How about a really traditional barbel bait

[Isis]

Mutton fat mixed with an equal amount of soft cheese. Add a little honey and mix thoroughly. Combine with a little flour and mould into pellets. Check that it sinks and fish it on a ledger rig.
How does that sound.
This recipe is from the book 'A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle' published in 1496.
Has anyone tried it?
I might give it a go if I get on the Kennet again. If not I will try it for the carp on my local brick pit.

[Kevanf1]

It sounds like it would also make a good bait for chub and probably roach or rudd. Look forward to hearing how you get on.

I have had some significant successes in the past by saving the fat from fried bacon. Obviously this is good quality bacon from our local butcher not the supermarket rubbish Which leaves all that white scum behind that is nothing more than salty water used to bulk it out... Anyway, this saved fat I smeared liberally over lumps of luncheon meat. It did seem to attract more bites.

[Ian.R.McDonald]

Mutton fat mixed with an equal amount of soft cheese. Add a little honey and mix thoroughly. Combine with a little flour and mould into pellets. Check that it sinks and fish it on a ledger rig.
How does that sound.
This recipe is from the book 'A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle' published in 1496.
Has anyone tried it?
I might give it a go if I get on the Kennet again. If not I will try it for the carp on my local brick pit.

sounds good- with the frozen ground "my man" has been unable to dig more than 3000 lobworms so am looking for an option!

[Maggot's Dad]

Hi Isis,

..what about greaves, whatever they happen to be, often mentioned by the "Brothers of ye Angle" in various old books. I've not really managed to figure that one out.
They also speak of "bullocks pith"....... I have an idea about that one being from the spinal cord of a bullock carcase.

Does anyone have further knowledge of these "baits"?

[GarryProcter]

In the section on chub in Falkus and Buller's "Freshwater Fishing" they mention as baits, bullock's brains, the pith from the backbone of an ox, and greaves (which Wikipedia defines as "the unmeltable residue left after animal fat has been rendered"). Rather you than me!

[Loop Erimder]

Mutton fat mixed with an equal amount of soft cheese. Add a little honey and mix thoroughly. Combine with a little flour and mould into pellets. Check that it sinks and fish it on a ledger rig.
How does that sound.
This recipe is from the book 'A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle' published in 1496.
Has anyone tried it?
I might give it a go if I get on the Kennet again. If not I will try it for the carp on my local brick pit.

Having just braised off 60 mini lamb shoulder joints at work I am left with a few pints of fat cooling in the blast chiller I'm guessing this would be suitable too? Also has essence of red wine and rosemary

[Snape]

Mutton fat mixed with an equal amount of soft cheese. Add a little honey and mix thoroughly. Combine with a little flour and mould into pellets. Check that it sinks and fish it on a ledger rig.
How does that sound.
This recipe is from the book 'A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle' published in 1496.
Has anyone tried it?
I might give it a go if I get on the Kennet again. If not I will try it for the carp on my local brick pit.

I just wonder whether Dame Juliana Berners, having come up with this recipe ever tried boiling the pellets and in so doing created the original boilie - maybe boilies are a C.15th bait!

[Maggot's Dad]

"the unmeltable residue left after animal fat has been rendered". Rather you than me!

Good evening Garry,

Thanks for that snippet of information.
I wonder....... maybe that should be "unmentionable" rather than "unmeltable"? YUKKK!

[Snape]

Hi Isis,

..what about greaves, whatever they happen to be, often mentioned by the "Brothers of ye Angle" in various old books. I've not really managed to figure that one out.
They also speak of "bullocks pith"....... I have an idea about that one being from the spinal cord of a bullock carcase.

Does anyone have further knowledge of these "baits"?

Greaves is "the sediment of melted tallow. It is made into cakes for dogs' food".

How to render tallow (beef fat)?
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soapm ... tallow.htm

Sadly bullock's pith, coming from the spine of a bullock, must have died a proverbial death as a bait since mad cow disease...

[Catfish.017]

Has to be a lobworm surely. Judging by the quantities that were thrown into the Trent and the Thames as groundbait I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few uneaten ones still lying there!