This week we’re going to look into the wonderful world of imitation plastic baits in carp fishing.
After using many of them for years I decided to talk about which baits are the most successful and popular to use to catch carp.
Why use an imitation bait?
Why use imitation baits you’re asking, well for one thing there ever lasting so you know if you leave your rig in the water for a long amount of time you know you still have a hook bait on ready to nail a carp.
If you’re getting plagued by crayfish, muscles, birds or even small fish ripping you real bait apart using an imitation bait is ideal.
Using a plastic bait has extra perks such as adding buoyancy creating a critically balanced hook bait but now days so can also find sinking or slow sinking fake plastic baits so you have so much choice when using imitation baits.
What are the most popular imitation baits?
Currently the most popular plastic baits in carp fishing are plastic corn and plastic boilies but using a less used, less popular plastic bait can give you a real edge.
What are the best plastic baits on the market?
Plastic Corn/Maize
Enterprise Tackle plastic corn
Enterprise Tackle have the largest range of plastic corn baits on the market so they definitely know their stuff when it comes to plastic imitation baits.
Their range includes different sizes and colours including my favourite the mini corn.
Find The Enterprise Corn Range Here
Korda Plastic corn
There is currently four different flavour/colour combinations in the range and all have been tested with team Korda’s seal of approvable.
Personally I love the Pink Squid corns which work well as a boilie tipper or even on their own, in addition they also work extremely well in winter.
Find The Korda Corn Range Here
Avid Cornstops
Why not have a plastic bait tipper and a bait stop at the time? Avid make fishing that just that bit more easier with these epic corn stops.
Drennan/ESP
If you want to experiment with different size corns and give yourself an edge, try these imitation corns by ESP which come with many size corns in a single packet.
Nash
If you want super bright plastic corn then try these corn’s by Nash. These extremely buoyant plastic corn’s by Nash will definitely catch the carp’s attention even in clouded deep waters.
Find Them Here
Evolution corn stacks
Why not try something completely different and use these corn stacks by Evolution when targeting specimen carp.
Find Them Here
Plastic Boilies
Korda dumbells
Korda plastic dumbells come in pop up and slow sinking versions. They come in various colours and flavours including the famous IB and Banoffee favours. These type of hook baits are ideal for solid bag fishing but equally work well on their own.
Find The Korda Dumbell Range Here
Enterprise plastic boilies
Enterprise have a large range of different style plastic boilies including pre-flavoured boilies, half boilies and glow in the dark boilies. Great for creating a snowman type rig or a just a single bait.
Fake maggots
Evolution tackle cluster maggots
Ideal for using over a large bed of maggots and work extremely well in the winter months.
Drennon maggots
These are highly realistic as you can see from the video below.
Find The Drennon Imitation Maggots Here
Imitation bugs
Nash zig bugs
If you really want try something different and more natural looking these Bugs by Nash are really something unique. Initially designed for zig fishing these also work well on the bottom.
Find The Nash Bugs Here
Using plastic baits for surface/zig fishing
The best plastic baits for surface fishing are:
- A chopped down Enterprise tiger nut with imitates a chum mixer
- Foam
- Cork
- Enterprise Imitation bread
The best imitation baits for zig rig fishing:
- Avid or Nash Zig imitation bugs
- Avid zig grub (great for a natural looking line aligner for efficient hook holds)
- Rig Foam (from companies such as Gardner Tackle or Fox)
Favouring your plastics
Flavouring baits can give you an extra edge, you can do this by putting a few plastics in a resealable tub and add around 10 ml of you chosen flavour ideally a high concentrated liquid and give them a few month to soak up the liquids.
For convenience brands like Enterprise and Korda produce pre-flavoured plastic baits which work really well.
Latest imitation baits
Recently Enterprise have realised a few new items to their range such as the plastic Lupins which are a very under used particle in carp fishing so it’s well giving these a go.
They also have started selling these awesome selection boxes full of various imitation baits they sell in one box, so you can try a few different baits and find the imitation baits that work for you.
Plastic Fantastic!
Plastic baits are a great addition to your carp fishing armoury and personally I wouldn’t go fishing without them in my tackle bag.
That little fleck of colour or that added buoyancy can catch you extra fish and if you cast out a plastic bait, you will know it will last the duration of your session.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post on the best plastic baits on the market for carp fishing if have any queries or questions on plastic baits leave a comment below and I will get back to you.
If you have enjoyed this post be sure to check out my other tackle reviews and tips.
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