Bran as ground bait

[Mole-Patrol]

I think that it is more to do with the modified sugars than the flavouring. Angel Delight along with custard powder and co-co powder is mainly starch. If you add hot water the starch releases sugars. When I make groundbait I first simmer whatever grains I'm using in just enough water to cover them. Once they have reached the desired state they can be drained and the still hot water poured over the maize and crushed hemp groundbait. The water carries starch from the grains and also releases the starch in the groundbait. The groundbait is initially very claggy, but if left overnight the maize expands and absorbs the liquid leaving a soft mix that can be easily molded but breaks up quickly in water. That has a higher sugar content than a groundbait mix using cold water.

The flavouring is in my view incidental. Gros Gardons like a lot of French groundbait uses vanilla. If everyone is using vanilla flavoured groundbait the fish will soon learn to associate that scent with food. Rather like Robin Red aka smoked paprika in carp fishing baits. Not so much on lightly fished waters I fish. But I do think that fermentation, basically more modification of the sugars, helps a lot.

Layer's mash and pellets contain the sugars released from malted grains and also have the fermentation element from the brewing.

[Duckett]

I think that it is more to do with the modified sugars than the flavouring. Angel Delight along with custard powder and co-co powder is mainly starch. If you add hot water the starch releases sugars. When I make groundbait I first simmer whatever grains I'm using in just enough water to cover them. Once they have reached the desired state they can be drained and the still hot water poured over the maize and crushed hemp groundbait. The water carries starch from the grains and also releases the starch in the groundbait. The groundbait is initially very claggy, but if left overnight the maize expands and absorbs the liquid leaving a soft mix that can be easily molded but breaks up quickly in water. That has a higher sugar content than a groundbait mix using cold water.

The flavouring is in my view incidental. Gros Gardons like a lot of French groundbait uses vanilla. If everyone is using vanilla flavoured groundbait the fish will soon learn to associate that scent with food. Rather like Robin Red aka smoked paprika in carp fishing baits. Not so much on lightly fished waters I fish. But I do think that fermentation, basically more modification of the sugars, helps a lot.

Layer's mash and pellets contain the sugars released from malted grains and also have the fermentation element from the brewing.

That’s what I call serious thinking! I suspect you may be right, though it did make me go and check the ingredients of Angel Delight. It contains both maize and potato modified starch plus sugar. However, from the nutritional breakdown I’m not sure you can tell the quantities of each. Also, Angel Delight is made with cold milk, there’s no heating involved, so when we eat it the carbs will only be released by digestion. Whilst I do cook grains, when I mix most dry ingredients for groundbait, I only add water at the standing temperature and usually mix it on the bank in small batches. That would apply to Angel Delight. Now, adding your comments to what I do does give food for thought!

Phil

[Mole-Patrol]

Angel Delight probably uses gelatine or something similar to add the thickness to the mix. Cornflour will do that cold over time, but not straight away. When some anglers boil hemp seeds they drain them and throw the slimy liquid away. That is the starch and in my case it goes straight into my groundbait mix, not down the drain.

[Martin James]

I have used bran as an additive with mashed bread, or on its own for close in roach fishing on still waters since 1946, I am still using it today. Bran has been used at least since the 1800’s The great angler of the day Francis Francis in his tomb A Book on angling published by Longman Green and company in 1867 . I suppose the author could be described as the Richard Walker of his day. who also edited the Field magazine, which is still going strong today and very well worth reading.

[Duckett]

I have used bran as an additive with mashed bread, or on its own for close in roach fishing on still waters since 1946, I am still using it today. Bran has been used at least since the 1800’s The great angler of the day Francis Francis in his tomb A Book on angling published by Longman Green and company in 1867 . I suppose the author could be described as the Richard Walker of his day. who also edited the Field magazine, which is still going strong today and very well worth reading.

Thanks Martin. I shall give that a try.

Phil

[Olly]

The Francis Francis punt club are based in Twickenham close to where FF's fish farm was.

Bread, bran and middling's were the contents of their groundbait dropped off the back/upstream side of the punt.

[Phil Arnott]

I always have a supply of bran and have some sausage rusk from an angling friend who was a butcher. Two ingredients I remember being used was ground rice and semolina although I can't remember trying either.