Canal Fishing

A combination for deeper water with a strong current: (2 kg Damp leam), 2 kg Record gold + G5 special + Bream white 

Damp leam can be used if the fishing conditions allow it (eg hard current), it will improve your groundbait  composition (so that the fish is not quickly full) and it will also sink the groundbait balls faster so that they will break up in the right place.

Record gold 2 kg is an all round, ready-to-use groundbait for both roach and bream waters. Record gold is usually used when roach fishing emerges on the canals (EU types) and certainly in combination with G5 special. In general, the “Record” products are all heavy groundbai types and can best be mixed with maggots, casters or Bloodworm and joker. The record baits are slow-acting and long-lasting. Record gold has a coarse structure that allows you to catch the big fish.

G5 special is a slightly lighter groundbait ideal for roach fishing. This feed stems from the successful formula of the well-known G5, but to which, among other things, a lot of herbs have been added, which makes it special and is certainly appreciated by (big) roach. Thanks to G5, the mixture will always have a little more effect, which will quickly attract the roach to your swim.

Bream white is a less well-known additive and as its name suggests, this product is very effective in attracting silverfish such as roach but certainly also bream. In this mixture we choose bream white because in the colder period of the year the flavoring that gives bream white fits well with this mixture. Bream white is made of herbs, but due to the intensity of the product it is difficult to give it one distinct scent. You can safely replace bream white with: Anise, Coriander, Fennel or rotaugen special.

Extra tip: wet in 3 times, mix well and riddle through if necessary. The particles that remain on the sieve can be submerged in an extra jar. Once all the particles are soft, sieve them and mix them in your bait along with your live bait.

Extra tip: If you choose to use Bloodworm and joker as live bait,  throw the groundbait  all at once. When adding maggots or casters, throw the groundbait for 50 % and add a handful of groundbait regularly (not squeezed to hard)

And don't forget to mix a can of cooked hemp with the groundbait !!!!!

Standing water - more roach targeted

A combination for more fast fishing: 1 kg Secret + 1 kg feeder Mystery Red + 1 kg Formula M Roach + 0.5 kg DM + 1 packet of Roach additive + 1 can of cooked hemp.

The above combination is perfectly usable on slow to light running water (or Canal) with a depth of 2-3 meters. It is also an ideal mix for the more and more popular’ edge ‘’ fishing or in other words an ideal margin mix. For deeper water it is best to add leam.

Damp leam can always be used if the fishing conditions allow it (winter, fast running water,…). It will not only sink your groundbait faster ( that your groundbait does not end up with the neighbour or is carried along by the current), but once down, it will also break up your grounbait quickly open and last, but not least, (especially) in winter to “impoverish” your composition, less nutritional value makes the fish less saturated!

Secret 1 kg, which serves as a binding (read: sticky !) Agent ensures that the mixture lasts sufficiently longer.

Feeder Mystery Red is a commonly used composition in feeder fishing, and is therefore not very heavy in itself, but can be used perfectly in other fisheries. Mystery red contains quite a lot of paprika and this gives the typical red color to the product. Paprika is a spice that will always flavour your bait mixture well and has a very attractive effect on all silver fish species (Carp anglers know why ... !!!!).

As the last product we choose Formula M Roach, which in itself is a very light groundbait that roach love (and not least the large ones!). Naturally light green to brownish in color, Formula M Roach has a very special, herbaceous scent, many active ingredients and therefore also an optimal attraction for roach. Despite its very fine structure, this mixture contains specific protein components that smaller fish will recognize as a food source.

DM works particularly for roach due to the clouding effect above the bottom and which is very interesting for feeding fish.

This composition of listed  groundbaits is rather specifically aimed at catching roach, a proven recipe and who wants to add some extra spicy herbs for the larger ones, we still have our widely acclaimed ‘’ Rotaugen ‘’. Without this Marcel never went fishing!

Extra tip 1 (which should actually be missing from roach groundbait): Adding 1 can of boiled hemp and 1 hand crushed casters under your mixture will keep the fish preying on your feeding area.

Extra tip 2: always keep enough groundbait after a heavy feeding moment and then regularly throw 1 small groundbait ball with 1 hand that is slightly less squeezed.

Canal Fishing

Marcel always had a basic recipe, and for the deeper Belgian canals he used this recipe : damp leam + secret + canal + bream caramel.

Damp leam is a carefully chosen soil that will make your mixture heavier and without adding any nutritional value. Secret is a product that has been used for generations to make your mixture sticky and heavier. Secret is a bottom groundbait that breaks down slowly in the first stage, but lasts a long time afterwards.

Canal is a heavy and great bottom groundbait with the characteristics that it is still rich in protein, so fish will show interest in this bait thanks to this element. Canal has a vanilla scent and has a fine structure, making it suitable for use on almost any canal.

By combining these three products, your bait mixture will reach the bottom faster and better, without losing a lot of particles when descending or flowing away in the descent due to possible current.

As groundbait for bream and roach in deep, fast-flowing water: 2 kg canal + 2 kg secret + 250 gram bream caramel; must be mixed well and moistened in 3 times.

Maggots and casters must be added afterwards in such a way that you can still make balls. The groundait balls should not be made in advance because they will loosen due to the maggots wriggling. The balls must be formed and thrown in one go. This is how a good fishing swim is created. When the fish arrive, one-handed feeding can still be done.

Tip for the summer period: Replace Bream Caramel for M's secret.

the preparation of your bait

First of all you’ll need a basin or a bucket you can prepare your bait in. It is very important that it all gets distributed properly so you can mix all your different components perfectly. It is better, therefore, to use two buckets rather than one.  

Add all your components together in the bucket and then mix them all dry. Nowadays you can see many anglers use a drill (with a sort of guard) when mixing their feed. Because of the high revs/min. the mixture is perfect.

You cannot prepare bait in 2 minutes. It is important to not moisten the bait more than how you eventually want to use it. Dry feed ingredients do need some time to absorb the added water so after you’ve moistened your bait for the first time it will take 5 to 10 minutes for everything to be ‘dried in’.

At that time you add some more water, again as much as is needed for the bait to feel ready for use after moistening it a second time. The ingredients will still absorb water and again after 5 to 10 minutes you will notice that your bait will feel a bit drier.

Again you add some water, again enough for the bait to feel ready for use. Usually, bait should now remain sufficiently moist. That partly depends also on the sort of bait you’re using.

You’ll find that for some feed you need to add some more water because some ingredients tend to absorb more water.

It is very important that all the water is mixed as well as you can with your bait. Nearly always (and this happens more when feed is prepared with your ‘bare hands’ than with a drill) there are some bait parts which are more moist than others and they will form ‘lumps’. We recommend therefore to always sieve your feed before using it.

So now everything is perfectly mixed and ready for use.

Bream time or dreame time?

Slowly but surely the season is in full swing again, temperatures are finally going up, mating season is coming to an end and fish start feeding again!

Here is my tip to keep fish at your location for ponds with a swampy bottom!

2x Catch,1x Turbo,1x Supercup,200gr bream white.

1. Use Supercup and add 2.5l of water to make a paste;
2. Mix Catch - turbo & bream white thoroughly;
3. Add half of this last mixture (2) to the paste and stir well, let rest for quarter of an hour and then add the rest of the dry mixture
4. Mix thoroughly, let it rest for a bit, add live bait and it’s done!

Go and catch them all!

Method mix classic in Romania

My articles are usually very long and rich in text, but for this occasion I decided to keep it on the down side of words and concentrate on the photos.

For this fishing trip I chose a lake near Cluj-Napoca, the city where I live, in the heart of Transylvania. If you never heard about Cluj-Napoca or Transylvania it is fine, you might know it as the home of Dracula.

Apart from the Dracula stories I decided to take a short trip to this lake in order to try and catch some carp and carassio. For this reason I chosen to use the method feeder as my technique and Van den Eynde Super Method Feeder Classic as my groundbait.

What impressed me the most was the groundbait. I must admit it was the first time I ever used this type of groundbait and I can only say WOW !!!

The main characteristic of this groundbait is that is it not your usual method feeder groundbait. Here in Romania we are used to use very fine groundbait when method fishing. Instead, Van den Eynde Super Method Mix Classic has bigger particles of different types of grain like corn, hemp, linen, etc. This cereal grain aroma is very well balanced by the fishmeal which does not cut the aroma but preserves it.

Although the Super Method Mix has lots of medium and large particles, the binding properties of this groundbait ensure a steady, firm bind on the method feeder or inside the cage feeder.

Combined with other types of carp groundbait it can be used very easily for carp fishing on the pole or any other float fishing style. If you add sweetcorn and pellets it will be a deadly weapon in any carp and carassio fishing.

Depending on the quantity of added water we can have a result a medium heavy groundbait or an extra heavy and binding one. If you take this factor into consideration, the mixing of the groundbait is very easy. You will only have to follow a few easy steps. First of all if you are using a modern method feeder you should run the groundbait through a riddle in order to eliminate the corn flakes. Of course you can leave them in if you chose to do so. The groundbait itself is sticky enough to remain in the method feeder until it settles on the bottom. After you performed this action, just add water patiently and thoroughly mix the groundbait with your fingers or with a drilling machine and whisk.

After this first wave of water, leave the groundbait rest and prepare your gear. After approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on the temperature, check the mix and add water again. Normally by now the groundbait should be almost dry as the particles are absorbing the water. At this stage you can add powder additives in order to make it even more tempting for the fish. Once this second stage is done, give the mix another 20 minutes of rest, then add more water if it is required.

Mixing this groundbait is kids play. As long as you do not over wet it during the first or second stage, you will end up with a superb grounbait. It can also be mixed the night before to obtain a “dead” mix.

The fishing day was a bit short due to the rain that was threatening us. Beside the atmospheric pressure changed dramatically, and the fish backed off and stopped feeding.

I can hardly wait for the next fishing trip to test this perfect groundbait again!!!

See you soon!!!

Supercup

Supercup is a bait which has proved its worth for a long time now. Not just here in Belgium, but all over Europe. It is specifically in England that this Supercup bait has been widely used at all sorts of natural waters, mainly along the canals.

Supercup has a light and cloudy structure and is therefore mainly meant for luring smaller fish like the common roach and the sprat. Because of these above-mentioned features, it is best not to use supercup in deep waters with a strong current. It is also the perfect ‘’starters’’’ product. The bait’s operation is noticed by fish swimming in the area, luring them automatically to your feeding spot.

Here are a few bait recipes which have often proven their value in the past and in which supercup plays an important role:

2 kg secret + 1 kg supercup + 1 bag of rotaugen

2 kg Turbo + 1 kg supercup + 1 bag of bream caramel

1 kg secret + 1 kg supercup +  1 kg DS feeder

Johan’s story

A fantastic competition by the Canal! We went for a day of match fishing on the Roeselare-Ooigem canal at Ingelmunster near the greenhouses. This location is known to have big breams and because it was the middle of summer I had prepared 1 part Expanda Caramel and 1 part Lake yellow.

From experience I know that waters where regular fishing for carp takes place, breams also like their feed with pellets in it.

When I got to my place, i could already see huge fish activity all over the water, so I knew it was going to be beautiful day. After we got the go-ahead, I put out 5 large baskets full of cut maggots and casters. Fish started biting pretty quickly and in the end I won the match with slightly more than 23kg. So, for me, it was a brilliant day

Ideal for many different waters

My favourite combination is turbo classic and secret. Turbo is a product ideal for for fishing in many different waters (both still and flowing) and also for roach and bream.

Secret on the other hand is a reasonably heavy bait which means that my feed balls disintegrate pretty quickly and start to form clouds once they are on the floor.

These baits can be made heavier or lighter depending on how much turbo you’re adding.

Valere’s story

Dear match anglers and fishing lovers,

After winning the Open 2000 Ile de Monsin this magazine asked me to say a little word about the Van Den Eynde baits. It would, of course, be my pleasure!

As an experienced match and competition angler, I have been using the VDE baits for more than 20 years now.

On slowly flowing waters like the Albert canal, I prefer Turbo and Secret. To that I add 500g brown breadcrumbs and 500g pigeon droppings. It may sound strange, but it really is a successful formula!

I mainly use this composite for common roach. I also add 200g Rotaugen Special to it.

For strongly flowing waters such as the river Maas I prefer to use Big roach or Record Gold instead of Turbo. To this strongly flowing waters formula I add 250g Bream.

As you can see, I only use high quality basic feed, with a few additives mixed in. Success guaranteed!

Kind sporting regards, 

Elsen Valere

Bert gives a few tips

Feed used at Ketelmeer:

6kg G5

2kg supercup

2kg supercrack bream yellow

4 teaspoons super sweet

Corn Liquid booster

A few cans of hemp & krill

A few cans of maize

This is sufficient for 4 5h matches with feeder.

The idea behind it is:

-G5 as neutral basis, ideal for nearly every kind of natural water such as the Ketelmeer. Sometimes there is even quite a bit of flow because of the IJssel mouth. You cannot predict flow or catch and you can expect everything and anything. You can find bream, roach and ide in all sizes. That is why I do not prepare feed specifically aimed at 1 sort of fish when I go fishing there.

-Supercup to attract fish as quickly as possible at the start of the match.

-Supercrack bream yellow and super sweet because mainly during the last few hours bream is often the main fish.

-Corn Liquid booster partially goes first in the water I moisten my bait with and sometimes I add it neat to the bait during the match in order to keep my bait sufficiently moist. This all depends on the heat, casters’ water and whether I have to cut many worms or not.…

-Hemp & krill to be able to select beautiful roach. Half a can beforehand with the bait, and when there is plenty of roach to be caught, now and again a full basket with loads of hemp in it.

-Maize for when there are many roach and bream feeding at the location because maize will help you to fish more selectively for bream. I also tend to crush ½ can of maize very fine beforehand which I then mix with the feed. And during fishing, regularly feed a basket with some maize.

Combinations with Big Fish

Big fish is a bait which has been developed in cooperation with former European Champion Luc Vercammen. The clue is in the name. We are talking here about bait which has been specifically developed to lure bigger fish like bream, tench and carp.

Big fish will specifically work best on still, stagnant and slow flowing waters.

It would make perfect sense to use big fish on its own. It is, however, important to moisten this bait “3 times” because it does absorb quite a lot of water, which is specifically the case for some of the coarse ingredients used in this bait.

Big fish truly is an “all-round” bait and you can mix it perfectly with many other baits. A proven bait recipe for fishing for bream on stagnant waters is a mixture of 1 part big fish + 1 part pond yellow + 1 bag big fish 250 grams (per 4 kg. dry bait) + super sweet (10 grams per kg. dry bait).

Another successful bait recipe which is more for carp fishing consists of 1 part big fish + 1 part supercarp strawberry + 1 bag strawberry or cherry and berry (per 4 kg. dry bait)

Pellets klaar maken

Superroach Heavy Advies