Homemade Predigested Fishmeal for Carp Baits

 

Predigested fishmeal is a highly technical ingredient and, unfortunately, quite an expensive one too.

 

I covered the different types of animal meals in the dedicated chapter of my book, 

Boilies,the Art and Science of Carp Bait, If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend downloading the free PDF version, which still covers the subject of fishmeals and animal proteins in good detail.

 

Basically, there are two main types of predigested fishmeal available on the market:

 

* Chilean acid-hydrolysed predigested fishmeal

* CPSP (Concentrated Soluble Fish Proteins)

 

Prices vary greatly depending on the quality of the raw materials and the manufacturing process used.

 

Unfortunately, since Brexit, sourcing these products within Europe has become much more difficult. Import duties and shipping costs have pushed prices even higher, especially from companies still exporting to the European market.

 

For this reason, many anglers have started asking me whether it’s possible to make a similar product at home.

 

The answer is yes.

 

Homemade Fish Predigestion

 

I’ve already explained the homemade “Garum” process in another article — a simple way of predigesting fish naturally to create an incredibly effective liquid food at almost zero cost.

 

One famous example is a carp angler whose friends regularly fish trout competitions. Every week they give him several kilos of leftover trout, which he transforms into highly effective liquid fish food completely free of charge.

 

You need to understand that even commercial fishmeals originally start as a liquid fish mash. Fermentation, enzymatic digestion or acid hydrolysis all happen before the material is dried and turned into meal.

 

Once you understand this, it becomes obvious that our homemade garum can actually produce two separate products:

 

* A concentrated liquid food

* A homemade predigested fishmeal powder

 

Separating the Liquid and Solid Fractions

 

The process is very simple.

 

Blend the garum thoroughly and then filter it using a fine mesh brewing bag — the type commonly used in home beer production.

 

This type of bag is extremely strong and fine enough to separate the liquid fraction from the fibrous material.

 

Pour the blended garum into the filter bag and squeeze it hard by rolling and pressing the bag firmly.

 

A much clearer liquid will slowly drip out. This is an ultra-concentrated fish extract packed with soluble amino acids, natural taste compounds and attraction.

 

This liquid can be used at around 30ml per kg of mix and upwards.

 

Inside the filter bag, meanwhile, you’ll be left with the denser fibrous and protein-rich part of the garum — essentially a wet predigested fish paste.

 

Turning It into Fishmeal

 

To produce the meal, simply spread the paste onto a tray at a maximum thickness of around 1cm.

 

Leave it to dry in a dry, ventilated area. Using an electric fan helps speed up the process considerably.

 

Alternatively, you can dry it in a fan-assisted oven at around 50°C until fully dehydrated.

 

Once dry, break the crust into smaller pieces and grind it to your preferred consistency using a food processor or, even better, a grain mill.

 

The result is a true homemade predigested fishmeal: highly digestible, nutritious and packed with attraction.

 

Of course, you can also dry the entire garum directly without filtering it first, spreading it onto trays and dehydrating it at 50–60°C to produce a predigested LT-style fishmeal.

 

Personally, though, I prefer separating the liquid and solid fractions so I can produce both a dedicated liquid food and a powdered meal.

 

Your choice.

 

A Simple Winter Fishmeal Mix

 

This type of predigested fishmeal works extremely well in cold water conditions, especially below the famous 15°C threshold where many traditional fishmeals become less effective.

 

Here’s a simple and highly digestible winter fish mix:

 

* 30% Biskò birdfood (egg biuscuits birdfood)

* 25% homemade predigested fishmeal

* 20% toasted soya flour

* 15% wheatgerm

* 10% skimmed milk powder

 

Simple, digestible and highly attractive.

 

Liquid Additives

 

For the liquid package, I recommend:

 

* 40ml concentrated fish sauce per kg

* 40ml propylene glycol to keep the baits soft and hydrated

* 20ml pomegranate vinegar for fast cold-water acidic attraction

* A good acidic fruity flavour at half the manufacturer’s recommended dosage

* A small amount of NHDC sweetener

 

This combination creates a very soluble and fast-working winter bait with excellent food signals.

 

In the gallery you’ll find photos of the garum, the filtered liquid and all the processing stages.

 

Boilies,the Art and Science of Carp Bait