Homemade Carp Bait Boilies and Chops

With the ice storm we've been experiencing today accompanied by rain and temperatures in the 30's, I decided to make some baits so they are ready when spring finally arrives in Southeast Michigan. It's a late spring this year and it's really eating into my carp fishing exploits. Hopefully the preparations I have been making while waiting for better weather will pay off.

I made some for hook baits and some for pre-baiting

Can you imagine a bed of those on the lake bed?
Those hungry carp won't be able to resist them.

Basic Recipe for Boilies

• Semolina
• Soya
• Protein meal
• Wheat germ
• Bird seed
• Whey
• Cayenne
• Garlic powder
• 6 eggs

I used equal parts Semolina and Soya with 1 1/2 parts protein meal added. Example: 200 grams Semolina, 200 grams Soya and 300 grams Protein meal.

You can experiment with different amounts, but I've had success with equal parts Semolina and Soya. In my experience the bolies form up better that way.

Sonik Tournos 8000 reels

I purchased some new Sonik Tournos 8000 reels for this coming season. These reels are "quick drag" style versus the bait runners I've been using. Hopefully it won't be too much of an adjustment.

I found myself fishing with a very loose drag and then adjusting tighter when fighting the fish. That's exactly how a "quick drag" reels works, so I bought some.

Sonik Tournos 8000 reels

A guy on one of the fishing discussion groups was razzing me about buying a "knock off" reel. I did a little research and it does appear that the Sonik Tournos 8000 is a "private label" version of the Akios SCORA 80. I'm not quite sure what he was hoping to do by pointing that out. Perhaps he wanted to tarnish my purchase in some way, but "private label" manufacturing is quite common. I haven't confirmed it one way or another, but if it's true it doesn't bother me at all. Also, I paid much, much less than the $189 retail price via Carolina Cast Pro. One could make a good argument that buying a "private label" is a shrewd way to get quality for a lower price.

Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac; Ford, Mercury, Lincoln; Toyota, Lexus; Nissan, Infiniti are examples of "private labels" and there are many, many more I could name (motor oil, gasoline, food products, etc.). Private labeling and leveraging brands in that way is very common and a way for small companies (and big companies by the way) to compete in the market place.

$75 Finder's Fee Available

I am renewing my "finder's fee" offer for 2018 and increasing the offer to $75.

What I'm looking for...

• New places to fish for carp
• A place I haven't fished before
• A place where I can access shore fishing within a couple hours (or less) from Ann Arbor
• A place where I can fish from shore and catch a carp of more than 30 pounds

How to earn $75:

If I catch a carp of more than 30 pounds in 2018, at a location you recommend, I will pay you a $75 finder's fee. I will pay the "finder's fee" to the first person who recommends the location to me, once I catch a 30 pound (or greater) common carp at the recommended location.

Here's an example of the type of fish I'm looking for:

 

Recipe for Coconut Boilies

I have another homemade carp boilie recipe to share.

Coconut Boilies

Dry ingredients:

I roll into sausage rolls and cut (chop) with a knife.

1 cup soya flour
2 cups semolina
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup soya milk powder
1 cup protein powder
1 tbsp kelp powder
1 tbsp salt

Wet ingredients:

5 eggs
2 tbsp coconut cream
2 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp coconut essence
1 1/2 tbsp fish oil

Directions:

Combine wet ingredients, mix thoroughly and then mix in dry ingredients.

Roll into boilies. Boil for 2 minutes.

Dry on a cookie drying rack.

Store in Ziploc bags and refrigerate.

Finished chops, drying