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DNA Baits The Bug range: Full review
from DNA Baits
RRP £10.99
by Aidan Bordiuk |
Updated on30th March 2026 at 5.14pm
If you’ve ever been carp fishing, chances are you’ve heard of DNA Baits. Not only do they have some of the best carp anglers fishing under their banner, but their baits have also accounted for some of the biggest and best carp in the UK and Europe.
As an all-round angler myself, I never know exactly when or where I’ll be fishing, so I tend to grab a bag of bait off the shelf, as I rarely have time to organise longer trips. Because of this, and the fact that DNA sell a lot of their bait directly, I haven’t been a massive user of their range, not because of the quality, but simply due to availability in my area.
When DNA kindly sent me some goodies from their Bug range, I was keen to give them a proper review. Rather than trying them once at a single venue, I decided to put them through thorough testing over late summer, winter, and spring. Basically, whenever I went carp fishing, The Bug went with me.
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One of the many carp that have fallen victim to the Bug
First impressions of the boilies
The Bug gets its name from the insect meal that forms the majority of its base mix. Rather than relying on more traditional fishmeals or krill meals, like many other modern boilies, DNA have taken a more sustainable route, while also providing anglers with a completely new ingredient that could inspire an edge in their carp fishing.
When I first opened the bag, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The smell wasn’t as strong as I anticipated, and in fact, it’s quite hard to pinpoint exactly what scents come from the bait. There’s a subtle sweetness combined with a faint fishmeal aroma, but sometimes, when you open a bag of bait, you just know it has carp written all over it — and this is one of those times.
It’s worth noting that while the scent isn’t overpowering, when the wind shifts across the swim or you move something the bait or liquids have touched, you can smell it, and the aroma lingers for ages. Using the shelf-life option, I was pleasantly surprised by how soft the boilies were. Many “preserved” baits can feel tough, but these broke down easily in the hand and of the countless baits I’ve used, these were by far the softest.
The baits are lovely and soft - particularly for a shelf-life
Pop ups and wafters
As you would expect, alongside the boilies, DNA have produced accompanying pop-ups and wafters. All the baits were uniform in size, which is important when using precise, balanced rigs as you won’t need to adjust your setup every time you change the bait.
Personally, I’m not a fan of putty, preferring to trim pop-ups down instead, as putty can easily fly off leaving you fishing what is essentially a 7-inch zig. With some pop-ups I’ve tested, trimming them down so the hook on a spinner rig balances them, it very often turns them into a wafter after being submerged for a few hours. The Half Tones supplied by DNA, however, kept my rig perfectly popped up for 12-18 hours, even after trimming, and they retained a noticeable scent after being retrieved, a big plus in my book.
The half-tone coloration is a refreshing change from the in-your-face fluorescent hookbaits we’re normally faced with. I’ve found that on tricky or pressured waters, these more subtle “off” colours can offer a real advantage, as I experienced at venues like Linear, Stanwick Lakes, and a few syndicate waters I’ve been fishing.
The pastel colouration is great and the baits are very uniform
Liquids, bait boosters and syrups
Every bait company now offers liquids and extra attractants, and with venues getting busier, anglers are always looking for ways to draw more carp into their swims over others on the lake.
I’m as guilty as any angler for probably adding too much to my mixes in the quest for the perfect spod mix, and the Hydro Spod Syrup and Amino Smoke didn’t last long in my testing. They are very pungent, thick liquids that not only coat baits effectively but also add weight to whatever you apply them to, helping drag it to the bottom for accurate baiting. Thanks to their viscosity, they don’t cause pellets to soften and disintegrate, making them a perfect addition to any mix.
I soon ran out of the syrup, you can see how well it coats a plastic bottle
As for the bait soak, I haven’t used it much, mainly because the boilies are already so soft. However, in the spirit of proper testing, I applied it to some boilies, and after around 45 minutes, they had absorbed the liquids fully, giving them a much stronger scent than the straight-from-the-bag baits. If you like boosting your baits, this is certainly worth checking out.
The Amino Smoke is great for adding extra attraction
The more I used, the more I liked
As mentioned, I used this bait exclusively for a few months to give it a proper test, and the more I used it, the better I got to understand how it worked and the more impressed I became. I’m not an angler who affiliates with or shows loyalty to any bait company, usually grabbing whatever is available when I go fishing, but what I’d heard about DNA producing top-quality bait certainly proved true.
The 8mm baits are a real game-changer, and with very few companies produce baits this size, which already gives you an edge on any water you fish. Normally, to get your baits smaller, you have to go through the laborious process of chopping or crushing them. Not only does this take time, but it can also make baits lighter, preventing them from landing exactly where you spod them.
During the winter months, rather than crumbing loads of baits, I found the 8mm baits fished exceptionally well, especially at short range when putting just a few out with a catapult. While everyone else was spodding crumb, I kept catching when others didn’t, and I put that down to these perfect mini boilies.
If you do want to crumb them, however, they break down easily, and thanks to their texture, they take liquids really well when powdered up.
1. DNA Baits The BUG
Price: $10.99 (1kg)
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 8mm baits are awesome
- Really soft and available in both freezer and shelf-life
Cons
- The lighter colouration can be attracitive to birdlife
Price: $10.99 (1kg)
The struggles
As with any bait, the Bug isn’t without its drawbacks, and the colour is both a positive and a negative. The boilies are quite pale in colour, and after sitting in the water for a few hours, they become lighter still. While this can be visually attractive to carp, it also makes them highly visible to birdlife and on shallow lakes, this can become frustrating, as the birds seem to love diving on and eating the Bug just as much as the fish.
The softness of the shelf-life baits is impressive, but if you prefer to use baits straight from the bag, you may struggle to keep them on the hair for long periods, especially where crayfish are present. It also makes them difficult to introduce with a throwing stick without some form of air-drying, which is something I’m not a big advocate of, as I feel it can reduce some of the bait’s attractive qualities.
There also isn’t a fluoro pop-up or wafter in the range, which can be a limitation in certain situations. However, DNA do offer alternatives in their PB range, with a variety of flavours available if brighter hookbaits are needed.
The lighter colouration is good and bad
Lasting impressions
After using the Bug extensively, I’d confidently say it’s a true all-season bait and I know that’s a claim often made about many baits, but I genuinely feel the insect meal gives it year-round appeal. Whether in spring, summer, or winter, I never felt the bait was underperforming, which allowed me to focus on finding and catching carp rather than worrying about my bait, something I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of.
The accompanying range is comprehensive, giving you practically everything you need to cover all eventualities. You can even make your own hookbaits using their kit, allowing you to create a unique recipe that could give you an edge. If nothing else, there’s something incredibly satisfying about catching a carp on bait you’ve made yourself.
Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the Bug range, and it’s easy to see why DNA has earned such a strong reputation. If you’re looking for a reliable, year-round option that moves away from standard fishmeal or nut-based baits, this is well worth considering—with the 8mm boilies standing out as a real game-changer in my carp fishing.
One of the many carp I caught using the Bug
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