‘...I like to think directly out of the box for a start, you know. I certainly don’t and won’t follow any other bait company to see what they are producing. I don’t want to be influenced in what I do. Our social media pages are void of bait companies on purpose, unless they follow us (laughs) I know this may affect who buys our bait, because we aren’t using what the big boys are. But that’s the direction I have always gone, in anything I do, and if people don’t accept it, that’s fine, I’ll still sleep at night.’
Simple, blunt and honest words from the incQbait’s baitmeister, Jay Edwards, during a brief break from photographing a new to be released bait. Armed with a coffee each and a tin of biscuits between us at ‘bait headquarters’ for this latest site update, I decided to ask Jay about his approach to testing a new bait - what is your process and how is it tested?
‘Well our testing is also our fishing - we don’t tank test as you’ve seen. There’s no greedy, small, enthusiastic carp available for us to feed. So our testing is done with fish in their environment, in all conditions. This year, one of our guys, Jon, was out in the January snow, doing his fishing and team testing last minute stuff on a new pop up - dedication I tell you - the man is damn legend. I have a lot to thank him for, his efforts have been amazing. He has helped me put a 4 year problem on this particular bait to bed. It helps when your team ‘get it’. So we try to approach it from all directions that can effect a fish’s feeding behaviour. All this, coupled with our very less is more approach until we find what we are looking for. It is a slower process to get a bait working for sure , but the team, despite its small size have been great in their perseverance.’
gaffer Jay edwards with a 19lb common on a test bait in February this year
‘I am pretty strict with bait creation, I wont make a bait just for the hell of having another one - no way. Just because I have this or that ingredient available or can make ‘x’ doesn’t mean it will work or have any longevity, plus it needs to fit into what we are doing. I don’t even send a new bait out to team members until I’ve tested it myself, I’m pretty tight. If its not good enough for me, I don’t expect it to be any good for them or even a potential customer. So it might need a few tweaks, maybe more, plus sessions to match before anyone else even gets a sniff - the fish will tell me everything I need to know before the guys do, they will receive it eventually though.’
Jon with the same test bait in March
‘With all our new test baits, I ask the team not to put any form of oils and liquids on them. Simply because the bait itself NEEDS to work first and foremost. There’s no point putting the latest fad of squeezable liquids on a bait, it defeats the point of the test and could also diminish the work I’ve put into the boilie to make it work, its attractors, nutrients and so on, so it needs to stay as it was made. People can do what they want with it after, if the bait has been successfully tested, but until that day, absolutely no extra attractors. Anything I feel a bait needs or doesnt need, I will decide when it comes to tweaking it in the mix.’
Mark with a very quick July capture on our Live- X boilie at his syndicate...in less than 2hrs
‘For testing, its short sessions for me. My rods are in the water 8hrs or less - seriously. I always get the ‘just a day?’ comment from the bailiff, but my approach is to get the fish reacting from the bait asap and keep it consistent. The guys do longer sessions but recently their catches have been quick in succession, so a great sign when on the fish. For Baiting up, I do between 3 and 5 spombs of mixed crumb and boilie on a spot, then let it settle while I set up. As there’s no rig in the water, I figure it all helps bring the carp to the area, without anything there to make them wary. In between setting up, I’m always watching that water for a sign and I may put a few boilies out too with the stick. I’m a believer of random splashing can help cover when your lead hits the water too, but that’s just my opinion, I could be overthinking it there though, anyway. Rod-wise, two, will have a test bait each, the third will be my ‘fishing rod’, with either a squid InQ or Live-X boilie. I need to have some fun too, if the fish allow me.’
Article by JH
On a test bait, 1 of 2 fish in less than 7hrs