Bloodworm and joker are one of those bait combinations that anglers either use regularly or have never used at all, there seems to be no in-between. Whether that is because of its availability, it being banned on some venues or because anglers simply don't know how to use it is unclear. What is clear however, is that fish love eating them, and when bites are at a premium, more often than not bloodworm and joker can help turn your sessions around.
We asked Lee Kerry how he gets the most from this style of fishing to help you land more fish this year...
Winter lifeline
When the temperatures hit rock bottom, bloodworm and joker are often the only baits that silvers can be tempted in to eating. But it is far from a miracle bait, and you must use it correctly.
The first thing to do is consider what your target species is. As I’ve said before, silverfish are often bunged into one category, but roach and skimmers behave in a very different manner.
You must feed it differently for each and the way I like to look at joker is to compare it to micro pellets. If you create a small nugget of dampened micros, it will look like hardly any bait. But once it breaks down on the bottom, that could be 100 individual pellets which in winter, is quite a bit of bait. Joker is the same, with a small blob of it made up of hundreds of tiny worms.
WINTER FISHING CAN BE TOUGH, HERE ARE SOME GREAT TIPS TO HELP YOU CATCH MORE FISH.
Analyse the shoal
Joker is fed through small balls of groundbait, while bloodworm is the hookbait. I’ll take it very cautiously at the start, feeding just a few joker through my groundbait whether I am using the pole or feeder.
Once I start to get a feel for how many fish are in the swim, I can make educated decisions based on how much joker I can add. In short, I don’t want to overfeed what is in front of me at the start and blow my chances before I’ve even got going!
If you catch four or five skimmers in say 45-minutes, it’s clear you have fish in front of you, but the shoal may only hold 10-15 fish. That will make me put tiny amounts of joker in with each small groundbait nugget top up to keep them occupied without filling them up.
On the flip side, if you are catching a roach every chuck then it is clear there are lot more mouths to feed, and you can up the amount without fear of ruining your chances. I’d still only top up with tiny nuggets, but they’d be richer with joker.
USING THE BEST FISHING POLE WILL HELP IMPROVE THIS STYLE OF FISHING.
Top two rigs
The species that I expect to dominate will also dictate the style of pole rig that I rely on. There are several variables, but the shotting patterns are the most important part of them.
If I am fishing for skimmers, I’ll use my ‘six to one’ taper. The shot closest to the hook is just above the hooklength knot and there is then a 15cm gap to the next shot. The next shot is then 12cm away, and then 10cm after that, and so on. There is a small bulk just above the final shot of the taper. This gives a very slow fall of the hookbait in the bottom stages which I find vital. The float is a 0.4g or 0.5g Preston Innovations Shipper, with 0.12mm mainline to a 0.09mm hooklength and a size 18 SFL-B hook.
For roach, there is a shot just above the hooklength knot, another 12cm above that and then a bulk 15cm above that. It is a little more positive and I find that getting the hookbait amongst the shoal quickly is key when trying to catch roach at a decent pace. Mainline is the same, with a 0.08mm hooklength and a size 20 hook.
TYING A POLE RIG IS EASY, FOLLOW THIS EXPERT GUIDE AND YOU WILL ABLE TO MAKE THEM LIKE A PRO.
Myth busting
I can’t deny that bloodworm and joker isn’t as easy to source as baits such as maggots and casters, but there are suppliers that can help you. Taffy’s Bloodworm and Mill Tackle are a couple, and the cost isn’t particularly expensive. A match pack of bloodworm and joker will set you back around £25 and, in many instances, that will last you a couple of sessions. If you added up how much you spent on other baits over two sessions, there’ll be very little difference in price. Give bloodworm and joker a go and this winter could turn out to be your most successful yet.
Key lessons
-
Your groundbait should replicate what the fish are fed on a regular basis. On a commercial, a 75/25 split of SonuBaits F1 Green and Thatchers Original is ideal.
-
If you are fishing a venue with a hard or gravelly bottom, then add a little leam to your groundbait. This creates a bed for your joker to nestle over, making it easier for the fish to locate and feed on them.
-
Two or three bloodworm are a brilliant hookbait when using both the pole and feeder. Keep the bloodworm in water to keep them fresh and active so that they wriggle plenty while on the hook.
