Boosting your boilies and baits for carp fishing is a highly effective technique for enhancing them. This helps make your baits and baiting more attractive, thereby attracting carp more easily and quickly to your fishing spot.

Table of content

1. Introduction

2. What is a booster for carp fishing?

3. What are the major categories of boosters for carp fishing?

3.1 Natural Liquids

3.1.1 Marine Liquid Extracts

3.1.2 Liver Liquid

3.1.3 Other Extracts

3.1.4 Oils

3.2 Dips

3.3 Glugs

3.4 Soaks

3.5 Smokes and GOOs

3.6 Powders

3.7 Solid Boosters

4. How to Properly Use Boosters for Carp Fishing?

4.1 Which Baits Can Be Boosted for Carp Fishing?

4.2 How Long Should You Boost Your Boilies and Baits?

4.3 In Which Situations Should You Boost Your Baits for Carp Fishing?

4.4 What Are the Different Techniques for Boosting Your Baits for Carp Fishing?

4.4.1 Quick Soaking

4.4.2 Soaking Baits Thoroughly

4.4.3 Coating Technique

5. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Carp fishing is one of the most technical and challenging pursuits. This cunning fish is not easy to catch and requires a comprehensive and thoughtful approach if you want to achieve consistent results.

Modern carp anglers have the opportunity to use a rich and diverse range of baits, with boilies being the most effective. While using baits alone is sufficient for getting results, you can easily enhance your catch rate by employing liquids and other specifically designed boosters. When these products are of high quality and used wisely, they can truly elevate your fishing session to new heights.

2. What is a booster for carp fishing?

A booster is a solution specifically designed to enhance the attractiveness of baits, whether they are boilies, pellets, stick mixes, or seeds. There is often a benefit to "boosting" these products with these substances if you aim to improve your fishing results. Boosters, in the broad sense of the term, have been a part of carp fishing as long as the practice itself. Ancient anglers didn't wait for the advent of modern carp fishing to enhance their fishing baits by soaking them in various liquids. Countless catches have been made by simply soaking their maggots in anise or honey.

While the idea of improving bait is not new, modern carp fishing has elevated this technique to a new dimension. Since the 1990s, the number of products specially developed for this purpose has literally exploded, and the selection available today is almost endless. However, we can define a set of common characteristics among all the boosters available: they are predominantly, though not exclusively, liquids, and they can be used to enhance both your baits and your baiting.

3. What are the major categories of boosters for carp fishing?

3.1 Natural Liquids

This category is probably our favorite because of its versatility and effectiveness when used optimally. Natural liquids are pure or blended extracts from various animals, plants, vegetables, or fruits, for example. Their common trait is their natural origin, meaning they are not derived from the chemical industry.

In this article, we are providing an overview of the booster theme to give you a comprehensive understanding, but it's certain that we will write a full article on natural liquids because there are many interesting things to share.

3.1.1 Marine Liquid Extracts

Here, we're talking about extracts from fish (whitefish, tuna, salmon, etc.), crustaceans (crabs, mussels, crayfish, shrimp, etc.), microorganisms like plankton, and algae such as spirulina, for example.

3.1.2 Liver Liquid

Probably the most commonly used, given its proven effectiveness.

3.1.3 Other Extracts

There are numerous different liquids that can be used as boosters. First and foremost, there's the famous corn steep liquor (CSL), derived from corn fermentation, which still remains one of the best attractants for carp fishing. Peanut extract can also be used, with its super creamy texture that inevitably lures carp. Many other liquids are available, including fermented chili extract, molasses, tigernut extract, and many more, which we won't detail in this article.

3.1.4 Oils

These are interesting liquids for boosting your baits, and carp are always quite attracted to oils. However, they should be used sparingly because they are rich and nourishing. Additionally, it's crucial to use them at the right times.

Most oils tend to solidify when the water temperature drops below 10/12 degrees Celsius. For example, during the winter, except for hemp oil, which remains liquid, it's best to avoid using oils in their pure form. To counter this issue, you can add an emulsifier to partially alleviate the problem. Nonetheless, we prefer to reserve oils for the warmer periods of the year.

Various oils can be used for boosting baits through soaking, but two major categories to mention are fish oils (salmon, cod liver, etc.), which are rich in fatty acids, omega-3, and omega-6, and vegetable oils (peanut, hemp).

3.2 Dips

Dips are viscous liquids, often based on vegetable glycerin and/or inverted sugar. To this sweet base, flavors, amino acids, vitamins, or other attractants and appetite stimulants are added. The combinations are almost limitless. As always, the quality of the added ingredients is what matters most.

The most critical point is the addition of a significant amount of flavor, which should be done exclusively with high-quality flavors, or else it may create a booster that is more repellent than attractive.

Dips are typically used to soak baits for hooking or to coat proximity baiting boilies (in sticks or soluble bags).

3.3 Glugs

These are very similar to dips but even more viscous. These boosters, because they dissolve more slowly, remain attached to baits for a longer duration. They are particularly useful in areas with currents, such as rivers, for example.

3.4 Soaks

These products are quite liquid and are used to boost a wider variety of baits, whether it's boilies, seeds, pellets, or even to dampen ground baits.

3.5 Smokes and GOOs

These next-generation boosters became popular with the introduction of GOOs, which are boosters created by the company Kiana Carp and exclusively distributed by Korda. Similar in texture and aromatic composition to dips, smokes stand out due to the presence of fluorescein, which has the unique ability to create a highly visible fluorescent halo upon contact with water. An advantage at times…

3.6 Powders

Powders can be flours, marine extracts like spirulina, or additives, appetite stimulants, and taste enhancers. They are either added to the bait recipe during production or used as a dusting and coating for baits before use.

3.7 Solid Boosters

It's not often considered, but boosters can also come in solid form, not just liquid. Typically, these are pastes made from a mix of boilies but left in their raw state to enhance solubility. Using a paste mix as a booster is not the best way to create an effective booster, at least not without reserving it exclusively for the highest-quality mixes.

To obtain a solid booster in the form of a coating paste, a dedicated formula should be developed to maximize performance. The formula will focus on the highest-quality, most soluble ingredients. Furthermore, it should not be cooked, and fresh eggs should be avoided, as they not only add nothing interesting but also slow down the release of attractants and flavors.

Solid boosters can be used in various ways:

• Coating boilies.
• Coating sinkers/weights.
• In both cases, you can incorporate pellets, seeds, or crushed boilies to increase their attractiveness.

4. How to Properly Use Boosters for Carp Fishing?

4.1 Which Baits Can Be Boosted for Carp Fishing?

There are no restrictions; you can effectively boost boilies, seeds, pellets, and stick mixes. Stick mixes are particularly well-suited for boosting because the flours deeply absorb additives and release them rapidly in a potent manner. Boosting boilies is also more advantageous than boosting seeds, especially if you want to maintain the natural aspect of the latter. However, boosted seeds can also make a difference in challenging fishing situations.

Often, anglers will only "boost" their hook baits, whether they are dense boilies or pop-ups, but we find this approach limiting. Sometimes, you can make a difference by extending the "boosting" to your proximity baiting or simply to your entire baiting strategy. In the latter case, it's advisable to stick with natural liquids rather than highly aromatic boosters to avoid saturating the swim with overpowering olfactory signals.

4.2 How Long Should You Boost Your Boilies and Baits?

Regardless of the type of liquid boosters you use, there's a fundamental rule to follow: soak your baits for as long as possible (there's no issue with leaving your boilies in a dip for several months).

If you use a booster to dip your bait just before casting your line, the effect will be greatly reduced because the bait will be rinsed of its booster upon hitting the water. A minimum of 20 to 30 minutes can have some effect, but the recommended minimum is to let it work overnight. This rule is less applicable to stick mixes since the groundbait will absorb the liquid almost immediately. However, it's still advisable to wait for at least a minute.

4.3 In Which Situations Should You Boost Your Baits for Carp Fishing?

Again, there are no specific restrictions, only situations where it's more suitable than others.

• Rapid Fishing: Boosting your baits aims to accelerate and increase the diffusion of attractants to attract carp as quickly as possible. Short-duration spot fishing or stalking are the situations that are best suited for this technique.

• Winter Fishing: During this time of year, when carp are less active, you'll significantly reduce the amount of bait you use. The attractiveness of your boilies and baits should be maximized. Fishing with a "single" bait (just one bait without additional baiting) or using a boosted stick mix will be more effective than traditional baiting. However, avoid oily liquids that solidify in cold water and completely block the diffusion of attractants. You can, however, use hemp oil, which doesn't have this issue.

• Challenging Fishing Situations in General: Sometimes, you can change the course of a session by adjusting certain factors. Never hesitate to change tactics when your bite alarms remain silent for too long. Adding a pop-up loaded with attractants or boosting your stick, for example, can have a decisive impact and trigger an unexpected run.

• Slow Current Fishing: Carp fishing in canals is particularly suited for this. Boosting your baits when fishing for carp in slow-flowing waters is always a good idea. The attractants will be slowly washed and diffused by the current over a long distance downstream. In certain situations, this can attract inactive fish that were waiting slightly beyond your fishing zone. However, in large rivers with strong currents, boosting techniques are generally less relevant, unless you've prepared a large quantity of soaked boilies in advance.

4.4 What Are the Different Techniques for Boosting Your Baits for Carp Fishing?

Boosting your baits may seem simple at first glance, but to do it effectively, it's more technical than you might think. In fact, there isn't just one way to boost your boilies and baits; there are several.

4.4.1 Quick Soaking

The simplest and most commonly used technique, yet often the least effective in most cases. This involves simply soaking baits in a liquid booster before casting your line or baiting the water. Viscous dips are typically used to boost hook baits. However, due to the short duration, the baits will only be superficially boosted. This method should be used only to give a quick boost to your baits, suitable for fast stalking sessions.

4.4.2 Soaking Baits Thoroughly

Soaking baits thoroughly in booster products is much more effective than a quick soak. To do this, you should prepare your baits in advance. We recommend a minimum of 24 hours, but often, several weeks of soaking for hook boilies, for example, will have a much greater effect.

The procedure is simple. For dense boilies and pop-ups intended for hooking, you can leave them almost indefinitely in a container where they have been mixed with one or more liquid boosters of your choice. For baiting baits, you should do the same but in a sealed bucket (for larger quantities) and remember to shake it well from time to time.

The more thoroughly a boilie is soaked, the more it will be able to release its attractants. The water from the pond or river will penetrate the boilie and, through osmosis, draw out all the attractants present at the core of your bait. The more it has been soaked, the more powerful and effective this phenomenon will be.

4.4.3 Coating Technique

This is the most complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive technique, but as with anything, the efforts will be rewarded, as coating is the most effective technique for boosting your boilies. It involves creating a soluble coating around the baits, primarily boilies because they are the most suitable for this method.

Carp fishing requires varying your approaches, and coating techniques allow you to significantly improve both hook and baiting boilies. With this tactic, it's easy to venture off the beaten path, as the number of possible combinations is almost infinite.

To implement this technique, you'll need two types of ingredients: liquids and flours or powdered attractants.

The process involves several steps:

Step 1: Slightly dampen boilies in a bucket with liquids (natural liquids, dips, glugs, etc.). Mix well so that the entire surface of the boilies is thoroughly coated. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Step 2: Dust the entire mixture with flours and/or powdered attractants, and shake it well. Then let it dry for an hour or more.

Step 3: Repeat steps one and two at least once or multiple times. The more you repeat the process, the thicker the coating will be. A thick coating will release attractants over a longer period at the fishing spot but may reduce the dissolution of attractants inside the boilie.

It's worth noting that the structures of successive coatings can vary. This is the point where you can mix different products (liquids and powders) between the different layers of coating.

Increasingly, experienced carp anglers are creating complete baiting strategies (not just on hook baits) using coated boilies. They regularly achieve spectacular results by differentiating themselves from other anglers, especially on overfished waters. Another innovative approach can be dedicating coating not exclusively to boilies but also to seeds, especially larger ones like maize and tiger nuts, for example.

5. Conclusion

While the quest to make baits more attractive is as old as fishing itself, modern carp fishing is filled with highly effective products and strategies in this regard. Regardless of the season, location, or type of fishing, carp anglers often benefit from boosting their boilies and baiting. The key factors for success remain the same: using quality products and dedicating the necessary time to apply the method properly.

Making your swim more attractive is undoubtedly the safest way to draw in and stimulate carp to feed, and this includes the use of boosters, which, when used correctly, are increasingly effective.

Tight lines !

rod oliver