CHUM MIXERS, FLOATERS AND FLOATING BAITS FOR CARP FISHING

Floaters are a general term used to describe those baits that can be used to take carp off the surface. There are many different types of bait that could be classed as floaters, but the one No1 choice is Pedigree Chum Mixer. Here a guide to what else is available to help you take a few carp off the top this summer…

Chum Mixers

Chum Mixers are dog biscuits, basically. They are brown, hard, salty and flavoursome baits that will remain afloat for many hours. They are more likely to get eaten before they actually sink, the carp love them that much.

They can be used straight from the bag, but they will need either gluing to the hook shank or drilled and hair-rigged if they are used in this way.

Cat biscuits

Again, these baits float well and are rock hard when they are used straight from the bag. They do not make great hookbaits though because of the size – there are larger floating baits available that will catch the eye of a passing carp more readily.

Marshmallows

Available from almost all supermarkets, marshmallows make great floating hookbaits but they aren’t ideal as loosefeed though – unless you’ve won the lottery recently. Which we haven’t. Yet. Unfortunately.

Expander pellets

Used straight from the bag, these little beauties float and are therefore excellent as a feed attractor. They aren’t very good on the hook though, due to their size. But catapult a few of them around your larger floating hookbait and you’ll soon have the carp queuing up.

Sonu Baits Oily Floaters

These are a recent addition to the wide array of floaters on the market and are already prepared and flavoured to ensure that you can simply open up the pack and use them straight from the tub. They can be used as hookbait or loosefeed, and many anglers have used them to great effect over the past year.

Cereals

We wouldn’t suggest trying to hair-rig a whole Weetabix, but some cereals like corn flakes and rice crispies can be used to great effect to attract carp into your swim. They are a little on the light side for catapulting, but if you tip a few into a PVA stocking, add a dry stone and tie it into a small package you will be able to fire these baits a long way, the PVA will dissolve and the freebies will rise to the surface.

Pop-up boilies

These highly scented boilies float very well indeed and are therefore perfect as a hookbait when surface fishing. They aren’t too cheap though, so loosefeeding them by the handful isn’t an option for many, but a carefully presented pop-up boilies cast among other loosefeed may well give you the edge.

They can be cut down too, using a sharp craft knife, so that they look like Chum Mixers, and doing this will ensure that the bait remains afloat for much longer than a Chum Mixer too.