What Are Boilies? Boilie Recipe For Homemade Boilies

Some anglers are even interested in knowing how to make carp boilies that they can take on the next fishing outing out of the comfort of their own kitchen.

Many options exist with boilies for carp fishing. It just depends on your preferences and chosen methods.

In addition to options, there are also best practices when using carp boilies and how to effectively place them on the hook, what rigs to use and which boilies may prove to work best for carp anglers.

I know, many items to take into consideration and may seem overwhelming but we will cover everything in depth to make sure you have a clear understanding of how to execute and use boilies effectively to catch more carp this year.

Once you take these ingredients and mix them with eggs which acts as your “binding agent” it gives the boilie the hardened round shape and texture which in return creates one of the ultimate carp fishing baits known to man. Boilies don’t just work for carp fishing either.

Many anglers use them for catfish and other fish species as well.

Read my full guide on the best carp fishing baits here.

More About The Boilie

Many anglers have a few options when using boilies. You can either purchase the boilies from large manufactures or you can elect to create your own boilies. This may take time to learn this skill, but it is 100% doable, and cheap homemade boilie recipes indeed do exist.

Making boilies from scratch may not be where you want to begin your carp fishing adventures until you have at least learned how to use commercial boilies and can be effective with them.

Trust me, the manufacture boilies work well so start there before diving into creating your own boilies.

Boilies have quickly become one of the most established baits on the market for catching carp with ease. They come in more flavors and colors than you can count.

You can even alter the shape of the boilie to fit your unique fishing needs or fishing style.

Boilie Preservatives

When using boilies as a primary bait for carp angling, you will also come across the decision on if to use preservatives or not for your boilies or whether or not to purchase boilies with added preservatives.

Added preservatives is going to give you the benefit of allowing the boilie to sit or be stored at room temperature or on store shelves without losing its effectiveness.

If you lack these natural preservatives, you will need to store your boilies in the freezer or keep them refrigerated.

Many anglers go back and forth on the pros and cons of which one is better, but the main argument is that freezer boilies tend to fair better due to the natural and nutritional value they provide to the carp which ultimately makes them more appealing than the boilie with the added preservatives.

Boilies typically come in the following sizes

Here’s an idea of what size hook you can use for each boilie size we discussed above.

Choosing the Correct Size Boilies

The larger the boilie, the more flexibility you will have with your cast and chumming abilities or pre-baiting. Especially if using a catapult like we discussed in our How to catch carp in a pond blog post.

If you don’t need distance, a smaller boilie will work just fine, but if you do need some power and weight, you will want to consider using a heavier boilie.

Selecting the Correct Color Scheme for Your Boilies

Color as always matters greatly with carp angling. They have excellent sight and a great sense of smell. Brighter colors tend to fair much better depending on the current season you are in. Try bright colors. Pinks, yellows, even whites can yield reliable results most times of the year.

You can also switch up your game with boilies and go with the “blend in approach.” If an area you are fishing has been hammered all year or you are certain the carp have felt anglers pressure then try blending into the crowd more or matching the natural bottom colors of where you are fishing.

It could be that the carp are a little burned out on the bright colors and a change may be welcomed to stand a chance at getting a nice bite.

What is Boilie Pop-Ups?

The boilie pops up have grown in popularity among carp anglers. It has many unique traits.

The traits and idea behind a boilie make it incredibly unique.

First, the pop up is capable of elevating above the weedy marsh water bottom which in return is going to create visibility for your bait ultimately leading to more opportunities to get a strike.

No Tangle with Pop-Ups

Pop-ups can also provide a substantial benefit to the carp angler or yourself by not allowing the rig or line to tangle. Simple bottom rigs or bottom fishing can often be left tangled if taken by a fish but ultimately released or ejected. Not with pop-ups.

When using Pop-Ups, you will want to most likely use a secure/strong hook and pick your preferred size boilies.

How to Make Cheap Boilie Base Mixture?

Here, we are going to lay down what ingredients you can use to make cheap homemade boilie mixtures or bait for catching carp all year round.

These numbers don’t have to be perfect either. There is room for some swapping. For instance, if you prefer 20% Protein and 60% Binder, that’s perfectly fine and won’t harm anything.

Every angler will have different preferences on the mixture amount, but in general, this is a good rule of thumb to go by.

Your binder is going to determine how well everything glues together so to speak.

It’s your essential foundation for the entire mix. Using just plain flour to make boilies will be perfectly fine as a binder ingredient but you can also use other alternatives such as maize meal.

You don’t want the entire mix to be all plain flour.

Get a good mix going with other ingredients. If you’re following the 60% rule. Try 20% Semolina, 20% Soya Flour and 20% Rice Flour as your overall binder mix.

Proteins

Without Proteins you’re basically dead in the water. The carp have genetically wanted protein in their diets since existence, and that’s not going to change. You need a good mix of protein for the boilie to be successful.

Use Milk Proteins and Fish Meal for Your Protein Source

If you are winter fishing for carp or even ice fishing for carp, go a little heavier on the protein content % to get the fish active. Something like Casein could prove very valuable in the colder months to attract the carp to your boilie.

Texture

Don’t ignore texture. It’s needed, and anglers often focus too much on the other items that this can get neglected to some extent.

You want to appeal to the carp natural diet. Give it a little pop. Think of Timone and Pumba from the Lion King. You need a nice delicate crunch. Bird Seed can do the trick for you or even egg shells to give the boilies that added texture to keep the carp unaware that they are about to be hooked right in that vacuum lip.

Flavors and Scents

Again, don’t skimp or rush this part of the process. You need strong attractants to get the fish active and ready to feed. Salty, Spicy mixes have always worked best for me through trial and error but feel free to mix it up a bit and see what ultimately ends up working the best for you.

Oils

Oils can be added, but it’s not absolutely necessary to do so. It shouldn’t be anything overbearing or overkill so to speak. It’s just a way to get some added scent to your bait. Fish oil can get the job done and is relatively cheap.

Minerals

Minerals are again not absolutely necessary for creating a good boilie out of your own kitchen, but if you have the time and don’t mind spending a few extra bucks, it can go a long way. It just adds to the overall ability of your boilie to attract the carp to your bait.

They know the minerals that they are naturally prone to so adding them to the mix, only makes your bait, that much more irresistible.

The Boilie Hair Rig

This is probably by far the best method for using pop up boilies or boilies in general. You are essentially removing fear the carp may have about your bait and letting the fish feel comfortable eating what you have at the dinner table.

In the past, anglers targeting carp would run into the issue of the carp either spotting the hook or feeling the hook which ultimately led to ejected bait and no catch for you.

With the hair rig set up, you can easily place the hook about 2 inches back from the boilies.

Once the carp swallows the boilies and has definitely taken the bait, you will be good to set the hook and land the fish before you have been detected.

The only thing you want to make sure you avoid is having a hair rig set up that is too long or prone to tangles.

This ultimately will defeat the purpose of the rig.

How Do I Make Boilies Float?

To make a boilie float properly, it needs to have buoyancy. Plain and simple. One method in making sure your boilie will float is to use cork balls or pop up the mix.

Without using the correct ingredients if you choose to make your own boilies will ultimately lead to the boilie not floating. This can be not very ideal depending on your overall goal for the day fishing and how you intended on presenting the bait.

How Do I Use Boilies for Carp Fishing in the Winter?

In winter you can use all the same principals for fishing using boilies. Bright colors and added scents or attractants may be in your best interest because it’s going to take a little more effort to locate the carp. Try the pinks, yellows, oranges, and whites to maximize results and really grab the carp’s attention.

Final Words About Carp Fishing With Boilies

Hopefully, I’ve been able to help the newer carp anglers out there at least understand how a boilie works and why boilies can be effective. Boilies can be effective not only for carp fishing but also for catfishing. They are growing in popularity in areas that they are allowed to be used and will remain a top carp bait for years to come.

If you don’t prefer to purchase commercial boilies, hopefully, are outline will help provide you with what’s necessary to attempt to create your own boilies out of your own kitchen. Either method works perfectly fine and can be effective.

Don’t expect your first boilie homemade mix to be perfect. Somethings come with time and practice in addition to repetition. Continue to change your mix percentages until you have your own top-secret carp bait that’s reeling in trophy carp every season.

If you know of any alternative boilie methods or something that has proven to work great for you, be sure to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you, and I’m sure the readers would as well.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.