Hemp essentials you should know about
When it comes to the most popular types of bait, hemp is almost always near the top. Being a particle type of bait, it usually comes in either pre-packaged containers consisting of many 2-3mm diameter seeds or loose ones which need additional preparation before heading out fishing.
Whether you’re planning to use them as an ingredient in your groundbait or perhaps as a hook bait in conjunction with some other elements, it’s fair to say that hemp is one of the most flexible options for both new and experienced anglers.
In this article, we will talk about the main things you should know about preparing and using hemp as the basis for your fishing trip.
How to prepare hemp bait for fishing
As mentioned earlier, hemp can be purchased raw or already prepared for fishing by the manufacturer. Many professionals, however, suggest preparing the bait yourself, as it gives you more flexibility when it comes to what bait consistency you really want.
For raw hemp seeds to split one can either cook them or soak them before a fishing trip. Soaking involves simply dumping the seeds in a water container and waiting until they split, however, cooking is considered to be the much more efficient method for doing so.
Below we talk about how to cook hemp properly.
Preparing hemp
To start, place your hemp in a bowl of water and bring the whole container to a boil. Don’t forget to occasionally stir to prevent them sticking and of course, making sure that the hemp is completely covered in water.
After about 10, the hemp seeds should start splitting. At this point, you should reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to boil until every seed has split.
Afterwards, turn down the heat, drain them and put the seeds in a cold water bath. This helps to immediately stop the cooking process. While you do want your seeds to split, letting them overcook can make it difficult to hook them up for fishing.
After letting your hemp cooldown for half an hour or so, drain and rinse them, to prepare them for fishing.
How to fish with hemp seeds
Typically hemp is used as either a structural component for groundbait, or hookbait for feeder and float fishing styles.
Experts say there are no exact rules on whether to use hemp in a feeder or on the hook, however, it’s generally agreed that feeders work better for feeder fishing and hooks for float fishing types.
Hooking the hemp
Hook your hemp by the side that’s the least cooked. Put the sharp end of the hook just through the part where the seed has split. In this case, the shell should help with the grip of the hook.
That’s pretty much it.
Some suggest using a hair rig, as it allows to hook multiple seeds on the same hook. To do that, you simply need to use a needle to thread a line through the seeds.
Tackle basics
The exact tackle that you will be using will depend on the type of fish that you’re going for. Lighter tackles are generally agreed upon to be more suitable for roach angling, whereas chub and barbel are better suited for a heavier option.
How to feed with hemp
Again, there are no strict rules of how to feed your fish with hemp. However, it’s generally agreed upon that stillwater fishing is less challenging as one can place many feeding options all around the water.
For river fishing, one usually needs more material and of course, will require one to be more tactile with their food placements.
All in all
In this article we’ve discussed the basics about hemp. They are a great bait option, that’s reliable and quite flexible in terms of usage. We hope you found this article to be helpful and good luck in your angling journeys.