Cambridge Carp Bait
Red Berry - Long Term Test

About 12 months ago, I was out on the bank reviewing the picturesque Willow Lake, on the superb Fenland Fisheries complex in rural Cambridgeshire. Whilst I was there I had a chat with some of the venue regulars who told me about the fisheries own brand of boilies and how good they were. Not being shy of the asking I collared the fisheries owner Mike Hawes and asked if I could give them a try? He generously obliged and this was the first time I was introduced to the excellent Cambridge Carp Bait Red Berry Boilies.

Vital Statistics

The Berry range has a unique labeling system, combining essential oils, amino acids and liquid food extracts. These Dark Red offerings from Cambridge carp Bait are loaded with high quality vegetable and fish proteins and extracts, it provides balanced bait that carp can easily digest. Being a food based bait it has all the nutritional requirements carp need to thrive. They have a gorgeous fruity aroma that definitely catches plenty of Carp and on occasions, big Catfish also take a liking to these adaptable baits.

The Red Berry Boilies are available as both shelf-life and freezer baits in 15 and 20mm sizes. There is a Red Berry liquid called “Carpagra Juice Glug” which comes in very handy when re-hydrating boilies and flavouring the CCB Red Berry Feed Pellets which are also available in this complete range of products. To complete the Cambridge Carp Bait Red Berry range there is the standard 15mm Pop Ups which are ideal for all alternative presentation options, including snowman, critically balanced and chod rigs.

With Cambridge Carp Bait claiming Red Berry Boilie are “different to other baits available” and “they will give you a clear advantage on pressured waters”.  We, at UKMA, had to seriously put them to the test, to see how good they really were?

On The Bank

The first time I used the Cambridge Carp Bait Red Berry Boilies, I fished a 48 hour session in late April on its home turf at Willow Lakes, Fenland Fisheries and the results were more than pleasing in far from perfect conditions. Over the 48 hours I landed my first Catfish of 12lb, yes I know it was small but it still put up an enjoyable scrap. I also managed to land my first Carp from the venue of 21lb plus, which was reward for my efforts over the 48 hours on the bank but this was just a little taste of thing to come whilst using the Red Berry.

On my return to Willow Lake about 6 weeks later, I decided to have a real go for the big fish that cautiously plod around this charming venue. I visited the on-site tackle shop and brought myself 5kg of freezer baits (1kg of 20mm and 4kg of 15mm). I set up on peg one which I really liked the look of and set up for the session. Within an hour of steadily feeding single 15mm boilies over my chosen areas, my right hand rod screamed into action and I was into my first fish of the session, a healthy 24lb Mirror that put any doubts about the Red Berry boilies abilities to rest.

Over the next three nights I continued with the steady feeding and single hook baits to produce what can only be describe as the most ferocious fight from a fish I have ever experienced. At 4.00 AM I was rudely awoken by my receiver sounding out a one tone that could only signal the charge of a very good fish. I steadily tried to get the beast under control but every time I retrieved 30 yards of line, it decided to take it right back again. After about 15 minutes of this incredibly powerful fight, I finally got the beast under my rod tip and into the net.

I was still unsure of what was in the net but my suspicions were correct, it was a dirty great Catfish and once it was in the sling it rocked my scales at a very pleasing 42lb 4oz. Now I had landed my PB fresh water fish on the Red Berry, I now wanted to land my PB Carp as well. This didn’t happen but I did land another 3 twenties to 26lb 15oz and left the venue with a very big smile on my face. Yes the Red Berry definitely played well at its home ground but how would it perform on a venue that had never seen it before, I was soon to find out.

I had just over a kilo of 15mm and about ½ a kg of 20mm left after the session, so I decided to give them a go on a water that has a good head of doubles with the very occasional twenty thrown in for good measure. Now although well stocked this is far from being an easy venue but the Red Berry landed me 18 fish to 23lb in less than 36 hours, which was very pleasing because other anglers on the lake had struggled for a single bite. This proved conclusively, that the Cambridge Carp Bait Red Berry boilies could also play away from home.

Final Thoughts

I have now used the Red Berry on numerous occasions on several different venues and it has never let me down. I have had at least one fish over 20lb every time I have used it and the more I use it, the more confident it gives you in its all round fish catching capabilities. The Red Berry boilie is a bait for all seasons and all types of venues that will perform exactly how you would expect a bait to perform, it catches you plenty of fish. I have no doubt that if I can catch using it and I’m no “Superstar” then anyone can.

“An all season Carp food alternative that gives you an edge on harder sessions”  

For more information on the Cambridge Carp Bait's range, please visit the company's website.