Sweetcorn As A Bait And Which To Buy.
Sweetcorn, like luncheon meat and trout pellets etc. is a bait that can help you select the bigger fish in a water. It's easily available from supermarkets, shops and tackle shops. It's also bright yellow, tastes nice (especially in chicken and sweetcorn soup) and fish love it.
Some people say it is more of a summer bait, but I think it depends on the water. On some waters it doesn't seem as effective in the colder months, yet on others it seems to work all year round.
When it comes to baiting up, it's amazing how much sweetcorn fish (especially carp) can eat. I don't want to encourage people to throw bucket loads in, but I always like to keep my swim topped up. You need to judge how much to feed by how many bites you are getting. In the end it's just a case of experience. In winter you will need to introduce mush less.
Which Sweetcorn to Buy.
Not all sweetcorns are the same.
Firstly in these health conscious days you can buy it with "no added salt or sugar". I don't like to use this corn, salt and sugar are both good ingredients in carp baits. They are often used in boilies to help bring out the taste of a bait, I like my corn to have them both in, I think they make the corn more attractive.
Secondly there are some excellent brands on sale, some of which are under 20p a tin. Don't think the more expensive the tin is, the better.
One good tip is to take your corn to the water in the clip and lock type containers, that are now widely available. The lid is held in place securely and it stops any sweetcorn juice leaking out into the tackle bag. Tin cans are banned on most of the waters I fish these days and I've found these boxes much better than plastic bags that I used to use.
Hooking Sweetcorn.
Sweetcorn can either be fished directly on the hook, or on a hair rig. When using single grains of corn a size 16, 14 or sometimes 12 is ideal and will "balance" the hook size to the bait size". With multiple grains I like to increase the size of the hook, so I will use a 12 upwards, depending on the number and sizes of the grains of corn.
Directly on the Hook.
Sometimes you get better results if you just "nick" the hook in the top of the corn - as above. Both are worth a try if using single grains.
Nothing very complicated here, the hook is pushed into the sweetcorn and turned so that the hook point is exposed to aid hooking..
Kamasan B911 are my favourite hooks for baits like sweetcorn. When fishing corn directly on a hook I use the spade-end version. For hair rigs I use the eyed hooks and the knotless knot.
Multiple grains of corn can be fished on a single hook. Notice that the hook point is left exposed to aid hooking. The hook size has also been increased to "balance" with the bait.
Sweetcorn on a Hair Rig.
Sweetcorn is an ideal bait to fish on a hair rig. It can be presented on a standard hair, using a boilie or hair stop to keep the bait on.
A single grain can be a deadly method on a hair rig. The hook is a size 14 B911.
Two grains of corn on a hair rig. The hook size I like to use in this case is a size 12 upwards
Flavouring and Dying Sweetcorn.
If you fancy varying for bait a little, sweetcorn is very easy to flavour and or dye. All you need to do is open a tin, place the contents in a suitable container, add your dyes / flavours, give it a good shake - then leave overnight. Liquid flavours and dyes are really the only ones to use, as sweetcorn isn't to good a taking on powdered curry smells etc.
Just have a look in your local tackle shop, they are full of ready made dyes and flavours. Don't forget the local supermarket, they have colouring and dyes on the baking shelves. There are also things like milkshakes etc.
If you don't fancy doing it yourself, the local tackle shop should sell ready flavoured and dyed sweetcorn. Flavours should include strawberry, tutti-frutti and even trout pellet.
Red strawberry flavoured sweetcorn. This tub of corn was given a good spray of Sensas "Crazy Bait" strawberry red spray the night before, then left in the fridge. It takes the colour and flavour very well.