Stick Mix & My Thoughts

Stick mixes are a very successful way for fishing (for carp) from margins to long range.

But how do you define a stick mix?  Personally, I think it’s any micro-ingredient – be it bread, boilies, particles (refined down to crumb) but in layman’s terms it’s a ground bait mix which can be made up into a Pva stick.  This to some degree is nothing new.  Just altered the mix enough to remove or override the water content so the PVA will not melt.

I have been spicing up Pva Bags since the late great Duncan Kay sold large ones that you could cut down to the size you wished.  One of my best tricks was not to remove the air, cast the bag near an overhanging tree and with the wind in the right direction it would drift under the tree.  This accounted for a fair few fish for me back in the early 80’s.

I have digressed a bit here; as long as you can get the mix dry or enough oil not to melt the Pva, the world is your oyster!  I have tried many combinations for a stix mix, in fact think I may well have forgotten more than I care to remember over the past couple of years.  With the emergence of top quality ingredients, which are now available in their own right, it’s really opened up the combinations you can create yourself all over again.  I personally use Spotted Fin products, as their catalogue of ingredients is like a sweetie shop to me.  There are plenty of choices for the raw dry products and a bucket load of choices for additives and oil etc.

I have also come to the conclusion that as the stix mix revolution is well and truly out there in the carp world, you have to make your mix stand out from the rest.  There is no point in my opinion, to scrimp on cost as you need to have your mix a cut above the rest.  We all spend bucket loads on reels, bivvies, and rods, we should also be concerned with top quality ingredients.  If you see me on the bank, you will notice that a fair bit of my kit is over 10 years old (still in top condition), I just funnel all my spare cash at tackle and bait.

One thing I will say, I find that once I have the perfect dry mix combination, I make up a load but I don’t add any liquid, this can be done at a later date.  This way it gives you the opportunity up swap things around a bit more with your stick mix.  It all helps to outwit the carp and gives you an edge over other anglers.  It also gives you the ability to find which oil/liquid additive the fish prefer.

My favourite stick mix is –

Betaine HCL, Green Lipped Mussel Extract, – Active Stick Mix,  Food Dip, Minamino’s.

Step 1 – Add Green Lipped Mussel Extract to a mixing bowl.

Step 2 – Add the Betaine HCL to the bowl.

Step 3 – Mix thoroughly, ensuring any lumps are fully broken down.

Step 4 – I personally favour the Active Stick Mix, although the range offers plenty of alternatives and it is well worth experimenting. I already know I’ll be using this heavily throughout the season.

Step 5 – As expected, mix everything together thoroughly.

Steps 6 & 7 – Time to introduce the liquids. I like to use the Liquid and Minamino’s, but the choice within the range is extensive, so there is plenty of scope to tailor the mix to your own approach.

Step 8 – Blend everything until you achieve a sticky consistency—tacky but not overly wet. You can always add additional liquid later once the bags are made up, which often makes the process easier.

Step 9 – I find it best to transfer the finished mix into a pot. This allows you to make up the bags efficiently by pushing the tube into the mix using the opposite end to the knot.

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If you want to enhance the mix further, crushed or finely ground boilies are an excellent addition. I like to soak these in a liquid and Minamino’s beforehand for added attraction.

I have also been known to add micro pellets or other ingredients. When using micro pellets, I prefer the stick mix to act more as an attractor rather than a food source. This is one of the reasons I favour small, compact bags—they are highly effective and can still be cast accurately at range.

Another ingredient I occasionally include for extra pulling power is milled halibut pellet, which adds both attraction and texture to the mix.

By preparing a solid base mix first, you can easily adapt it by adding different liquids or ingredients as required. This flexibility allows you to tweak the mix depending on the venue, the conditions, or simply to give yourself an edge over other anglers. What works brilliantly on one lake may not always translate directly to another—but that experimentation is all part of the process.

In my view, there is no real maximum size for a stick mix—only the practical limitation of casting distance or whether you are dropping them into the margins. It is certainly worth considering larger options as part of your wider tactical approach.

Another highly effective use for this mix is in a large bag dropped quietly into the margins. This method has served me extremely well over the past few years, particularly on short day sessions, which I fish regularly.

And finally, don’t overlook the old-fashioned approach. It remains incredibly effective and helped me bank a couple of thirties early last year. You can add this mix to the base of a PVA bag, then top it up with crushed or whole boilies—or even use the mix on its own. Loading the bag with neat liquid adds yet another level of attraction. This is a method I have refined over the past 30 years, and it has accounted for some truly special fish across many different waters.

I hope this has been useful and that it helps you get more from your time on the bank.

Until next time,
Richard

P.s my best advice is to experiment with as many ingredients as possible, even check out your supermarket for interesting things.

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