Making your own homemade groundbait can be a cost-effective and rewarding way to improve your fishing success. With the right ingredients and a bit of experimentation, you can create a groundbait that is specifically tailored to the type of fish you’re trying to catch and the conditions of the water.

In this article, we will provide an overview of how to make homemade groundbait for fishing.

We will discuss the types of ingredients that can be used to make groundbait, as well as tips for mixing and preparing the bait for use in a feeder or for match fishing.

What is Homemade Groundbait

Groundbait is a mixture of ingredients that are used to attract fish to a specific area. It can be made of a variety of ingredients such as cereal, fishmeal, breadcrumbs, and other food items that are attractive to fish. Groundbait is typically mixed with water to form a paste-like consistency, and it’s then used to create a cloud of attraction by placing small amounts of the mixture into the water.

Homemade groundbait can be made using a variety of ingredients, depending on the type of fish you’re trying to catch and the conditions of the water. Common ingredients used in homemade groundbait include:

Homemade Groundbait: Food components

We can divide the various components of fishing food into three categories.

Food components to give it the necessary consistency and appearance; Food components to give it the desired activity; Food components that determine aroma and taste;

We will look at each category in detail one by one.

Food components to give it the necessary consistency and appearance; This component makes up the largest part of the food. Each component in this category is special. With them, it is necessary to provide characteristics in terms of consistency, appearance, and even taste. It is necessary to know the properties of the components to obtain a proper mixing of the food and for it to act according to our requirements.

The following components are related to this category;

Breadcrumbs (crumbs)

Homemade Groundbait: Breadcrumbs (crumbs);

This is the most famous ingredient. Almost everyone knows this ingredient from their youth.

Even the most expensive foods are mainly made up of a bread base, and we can even fish with it alone. This ingredient is bread scraps, crumbs, and other bread scraps, it has low sticking properties.

It is a basic part of any food, whatever peaceful fish we catch.

Baked breadcrumbs (hard crumbs):

Homemade Groundbait: Baked breadcrumbs (hard crumbs):

It is an ingredient with a particularly high degree of binding power and is very heavy. These two properties make it an ideal and essential food component for running water.

Baal bread, crumbs:

Homemade Groundbait Baal bread, crumbs:

It has many properties in common with “breadcrumbs” and is mainly made from leftover bread products. It has a slightly salty taste, its good binding power makes it a good component for both Redfin and Bream.

Black bread, crumbs:

Homemade Groundbait Black bread, crumbs:

It is obtained from brown bread, and black bread, and unlike white flour, bread has a higher nutritional value. Black bread is less salty than white bread, while also darkening the food to a certain extent. Very popular in England because the fish like it.

Crackers:

Homemade Groundbait Crackers:

As the name suggests, the ingredient is made from cracker waste. The breadcrumbs have a very pleasant smell, they are very slightly salty and have light binding properties. The ingredient is rather light but works well on the bottom. Used by feeder anglers when fishing in standing water. The above ingredients are the basis of any meal.

The percentage content can be up to 50% of the food.

Biscuit flours are the next big group of components. Depending on the fat and sugar, biscuit flour can vary greatly. Bonding strength also varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. A good biscuit should smell good as well as taste good!

It is difficult to determine the proportions in the recipe because there are so many different types of biscuits. It is necessary to experiment and try. The share of fatty (wet) biscuits in food should not exceed 20%. For dry biscuits (with low-fat content) up to 50% can be used.

Chocolate Biscuits

Homemade Groundbait Chocolate Biscuits:

It is a structure (biscuit) left or made of chocolate or cocoa. Due to these ingredients (cocoa or chocolate), it has a special share in the recipes, the aroma is nice, not intrusive and it is an ideal trump card when the fish are used to other types of food.

The binding forces of chocolate biscuits are good, but not as strong as marshmallows and are suitable for use in standing water.

Waffle crusts:

Homemade Groundbait Waffle crusts:

Waffle crusts are leftover products from ice cream cones and waffle makers. The wafer crust has a strong smell that resembles vanilla. This structure is very light and has low sticking properties.

Sweets (biscuits) with the smell of honey

Sweets (biscuits) with the smell of honey:

As the name suggests, these are biscuits or sweets with the taste and smell of honey, they are a very good supplement for snacks. Sweets (biscuits) with the taste of honey are very often used when fishing for bream. This structure has good bonding properties and is therefore often used in river fishing.

Spicy Biscuits

Homemade Groundbait  Spicy Biscuits:

Just like gingerbread, hot biscuits are a very good supplement when fishing for red bream and bream with their smell and taste.

Biscuit flour with different flavors

Biscuit flour with different flavors:

The biscuity substance with the aroma of allspice is liked by all fish. With good binding properties (rather at an average level). The smell (saturation) of allspice can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer

Another group of components is based on corn flour. Corn flours make food heavy.

Small corn kernels

Homemade Groundbait Small corn kernels: This is a favorite food for “breams”. Made from cornmeal in the form of pellets, it has a light roast aroma.

Add to food up to 15%

Roasted Cornmeal

Homemade Groundbait Roasted Cornmeal: It is flour made from roasted corn kernels with a smell and tastes typical of baked goods. Roasted cornmeal has a low binding coefficient and low nutritional value.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Maize meal (maize TTX):

Homemade Groundbait Maize meal (maize TTX): TTX Cornmeal is a heavy substance that, when wetted with warm water, acquires very good binding properties. Cornmeal strongly saturates fish, so it should only be used when the fish is actively feeding. Big fish like cornmeal very much.

Add to food up to up to 30%

Cornflakes

Homemade Groundbait Cornflakes:

These are ground and then dried in the form of flakes. The cornflakes are first soaked and then added to the feed. Ground Cornflakes create a very nice and enticing cloud of particles. A very nice supplement for fishing all “Carp” fish.

Cornmeal

Homemade Groundbait Cornmeal:

Is a product that is obtained from the husks of corn kernels. A very heavy food ingredient, possessing almost no binding properties. A very suitable supplement for rapid disintegration and removal of food to the bottom.

In food up to 20%

Corn flour

Homemade Groundbait Corn flour:

Finely ground corn flour has little binding properties, it forms a nutritional cloud when added to food. Coarse ground cornmeals have more nutritional value and slightly better binding properties and do not form a cloud.

Add to food up to 30%

Ingredients that can affect the properties of foods. After we have mixed the food, we can change the properties of the feed with some other additives.

This can be quite important in fishing, we can attract the attention of the fish and make them feed more actively. Care must be taken when adding these activators, wrongly added activators can drive fish out of the food patch and the fish caught will be much less.

Molasses:

Homemade Groundbait Molasses:

Molasses is very sweet and has good binding properties. It is mainly used for bream fishing in rivers. Molasses is dark in color, and the dark color can be used to darken food.

Add to food up to to 5% in food.

Buckwheat flour:

Homemade Groundbait Buckwheat flour:

This is an additive that is very sweet, mainly used for bream fishing. Flour has a strong smell, which is very well perceived by the Bream.

Add to food up to 20% in food.

Pumpkin seed flour:

Homemade Groundbait Pumpkin seed flour: Pumpkin seed (flour) is a supplement that is slowly entering the supplements of anglers. Pumpkin seed flour is oily, it is a very good supplement for fishing “bream”. Pumpkin seeds have strong digestive properties, which makes the fish eat continuously.

Add to food up to  5% in food.

Peanut flour:

Homemade Groundbait Peanut flour: Roasted peanut (flour) is a very good addition to any meal. Works very well on all large fish.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Potato flour:

Homemade Groundbait Potato flour: It is made from potatoes. A good food supplement for carp and tench fishing. Potato flour has strong binding properties.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Oat flakes:

Homemade Groundbait Oat flakes:

Ground oats increase the binding properties of food. Coarsely ground oats (or whole) increase the activity of food.

Add to food up to 5% in food.

Hemp flour

Homemade Groundbait Hemp flour: When it comes to redfin fishing, hemp meal is a trump card that should always be used. Hemp flour has a very sharp and spicy aroma, and it also has very good digestive properties. It is best to scald with boiling water after grinding.

With such treatment, a very nice milky cloud is obtained. The mixture (broth) of water and hemp is added to the food, thus the food is very active.

Add to food up to 10 - 30% in food.

Roasted Hemp

Homemade Groundbait Roasted Hemp: Roasted Hemp is an irresistible aroma for Redfin, and works well for Bream fishing. Once added to food, it is very difficult to remove its odor, even with other concentrated odors. It combines very well with the vanilla aroma. But hardly anyone will want to remove this specific smell.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Flaxseed

Homemade Groundbait Flaxseed: Very active food additive affects digestion and stimulates laxative. Although they eat a lot of it, the fish don’t get full and overeat, thus staying on our food patch for a long time. Flax seeds are a good supplement for Bream and Red Bream.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Poppy seeds

Homemade Groundbait Poppy seeds: A very good supplement especially for fishing for small “redfin” and “bream”. Poppy seed is very active but does not saturate the fish.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Toasted coconut flakes

Homemade Groundbait Toasted coconut flakes: Coconut shavings have low binding properties, but give great activity to the food. It is a good supplement for fishing in stagnant waters, while at the same time it has very low nutritional value. When added, it darkens the food to a certain extent.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Freshwater shrimp meal

Homemade Groundbait Freshwater shrimp meal: This flour is made from freshwater shrimp. Flour has very little binding properties, but it is very active.

Add to food up to 5-10% in food.

Brown peanuts

Homemade Groundbait Brown peanuts: A very good supplement for fishing in stagnant waters. They have low nutritional value, form a nice cloud, and have little binding properties.

Add to food up to 20% in food.

Coconut flakes

Homemade Groundbait Coconut flakes: Coconut flakes are an ideal addition to make our food breathable. We have to be very careful how much to add… Adding too many coconut flakes can scatter the fish instead of keeping them on the food patch. Coconut flakes can be treated with boiling water to reduce their buoyancy.

Add to food up to 5-10% in food.

Dry milk

Homemade Groundbait  Dry milk: Adding dry milk to the milk food creates a white cloud, a very good supplement when fishing. Powdered milk must be dissolved in cold water!

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Fish meal (fish meal)

Homemade Groundbait  Fish meal (fish meal): Fishmeal has a high protein content and can be an ideal supplement when fishing for barbel, carp, and bream. But keep in mind that this supplement is not always the successful one. Fishmeal has a strong odor and does not hold fish on the food stain.

Add to food up to 20% in food.

Soy flour

Homemade Groundbait  Soy flour: It is also very high in protein. It has strong binding properties, when it dissolves it forms very large clouds in the water. A very good supplement for match fishing.

Add to food up to 20% in food.

Parmesan

Homemade Groundbait  Parmesan: Another favorite among the stinkers. Parmesan cheese can be an overwhelming flavor for most peaceful fish. But it is also important to be cautious to check if the fish likes this supplement.

Tarts

Homemade Groundbait Tarts: The marshes are a real magnet when fishing for bream in stagnant waters. The marshes are light, they should be moistened already the night before fishing.

Add to food up to 20% in food.

Bird food

Homemade Groundbait Bird food: It is popular with feeder anglers. Bird food is added to the food to attract fish and keep them on the food patch.

Add to food up to 20% in food.

Colored pieces

Homemade Groundbait Colored pieces : These are colorful pieces of biscuits / maybe they are rice kernels / with a different smell of strawberry and honey. They are often used when fishing for “bream”, “red bream” and many others. The particles (biscuits) must be left for some time in the food to absorb some of the water.

Colored food particles

Homemade Groundbait Colored food particles/crumbs/: They are mostly used in red and yellow. Colored particles/crumbs/ are good when fishing for “redfin” and other peaceful fish.

Add to food up to 10% in food.

Gravel

Homemade Groundbait Gravel

Gravel is added to the food, the food is so sticky that the ball reaches the bottom but does not roll away from the current, but disintegrates. Components must be heavy and large to be able to stay on the bottom.

Aroma and Taste

Another part of our self-prepared food is the taste and aroma of our food. Certain aromas can make the difference between good and very good food.

Vanilla

Homemade Groundbait Vanilla:

A scent we all know. Vanilla is versatile and can be added to any food. Klaus Müller, a German food expert goes so far as to say that vanilla should be included in every meal. Vanilla simultaneously aromatizes and flavors.

Anise

Homemade Groundbait Anise:

Anise is another versatile flavor. Anise is a successful scent for fishing all peaceful fish.

Turmeric

Homemade Groundbait  Turmeric:

Turmeric is known as a spice that even the biggest “Redfins” can’t resist. Turmeric is yellow, when added to food it turns yellow.

Cinnamon

Homemade Groundbait Cinnamon:

Cinnamon is one of our classic supplements, it can even be said that it is universal and can be added to food without worrying. In combination with coriander, it is very good.

Coriander

Homemade Groundbait Coriander:

Coriander is a very good supplement for redfin and bream. It has a bitter taste and encourages the fish to eat, and it also has a laxative effect on the fish so that it cannot get enough.

Chocolate

Homemade Groundbait Chocolate:

This supplement is very popular with most anglers and they like it. In late summer, it can be used anywhere.

Salt

Homemade Groundbait Salt:

A simple but very important part of the food. Salt increases appetiteFish, sometimes salty food is irresistible to the “redfin”. In winter, the salt content of food can be up to 300 g per 3 kg of food. In the summer, this share should be much smaller. Also “bream” can be stimulated with high salt content, but in general, they prefer sweet food.

Sugar

Homemade Groundbait Sugar:

To give the food a sweet taste you can add saccharin. You can also add sugar but you should be very careful because sugar has strong binding properties.

The basics and ideas of ​​building the feed

Now that we know the characteristics of the individual ingredients and their action, it’s time to think about the possibility of combining them. The combination of ingredients depends on the reservoir in which we will fish, water color, bottom, depth, and fish.

We will fish in a reservoir with cloudy water and a muddy bottom, in which there is a small amount of “redfin”, such food must be radically different from another where we fish for “bream” in running water. Below we will present some examples of food properties according to the given situation.

There are two important conditions that such food must meet:

• - High nutritional value.
• - Good binding properties.

These two conditions are important to catch bream a long distance from the shore, to deliver the food to the spot, and for it to be nutritious enough for the big fish. We need to shoot the balls with a slingshot, while also being sticky enough to add live bait Bream prefer sweet foods, and we can bet on waffle crusts, it is worth trying with chocolate biscuits. When the bream eats in a mood, we can also add THT corn flour.

We recommend the use of cornmeal and biscuit crumbs because these two additives are very binding, it is good to have a loosening component if necessary. Biscuit flour is strongly binding, we can also add breadcrumbs which will give us the same properties.

In addition to aromatic wafers (vanilla) and biscuit breadcrumbs, we can also add aroma. If the fish stay well on the food patch, we also add a decent amount of live bait, this is possible because our food has good sticking properties.

Groundbait Mixing

Homemade Groundbait Food mixing: When we prepare the mixes, we usually prepare two types of food. One for running water and one for standing water. When you have a running water base mix ready and you need to fish a channel with a weak current, you can mix two parts running water and one part standing water, or the opposite, or another combination as needed. You have a clear idea of ​​what the food contains and how it works. The next factor is price.

Ground bait bucket

The actual mixed food costs only half of what you can buy at the store. We need large quantities only of the main components, and of the others only in small quantities.

You have the advantage of using attractors that you like and want, while with ready-made foods they are fixed and there is no way to remove them. Everything revolves around how you mixed and prepared the food, you feel great satisfaction from the achieved success. The independently chosen strategy, even when fishing in not-so-promising places, makes you a winner.

And finally, two examples of the different types of water:

Running water:

• - 50% Baked breadcrumbs (hard crumbs)
• - 20% Swamps
• - 20% Corn flour
• - 10% Finely ground roasted peanuts

Standing water:

• - 40% breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs/
• - 20% Ground brown peanuts
• - 20% toasted coconut flakes
• - 10% Ground roasted peanuts
• - 10% ground hemp

Conclusion

In conclusion, making your own homemade groundbait can be a cost-effective and rewarding way to improve your fishing success.

You should also pay attention to the consistency and texture of the groundbait, as it needs to be able to flow through the feeder and remain on the hook.

When making your own groundbait, it’s important to use ingredients that are appropriate for the type of fish you’re trying to catch and also take into consideration the water and weather conditions.