The word "boilies" will mean little to the average person who is far from fishing, but for a person who is keen on feeder fishing, this term is a whole world! A boilie for fishing is a type of fishing bait that carp, crucian carp, grass carp and other peaceful fish bite on. In this article, we will tell you in detail what these balls are, what types there are, how to choose them correctly and use them to get a trophy.

From the history of boilies

Boilies would not have appeared if it were not for gentleman Fred Wilton, an ardent fan of carp fishing. In the late 60-70s of the twentieth century, bottom fishing enthusiasts everywhere used bait with a pasty consistency. However, it had a significant drawback - the texture: the bait did not stay on the hook very well and dissolved in a few minutes, and small fish quickly destroyed it. Fred Wilton was clearly unhappy with this situation. The Englishman changed the composition - he added an egg to the paste and boiled the mass in boiling water. The fish treat turned out to be more nutritious and at the same time acquired a dense structure. Thanks to it, the bait could stay on the hook longer and not succumb to attacks of small fish. This is how the first boilies for fishing appeared.

Advantages and disadvantages of boilies

Boilies have a number of undeniable advantages and in some respects even surpass other baits. What are their advantages: With the help of bright balls, you can create a so-called bait spot, which small inhabitants of the reservoir will not be able to destroy quickly, and it will attract trophy fish for a long time. Boilies allow you to implement an effective tactic of dosed baiting. Two or three dozen balls thrown with the help of a cobra will attract additional attention to the point, and after the fish is pulled out, they will calm down the frightened relatives a little. Depending on the composition and diameter, boilies retain their qualities for several hours. There are also such baits that do not lose their attractiveness to fish for a day or longer. This is of great importance for trophy fishing, where in the first hours the fish are cautious and do not come close to the bait zone. The ability to keep the best in itself plays into your hands during fishing at dusk and at night, when precise baiting with other baits becomes impossible. Boilies are heat-treated and contain preservatives - all this determines the long shelf life of the bait. In a closed bag, the balls can be stored for 2-3 years even outside the walls of the refrigerator and at the same time almost completely retain their original properties. Frozen boilies are stored for up to 2 years. Due to the rigid structure, the boilie is well fixed to the equipment, and due to this, you can make powerful casts over long distances. The bait has varying degrees of buoyancy, which allows you to use it on a reservoir with any type of bottom soil. When biting on a boilie, the hook always digs into the lower lip of the fish, so after playing, you can release the catch quickly and easily, without harming its health. The only drawback of boilies is their slightly higher cost compared to other baits, although there are very affordable compositions of good quality.

Types of boilies

There are several classifications - boilies are grouped on different grounds. Depending on the ability to dissolve in water, these baits are of two types: 1) Insoluble. This bait is usually used for catching carp and bream. The peculiarity of insoluble boilies is the ability to retain their original appearance for a long time. They are made by boiling and drying, and egg powder is necessarily added to the composition. Usually these are sinking boilies. However, not all balls fall to the bottom - sometimes heat treatment is carried out with the expectation of positive or neutral buoyancy.

2) Soluble. They are also called dusting, and recently they have become increasingly popular. When the ball hits the water, small fractions with varying degrees of buoyancy begin to separate from it. An attractive cloud of ingredients is formed around it, which is easily visible to the fish, and to which the chemoreceptor system of the reservoir inhabitants responds well.

Despite their popularity and demand, soluble boilies are often criticized. There is an opinion that such baits collect carp in a certain place, where other small fish also rush, which can create difficulties during fishing. However, such a problem can arise in those reservoirs where there are initially not a large number of large individuals. In addition, the carp that came to eat will make characteristic sounds that scare away other fish, so the chances of being left without a trophy are minimal.

The second classification is based on the degree of buoyancy. According to it, boilies are:

a) floating (positive buoyancy) - a pop-up ball attached to a hair lies on the water, attracting the attention of fish. The bait is used for fishing in silted and overgrown reservoirs. It allows you to highlight the bait against the background of the feeding spot and the bottom;

b) sinking (negative buoyancy) - after casting, they instantly rush down. The bait for fishing on a hard bottom demonstrates its effectiveness both in still water and in the current; c) neutral buoyancy (wafters) - such boilies do not sink, but do not float to the surface either. The balls hang in the water column, look as natural as possible and do not arouse suspicion among the inhabitants of the reservoir. The bait is effective when fishing in difficult conditions, where the fish can be wary of any little thing. The difference between wafters and pop-up boilies is that in addition to bright colors and rich taste, they have high nutritional value.

Boilies composition

The basis of the balls is flour: soy, semolina or fish. The bait can also contain crushed bird food and components such as flavors, attractants, sweeteners and other ingredients. According to the specific composition, boilies are divided into three main groups. From fish meal The ingredient is introduced into the mixture in a volume of 60%. In addition, the bait contains up to 15% fat and flavors with an animal smell. The structure of such boilies is loose, so they quickly release attractants into the water. This point can play a negative role if fishing is carried out in the current or in rivers where there are many crayfish. Manufacturers solve the problem by introducing additional components into the composition, such as milk protein or crushed bird food. In order for the fish to begin to react to the bait made of fish meal, preliminary baiting is needed, and with the same boilies. The speed of the bite depends on how closely the aquatic inhabitants are already familiar with this bait. If the carp has already tried fish boilies, it will react to them faster, no matter what the aroma is. The peculiarity of boilies made from fish meal is that their effectiveness increases over time. The more a potential trophy eats it, the faster it will get used to it and will begin to perceive the composition as regular food, which contains everything it needs for normal life. And this should be used if you often fish in the same place. Fish boilies are taken for long fishing, which requires preliminary feeding. The bait is effective in the warm season, in cold water it loses its properties.

From semolina and soy flour

In this combination, the ingredients are present in a 50/50 ratio. Flavors with a rich fruity smell are often added to the composition - carp reacts to it quite actively. The bait has a dense structure, so it does not deteriorate in water for a long time. Such boilies can be called fast-acting, highly attractive baits. Their effectiveness is best demonstrated in the first 1-3 days of fishing, when the inhabitants of the reservoir have not yet had time to get acquainted with it and get used to it. Boilies made of semolina and soy flour practically do not saturate the fish, and after prolonged use, it stops responding to them, as it begins to understand that it is being deceived to some extent. To increase the nutritional value, the base mixture is supplemented with corn flour, rich in protein and vegetable protein. These boilies are used to catch not very active carp living in cool water.

From bird food These high-energy boilies contain a lot of useful things: they contain fats, carbohydrates and vegetable proteins. The bait is quite loose, and in water it actively releases substances attractive to fish. However, over time, the components lose their effectiveness. To prolong their effect and make the bait balanced, fish meal is added to the base composition. Boilies made from ground bird food act quickly and are suitable for long-term fishing and fishing in cold waters. With the addition of milk protein and flavouring, you get a complete nutritious bait with a long-lasting effect.

How to put boilies on

Fishing boilies are handled differently than baits or grain baits.

It is put on according to a certain pattern.

The boilie assembly is called hair mounting, and its peculiarity is that the ball is not strung directly onto the hook.

To put on, you will need:

a hook with a long shank;

leader material;

boilie stoppers;

bait needle.

The process can be represented as a sequence of actions: Thread the leader thread (hair) through the hook from the side of the sting.

Put the hook aside.

Make a small loop at the end of the thread and tighten it. Determine the length of the hair.

It will depend on the size of the bait.

Wind the leader material onto the upper part of the hook from top to bottom, approximately to the level of the sting.

Make two turns in the opposite direction.

Pass the thread through the eye of the hook, moving towards the point, and tighten. Make a loop at the other end of the leader, tighten it.

Pierce the boilie with a bait needle and thread it onto the leader from the side of the hook shank.

Install the stopper.

Storing boilies

Fishing boilies sold in stores, including the "World of Hunting" chain, belong to the shelf-life category. This is food that includes special preservatives that keep it fresh. The shelf life of the bait is usually 2-3 years. However, it is important to follow some rules when storing. The main thing is to protect the bait from drying out, especially in winter, when the air is very dry. For long-term storage, it is recommended to pour the boilies into a zip-lock bag - it will not get into the air. If the bag does not have such a lock, then it can be sealed with tape. If you have a vacuum sealer for food and special bags, use them - this way you will preserve the properties of the bait as much as possible until the next fishing session. You should keep boilies away from sources of cold and heat. In the cold, the bait quickly dries out and deforms. The same thing happens if it is near a radiator or in the open sun. The optimal storage place is a pantry or mezzanine in a room with a stable temperature and humidity level.

How to store boilies in winter

For long-term storage, it is recommended to move the boilies from the opened package to a plastic bucket or large container and add a liquid component there. This can be an amino acid complex to increase nutritional value or flavors to improve attractiveness. Ideally, the container is filled to the brim, and there is a minimum of space for air inside. Over the winter, you can take out the bait a couple of times and stir it so that the balls evenly absorb the additive. In such conditions, the granules will retain their properties and qualities until the next season.