The fish in UK waterways and seas are many and varied, which is just one reason that angling is such an interesting sport! We’ve all heard of using worms, maggots and shrimp as bait, but there are a good many alternative fishing baits out there. To help you out when you find yourself short of bait for your next trip, at The Insurance Emporium, we’re sharing our guide to some of the more unusual fishing baits around!
1. Soap
Not often classed as a food product, soap can, rather surprisingly, be quite attractive to certain fish, especially catfish! Small cubes of Ivory soap attached to your hook is actually an old fisherman’s trick. This won’t be suitable for catch and release angling, however, as soap can’t be classed as part of a balanced diet!
2. Seed balls
To make these, spread two slices of bread with peanut butter, sprinkle generously with seeds, sandwich and then break up and roll into balls with your fingers. Both fresh and saltwater fish are reputed to have an appetite for seeds, especially carp!
3. Corn flakes
If you’re looking for bait on a tight budget, your cereal cupboard could hold the answer! Crushing corn flakes and mixing into balls with a little water produces bait reputedly favoured by carp, rudd, roach and bream!
4. Berries
Some fish, such as carp and chub, will often eat the berries from plants that overhang waterways. Elderberries, blackberries and strawberries could all do the trick, and the first two are readily available around the UK in summer and autumn!
5. Marmite
Fish, especially by all accounts carp, are fans of the high vitamin content and strong smell of yeast extract! You could add a little to bread, or your corn flake and seed balls. A little Marmite goes a long way, however. Too much could make your floater into a sinker!
6. Gummy worms
Mimicking the movement of real worms, gummy worms could be an alternative! Fish can have a sweet tooth just like the rest of us, and freshwater fish such as bass have been known to be partial to confectionary.
7. Chicken nuggets
Another unusual bait that wouldn’t be recommended as part of a balanced diet for aquatic animals is chicken nuggets! In 2017, a fisherman in Texas reported catching a large bass with a McDonald’s chicken McNugget. It doesn’t have to be nuggets; fish can also go for chicken livers, chicken strips and hotdogs!
Whilst you might already have your go-to methods, we hope these unusual fishing baits have got you thinking! If you’re a keen fisher, you might also want to consider taking out fishing insurance to provide cover for your angling adventures. At The Insurance Emporium, we offer flexible Fishing Insurance, with Loss, Theft or Accidental damage and Unattended Vehicle cover as standard, and a range of Optional Benefits to choose from. You could also get up to 30% discount!* Head to The Insurance Emporium today to find out more!
* The 30% discount is made up of 25% Introductory Discount plus 5% Over 60s Discount (if appropriate). The Introductory Discount is available for the first 12 premium payments on lunar and calendar monthly policies or one premium payment on annual policies.
This blog is in no way sponsored, endorsed, associated with or administered by Procter & Gamble, Unilever or McDonald’s.
All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. We will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. We will not be liable for any loss, injury or damage arising from the display or use of this information. This policy is subject to change at any time.
