Many attributes of sport fishing have migrated into the lives of amateur anglers. Groundbait mixtures produced by different companies are gradually replacing traditional “porridges”, which fishermen selflessly cooked in their kitchens, carefully keeping their own recipes a secret. Nowadays, it is mainly the older generation of fishermen who bother with preparing bait, ignoring marketing gimmicks and preserving traditions. At the same time, it is these fishermen, with outdated gear and homemade bait, who manage to catch young people. One of the “grandfather’s” working bait recipes is given below.
Preparation of effective “Grandfather’s” bait
Traditionally, millet, peas, pearl barley, wheat and corn were used for homemade baits, which is why they were called “porridge”. The most universal, not aimed at any one type of fish, is bait based on peas and millet. It is best to use unprocessed peas; they cook faster and have a more pronounced taste. Before cooking, the grains need to be soaked in water for several hours.
The peas will absorb the water and become softer, which will shorten the cooking time. The volume of peas almost triples when soaked. Some of the peas should be left uncooked. Such peas are used as a large fraction.
The experience of domestic fishermen shows that one of the best flavoring agents is sunflower seeds. Ground seeds have a pronounced taste and smell. They can be used both raw and fried. Preference should be given to sunflower oilseeds. The seeds are usually lightly toasted in a frying pan before grinding. The main thing here is not to overcook, otherwise the smell of burning will scare away rather than attract fish. Therefore, fry the seeds over low heat, stirring constantly. Nowadays it’s easy to do proper roasting using a microwave: a glass of seeds is cooked in three steps of a minute each, stirring and cooling between roasting. During pauses, excess moisture comes out of the seeds and a greasy sheen appears on the surface.
For grinding, you can use a meat grinder or coffee grinder.
The crushed seeds should have an almost uniform structure.
Mashed peas with lumps are made from boiled peas.
Swollen, uncooked peas are also added to the prepared mixture. It is better to mix the ingredients in parts directly while fishing. Otherwise, the “porridge” will quickly turn sour. After cooking the peas, salt or honey is added to it, which are flavor enhancers.
That's the whole trick, NHNCH.
