Bright and highly attractive hook baits for spring carp fishing

Spring is definitely the time of year for brighter coloured and highly flavoured hook baits, and whilst they will work at any time of the year they really come into their own when the fish start waking up after the winter.

Brightly coloured hook baits

As we have seen from some of the underwater films, carp will at times home in on a hook bait that really stands out, and especially so earlier on in the year before they get hooked on bright baits and eventually become more wary of them as the season progresses.

This can either be a bright bait being fished over a bed of other bait, or just a single hook bait, such as on a chod rig. For more information on chod rigs and how to use them, see here.

These bright hook baits often take the form of pop-ups or wafters, but plastic baits such as those in the Korda Fake Foods range are also a very popular choice, either on their own – such as where nuisance species like crayfish are an issue or you just want a more durable version of the real thing, such as corn - or for tipping other baits with and adding some bright colour to them.

Korda Fake Foods plastic baits

These Fake Foods plastic hook baits come in a variety of different types, designed to mimic the shape of real food items, with Corn, Maize, and Dumbell versions, that either pop up or are slow sinking.

They are brightly coloured and come in pink, white, yellow, or orange – with a brown version also available in the dumbells – and as well as being highly visible, they are also impregnated with flavour, such as IB or Citrus Zing.

Whilst these baits already come flavoured for extra attraction, they are also porous enough that they will take on extra flavouring and attraction, and you can soak them in any liquid of your choice – the longer you soak them for the more they will take on, and the longer that will last once they are in the water.

Korda Carp Goo boosts hook bait attraction

A great attraction booster for any type of hook bait are the Kiana Carp Goos, which not only add flavour but also colour as well, mean a cloud of attraction is released from your hook bait, and which the carp can not only smell but also see – although there are also clear versions if you are looking to add flavour but without changing the colour of your bait and are looking for more subtle leak-off.

Korda Goo comes in a wide variety of different flavours and colours, and can be used on its own or by combining two or more different flavours to create your own unique signature for your hook baits such as pop-ups and wafters.

Two different types of Goo are available, with the thinner Supreme version being the ones that should be used on hook baits – Smoke ones are great for adding to spod mixes, PVA bags and the like as they have a higher viscosity – and if baits are left in them for any length of time, then this liquid will soak right through to the core.

Soak your hook baits in advance for more attraction

Many anglers will prep their hook baits weeks in advance, by soaking them in Goo and topping up with more when needed and giving the tub a shake, so it really soaks in and once cast out, will still be leaking off attraction into the water column after 24 hours or more. The Goo will also change the colour of your hook baits, especially when using white coloured ones with one of the brighter coloured fluoro Goos.

Popular choices for the spring amongst the Team Korda anglers include Goo such as Spicy Squid, Pineapple, Isotonic, Sriracha, Pango, and Almond, but everyone has their own favourites that they swear by, so pick one that you like the smell and colour of, or try mixing several to create something a bit different – Pineapple and Isotonic for instance is a popular combination.

Korda Infuza pots prevent leaks and are designed for soaking hook baits

Any of you who have ever got Goo, or other liquid additives, on your hands will know that they have a tendency to stain your hands and can be very sticky, so the last thing you want is for pots of glugged hook baits to leak liquid out into your fishing bags.

The easiest way to prevent that is by using the Korda Infuza pots which have leakproof lids and have been specially designed for the purpose.

Two different sizes are available, depending on how many hook baits you want to take with you on the bank, or are looking to store them at home in Goo, and the high impact plastic ensures they can’t be smashed or crushed either when in your fishing bag, unlike the flimsier pots that some pop-ups and wafters are sold in. They even have a special lift out tray to enable you to get a hook bait out without having to dip your fingers into the liquid you’re using to soak your baits in.