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Learning to understand edible rubber. Part 2.

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What are edible rubber baits?

Rubber for fishing has not been exotic for a long time, and baits of this type today worthily occupy their niche, not least in terms of fishing success, in the arsenal of almost every spinning player. But few fishermen delve into the essence of the composition of the bait and the methods of its production, and this factor has some features that directly affect the long-term preservation of the properties and shapes of the bait, which as a result affects the efficiency and number of bites.

Silicone can be said to be a bait that is highly similar to the natural food items of a predator, which, when baited, realistically convey the movements of fry and other species of animals and insects that attract fish with their habits. The composition of edible silicone baits includes some types of composite materials, table salt, natural and concentrated artificial attractants of various animal odors, as well as fish oil. Such baits are effective in any fishing conditions, but are especially effective and have an advantage over other types of artificial fishing tools during periods of depressed biting, when the predator is at a low level of its feeding activity.

According to the production method, edibles are divided into two directions: a product made from silicone with subsequent impregnation with an attractant that is attractive to predators, and purely rubber baits, in which the manufacturer adds a promising type of aroma at the stage of the product itself. There are no particular differences in the shapes and playing styles of the baits made by these two methods. Therefore, fishing with them, as far as purely technical methods are concerned, is absolutely identical to each other.

Special requirements are put forward only for the storage of bait, which requires some measures to prevent the material from drying out, which entails the loss of the unique qualities of the game and the smell of the product. Therefore, edible silicone must be stored in airtight containers, plastic packaging or tightly closed jars, without mixing products of different colors, flavors and manufacturers, which can cause irreversible damage to the nozzle.

What's edible and what's not

Date: January 31, 2021 | 206

How simple it was when jig fishing was just developing. Then the classification of soft baits from the standpoint of material was very simple: Mann's, Relax and “unnamed oak china”. That's all. And how complicated and confusing everything is now. The term “edible” confuses many people into confusion and confusion. What kind of edible? For whom is this edible bait... And in general, what is edible bait , edible soft baits. How edible is this or that bait? How to distinguish and identify edible silicone from flavored and from regular silicone. Here is the list of issues on which there are heated debates in the fishing community. Well, in this article I will express my view on this issue.

Edibility is the properties of the material from which the bait is made that attract fish by its smell or smell and taste. The fish at some distance picks up the smell of the attractant, the impregnation of the bait. The smell not only does not cause rejection, but attracts her. Fish considers the smell natural because, ideally, it is based on pheromones, amino acids, and extracts from the fish’s natural food. When, attracted by the play of the bait and its smell, the fish grabs and attacks, taste comes into play. Salts and other additives embedded in the material act on the taste buds in the fish's mouth. The taste of real prey, the salty taste of salt, complement the belief that the fish has grabbed live food. As a result, the fish does not try to spit out the inedible bait, as often happens with pieces of iron, wobblers and ordinary silicone. The fish, on the contrary, tries to greedily swallow the bait. This is the essence of the operating principle of the edible.

How effective is this and does it increase catch? It is impossible to give a definite answer. But, it can be argued that edibility, at least, was not noticed in the deterioration of the bite, compared to conventional baits. There are many cases when the edible caught more or less conventional baits, not only in my practice, but also among many spinning anglers who use these baits. At one time, this advantage, the superiority of the edible food, was more noticeable, at other times it was practically reduced to nothing. This depends on the activity of the fish, the temperature of the water (the smell spreads better in warm water) and on a host of other, not at all obvious factors.

However, the shape of the bait and its action are more significant and primary factors that influence the fish and its decision to attack. The smell can also increase the number of bites. But edibility is a factor that, first of all, affects the taste buds of the fish when it has already grabbed the bait . Those. The fish does not spit out the food. This directly increases the feasibility of bites. Fewer misses, empty pokes, and derailments. As for me, such a difference and advantage is a very powerful trump card. And not using it because of some stereotypes and excuses is very strange and counterproductive.

Why all the fuss and discrepancies in definitions of what is edible? The problem is that there are many companies producing soft baits. There are great (I’m not afraid of this word), Japanese brands, there are American, there are European, there are many companies that produce their models in China, Taiwan, Korea, trying to recreate clones of the Japanese and Americans. And, obviously, all these baits use different technologies . The output is silicone baits, which have completely different properties in terms of saturation with attractant, flavoring additives, and salt. Different attractants, different compositions, and different manufacturing technologies are used. Somewhere there is no attractant at all (ordinary rubber) - this is not edible at all. Usually such baits are applied very sparingly, and their smell is simply chemical and unpleasant.

Somewhere, the surface is simply anointed with an attractant, or a little fish oil is poured into a pack... And, like, it’s edible... It’s clear that such a loud name is not worthy of such rubber. But, manufacturers and sellers, naturally, tell us that this is the most edible thing. True, it is often cheap. And the smell disappears at the first use, or even faster... Such silicones can be classified as flavored, but not edible. There are baits where this aromatization is done generally lousy. For example, Takedo products have been seen doing this. This level of “edibility” is often found in new brands that are emerging now, characterized by a stripped-down model range and reasonable prices. But, there are other lures. The same Kosadaka rubber is flavored baits. But the smell is very persistent and long-lasting. So, with some stretch, having shown leniency and taking into account the catchability of this rubber, sometimes it is classified as edible, so as not to get confused.

Next comes the actual edibles. When there is an attractant embedded directly into the structure of the material. When, often, there is also salt. This kind of rubber can also be different. For example, let's take edibles from Megabass, Reins, Keitech and some Lucky John. Heaven and earth. Both can be nominally called edible. But even after cutting the bait and examining the material, it is clear that in the first case, with leading Japanese companies, the attractant is integral with the structure of the material, and not foreign. It oozes directly from the flesh of the silicone, and is not located in the structure of the material in the form of obvious inclusions. So, the properties of edible silicone vary greatly among different manufacturers. But, everything where the attractant is contained within the structure of the material, and, as an additional, but optional option, there may be salts - all this is edible.

I repeat, the technologies are different. I, like 99.9% of fishermen in the world, have very superficial ideas about the very essence of the process of making edibles, only within the limits of what is published by the manufacturers themselves. Yes, and it’s none of my business how they are there and what they are doing. I am a fisherman - and I am interested in the result, the properties of the bait. Moreover, technological secrets are a secret, and every serious company will not disclose these points. So, I won’t even get into the technological differences between different edibles, for lack of information. I rely only on what I see and feel when studying this or that rubber, on what is stated by the manufacturer themselves and expressed by experts who are authoritative for me.

Here's a diagram you can imagine. Oak regular silicone of unknown origin, regular silicone, with a flavored surface, flavored, edible with varying levels of attractant and flavor additives.

Takedo came under attack. Well, going through dozens of similar brands that produce flavored rubber of the same shitty level is kind of lazy. And, by the way, this does not mean that these baits are bad. They have wonderful shapes, fairly soft silicone, excellent play. So, many of these models catch very well. Only, this has nothing to do with edible food.

* * *

After all, there is an edible that dissolves under the influence of an aggressive natural environment. Those. lost silicone is destroyed in water, under the influence of the sun. And, it seems, the product of chemical origin completely disappears without polluting the environment. There is also such silicone. For example, these are Megabass, Ecogear and some others.

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Categories: Edible · Tags: Material, Lures, Edible



Classification of edible silicone

First of all, fishing rubber is classified according to its shape, the most common of which are vibrotail and twister. The third popular form in spinning fishing with a wide range of variations includes various slugs, one of the most famous imitations of which is the worm. Slugs are also released as aquatic larvae and abstract forms that resemble an insect, crustacean or underwater beetle.

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Twisters and vibrotails differ in body structure and working element, which is the tail. In a twister, the tail is a crescent-shaped flat element, reaching the size of the main body in its length, and a vibrotail has a short but thick tail, like a horse’s hoof, which plays when retrieved due to a distinct thin transition from the main body of the bait.

In addition to its shape, silicone is classified according to its ability to play independently. Thus, active and passive baits are distinguished. Nozzles with active independent play are used for fishing in standing water bodies when fishing. Under these conditions, the requirements for the spinning technique are reduced for the spinner, since the bait compensates for this gap, independently achieving the attractiveness of the game.

When fishing water bodies with currents, use a passive bait with inert game parameters. In such conditions, the silicone works by resisting the forces of the current, achieving the animation style necessary to attract fish. Active silicone includes twister and, to a lesser extent, vibrotail, which can include both active and passive forms of the product. Slugs, for the most part, are considered passive baits, requiring the spinner to have the skill and ability to give the product a certain rhythm of play or to use them on reservoirs with moderate and strong currents.



Shape and size of silicone baits

As already mentioned, edible baits come in a wide variety of shapes, colors and sizes. If desired, you can find both high-quality twisters that meet the requirements, as well as various worms, crustaceans, etc. The method of mounting the bait depends on the characteristics of the food and the natural conditions of the reservoir.

When hunting for pike in overgrown areas of a reservoir with shallow depth, the use of wobblers and spinners becomes significantly more difficult, and their play in such conditions may not be very attractive to the predator, therefore it is appropriate to install an effective silicone edible, which will increase the chance of successful fishing.

High-quality and catchable edibles are made, for example, by the company Gary Yamamoto (Hula Grub, Fat Baby Craw, Flat Tail and others). Perch and pike perch are caught well on the premium Sexy Impact slug, manufactured by the Japanese company Keitech . The bait is characterized by high quality material and varied action, which attracts various predators.



Advantages and disadvantages of fishing with edible rubber

Spinning fishing with rubber has a number of significant advantages and disadvantages compared to many other artificial spinning baits. One of the important advantages of silicone is its affordable price. Catching many species of predator involves difficult conditions of the bottom topography and the presence of vegetation, which causes frequent losses of baits, making them consumables, which the fisherman sooner or later has to come to terms with. The loss of silicone is not considered a catastrophic event, as in the case of the loss of an expensive wobbler, and this gives an advantage to the more frequent practice of using this type of bait in cramped, but promising conditions for the presence of predators.

The realism of the simulator's game can be safely attributed to the second important advantage of rubber. Few baits can boast of these qualities on regular even retrieves. Therefore, silicone is recommended for beginner fishermen who are just mastering spinning fishing techniques. The presence of an attractant in silicone only increases its attractiveness to predatory fish, and manipulations with odors help the spinner to hunt for a certain type of prey, based on its preferences when choosing a natural prey.

For an objective assessment of the product, it is worth focusing on a number of shortcomings that should be taken into account when using edible bait in order not to get into an uncomfortable situation in real fishing conditions by noticing the loss of the main working qualities of the bait.

First of all, you need to know that edible rubber has a certain shelf life, after which the attractiveness of the nozzle is lost. Even when containing silicone in sealed conditions, within a couple of years the bait dries out and becomes brittle or loose, losing elasticity and odor intensity. In addition, it is recommended that after each bite, and subsequently fishing, you check the silicone for critical damage and, if any, change the tool, because soft material is susceptible to destruction not only from the grip of the fish, but also from the constant interaction of silicone with the hook.



Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of edible silicone is that the fish does not immediately notice the deception and does not spit it out. Moreover, the predator likes its taste, and he tries to swallow it completely, unlike inedible silicone, which he wants to get rid of as quickly as possible. As a result, the spinner has significantly more time to hook. This means that the number of successful strikes will be higher.

In addition, the lion's share of edible baits is characterized by energetic and realistic action, and therefore, even with low activity of predators, edible baits can provide a good catch. Another important advantage is increased attractiveness to fish due to the stronger aroma of silicone. Moreover, even baits of natural origin are inferior to them in this regard. In addition, the edible is more securely fixed on the hook compared to live bait or shrimp.

Disadvantages of edible rubber: relative fragility and difficulties with storage - it is very important to comply with the requirements set by the manufacturers, otherwise they will dry out and become less attractive.



Top 10 rubber lures

The rating of edible rubber presented below will be an excellent assistant for the reader in completing an effective arsenal of baits when catching freshwater predatory fish, by collecting which he will, without a doubt, be able to count on a high chance of success. The models and manufacturers of the product presented in the rating have already earned the trust of spinners and are very popular in use.

  1. Lucky John, which is affordable in terms of price characteristics, opens the ranking in the first position . The edible products from this company are distinguished by their long-lasting odor and a wide range of colors. The manufacturer produces an edible version of almost all forms of silicone.
  2. The second line goes to the Japanese brand Keitech , whose models are more expensive than the top leader, which influenced the lowest rating level, but are distinguished by high material density and, therefore, are less susceptible to deformation from hooks and contact with small underwater obstacles.
  3. Three behind the multidisciplinary fishing company Kosadaka . Its products are famous for their reasonable prices and ideal ratios of bait ingredients that do not leave the angler without a catch.
  4. In fourth position is the Chinese brand Crazy Fish . The company was able to achieve high quality parameters for its products and thereby earned the trust of spinners. In addition, the budget level of cost will please every fisherman.
  5. The top five will be closed by another Japanese representative, Reins . Its edibility is distinguished not only by its stability and variety of odors, but also by the presence of different sized options among the models, allowing you to specifically hunt for large fish.
  6. On the sixth line we put the Italian Molix . Models of edible rubber of the European brand differ in the type of fish, which makes it easier for the fisherman to select baits for the specific type of fishing.
  7. Seventh place goes to the world famous American manufacturer Manns . A distinctive feature of the models is considered to be a variety of color options that are almost impossible to find among competitors.
  8. Number eight remains for Bass Assassin . Baits of various shapes with exotic but effective aromas constantly bring trophy specimens of the predator into catches, but the disadvantage of the product is its high price.
  9. On the ninth line is the company Gary Yamamoto . Having a couple of creative forms of edibles in the fisherman’s arsenal will be useful for experiments in moments of complete lack of bites, which sometimes brings results that are surprising in their size and quantity of trophies.
  10. The top 10 is completed by the Fox Rage . The low cost of a wide range of products, including models of floating edible rubber, will never be an extra in a spinner’s fishing box for catchability in a variety of conditions.

Edible silicone Lucky john (lucky john)

Edible silicone Reins (Reins)

Edible silicone Keitech (keytech)

Edible silicone Crazy fish (crazy fish)

Fishing with edible silicone (video)

Homemade impregnation

In the absence of the necessary product options for the smell or color of the bait, you can quite simply make it yourself at home. For these purposes, you will need to purchase silicone nozzles of a classic design with the required parameters and purchase a concentrated attractant with a promising aroma, which today is sufficient in any fishing stores at a moderate price.

The blanks of future edible bait are washed with warm water and dried at room temperature. After drying, the rubber is placed in a plastic bag that meets the requirements for complete sealing, adding a couple of drops of the attractant required according to the conditions of preparation. The concentrate is mixed with silicones right in the bag, making sure that the surface of the bait is completely covered with a thin layer of attractant. After making sure that the mixture is well mixed, the bag is left at room temperature for three days, after which the edible rubber is ready for use on fishing trips. If there is no commercial attractant concentrate available, natural fish oil can be successfully used instead.

Choosing rubber for perch

Today it is no longer possible to imagine catching perch on a spinning rod without the use of edible rubber. The striped robber is caught in this way when the water is already quite cold, during the pre-winter period at the end of autumn and until freeze-up. As a rule, the size of the nozzle for imparting activity to a sluggish perch is not particularly important; anglers consider the color of the silicone to be the primary reason for attacks, which is the peculiarity of choosing a perch nozzle in relation to the selection of a tool for hunting pike perch and pike perch.

Promising perch colors include colors named Cola, Green Pumpkin, Nagoya Shrimp and Kiwi Seed. From the aromas, choose options for attachments that smell of fried fish, shrimp, squid and light flavors of non-tart spices. A bait whose smell is based on the taste of fish oil almost always works. For perch fishing, you can use silicones with a lower density, since fish attacks do not seriously affect the appearance of the fishing tool and rarely deform the bait with critical damage.

Varieties of edible rubber

These baits are made of flavored silicone. When the material is immersed in water, special enzymes begin to be released from it, attracting certain fish. The advantage of edible rubber is its durability. In addition, these products have a soft structure, so they will look quite natural to the fish. These baits are differentiated by:

  • form,
  • colors,
  • level of aromatization.

There are several types of silicone baits on the market. The most popular of them are the following:

  1. Twister. Elastic bait with ribbed sides and fins at the back. The tails have a special shape that attracts the inhabitants of reservoirs when moving. Twisters can be used in different equipment.
  2. Vibrotail. It has an elongated design and an imitation tail fin. The most popular are products up to 10 cm in size.
  3. Silicone worms. The appearance of such baits is very similar to the appearance of real worms. There are baits on sale in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors.
  4. Slugs. Learning to fish with this type of bait requires a lot of time and experience. When wiring, it is necessary to use different manipulation techniques. This is the only way to choose the best wiring option for a particular gear.
  5. Silicone crayfish. Lures with this shape are suitable for fish that prefer to eat crustaceans. When moving, such products raise mud from the bottom, attracting the interest of predatory creatures.
  6. Frogs. A very popular bait among fishermen who catch catfish, perch and other fish. When carried in the water column, they begin to twitch their paws. Such movements quickly attract predators.

Choosing tires for pike

The choice of edible rubber for pike is based on the selection of bait options that are close to the shape of a real fry. Pike can be caught with this kind of edible imitations during the entire open water season, regardless of its temperature conditions. In autumn, during the period of increased predator activity, in addition to fish, large silicone odorous worms are also popular. To catch pike, use baits of at least 70 mm in length.

Important! Spinning fishermen believe that the larger the silicone, the higher the likelihood of catching a trophy pike.

The color scheme of the bait depends on the light intensity and fishing depth. Dark colors are suitable for sunny days, while bright colors work in cloudy weather. For depths, acid-green options are considered more suitable, as well as contrasting colors, for example, red or blue-white. But among the attractants, pike prefers the natural smell of fresh fish and its blood; fish oil does not go unnoticed. For pike fishing, baits with a denser composition are used, since soft baits in most cases become completely unusable after the first bite from the sharp teeth of the predator.

Winter fishing technique with rubber

In order to lure perch during winter fishing, avid fishermen use all sorts of tricks and methods. The main methods are:

  1. Various taps of the bait on the bottom.
  2. Drops and various bait tosses.
  3. Lowering and raising the tires at different speeds.
  4. Twitching and playing with bait.

Each of these methods is unique, has its own implementation characteristics and effectiveness, which depends on many factors. The final choice of method is made on the pond depending on the bite, weather conditions, etc.

The number of useful and informative videos about winter perch fishing is varied. We invite you to watch an educational video from an experienced fisherman about how to catch perch and what bait to choose.

Catching perch with silicone video

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