Boilies Catch Bigger Fish?

From Carp.net Mar 22-2001 PM

About the boilies catching bigger fish. Not at DC where them goldfish force them into their mouths. I am looking forward to some goldfish this year. Paul, I like to use boilies. I test them out to see if they are hitting on them. The fish on the St. Lawrence like them. I like the way a boilie hangs on a hook for a long time.

I used the mielie bom I got from you at the end of the season last year. I took it up to the St. Lawrence. I got my 38 pounder on it. I ran out of it quickly and caught lots of fish. There are no small fish in the St. Lawrence.

We have had lots of discussions on smaller fish getting to the bait. We have heard from Pat Kerwin, Oat and others on that. I have saved all these comments and printed them out. Also when Mike Keyes had the big fish consortium think tank going, I saved all that I thought were possible. I guess we never came to one correct conclusion.

Oat seems to have hit upon some truth when he says smaller carp are like little kids that wont come out of the sun and run around all day, while we olders hide out in the comfort of the AC.

Pat Kerwin suggested moving if you are catching too many small ones and I think they are right. Big fish avoid small fish, or they avoid the conditions smaller fish are willing to tolerate.

I think boilies are a big fish bait as the smaller carp do not seem able or willing to handle them, especially three on a hair like I use. I use two to three on a hair to cull smaller carp which I do not want to catch.

Mielie has been proving itself on the river for me, I grind my own like Roger told me to, or I make a large maize mix and use it over the whole rig. Bernie has been producing large fish on the river with particles for a long time. I think using a big mass of bait like packbait or mielie sends a strong signal which attracts all fish.

Boilies lose a lot of attractant when the nutrient is boilied under the skin. They compensate by adding perfumed fragrances and attractants which may not always work.

I say if you have a small fish plague, rethink the water, try different baits, or move. That may not be easy to do in the Chicago river.

Do you see big and little fish together on the carp cam. Man if you could only record. What great research videos you could gain.

Al Kowaleski