Elderberries

[Snape]

Has anyone got any experience with these?
There are supposed to be good for roach....

[MGs]

Yes is the short answer. I used them years ago. From memory, in a similar fashion to Tares. I have
caught both roach and chub using them. Easy to hook, if a bit messy on the fingers. The only real
snag being the short season when they are available but when in season they work

[GloucesterOldSpot]

Used them as hookbait with hemp loosefeed for roach. They do work. Most memorable elderberry incident for me was when I hooked and lost about six carp on them one evening at the local pond. That still hurts.

[PDuffield]

As GOS says, they work well as hookbait when used with loosefed hemp - we used them on the Warwickshire Avon in the late 80s and early 90s. When they were ripe you could get them off trees on the bank, but we always collected a lot when they were in season and froze them for use later in the year. They're too soft to pick off and freeze, so we froze them as bunches still on the 'twigs'.

Paul

[Snape]

As GOS says, they work well as hookbait when used with loosefed hemp - we used them on the Warwickshire Avon in the late 80s and early 90s. When they were ripe you could get them off trees on the bank, but we always collected a lot when they were in season and froze them for use later in the year. They're too soft to pick off and freeze, so we froze them as bunches still on the 'twigs'.

Paul

Interesting. What did you catch with them and did they still catch when they were out of season?

[PDuffield]

Interesting. What did you catch with them and did they still catch when they were out of season?

Mostly roach plus the odd dace and chublet. We only ever used them when loosefeeding hemp which we regarded as a summer bait, switching to turmeric flavoured maggots when the weather got colder.

I can't recall any occasion when we could get bites on hemp but not elderberries, but I've always assumed the fish were taking them thinking they were hemp as they are a similar size and colour. We used them because they were quicker to hook than hemp and didn't impede the strike because they're so soft.

Paul

[Vole]

Fresh ones float (only just), don't they?
There may be a presentation advantage, the weight of the hook being reduced.
"Wafters" from the hedgerow. How flat-capped cool is that?