom baits I generally use in-turned eyes. For pop-ups I use straight eyes, for stiff-rigs I use slight out-turned eyes.

6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?
a. Daiichi 'bleeding' octopus hooks. Dull quickly, bend too easily.
b. Mustad 'lazer sharp' live bait hooks. Initially sharp, but dull quickly and break under pressure.

What style of End Zone hooks do you use?

For traditional hair/bolt rigs, I like size 6, and I like the BCT K9, or any hook in that particular style.

Not real detailed I know lol, but that's what I like!

I buy them from BCT, obviously.

The other type of hook I use fairly often, for sweet corn fishing, is a Gamakatsu Octopus Circle, also in size 6, and you can get them in most sporting goods stores.

1. When choosing a hook, what do you look for?
Short shanks with either straight or in turned eyes and curved long shanks. Quality in manufacture is usually pretty easy to spot - like where the eye bend meets the shank -- any appreciable gap there is definitely a no no.
2. What brand hooks do you prefer?
Nash Fang X, Kamasan, Gamakatsu Carp, some Fox.
3. What size hooks do you use?
Anything ranging from 8's to 2's.
4. Where do you buy your hooks?
Anywhere I can get them, but usually from the main Carp gear suppliers.
5. What are your hook tactics (when do you use what size and type when)?
Jeez -- you got a week to spare For very basic rigs, I often use the Nash Fang X #8's, as they have a slightly curved shank, and really don't need a line aligner. I might also use a short straight shanked 7 or 6, with an inturned eye, and if straight shanked - anything above a 6, I usually use a line aligner. I use long shanks for blow back rigs, and a couple of other 'black magic' type rigs!!
6. What hooks have you had bad experiences with?
Not too many really, however I had some Fox SSBP's (I think that's the correct designation?) that were really nice hooks -- however, the point 'tipped' rather easily on a stony bottom. I lost a very big fish (and I mean BIG -- 40+) one miserable night, after playing it for almost 20 minutes - when the hook pulled only yards from the net. Sure enough, the point was 'tipped'. I'd checked it before casting, and as I feathered the rig down to the bottom, had not dragged it back to straighten things out. I am still haunted about losing that fish -- and, although I have used those same hooks since (as I had them!!) still don't trust them.

As long as they continue all the weekly topics will be moved here DT please continue to number them

I think Donny's big into the Fly Liners too. I will have to check them out, they sound like a good replacement for the K9's I like when I can't get them.

And the price is right.

I'll never use another flyliner for the rest of my life. I had one straighten on me at Emma. Gamakatsu live baits are the only hook I use for a hair and gamakatsu octopus circles for float fishing.

Ah really? For some reason I was thinking it was the other way around. Can you get those Gama Live Baits at Cabelas or anywhere, or do you have to order them?

I used to use the flyliners. They are good hooks but that one hook pissed me off so I hate em now.

I usually order the live baits online from cabelas.

Nice. I may have to order myself some and try them out then.

Are these the Gama Live Baits hooks you are refering to?
I usually prefer a hook with a downturned eye, but I have always liked Gama hooks for other species.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa...&hasJS=true

Man I forgot about the Gami Live baits, see those Korda videos turned me onto the korda hooks and now I pay 4x the money for a hook of VERY similar quality. These are great hooks, stood up to a lot of good fish in the heavy weed in Austin years past.

I have been using partridge czech nymph hooks. they are actually fly tying hooks but they are really light wire and strong! saw e'm on BCT and it gave me the idea to use e'm. BPS has e'm in the fly shop for 5 bucks for 25

Strong is good! I wouldn't use any light wire for hair rigs myself though. But I might for sweet corn and local swims and that sort of thing.

Don't forget the Tiemco hooks Zach pretty much taught everyone on. those were good hooks and cheap.

How bout this for a topic for next week or whenever? Lets look at hook links and hair rigs, including pics of how you do yours. Constructive and well intentioned suggestions on how to improve an individuals rigging would be appropriate here.

A lot of us have a down time from fishing due to the dang heat, so now would be a good time to learn how to tie some rigs while watchin fishing shows.

+1

Well, I am getting a lot of requests for Rigs as our next topic. I know it has not been a week, but you all need something to keep your minds off the heat.

Let us talk about our Favorite Rig(s)!

1. What is your Favorite rig?
A. Describe the rig and how to tie it.*
B. Describe the materials you use (line, hooks, tubing, swivels, leads, etc).
C. Why you feel it is effective and when you are most likely to use it.
D. Post any photographs, diagrams or links.
E. If you are a new carper or trying a new rig, feel free to post your current rig and ask for feedback.

* Go into as little or as much detail as you would like to.

Topic Resources - Links:

Bolt Rig
http://www.carpecarpio.com/carptips.html

Reverse Combi Rig
http://www.carpcatchers.biz/carpcatchersblog/index.php/uncategorized/the-reverse-combi-link-rig/


Notes: I will edit this post to include additional links and resources. Please stay on topic. Hair rigs will be a future topic, but some overlap won't hurt. Please PM future Topics (with questions) to me. I am looking for a volunteer to help me write these topics. "Making Method" will be our next topic. I have 97 topic ideas so far, so don't worry about us running out. The next topic will always be the one most requested.

1. What is your Favorite rig?
-Lately have been using a bolt rig with a blowback rig

A. Describe the rig and how to tie it.
-Fix a 2 oz egg sinker next to your swivel with a split shot (bolt) and for the blowback google "blowback rig" - involves using a small steel ring tied to your hook.

B. Describe the materials you use (line, hooks, tubing, swivels, leads, etc).
-Tie my rig with left over 50lb powerpro braid, Gamakatsu #4 hook, 90lb swivel, 2oz egg sinker, split shot.

C. Why you feel it is effective and when you are most likely to use it.
-I used it all the time because its very simple. Most effective when fish are not spooked. I like it because the fish essentially hooks themselves, but if you don't have a bait runner make sure not to set your pole down. It's not called a bolt rig for no reason!

D. Post any photographs, diagrams or links.


Except on mine, I do not use the clip system. Just an egg sinker threaded on the main line and held against the swivel with a split shot.

E. If you are a new carper or trying a new rig, feel free to post your current rig and ask for feedback.

1. What is your Favorite rig?
Over the past weeks I have really become a fan or the Reverse Combi Rig.

A. Describe the rig and how to tie it.
This rig is made to have a rigid hair to assist in hooking up.

a - I take a piece of fluro, fold it, tie a overhand knot to create the hair loop. I tighten the loop around one of my Wacker baiting needles which make the loop the perfect size for my popups. I don't like baits to go over the hair loop knot. It also tightens and secures the knot. I press down on the loop to flaten it as much as posible.

b - Put on a very small piece of hair alignment tube. I like the St. Lawrance Hair Alignment Tubing.

c - Take the hook though the hair alignment tube so that the hook is facing the right way. Place a bait on the hair, and then line up the fluro where I want it. The fluro will have a bend in it. Position it so the bait is under the hook curve. Remove bait.

d - Finish the knotless knot with the fluro

e - Bend the fluro 2 inches up from the eye of the hook. This is how high a pop up will be off the bottom.

f - Then I tie 40 pound braid to the fluro using a modified albright (wrap both ways). 7 wraps up, and a wrap in between each wrap on the way back.

g - Tie lock knot on the fluro end (clinch).

h - Tie lock knot on braid end.

i - Tie braid to the swivel with palomar - 8 inches above fluro.

j - Put rig glue on hair loop knot, albright and palomar.

k - Put tungsten puddy on the albright knot. Enough to sink the pop up. Not very much.


B. Describe the materials you use.
- Fluro - I use Seaguar 20# Fluro or Amnesia 20#. I prefer the Amnesia.
- Braid - 40# PowerPro
- Tungsten Puddy
- GLT Penetrator 1 Hooks (size 4 or 6)
- Rig Glue

I use this rig in conjunction with a standard bolt rig with safety clip or my sliding rig. I will post the sliding rig separately.

C. Why you feel it is effective and when you are most likely to use it.
I believe the rigid hair helps with getting a better hook up; more with buffalo than carp, but it has worked well with both. I use it with pop-ups , maize or boilies..

D. Post any photographs, diagrams or links.
My rig varies from this, but this is a great visual.
http://www.carpcatchers.biz/carpcatchersblog/index.php/uncategorized/the-reverse-combi-link-rig/

I'm a noob.. These posts will help me a lot, keep them coming! Thanks guys..

1. What is your Favorite rig?
Adjustable Hair Rig

A. Describe the rig and how to tie it.*
I regular no-knot rig, but with a separate line for the hair that can be shortened or lengthened as needed.
First, make the hair. The hair can either be a 4" length of line doubled into a loop, or a 2" length with a hair loop at one end and a knot on the other (for grip and to keep the hair from pulling out).
Thread your hooklink through the eye as if tying a normal knotless knot, but hold the end even with the bend of the hook. Make two or three wraps of the knotless knot, then overlay the top of the hook and hooklink with the hair that you make earlier, making sure there is plenty of hair on both sizes of the wrap, and continue wrapping over the hair and hook another 4 to 6 wraps, adjusting the hair so that it remains along the back of the hook (it will tend to shift around with the wraps). Put the end of your hooklink back through the eye, like a normal knotless knot, and tie on a swivel or create a figure-8 loop, however you normally do your hooklink. You should have about an inch of hair coming out both backwards and forwards from where the wraps are holding it onto the hook.


B. Describe the materials you use (line, hooks, tubing, swivels, leads, etc).
Hooklink: any that you happen to like. I use 30# PP braid, 25# Mantis, and/or 15# flourocarbon for different purposes.
Hair: a supple braid or light mono. I use older 30# PP braid, or 4# stren mono.

C. Why you feel it is effective and when you are most likely to use it.Its draw is that you can ajust the length of the hair for your particular hook bait or if you want to try a longer or shorter hair.

D. Post any photographs, diagrams or links.
For this I've used a Scorpion Venom 2x size 2. The markings on the white background are inches.
Here is the hook with two types of hairs, continuous loop, and knotted loop.


Here I've made the first couple of wraps with the hooklink and have laid the knotted loop hair on top.


I have wrapped another 8 or 10 wraps, and pull the hooklink back through the hook eye, careful not to 'trap' the hair.


And here is a finished hook with adjustable hair!


Feel free to PM me with any questions.

1. What is your Favorite rig?
Duh -- the one that catches!!
I really have no favourite rig, and since I use quite a few different ones, can't honestly say I've ever had one outperform another. KISS (KEEP IT SIMPLE _ STUPID) is easier said than done - when you are a rig junkie - however, I DO NOT go out there attempting to do anything any than any other Carper does --- just catch fish Perhaps a subtlety might be, that I have a pretty large rig wallet, with (at any given time) around 25 or so different combination's. As 99% of the time I use a quick change system for hooklinks, I can change it out super quickly, and -- if one thing isn't working - try something else. Why put all your eggs in one basket?
B. Describe the materials you use (line, hooks, tubing, swivels, leads, etc).
Another long list - if you are building different rigs - for different situations/baits. Having everything you need (bankside) - for any given situation is a pretty heavy load, so -- that's why I have rigs pre made in the wallet.
Simply though (?) = PP 30/50lb braid, Fluorocarbon, Kryston Mantis/Snakeskin for stiff links, Hooks ranging from short straight/curved shanks to long straight/curved shanks ( nominally sizes 8 through 4) (to outrageously big Special Carp Hooks -- that I will catch on one day !!), mostly #8 Korda barrel swivels (as they fit a lot of 'regular' sized lead inserts/safety lead clips) Korda Kwik Klips (for quick change rigs), any convenient rubber.silicon sleeves to cover the Kwik Links, heat shrink tubing for line aligners, silicon tubing for hair aligners, 'gummy bobber stoppers' (for keeping the bait at the end of the hair) As for leads, I always have a variety, to suit the rig I'm using, and bottom conditions (silty/firm/rocky etc), ranging from Method "cage" feeders to inline method grippers, and just about anything that will clip to a safety lead clip, when fishing PVA sticks/bags ( I hate PVA bags - but, they have their uses/moments!!) ranging from round/square pears, to flat grippers, and grippers with holes, so I can use method with them if I want.
C. Why you feel it is effective and when you are most likely to use it.
I think I'll pass on this one tonight!!
D. Post any photographs, diagrams or links.
I pulled a few rigs out of my wallet whilst fishing tonight - just to give an idea of a few of the pretty different set ups that I frequently use. Some of them are very easy to build, and others - a pain in the rump -- BUT, you never know until you try it!!

From the top -
1/ Simple #4 straight shank with in turned eye, (with hair exiting the shank pretty much opposite the point and NOT to one side or the other!!)
2/ Similar set up - but, with line aligner shrink tube, and silicon tubing on the shank for hair aligner/postitioning.
3/Curved long shank #6, with two pieces of silicon tube on the shank -- One to keep the hair on the back of the shank (not falling around the curve) and one for the hair/shank exit point.
4/ Re-setting blow back rig, with Long straight shank #4 , line aligned with shrink tubing, with small bore silicon tubing as the 're set' spring.
5/ Long curved shank #6, with 6lb Kryston supple braid hair tied directly to the bend, aligned with hook widgets, and a Kryston Snakebite stiff link.
6/ (Successful) KISS rig from tonight. #4 straight shank #4 - non line aligned, 4" hooklink on a sleeve protected Kwik Link, 2oz Korda method feeder, and a single piece of imitation fluouroglow (in the dark - if you have the correct UV torch/charger) maize, hooked lengthwise -- not through the middle!!
Maybe rather a lot of info here -- but, as we are clearly going through a transition period - all about nurturing/respecting/ caring/sharing the Carping community here -- and very simply just building on that, I'm definitely on board for making things better for all -- if I can possibly help.

Tight lines,
Brid.

Well Brid, I need to make it down to Austin and tie some rigs with you. Nice pic. I feel like I now have the reverse-combi rig down, I might concentrate on your #4 next.

DT - I look forward to meeting you -- and learning the reverse combi rig -- as I've not used that one!! They all have their 'moments', and - if nothing else, on slow days - changing rigs definitely makes one feel like they are at least doing something to convince the fish to bite. Of course it doesn't always work out that successfully

i just use an in line atomic gripper as a bolt rig with a hair rig on bottom

Ted, what is a Atomic Gripper?

This weeks Topic is Making Method.
Feel free to answer any or all of the following questions with any length of an answer as you wish.
Questions, links or additional information about the topic are welcome.

1. What are your favorite Method ingrediants?
A. Binder
B. Breaker
C. Wetter
2. What is your favorite Method Recipe(s)?
3. Do you have any tips, links or other information about this topic?

Topic Resources (please post any others):
CAG Method - http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1911

I have only been using method for a short while. I primarily have used PVAs in the past.

1. What are your favorite Method ingrediants?
A. Binder
Flour, Corn Masa, Old Fashion Oats
B. Breaker
Calf Mana, Rabbit Pellets, Corn Meal and my current hookbait
C. Wetter
Lake Water, Cream Corn

2. What is your favorite Method Recipe(s)?
Right now it is - 2 Parts Old Fashion Oats and 1 Part Calf Manna with my hook bait mixed in. This works well for short to medium casts. I would need to add more binder for a longer cast.

3. Do you have any tips, links or other information about this topic?
- Bring extra bag of binder with you to the bank so you can adjust while you are there.
- Bring an extra bucket with you to the bank so you wash your hands and not pit out your equipment (I learned this the hard way).
- Start with a small amount of wetter and add more slowly.

The next ingredients I want to try out is Bird Seed and Hemp Seed.

This weeks Topic is Making Method.
Feel free to answer any or all of the following questions with any length of an answer as you wish.
Questions, links or additional information about the topic are welcome.

1. What are your favorite Method ingrediants?
-Oats, grits, maize

A. Binder
-oats

B. Breaker
-grits, maize

C. Wetter
-lake water or maize flavoring

2. What is your favorite Method Recipe(s)?
-put in grits, put in oats, add maize and maize flavoring. Kinda just test it out till it seems like it will stick together.

3. Do you have any tips, links or other information about this topic?

+1 on an extra bucket for lake water and for bringing everything to the bank. Also recommend when you make a method ball and put it on your weight (especially egg sinkers), pull your line on the rod tip side of the method ball a few times and repack. Tug, repack, tug, repack, tug, repack. You will find it will stay on the sinker better and cast longer.

I've found a method ball with this composition breaks down very quickly and is highly visible. Plus I generally fish with maize so some other offerings similar to my hook bait are offered to get them feeding on the maize.

A. Binder- Quick Oats and Butter Grits
B. Breaker- Maize and Pellets (Calf mana or All Stock)
C. Wetter- Water from the Boiled Maize

Also I have been flavoring my Maize and Method with

Nick,
Are the grits you are using instant grits?

Anyone,
What is the difference between using:
Old Fashion Oats and Instant Oats?
Grits and Instant Grits?

I don't do the instant grits thing. I do the regular grits that come in the cylinder container or most recently I found some in a big sack (for a lack of better terms).

The grits really and truly help break up the method once it hits the bottom but don't so much so that you can't cast. You'll see a cloud when it hits the water and it will break up within just a few minutes to a nice pile right next to your bait.

Not real sure on the instant oats as I've never used them, but I think both instant and old-fashioned oats will act as a binder.

The difference between instant and quick grits is that the instant are pre-cooked and will act as a binder while the quick grits act as breaker.

I've tried many many different mixes over the years, and not really ever found a bad one. Some are more 'stable' than others, and can last indefinitely - with just a little more wetter added, whilst others - eg. grits, shoot their bolt after about 8 hours, and there is basically nothing you can do to 're-temper' them. They are a pretty magical bait though - whether you use them as a pack bait, or as a method.
Grits --- 18oz Instant, 9oz Quick, creamed corn and flavour of choice. Don't get it too wet, and ALWAYS moisten your hands before packing.
Another good choice is pretty much any Calf Manna based mixes - here's one that I frequently use -
1 cup CM
2 cups quick oats
2 cups cracked corn
1 tspn Kosher salt
1 can creamed corn
1 (corn can) water ( lake water - or bottled NOT City water)
Mix dry ingredients well, then add corn and water (if you want to put a flavouring in there - mix it with the can of water)
Mix well (it will be very sticky) put a lid on the bucket and leave for 4 hrs (minimum -- I usually mix the night before fishing) When you open the bucket, it will be set up in a cake. Carefully break it up (not squeezing it too much) by rubbing it between your palms, until you have broken up all the big lumps, and again mix well. It will be pretty dry, but will pack just fine. Keep the lid on the bucket between baitings -- and, if it gets too dry to pack - add a little (very little!!) lake water, and mix until it binds again. A good tip is to have damp hands when packing it, and DON'T overpack, or it will take forever to break in the water.
If you want a faster break with this mix, just add about 1/2 cup of cornmeal.
The last one I'll share is one of the most forgiving mixes I use, and has caught many fish for me.
A 'full' mix - for a long session would be -
8 cups Quick Oats
2 cups Quick Grits
2 cups Wheat Bran
I can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 can creamed corn
Any flavourings that you like, and a palm full of kosher salt.
If too dry. just add a little more creamed corn.
This is one of the few recipe's that you can successfully halve, or quarter the ingredients - and it still works great.
For short sessions, I'll just make a smaller mix -- and, if I don't use it all, it will keep fine in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
A good tip for making up any 'new' mixes you just dreamed up, is to test it at home - before going fishing, and even then, test it by dropping a ball into the margins where you can see it, on arriving at the water - and note how long the break takes. If you carry some small quantities of the major components in the mix, you can adjust accordingly.
The recipe's I gave are tried and tested - and any substitution of the ingredients will not give the results I've come to know.
There are a plethora of mixes out there - some easy/cheap, and others complicated/expensive. As you get a better feel for what suits any different situation, you can vary the 'flavour of the day' and -- what might not work one day might kill them the next. Just like rigs -- there are many possibilities

1. What are your favorite Method ingrediants?
A. Binder---I like old-fashioned oats most of the time except the winter. I like to use bread crumbs during the cold months. I also have had good success on an all-grits recipe with instant grits as the binder.
B. Breaker---Usually quick grits. The last several months I've also been using hemp seed. I've used Dynamite pure crushed hempseed and Dynamite Frenzied Feeder chili hempseed. Both are pre-prepared and require no boiling/soaking. Also, sweet corn will act as a breaker as well as a wetter.
C. Wetter---Sometimes cream corn, sometimes sweet corn. Just depends on what I've got. I do think cream corn might cloud and give off more scent than sweet corn. If it's not wet enough I just add lake water till it binds.

2. What is your favorite Method Recipe(s)?

Old reliable:
-1/2 large can old-fashioned oats
-1/2 container (as in the size can that Quaker makes) quick grits
-chili powder
-1 can cream corn or sweet corn
-1 cup optional bird or hemp seed...if you use seed, you might want to up the amount of oats a little or add a little bread crumb

All-grits pack:
-18 oz. instant grits
-9 oz. quick grits
-1 can cream corn
-1 cup of optional bird or hemp seed
-optional flavoring of your choice

Cold-water plain jane bread method:
-bread crumb...I don't remember the amount as it's been so long since I've used it
-sweet corn
-optional flavoring
This is a great simple pack for wintertime pond fishing! Depending on the ratio of corn to crumb, it can take forever to break down...IMO not a bad thing when turtles and catfish are not an issue, i.e. wintertime.

How much chili powder do you use?
Teaspoon? Tablespoon? Cup? Truckload?

I put a truck load in colder weather. Right now i haven't been putting so much. Maybe a half a cup.

1. What are your favorite Method ingrediants?
A. Binder: I like to use Penko Bread crumbs.
B. Breaker: Oats, try to keep'em a little dry.
C. Wetter: My own secret sauce

2. What is your favorite Method Recipe(s)?
8 bags of penko, half tube of oats, and add sauce till desired consistency. Usually half a gatorade bottles worth. (I also dip my maize in the sauce as a flavor booster)

3. Do you have any tips, links or other information about this topic? If you are too broke for bread crumbs...just use range cubes

About 1/3 to 1/2 of the (small) shaker full. I used to just use about 1 or 2 tablespoons, but after seeing Steve continually haul using more I've been using more lately.

1. What are your favorite Method ingrediants?
A. Binder
Bread crumbs, Oats, Pellets
B. Breaker
Maize, birdseed, sweetcorn
C. Wetter
Creamed Corn, water, sweetcorn water, corn syrup
2. What is your favorite Method Recipe(s)?
2 parts Calf manna, Goat, or Rabbit pellets
1 part bread crumb or old fashioned oats
1 part soaked birdseed or other small particle
1 cup Hog Wild or 1/2 cup chili powder
1 can+ Creamed corn and/or water to pack
3. Do you have any tips, links or other information about this topic?
I add wetter in small increments; I hold back some dry ingredients in case I get it too wet. I usually don't flavor my mix but leave the flavors to the hookbait.

Here is a link to a nice simple and effective mix: http://americancarpsociety.com/cypr_baiting_method.html

fiSherwood,
Instant or Old Fashion Oats?

Just starting to get into method fishing so it will be a bit before I actually can say.

1. What are your favorite Method ingrediants?
A. Binder old fashion oats
B. Breaker sweetcorn (instant potato mix?)
C. Wetter creamed corn and lake water
2. What is your favorite Method Recipe(s)?
(this is from memory: see 3 below)
1 large carton of old fashion oats
3 cups instant potato mix
2 cans sweet corn, drained
2 cans creamed corn
2 capfuls Scorpion flavor of choice
Lake water to texture

3. Do you have any tips, links or other information about this topic? Don't leave your method recipe laying around the kitchen. After months of working out just the right mix, my wife tossed the final recipe I left on the counter. My family law attorney tells me this is not sufficient grounds to show she's an unfit mother, so I guess we'll stay together.

Old faithful via Jason Black and Alexander of Royal Carp...

The base:
1 can plain progresso bread crumbs
1 can del monte creamed corn
Usually make first batch with about 8 cans of each.

To feel:
hook bait - usually fermented maize
hi-protein deer pellets
dried molasses

Only use lake water if it dries out too much

So far the fermented corn has out-fished boilies 100% of the time for us. Boiled for 1hr, once off heat 1lb sugar per 10lbs corn, let sit outside for 24-48hrs prior to fishing. Once on hair 1 spray of Royal Carps Yellow Corn flavored spray.


Have had awesome luck on this stuff... from a 30 fish single night massacre at Lake Livingston to a great trip (about 5wks ago and sadly only trip thus far) to Austin on LBL topping out with a 32.36 common and a 31 and 37lb buff.

I am lost by the "unfit mother". Are your children carp?

While my attorney agrees that such a neglegent act as tossing a well developed fish bait formula is certainly grounds for divorce, he fears it is not enough to gain sole custody of the kids, so I guess I'll have to forgive her to avoid a nasty custody battle.

rpayan that sounds like a bad*** method mix and hook bait. I'm a fan of fermented corn as well - really any corn because it's cheap, easy to make, and lasts awhile.

Hey Nick, yeah this mix is easy and basic but most importantly killer!!!

Fermented maize has been the MVP 100% of the time for us.

We need to share a bank sometime man... Have you fished with both Justin and Jason already?

I've fished with Justin quite a bit and I've met jason but we haven't fished together.

Rpayan,
Where do you get Dried Molasses?

Brid,
For your Calf Mana Recipie, do you soak your cracked corn first? Boiled water?

I am still unsure of the difference between Old Fashion Oats and Instant Oats. I am guessing that instant oats are pre-cooked and bind more?

Thats exactly right, dturner; they will bind like cement if too wet! So will Quick Oats.
I will sometimes use Quick Oats later in the day to help a dried-out method stick better.

Brid,
For your Calf Mana Recipie, do you soak your cracked corn first? Boiled water?
DT - No soaking needed - especially if you make it the night before as suggested.

here is a good CM mix i use,
4 cups calf manna
1 cup water
mix till it binds together. add water thru the day to keep it moist.

Man, let me grab a pen and paper...that's a recipe!

Keepin it simple is always best though!

I would like to know Too! But in the meantime the all stock pellets i get from the feed store also have molasses in them. Now that i am typing this we could make a very nice molasses glug with Dried Molasses and Karo Syrup for our hook baits. Would be killer with a molasses method mix.

+1

http://www.georgetownfarmsupply.com/ for dried molasses. Agfisher (Mike) recommended this place to me when I first moved here.

Callahans on the Old Highway 183 in Cedar Park will have it as well.

Can't remember the price but maybe around $15 for a 50lb bag?!?!

Justin, why don't you just use Granma's Molasses instead of dried molasses and Karo???

My first thought when I heard that it existed was for distribution. I would think it would be easier to mix in with your dry ingredients. But then if you are adding karo anyway? Not sure?

Feed stores carry dried molasses, often in the gardening section..

I remember one time justin brought molasses but it spoils if it gets to be outside of a temperature range. Fishing during the summer is not conducive to molasses fishing i think.

I just noticed BCT caries Dry Molasses.
http://www.bigcarptackle.com/store/home.php?cat=251