Surfcasting, Land based fishing and rock fishing specialist.Helping the Under Dogs of Fishing Win!

The idea of burley is as old as Fishing. Put something in the water for the fish to smell, they come to find what smells good, find the bait and you catch the fish. Easy? yes it is, but may keen fisho's dont follow a simple plan that will increase the number of fish around his area.

To start EFFECTIVE BURLEYING, keep the old parts of bait you chuck out at the end of the days fishing.Prawn heads,fish skeletons,pilchard tails squid bits. These are good starting points.

Fish need a reason to stay in an area,  Alot of fishermen and you are probably one of them HATE GIVING AWAY FREE FOOD, ie FOOD WITH NO HOOK IN IT. So they make cages that just create a smell. This is a cardinal sin in my eyes, yes fish will travel up the burley trail, but get disheartened by the lack of food and quickly move on.

The idea of burley is to encourage feeding. You can do this  by having small bites( I mean real small) washed out of the cage or hand feed into the water. Fish skeletons which have been minced or finely chopped with a matchete are perfect.Another cheap additive is bread it has good oils and some fish respond only to it, Fish oil is another essential for preditory fish,it creates an oil slick witch is visible to the fisherman and spreads for kilometers.

There are two ways to burley, in a cage at a predetermined depth or postion. Or by hand distribution. I have found that combining the two is outstanding, the cage to get the smell, and the bites to eat handed out at my pleasure. 

Here's what you can do:

1. Chop bait leftovers to a manageable size,enough to wet the appitite but no to feed, flesh flakes are ideal. If you have a hand mincer chuck it all in bones and all, but keep the prawn heads whole. Have a few bigger pieces in the mix to survive the pickers and make it to the bigger fish. Place into bucket.

2. Add a loaf or two of bread.

3. Add a generous splash of fish oil or tuna oil (i like STIMULATE it has fish pheronomes added).And add Glitter,to reflect light as it decends, this encourages feeding like you wouldnt believe.

4. At your fishing spot mix with salt water and Add at regular intivals in a place where it will settle at your baited line.This is just a case of deliberate observation of your spot and predicting where the current is flowing or eddying an working out where it will come to a rest. A steady flow is better than a huge amount at one time.

5. Place out your cage, in the cage you can have the same mixture FROZEN for a slow release  or a store bought pellet base. You can even have cotton wool to soak up the fish oil,or rice to do the same job. Chuck this out on a rope in the same current but further up from where you predicted the burley to settle. This will help distribute the yummy smells deeper in the water columns and further a feild then surface burley alone.

When fishing ensure your bait is in the burley trail ,as out side of it will be a comparitable desert. If your trail is effective your fishing will improve. and the more fun you will have.

But thats the draw that keeps us fishing, finding better ways to do it and doing them.

Tight Lines.

       "CATCH AND RELEASE EVERYTHING EXCEPT DINNER"