Classic Groundbait

[c14r4n]

After many years out of the match fishing game I'm getting the urge to get the feeder rod out again and take my little one out. I'm looking forward to dusting off the old gear and I'm also keen to start reusing the old Sensas and VDE groundbait I used as a kid.

Locally, there is none of it available... Anyone recommend a good online shop for this type of thing??

[SmellySmelt]

Invicta angling or Johnson Ross would be a good start.

[juttle]

Try this stuff, cheap as strangely sliced root vegetables!

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/gooster-cla ... 61122.html

I’ve been using it all summer and it does the job!

[suffolk si]

Shouldn’t be too hard finding senses, I get mine for the shop through county ground baits in essex

[Andrew]

Sensas magic strawberry for me. Strawberry was an absolute killer for me with the tench over a summer season, strawberry specifically. Only managed to get it twice through my proper tenching season, then nothing, just the generic crumb etc

Took to mashing strawberries in to some odd mashed up cakes and s**t for that sweet taste trying to replicate the gbait. Did the job no doubt but like I've said on other posts...... confidence is key imo.

Never came close to that sensas strawberry gbait

[c14r4n]

Yes Red Magic was a killer for me, loved the stuff.....

I'm not really looking for recommendations or variations, I was more looking for a trip down memory lane.... I've been on a few websites and can see most of them are still available.

Was more meaning is there anyone online does groundbait as locally the options are slim....

[Andrew]

Very slim mate, like very very slim. Think you need to make that special "brew" tbh. The variations/flavors change so quickly round my way that its the only way to keep a sort of "regular/dependable supply" ?

Sorry am oan the tequila am a missing the point ?

[Andrew]

Could munch instead red magic maself. I bet it makes a great biscuit base

[SmellySmelt]

Sensas magic strawberry for me. Strawberry was an absolute killer for me with the tench over a summer season, strawberry specifically. Only managed to get it twice through my proper tenching season, then nothing, just the generic crumb etc

Took to mashing strawberries in to some odd mashed up cakes and s**t for that sweet taste trying to replicate the gbait. Did the job no doubt but like I've said on other posts...... confidence is key imo.

Never came close to that sensas strawberry gbait

Have a look at the vde strawberry additive, first link I found, so up it up. Very concentrated.
https://baitsuperstore.com/v-d-e-additi ... -250g.html

[Andrew]

Getting a bit late in the year now I.m.e. not once have I cast a tench rig

[Iain Gillies]

I can recommend Boland groundbaits which do mail order delivery and comes in a range of colours and natural and fishmeal bases. I think its about £6 for a 3kg bag and they do postage for about £5 for up to 10 bags. To bulk my groundbaits out I would also get a 20kg sack of brown crumb which will be less than £25. I think free offerings in the groundbait like chopped worm, hemp, casters, dead maggots, pellets etc. are actually more important than the mix although mix colour can be important on some venues.

[Mike J]

The first classic groundbait was Cloud, it came in cotton bags with a sewn closure, because polythene hadn't been invented at the time.

Whatever the base it was very finely ground with tiny bits of shell in it to make it glitter as it sunk, at 1/- a bag (10p) it was too expensive for a school kid to afford so I cadged used bags from the grownups and pretended it was the real thing with whatever I could scrounge off Mum or the local baker.

Blimey remembering all that takes me back a bit.

[martin(rockape)]

Used to use Sensas Red Magic a lot. I can remember fishing one gravel pit and as soon as the balls of groundbait went in the tench came out to feed. They either heard it hit the surface of the water or smelt it.

So i moulded some around my hookbait and watched them in the crystal clear pit water take it. It only worked once they weren't daft.

Regards

Martin

[Mike J]

I have fed Tench with over ripe banana and in recent years have had carp pick up bits from beside my rod rests.
Worms fed on banana also catch tench.

Must try a few bits of strawberry on the hook to see if it would have a similar result for the tench.

[WSBeattie]

First groundbait we used was Magnet, ideally in red. 33 pence a bag. Current staples are Gold Pro, Explosiv feeder with crushed hemp and I do like the Dynamite black fishmeal for when it needs to be darker.

[ChrisWales]

Ref Sensas, I was in Go Outdoors before lockdown and they had it there. They have a couple flavours on the website but more choices in store if you have one local ,

[c14r4n]

Thanks Chris, good to know.... Wouldn't have thought of them.

[John Milford]

I've been using just coarsely grated stale bread as ground bait this summer.

The Mrs doesn't eat much bread and a full loaf invariably outlasts it's freshness, so I've been grating it up and freezing it.

I leave the crust on and grate the lot - white, wholemeal, old cheese topped cobs - anything!

I mix it sloppy and bait the reed margins with it. Sometimes the fish are on it within minutes.

I don't add any bait samples or other additives (unless you count the occasional bit of skin, grated off my knuckles - ouch! ).

[Slug]

Willy worms

[c14r4n]

Willy worms

Perfect, that's exactly what I'm looking for.....

[piker al]

Willy worms

I’ve used willy worms a few times great service

[lochhopper]

The first classic groundbait was Cloud, it came in cotton bags with a sewn closure, because polythene hadn't been invented at the time.

Whatever the base it was very finely ground with tiny bits of shell in it to make it glitter as it sunk, at 1/- a bag (10p) it was too expensive for a school kid to afford so I cadged used bags from the grownups and pretended it was the real thing with whatever I could scrounge off Mum or the local baker.

Blimey remembering all that takes me back a bit.

> at 1/- a bag (10p)



I'm not old enough ever to have bought anything for a shilling... but I do remember that 1/- is 5 new pence

I also remember in the 1980s hearing "ten bob" for 50 p at school (e.g. "Gees a loan eh ten boab?").

[Mike J]

The first classic groundbait was Cloud, it came in cotton bags with a sewn closure, because polythene hadn't been invented at the time.

Whatever the base it was very finely ground with tiny bits of shell in it to make it glitter as it sunk, at 1/- a bag (10p) it was too expensive for a school kid to afford so I cadged used bags from the grownups and pretended it was the real thing with whatever I could scrounge off Mum or the local baker.

Blimey remembering all that takes me back a bit.

> at 1/- a bag (10p)



I'm not old enough ever to have bought anything for a shilling... but I do remember that 1/- is 5 new pence

I also remember in the 1980s hearing "ten bob" for 50 p at school (e.g. "Gees a loan eh ten boab?").

Oi, Ive still got catalogs priced in pounds shillings and pence
My previous pair of pike rods were bought in old money along with my first Barbour and cotton brolly.

Also remember farthings and silver threepenny 'bits' the coin of choice for Mums to put into Christmas puddings.
.

[Jason Skilton]

Make you own ;-) Brown crumb and additivies thats all it is.....

[c14r4n]

Make you own ;-) Brown crumb and additivies thats all it is.....

I know exactly what groundbait is, I made my own brown crumb by the sack load as a kid and experimented with practically every flavour and additive available, I was more meaning the nostalgia of using bags of stuff from back in the day.... The smells in particular will be a trip down memory lane.

[Ally]

My vote for plain breadcrumb too. Never convinced that costly fancy groundbaits offered anything more.

[Mako234]

think the idea of modern ground bait is not to feed the fish but to stimulate them in rooting about looking for food my favourite at the minute being cadence range bread will soon fill fish up and stop them feeding where as a low food bait keeps them grubbing about longer

[Andrew]

think the idea of modern ground bait is not to feed the fish but to stimulate them in rooting about looking for food my favourite at the minute being cadence range bread will soon fill fish up and stop them feeding where as a low food bait keeps them grubbing about longer

2mm pellets sparingly. The sound and regular input works wonders imo. Draws them in to the area.

[martin(rockape)]

Make you own ;-) Brown crumb and additivies thats all it is.....

I know exactly what groundbait is, I made my own brown crumb by the sack load as a kid and experimented with practically every flavour and additive available, I was more meaning the nostalgia of using bags of stuff from back in the day.... The smells in particular will be a trip down memory lane.

Sensas Red Magic, loved that smell.

Commercial groundbaits are so expensive nothing wrong with liquidising a loaf of bread or two.

Regards

Martin

[Andrew]

Make you own ;-) Brown crumb and additivies thats all it is.....

I know exactly what groundbait is, I made my own brown crumb by the sack load as a kid and experimented with practically every flavour and additive available, I was more meaning the nostalgia of using bags of stuff from back in the day.... The smells in particular will be a trip down memory lane.

Sensas Red Magic, loved that smell.

Commercial groundbaits are so expensive nothing wrong with liquidising a loaf of bread or two.

Regards

Martin

Love sensas magic. Mentiotoned it earlier but I dont think they make it anymore or atleast not being stocked in shops i frequent so much so I took to just blitzing strawberries into some generic broon crumb and ime.... it worked.

P.s. add some Robinson diluting juice instead of plain water when mixing your crumb.... ma auld pal poaches idea