We have looked at the various ‘Reds’ previously in this series of articles and I have concentrated mainly on Super Red. However, there are three other variations on the theme and in this article I will be concentrating on Honey Red. All the ‘Reds’ are based on our famous all-species attractor Robin Red and in the case of Honey Red the bulk ingredients are the sweet and spicy PTX and the highly attractive Red Factor.

In a previous article I looked specifically at using fine-ground versions of the ‘Reds’ to form both egg- and water-based pastes and boiled baits, and as you can see Honey Red makes great boilies that can be tailored to your own specification using various attractors.

I use an industrial sized coffee grinder to reduce coarse ingredients to a fine powder. On the left of ground Honey Red, while on the right is the original version.

I want to look again at both egg- and water based Honey Red. I will be looking at making and using an egg-based paste using a Paste Bomb (right), while for the water-based application I want to show you how to create a Method Mix for a standard method feeder such as the one on the left.

Paste Bomb (right) and a Method feeder.

First break the required number of eggs into a mixing bowl and add whatever attraction takes your fancy.

Here I am using a spice oleoresin. This is very concentrated and you don’t need much, as you can see here.

Use a fork and beat together the egg and attractors.

Next add the fine-ground base mix to form a paste.

The paste can now be rolled into paste balls and used as free offerings.

Retain some of the paste to mould around the Paste Bomb, and use a protective mesh around a pinch of paste to create an identical hookbait.

Close up of a meshed paste hookbait.

Close up of the loaded Paste Bomb.

Just add water a bit at a time to create a water-based paste using the coarse Honey Red. This should be stiff enough to form groundbait balls or be used on the feeder.

Squeeze some of this paste around your Method feeder.

Use less water to make a looser groundbait rather than a paste.

The resulting groundbait should be light and fluffy.

It should now be dry enough to compress into some PVA mesh without instantly melting it.

Nick the hook point under one of the knots in the PVA mesh for casting strength.

Once on the lakebed, the PVA mesh will melt. Leaving a carpet of tiny sweet Honey Red particles.

Written by Ken Townley