In some of the previous articles, we already discussed carp bait such as tiger nuts which are often banned, and corn, a perfect bait for grass carp. But what about some uncommon fishing baits like cheese? It’s common knowledge that barbel likes it, but what about carp? Join me and let’s explore this as we try to find an answer to whether carp likes cheese.
What Makes Cheese an Attractive Bait?
Out of all the brilliant baits available to us, you must ask yourself “Why cheese”? In carp fishing, every fish bait must have characteristics such as look, nutritional value, and smell. The latter is the most important because carp have a powerful sense of smell.
I believe we can agree that cheese slices with a bit of mould on them or mature cheddar have a very pungent smell even for human senses. Imagine how carp can smell it.
On top of the smell, once cheese starts degrading in the water it starts releasing substances that spread through the area around the bait. This draws fish to the baiting spot as well.
How Can Cheese Be Used As a Fish Bait?
There are several different ways cheese can be used as a bait. Here are the three most common ones I heard being used by carp anglers.
Cheese Paste
All kinds of pastes are commonly used in carp fishing. So it’s not a surprise that cheese paste exists as well. The usage and application of this paste don’t differ from other pastes. It’s especially effective in the summer months when water is warm and carp actively look for food sources.
Ball of Cheese
To be honest, I heard this was used more as catfish bait instead of carp bait. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying it. Apparently, these balls are prepared in a manner where you melt a certain quantity of cheese (depending on how many balls you want to make) and dip cotton balls into it. Once these cotton balls are dried, they make a perfect hookbait. I never tried this, but I’ll give it a go.
Cubed Cheese Slices
This type of bait is the easiest to use. Cut cheese into cubes just like you would do with the luncheon meat. Once you are done, just hook the cubes and cast. I tried this and caught a big barbel with it once, but no carp. It was very cold outside when I used it so maybe it’s worth trying it during warmer months. I’ll definitely try it out next season!
Commercial Baits may give The Best Answer to the Question of Whether Carp Likes Cheese or Not
These days, we have a bit range of flavours available to use. Not only that, but we also have various ways of dispatching these flavours into the water. We can use bait mixes, large, mini and micro pellets, brilliant attractors in liquid and paste forms, PVA bags, boilies, and plenty of others.
All of these are available in scents and aromas such as pineapple, scopex, strawberry, blue mussels, monster crab, mulberry, vanilla, honey, tutti frutti, and at least a dozen others.
One that is of particular interest to us in this article is blue cheese aroma which is added to the baits manufactured by multiple top brands. This aroma is acquired from the Danish blue cheese. Just as it names say, this is a Danish cheese known for its mould and high percentage of fat. We often use it in salads so if we eat it, why carp wouldn’t?
The bottom line is that baits with cheese aroma wouldn’t be produced by carp bait companies if they weren’t effective.
Just keep in mind that buying made bait can cost a bunch of money in the long run. Especially if you are often going on campaigns. Luckily, there are plenty of DIY bait recipes available online, including this recipe for cheese paste.
Conclusion and a Definite Answer to the Question of Does Carp Like Cheese
Even though it’s not my favourite carp bait, I can confirm that carp does like cheese. What’s even better is that other species such as barbel, catfish, and chub, also like it. So using cheese bait for fishing can always lead to some surprising catches.
It can be used in any body of water, in both winter months and during warm weather, regardless of how you use it. In the end, whether is it a ball, pase, cube, or something else is a personal preference and every angler should decide based on the conditions where he fishes and the size of fish he wants to reel in.
All in all, cheese is a bait that deserves a chance so go out and try it. Tight lines my fellow anglers, I hope this article helps.