Mashed bread

[SeanM]

I make mash by putting about 1/3 of a loaf in a large bait box, filling it with water and leaving it to soak for a few minutes. Once it's well soaked I squeeze out all the water against the sides of the box holding it on its side so that the water can drain away. I then add a little flavour (optional) and scrunch up the bread to give a nice fluffy mash. Getting as much water out as possible is important.

Stale bread works well, but I've found that the in-store baked sliced bread from supermarkets gives the best compromise between a good hook bait bread and a good mash bread. Like Dave I leave the crusts on.

From memory the 50s method was very similar with people buying stale loaves from bakers and keeping them in old pillow cases. Crusts were then cut off and the remaining bread was either used for mash pretty much as I do it now or used for to make paste as described by Maggots Dad.

[BBamboo]

Fresh bread liquidised for the feeder is best but leave a few lumps in for the chub to feed off.

The Mash method I use is two loaves very stale, take as it is dry to the river bank. Next put half a loaf in the landing net and dip in the water to soak. Tackle up your gear and then pull the net in, strain out the water using the net. Put the bread into a bucket and mash it up, introduce in to the swim.
Job done