The Best Boilies for Carp Fishing

Boilies are still the most popular bait for targeting all sizes of carp on all sizes of venues up and down the country. Boilies account for so many catches every year and this makes them a firm favourite among carp anglers.

Boilies were first widely used in the early 80’s and have come a long way in the past 40 years. Boilies are available in multiple sizes, flavours and colours. The baits come either frozen or shelf life and which one is chosen comes down to the type of angling you do and the facilities the angler has available.

Best boilies for fishing at a glance…….

-       Best Fishmeal Boilie – Sticky Baits The Krill

-       Best All-Season Boilie – Mainline Cell

-       Best Winter Boilie – CC Moore Live System

Boilies are generally made on quality base mixes with ingredients the fish find attractive and healthy. We have listed some quality boilies below, use correctly and the fish will be tugging on your line….

1. Sticky The Krill Shelf Life Boilies

When you’re heading down to the bank for a spot of carp fishing, whether that’s for a long session or a quick overnighter, one of your most important bits of kit to remember is your carp fishing bait. If you are in the market for one of the best baits for carp fishing or something different to add to your carp fishing bait boat, Sticky Krill boilies may be perfect for you!

Loved by anglers in the carp fishing community up and down the country, this is a potent fishing bait with a lingering aroma that will continue to draw fish to your swim even when all the boilies have been eaten, thanks to the bait’s exceptionally high krill content.  It might surprise you to learn that krill is relied on by many marine animals as a primary food source and nutrition – making this small, shrimp-like, crustacean very appealing to carp.

Packed with high-quality proteins that are essential for promoting good fish growth and with an irresistible fatty acid profile, krill creates a balanced bait profile with the perfect combination of attractiveness and nutritional value. The boilie also contains added, pre-digested fishmeal. Especially in warmer waters, fishmeal is one of the most potent attractors out there. Pre-digesting the fishmeal prior to its addition to the bait ensures that all the oils and attractants in the bait are released instantly into the water, for maximum impact. The complex range of vitamins and minerals in the bait ensures that good growth is promoted across all species, turning today’s small fish into tomorrow’s British record!

2. Mainline Cell Freezer Boilies

Mainline Cell Freezer Bait, Mainline's exclusive fresh frozen range of ready-made boilies are a selection of our finest Dedicated Base Mixes and ingredients. Mainline have combined top quality enhancers and attractors with liquid food sources to offer exceptional performance for the discerning angler all year round.

To ensure vital active ingredients remain at their most effective these baits are delivered freezer fresh within hours of rolling. The Hookbait Enhancement System provides dedicated dips for the full freezer range of boilies to help boost attraction in your baited area. Available in sizes 15mm and 18mm.

3. Dynamite Baits Frenzied Feeder Tiger Nuts Natural

Dynamite Baits Frenzied Chilli Tiger Nuts, Dynamite’s top quality Tiger Nuts are now available with added chopped chilli’s to give them an added edge. Carp love spicy flavours and the addition of chilli seems to really agitate their taste buds, triggering them into feeding more aggressively and for longer.

You can get Frenzied Chilli Tiger’s in both 2.5ltr jars and 830g tins. With both versions the Tiger Nuts are cooked inside the jar which means that all of the natural sugars and attractants are not lost and remain in the container.

4. DNA Baits The Bug Shelf Life Boilies

Work first started on DNA Baits The Bug in 2017, after EU legislation allowed the use of processed animal proteins from insects within aquaculture feeds. DNA have been looking for an alternative to fishmeal with the growing concerns about its sustainability.

Utilising black soldier fly meal as their main protein ingredient, they have eliminated the need for fishmeal, whilst including some poultry meal hydrolysate to give the bait even more attraction and a totally unique taste profile that fish are unlikely to have come across before.

If you’re looking for a bait that is sustainable and offers something completely different to the nut or fishmeal dominated baits currently on the market then this boilie is well worth checking out. It has accounted for a lot of big fish since its release. DNA also offer their baits in 8mm and dumbbells, which is something we haven’t seen before. 

5. CC Moore Pacific Tuna Shelf-life boilies

Pacific Tuna is a rust red, intensely attractive boilie that combines soluble milk, vegetable and fish proteins with powerful natural appetite stimulants to create an outstanding year-round big fish bait. Its high nutritious profile is also enhanced by its salted fish taste and powerful shellfish aroma, creating a superb all-round attractor package.

The incredible results achieved by UK and European anglers since its development in 2014 show just how consistent and universally successful Pacific Tuna is as a genuine big fish bait.

6. CC Moore Live System Freezer boilies

These Live System Freezer Boilies from CC Moore have gained a cult following since their release, thanks largely to their ability to attract in conditions when no other bait can. These Live System boilies are so attractive thanks to a unique mix of ingredients which are rarely used in baits manufactured for a UK market. This means that when the fish smell this distinctively sweet and yeasty bait they are immediately intrigued, as it is like nothing they have ever encountered.

7. Sticky Baits Manilla Pellets

Sticky Baits has the well-being of your target fish at the very heart of the company. It knows that your primary focus is on your quarry, and so it aims to align these two drives to create a bait that is not only perfectly tailored to the dietary requirements of the carp but also is so enticing that the fish cannot resist.

The Sticky Baits Manilla Pellets are constructed similarly to the successful Bloodworm Pellets with a two-stage coating process where the method feeder pellets are continually loaded with layers of powdered and liquid attractors. The outer coating of the Manilla Pellets contains our exclusive peanut protein, as well as high levels of soluble milk that leave a dense cloud of attraction that hugs the lake bed.

The liquid element of the coating is also applied to the manilla boilies of the range. This liquid attractant is packed with tons of natural salts and sugars as well as Madagascan vanilla extract that will certainly grab any hungry carps attention for it, sweetness. These pellets are great for use in PVA bags, groundbait or spod mixes and can also be chopped up and balled up with the addition of a liquid, which makes them ideal for moulding around the hook.

8. DNA Baits The Bug Cork Dust Pop Ups

DNA Baits believe their food bait pop-ups are some of the best around. DNA Baits spent a long time experimenting to create a pop-up that emits the exact same food signals as the free offerings you are using.

Utilising cork granules/pop-up mix and a unique powder blend which includes all the goodies from the relevant base mix, DNA Baits created what they feel are the ultimate food-bait pop-ups. Why use a pop-up that is giving off different food signals to the bait you are using? Being a slightly more washed-out colour than the matching bait, they will mimic your freebies perfectly once immersed in water.

They aren’t quite as buoyant as a true air ball pop-up due to the amount of soluble goodies crammed in, but you should expect a 15mm bait to stay up all night on a standard rig. If you require a longer time than this, DNA Baits would suggest either corking them out or alternatively using the 18mm versions, which will stay buoyant for days.

The baits are available in 12mm, 15mm and 18mm. Approx. 100gms per pot. The ultimate food-bait pop-ups. Use a pop-up that is giving off the same food signals as the bait you are using.

What to look for in a boilie?

Boilies come in lots of flavours, colours, shapes and sizes – confusing some of the most experienced anglers. Test and try different baits, to find one that works on your particular lake or river. If fishmeal baits dominate, then try a boilie like the Krill from Sticky.

Most baits from the top brands will work well on most waters. A boilie will contain ingredients and nutrients that carp are looking for as part of their diet. A lot of fishing is down to preference and how long you are fishing for. If you do short sessions on the way to and from from work or longer sessions where there are no facilities to store bait, a shelf-life will be far more suitable than a freezer bait, as it won't go off when left in the car.

Similarly, if you have lots of freezer space and want the freshest bait possible for your fishing, then a freezer bait is by far the best option, it also allows you to buy in bulk and save money too. The last thing you want to do is get too preoccupied on changing your bait, find something that works well for you and stick with it, as generally it’s not the bait that isn't working. Doubting your bait can knock your confidence and cause your catch rate to suffer because of it.