On venues where their use is permitted, tiger nuts are without doubt one of the most devastatingly effective baits there is for big carp.
There’s something about these small, sweet food items that carp find irresistible. Despite this, though, they are still relatively under-used by carp anglers overall. This is likely due to the very real risk, as with any particle, of them not being prepared correctly or the fear of overfeeding the fish with these difficult to digest food items.
So, what is it about tigers that carp find so appealing?
READ WHY BIG CARP EXPERT SCOTT LLOYD LOVES TIGERS AND PARTICLES IN SUMMER.
First, it’s the crunch factor. We know carp enjoy this when eating natural food like snails and mussels. Once they’ve chomped down on them a sensationally sweet taste is released, something bait manufacturers have been keen to try and replicate in boilie hookbaits. Their final alluring characteristic is their subtle, yet still visual, coloration and appearance, making them an attractive food item for the most pressured of fish.
USE IN MODERATION
There has been a growing trend for anglers to introduce more and more nuts, something the best, including Terry Hearn, have said simply isn’t needed.
This overbaiting with tiger nuts offers little benefit to the angler and, more importantly, the fish. A couple of handfuls as part of a spod mix is more than enough for a session. An even bigger edge is to just fish six to a dozen nuts on a spot around a matching balanced hookbait.
PREPARATION
There’s no need to worry about preparing tiger nuts, because if you aren’t confident that you can do it correctly, there are a host of companies selling pre-prepared versions off the shelf.
If you do want to prepare them yourself, however, the process is relatively simple. Start by adding the dry tigers to a bucket and covering them in water.
After a 24 hour-soak, bring the water to the boil and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. One of the usual benefits of cooking your own particles is that at this stage extra attractors can be added to the bait. Tigers, however, due to their hard outer shell, are difficult to boost with additional attractors in the cooking process.
Once cooked, divide your tigers up into bags, putting any you won’t need on your next session in the freezer – they freeze incredibly well.
Alternatively, you can use a blender to create some chopped tigers, which make a super-effective feed.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TIGERS AND OTHER NUT BAITS IN THIS EXPERT TIPS ARTICLE.
AVOID THE BREAM
Tigers are a great hookbait when trying to avoid nuisance species such as bream and tench. For whatever reason, they seem to be less enthusiastic at picking up these crunchy parcels, but stick a bright pop-up out there and they will be straight on it.
GET ALL THE BEST TACKLE FOR CARP FISHING BY CHECKING OUT OUR BUYER'S GUIDES TO RODS, REELS, ALARMS, LINES, BIVVIES AND MORE.
BALANCED BAITS
Plugging your tiger nut hookbaits with cork is a perfect way to counter the weight of the hook and ensure the presentation acts naturally in the water. Simply bore a hole with a 6mm nut drill and add the correct amount of cork.
FIND THE BEST RIG FOR TIGER NUTS BY CHECKING OUT OUR GUIDE TO THE ONLY CARP RIGS YOU WILL EVER NEED!