Spodding and Spod Mixes

Using particle type baits such as corn, nuts and hemp to catch Carp, had been a proven method, long before more developed, dedicated Carp baits, like pellets and boilies came along. So it’s no surprise that at some point all these winning baits were mixed together, scooped up in some kind of converted shampoo/Washing up liquid bottle and cast towards some Carp. A technique and style of bait we now commonly term ‘Spodding’ and ‘Spod Mix’.

The vast scope for different combinations and styles, mean that spod mixes are extremely adaptable and versatile. These mixes are excellent for introducing large beds of bait on heavily stocked venues, where fish are feeding competitively, often resulting with multiple catches of fish, a tactic widely used on the ‘Carp Match’ circuit. On low stock waters or pits rich in natural food, where the Carp are generally more cautious feeders, a spod mix can still have a place within your approach, a small amount of mix, perhaps only half a spod worth, can camouflage and disguise a bottom rig or compliment the presentation of particle hook baits.

What ever the type of venue, the fact that a spod mix can contain baits of all sorts of shapes, sizes and textures, as well as different colours, makes it difficult for Carp to single out which item may be the hook bait. The possibility of the Carp finding something within the mix, to trigger their instinct to feed, is also greatly increased.  All in all, spod mixes can be utilised in many angling situations.

In general, when putting together a good, all round mix, try to tap in on the Carps feeding senses, SIGHT, SMELL and FEEL. Include as many different shapes and sizes of items as possible, the more the better, a liquid attracter, which will disperse through the water, drawing fish to the baited area, add some form of ground bait, to cloud up the water around the bait, despatching further signals of food, throughout the water column.        

Beginning with a base of Hemp seed, Maize, Sweet Corn and where rules permit, tiger nuts, is a good way to start a mix.

Hemp seed, soaked for 24hrs, boiled for 20-30 minutes until the seed splits, showing white shoots.

Maize, soaked for 24hrs, boiled for 30-40 minutes until the shell begins to split and you can squeeze apart between fingers and thumb.  

Sweet Corn, straight from the tin.

Tiger Nuts soaked for 24hrs and boiled for 45minutes, with some sugar added to the nuts and liqueur, roughly 1tbs per 250grams. 

60% Hemp, 25% Maize, 10% Sweet Corn and 5% Tigers mixed together, along with all the remaining boiling liquids.

The mix is then built up as follows:

Firstly I add some whole boilies, here I’m using ‘Sweet Pineapple’ ready mades, which will be the flavour theme for the over all mix. 

Broken boilies go in next for extra texture, item shapes and flavour leakage.

Give the mix a stir after each added ingredient.

Next some pellets, first some Pro Active Pineapple, Response pellets.

There is already Hempseed in the mix, but I like to add some Hempseed pellets for the extra attraction they give as they breakdown, I have also found that these pellets help speed up the release of the bait from the spod when using stodgy/sticky mixes. 

Now some Activated Nut, High Impact Ground Bait from Mainline. 

The finer, powdery texture of the ground bait will leave a carpet feed across the bottom, as well as clouding up the water, producing an instant attraction signal. 

 More attraction, this time in liquid form, the awesome Mainline Pineapple Syrup!

A dose of 10ml per kg is recommended on the bottle, but it’s full of natural attractors so you can’t over dose.  A good squirt and the mix will disperse ‘Come ‘n’ Get me signals through out the water column.  

Rub the bait between your hands to get a good, even mix of all the items and liquid.

 The completed mix ready to go!

 
The man from Del Kernow say yes!!! The Carp are gonna love it!!!

On this occasion, the spod mix has been along the lines of a fruit flavour, in this case Pineapple, but starting with a base of Hemp, Maize, Corn and Tigers, other flavour themes can easily be given to the mix. Fusion boilies & pellets, Activated Fish Ground Bait with Halibut Particle Syrup, and some added tinned Tuna from the supermarket, one example that works very well.    

A point not to be over looked is that some spod mix particles, hemp and maize for example, having  been soaked & boiled in preparation for safe use, will retain a fair amount of liquid from the process, in turn aiding the Carps ability to digest it. Using a simple hemp and maize mix, coupled with an equal amount of Mainline ‘High Impact pellet’, that break down nicely in water. Complete with a squirt of Mainline ‘Particle & Pellet Syrup’, and you have a very attractive, digestible Carp offering. Fished together with a single High attract pop up hook bait, a deadly approach, especially in winter.

A single High Attract ‘Fruitella’ pop up, over ‘High Impact Pellets’ and particles.

 Spod mix, although designed to attract Carp, will also attract other species of fish, Bream, Tench and Roach, basically whichever other species of fish the water may hold. When the Carp are the most dominant feeders in the lake, this is advantageous, as the Carp can be attracted by the sight of ‘Nuisance’ fish feeding and will simply muscle them out of the way. Although there are some venues, where ‘Nuisance’ fish are monster size, in large shoals, making it nigh on impossible to fish through to the Carp.

Yet even on this type of venue, spod mix can still have its uses.

Firstly choose a non-fished spot that’s choddy, weeded or dull, and periodically apply your mix when NOT fishing the area. The ravenous shoals of Silver fish and Tench feeding hard on these offerings will consequently clean the bottom of debris or weed, creating a brand new spot that can now be fished with baits like large 20-25mm boilies, targeting the Carp.

A very crafty, underused, spod mix tactic indeed.       

The water clouding aspect, generated by some spod mix components, can also be exploited, not only when presenting hook baits, on, or near the bottom, but also when fishing the upper layers of the water, with Zig rigs. Mix together 2 parts of Mainlines ‘High Impact Ground Bait’ to 1 part ‘High Impact Pellets’ with an ‘Active Ade Particle & Pellet Syrup’ of your chosen flavour theme. Add lake water, a little at a time, until the mix binds and becomes stodgy enough to withstand the spod cast. Once the mix hits the bottom, the pellets will absorb water, swell and break up into smaller segments releasing Carp attraction, more slowly than the fine, powdery particles of the ground bait, rapidly dispersing attractors into the water column, along with the syrup, which is denser than water, spreading a steady cloud of feed inducing amino’s and palatents back through all the water levels to the surface, and in doing so, enticing Carp to the vicinity of the Zig rigged hook bait.

An occasional spod of Maggots, cast over a Zig, slowly falling through all the water levels, can add natural attraction to the spod mix cloud.

Maggots offer a natural attraction.

Whether using Maggots on their own, or as part of a spod mix, remember these little wrigglers can move away from the targeted area, so if you’re looking to keep the baited spot compact, you may want to freeze the Maggots, killing them (Humanly) but retaining their effectiveness, and fresh amino packed bodily juices. Mmm!!!

Once you’ve prepared the desired style of spod mix, all that remains is the task of getting your mix of baits out to the Carp, Spodding!

Gearing up for spodding couldn’t be easier, with many tackle manufacturers producing spods, as well as braids, rods and reels designed specifically for the job.

The days of making spods from washing up bottles are long gone!!!

 If you find the large selection of kit on offer a bit confusing when choosing what to buy, think about the angling situation in which you intend to use it?

Things like:

How much mix/bait do you want to introduce?

A small spod, loaded with 3ozs or less of mix, may be enough bait for your approach and can be cast with a standard Carp rod of 3lb TC or over. If it’s a large bed of bait you’re after, choose a rod capable of safely casting a large spod holding up to several ounces of mix, there are a number of rods made solely for this heavier work, such as the ‘Fox Warrior’ spod rod having a 5.5lb TC. Couple this with a ‘Big Pit’ style reel that can make light work of, and tolerate the retrieving of an empty spod, cast after cast. Spool up with braid or 10lb mono line with a shock leader, both types of line are ok for all round, general spodding.

 If you’re new to shock leaders, using mono or braid of 10lb breaking strain, per ounce of the casting weight, is a safe guide to refer too.             

How far from the bank will you need to cast?

Fat, stumpy spods are fine for short to medium range, with slimmer, finned, more aero dynamic spods best for long range. If long distance spod casts are what’s needed, braid on the reel will help, a top of the range rod like the ‘Fox Horizon’ could be worth considering, but to be honest, casting technique will be the most important factor for extreme distance. Many top casters, offer expert advice and even tuition these days, for more info on distance casting and tuition, I suggest you take a look at the ‘Terry Edmonds’ articles on the Mainline Baits Web-site. Tackle and technique, do not substitute one for the other.

You may not need to cast at all, when applying spod mix to the margins or close range spots. A large pouched, particle style catapult, may be more suited to this situation.

How much disturbance can the Carp withstand?

 At some venues the Carp are attracted to the splash of a spod, rather like a dinner bell, meaning medium and large spods will send out a good signal that its time for a munch. On waters where Carp are easily spooked, firstly try to cast when Carp are not in the area or during times when they are noticeably less active. Smaller spods, and spods with non vented sides will cause little disturbance when hitting the water, but spods with vented sides keep water disturbance to a minimum, while being retrieved, as they tend not to dive, staying above the surface as they are reeled back. This is where the adaptability of the Fox TB spods with a full, and half cylinder insert in particular providing the best of both worlds, reducing disturbance on the cast and retrieve. A floating braid on the reel will also help the spod glide back across the surface.

The Fox TB1 with dual inserts, which simply slide inside the main body of the spod, held in place by two locking teardrops.

With a selection of tackle made, simply make up the rod and reel as you would for standard fishing, attach you’re chosen spod to the end of the line/leader, by means of a 5-turn, grinner knot to complete the set up, ready to spod!

Clip up the line at the range of the marker float/fishing spot, line up, and using an overhead cast technique, cast the spod to the target with repetitive accuracy. Keep the bait bucket close, and in front of you, so the spod can be filled by leaning/bending forward from the casting position, making it easier to build a casting rhythm.

Only three quarter fill the spod to reduce the small amount of bait that can fall out of the spod during the cast, which in turn over a number of casts creates another baited area, possibly distracting the Carp away from your intended feeding spot. Dampening some pellets or ground bait into a stodgy mix, can be used to cap the top of the spod, this will also prevent ‘Spod Spill’.

One last tip, if you like to add casting weight to the spod, with water, by ‘Dunking’ the spod in the lake, just before a cast, a little mix can escape. This small quantity of bait will inevitably be found by any Ducks or Swans, who then normally continue to troll about the edge of the swim looking for more, annoyingly going through your lines in the process. So if it’s not practical to spod away from your lines, have a bucket of lake water handy, next to the bait bucket, for adding weight to spods on the bank and capture any spill.  

Line up your cast to a fixed landmark or marker float, if you use a skyline mark, its possible to line up to its silhouette and spod in darkness.

Once lined up, make an overhead cast for accuracy.

A ‘Pretty Pair’

Commons from the spodded area.

Spodding is undoubtedly a winning method for dispatching bait; utilise this tactic, with a mix of particles, teamed with a choice of designated Carp baits and attractors, from Mainline, and you will have a proven, Carp catching, angling approach.

Enjoy your fishing,

John