Hinders Barbel Bait Range

Mention the name "Hinders" to any angler and the first thing that springs to mind is the shops range of particle baits - both prepared and unprepared. A massive name in the carp angling world with regards to quality particle baits and pellets, Hinders have now looked at the specialist angling circle and developed ranges of baits to suit the Barbel angler as well as being equally at home on a stillwater for Carp, Tench or Bream.

The first range of specialist baits that we have been sent to take a look at is the Barbel Bomb system which contains a multimix and a liquid.

The Hinders Barbel Bomb multimix is a combination of fish and meat deriratives combined with some of the companies smaller Elips pellets added into the mix as tasters. The dark brown colouration of the mix is perfect for fishing in both clear and coloured water, as the dark colour will not spook fish from feeding over it in clear conditions, and in coloured conditions, the scent trail that the bait gives off will attract fish from all over the river. The Multimix is simple to use and all that is required is a dampening using either water from the venue or by using the companies Barbel Bomb liquid. The Multimix is perfect for use with an open-end feeder or used in a PVA bag or stick. I am going to be using the Barbel Bomb multimix on a local stillwater this year to see if I can tempt one of the venues wily carp into picking up my hookbait as well as on the Midlands river for the resident Chub and Barbel. The Barbel Bomb liquid is also PVA friendly so you can pour it directly into PVA bags for fishing where maximum scent is a better option than a bed of bait itself.

The Barbel Bomb range is going to be a big seller to the "whiskers" anglers on the rivers all over the country. If you are not already on it, give it a try and your results just could improve drastically.

The Elips pellets need no introduction really as they were the first non-round pellets to be commercially available to the angler. The Elips pellets are a superb change bait from halibut or trout pellets, and when used in fast flowing water, they will not roll all over the swim due to the flattened profile. You can use the Elips pellets as hookbait by drilling through the flat side and mounting a couple on the hair. Where the Elips pellets really come into their own is as a loose feed offering. When fed by catapult or by hand in still or slow moving waters, the Elips pellets will sink in a rocking type action which will spread the bait out over a larger distance than if standard extruded pellets were introduced. This is also worth thinking about when fishing over weed of soft bottoms as the irregular profile of the pellets means they sink slower than tradtional feed, so they do not sink into the bottom itself.

To accompany the pellets, Hinders have now released a matching oil to go with the Elips pellets. The Elips oil is seriously strong in scent and smells just like a very potent trout pellet. Elips oil is also PVA friendly and will give out a very strong scent trail in the water.

The Elips pellets are available in three sizes - Small (approx 4mm), Medium (approx 6mm) and Large (approx 10mm), and can be bought in a variety of weights.

The final bait that HInders sent us for review is the Blitz Barbel Barrels with added Elips oil. These pellet shaped boilie hookbaits are a great change bait from a drilled pellet that are more resiliant to the attention of smaller silver fish species that might peck a standard pellet to pieces before the intended quarry has had time to find it. The hookbaits are easily threaded onto a fine needle without splitting, and are just as effective when fishing for Carp, Bream or Tench on stillwaters as well as being rolled under weed rafts for Chub or along fast gravelly glides for Barbel.

The Barrels are supplied in a screw lid tub that holds more than enough hookbaits for several months.

One little tip for these baits when fishing for other species than Barbel, ad that is to tip the bait with a piece of plastic corn to neutralise the weight of the hookbait as well as to give a little sight attraction for the fish to home in on.

Final Thoughts

In all honesty I am a Barbel novice, but improving with every trip onto the rivers after them, but after years fishing for specimen fish of other species, I can tell a good bait from a bad one from a hundred miles away. The Barbel range from Hinders has not just been thrown together willy-nilly, but carefully thought out so that all the angler has to do is to put the bait in the right place at the right time. The baits cover almost every scenario that the specialist angler will encounter on moving water, and require no special preperation. I cannot wait to get onto the pre-baited areas of the small local rivers where I have seen Barbel grazing in the summer months, and with the winter now fast approaching and less anglers on the bank, it is close to being the time to having a go for them with the Hinders range.