All right guys, you got me hooked....Now I need mor info...
Method Balls, what are the basic ingredients for the ball? Flour and water??? What flavorings, etc?

I want to start fishing some different lakes from the bank, but I need some tips from the pros.

Here's my recipe, there are a million things you can add to this.. and I do!!! But this will get you started.

Dry mix
50% Rabbit pellets
50% Bird Seed and/or other seeds
Bread crumb as needed to bind

Liquids
1 can creamed corn (if you're going to add flavor or attractants add it to the creamed corn before adding the corn to your dry mix.
1 can sweet corn
Add lake water as needed to get it to pack into a ball.

perfect base.

add to this, anything you think carp will eat or like the smell of.

Do you generally use this mix on a Method feeder, or do you toss balls of this mix into your swim?

both

I use this mix (I caught my current PB buff on it)

Dry mix
50% high protein dog food
50% corn meal
*lots* of Oats to bind

Wet mix
creek Water
Royalcarp yellow corn dip spray. (<- it has caught me many, many buffs ;-)

Hope this helps!
Dustin

Dustin,

Since you have so much time to fish, you ought to set up some controlled experiments to figure out exactly which ingredients or baits or flavors help you catch more fish. Sometimes I hear of fishermen (mostly bass anglers) who are convinced that a "secret" bait caught them a lot of fish. In fact, there were probably many other factors involved, any one of which could have caused them to catch more fish, regardless of what bait they were using.

In a controlled experiment, you set up two "situations" that are identical except for the one thing you are testing. For example, you could fish with two rods, using the same gear in the same part of your swim, except that you use different baits on each rod. Or, your baits might be identical, but you use a longer hook link (leader) on one rod than the other. Or, you use a mono leader on one rod and a braid leader on the other. Whatever it is, keep everything else identical except for one variable. You get the idea.

If you do this over a long period of time and keep careful notes, you could really home in on exactly what baits, groundbaits, flavors, etc. work best for you in your location. That would add another dimension to your fishing, and it might make for an interesting magazine article or Science Fair project, too.

Thats a great idea Smile-n-nod!

I have some things I want to try, and a book to write the notes in!

Thanks!
Dustin