Homemade Carp Bait

• According to the website makeyourownfishbait.com, carp bait is made up of two components. A base to provide substance and an attractant to interest the fish.
  
  Common materials for the base include breakfast cereal, flour, dry instant mashed potatoes and corn meal. Mix these substances with water or the juice from canned corn to form a stiff paste. Some carp fishermen use fruit flavored soda, such as grape or strawberry, making the dough paste sweet and possibly more attractive to the carp.
  
  Carp fishermen exercise more creativity in choosing the attractant. Some favorites, according to makeyourownfishbait.com, include sugar, vanilla extract, marshmallows, corn and flavored gelatin. Some common themes used in attractants are corn and sweetness.
  
  However, many fishermen use other attractants. It may be helpful to ask successful fishermen what they use for bait. They may even tell you.
  
  According to the Carp Association, most fishermen prepare the dough balls in advance. Mix the ingredients and form them into balls before placing them on wax paper in the refrigerator.
  
  Once you're at the lake or river, place the dough ball on a hook and cast it into likely water. Bottom fishing, casting the bait into the water and allowing it to rest on the bottom, is standard for carp fishing. Use tackle and line capable of handling the carp found in the area being fished. Some carp can weigh as much as 40 pounds.
  
  Many carp fishermen develop their own favorite bait mixture and use it consistently. Others continually adjust their recipe. Fishermen should keep records of the recipes they use. Recreating the bait used on a successful fishing trip is easier if the ingredients were noted.