THE FIVE BEST FLOURS FOR MAKING BOILIES...
The title, as you can easily guess, is deliberately provocative.
It comes from the many questions you ask me, where I’m often asked which flours are the best, which recipe I would use if I could only choose one, or which boilie is the best, and so on.
Obviously, there is no single, sensible answer, because the variables are endless—especially when we talk about flours, which are ingredients that always work in synergy with others to create what we call a mix.
However, this is still a great starting point for some useful reflections, so let’s see how this article is structured.
I have selected five flours that I consider superior in terms of taste, content of interesting substances that strongly stimulate carp, and overall attractive power.
I will rank them in absolute terms, from the most important to the fifth. Later, it will be interesting to make some considerations that may change this order depending on specific variables. But let’s get to the list, starting from fifth place and working our way up to the top.
5 – Roasted Peanut Flour
Roasted peanut flour is highly appreciated by carp and offers a very attractive flavor at a relatively low cost. It is ideal for creating the well-known “nutty mixes,” which have been catching carp consistently since the 1990s. Nutty mixes are often the best choice when fishing in feeding areas, where you compete directly with natural food sources. In these situations, the palatability of peanuts becomes a strong trigger for fish that are already feeding, providing an additional source of fats—nutrients often limited in the natural protein-based food available in the water.
From a chemical standpoint, roasted peanut flour is rich in lipids, particularly unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic acid, which provide easily available energy. It also contains plant proteins with amino acids like arginine and glutamate, known to play a role in stimulating feeding behavior in cyprinids. The roasting process develops aromatic compounds through Maillard reactions (such as pyrazines and aldehydes), which create the characteristic “nutty” aroma and enhance bait recognition. It is typically used at 10–20% inclusion. Its main limitation is reduced effectiveness in water temperatures below 18°C, where the lipid component tends to slow down the release of attractants.
4 – Yeast
Yeast-based flours, in their various forms (all described in detail in the book Boilies,the Art and Science of Carp Bait
), represent one of the main zootechnical ingredients used in animal feed to stimulate feeding.
In industrial boilie production, yeast is often a winning choice to increase the nutritional value of the bait while complying with regulations, and it also provides a highly attractive taste for fish.
Personally, I prefer brewer’s grains with yeast, a by-product of beer production that is spray-dried into powder. The reason is simple: low cost, excellent taste, good nutritional value, and the ability to be included in the mix up to 40%, allowing the creation of very cost-effective and functional baits. It also has the advantage of being all-round and usable in cold water.
Chemically, yeast is extremely interesting because it is rich in free nucleotides (such as inosine monophosphate and guanosine monophosphate), which are known to be powerful feeding stimulants for fish. It also contains free amino acids (including glutamate, alanine, and glycine), soluble peptides, B-group vitamins, and beta-glucans. These compounds enhance palatability and stimulate feeding responses even at low concentrations. Brewer’s grains also contribute residual proteins and fibers, improving both the structure of the mix and the diffusion of attractants in water.
3 – CPSP90
This acronym identifies an exceptional feed ingredient: soluble fish protein concentrate. It is a hydrolyzed product, highly soluble, with an intense taste and extremely rich in nutrients. It is the perfect ingredient for highly attractive baits and can be paired with its liquid counterpart LT030 to create a very powerful synergistic effect.
It is used at 5–20%, but due to its cost, it is generally reserved for fast fishing or selective targeting. Soluble, digestible, and highly palatable, it is an all-season, all-round ingredient.
From a chemical perspective, CPSP90 consists mainly of low molecular weight peptides and free amino acids derived from fish protein hydrolysis. It contains high levels of essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine, and leucine, along with glutamate and glycine, which are key feeding triggers for carp. The presence of soluble nitrogen compounds and small peptides allows rapid dispersion in water, creating an immediate and persistent feeding signal. This makes it particularly effective even in difficult fishing conditions.
2 – Krill
Those who have followed me for years know that krill is my favorite ingredient. In 2006, I developed a krill bait containing 35% krill and derivatives (including a dedicated liquid food), the full recipe of which is available in my book Boilies,the Art and Science of Carp Bait
. It was the first ready-made krill bait ever commercialized, and it was a major success.
Krill is an extremely nutritious and attractive ingredient, so much so that it is the primary food source of the blue whale. However, the quality of krill meal available today has declined due to increased demand for human supplements. This is one of the reasons why it is not ranked first. With current krill, it is difficult to exceed 15% inclusion without affecting the bait’s density, risking boilies that are too light. For this reason, I consider it an ingredient better suited for experienced anglers. Krill is also an all-round, all-season ingredient. In waters where fish feed on crustaceans, krill-based boilies are often the best choice during winter.
Chemically, krill is rich in high-quality proteins, free amino acids (such as taurine and glycine), phospholipids, and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). It also contains astaxanthin, a natural carotenoid that contributes to both color and attractiveness. Phospholipids enhance the dispersion of attractants in water, while the combination of amino acids and nitrogenous compounds creates a highly recognizable feeding signal for carp.
1 – GLM
Green Lipped Mussel, a superfood known since the 1990s, is the key ingredient behind my well-known Green Fish Mix, whose recipe is also included in my boilies book. It is an outstanding ingredient, rich in flavor, attractants, and highly potent nutrients.
It is effective even at low inclusion levels (around 5%), but delivers maximum attraction between 10% and 15%. In my tests, I went as far as rolling baits with 50% GLM, producing extremely effective hookbaits at an impractical cost. The only real limitation of this flour is its price, which makes it more suitable for specific situations. Like the others, it is all-round and all-season, but it performs exceptionally well in winter, especially in waters where fish naturally feed on mollusks.
From a chemical point of view, GLM is one of the most complex ingredients available. It contains high levels of free amino acids (glycine, taurine, glutamate), polyunsaturated fatty acids, sterols, glycoproteins, and natural volatile compounds derived from the mollusk itself. These components create an extremely natural and powerful feeding signal. The presence of bioactive compounds and natural nucleotides further enhances the feeding response, making it one of the most effective ingredients ever used in carp bait formulation.
This list has a strong emotional impact, and many of you will notice the absence of liver—an ingredient I consider the best overall. However, I prefer to use it in liquid form, pre-digested and fermented, made by myself.
Now, making some considerations as a former technician specialized in formulating carp fishing products, it is essential to analyze cost-benefit ratios, which are crucial for creating effective bait while staying within a reasonable budget. Of course, those who are not concerned about costs can simply follow the previous ranking.
If we rethink everything with the goal of producing large quantities of bait with the best possible attractiveness and taste, the ranking changes as follows:
- YEAST (brewer’s grains with yeast)
- ROASTED PEANUT FLOUR
- KRILL
- CPSP90
- GLM
As you can see, the ranking changes significantly.
Brewer’s grains with yeast come out on top—a product available even as micro pellets, sinking and ideal for spod or stick mixes, costing very little per kilogram. When ground, they can make up to 40% of the mix, allowing the creation of very economical bait. You’ll find them in many of my recipes, and they work perfectly in synergy with roasted peanut flour. A nutty mix based on yeast grains, combined with eggs and CSL and properly spiced, becomes a highly effective bait, even in waters with nuisance species like catfish or turtles.
Krill remains krill—there’s not much else to add.
CPSP90 and GLM move to the bottom of this second ranking, not because they are less effective, but because their cost makes them more suitable for producing small quantities of highly attractive baits or specialized hookbaits for targeted fishing, especially in cold winter waters.
If you are interested in understanding how to use baits depending on environments and seasons, I refer you to my latest book, the link to which you can find below. Thank you for your attention.
Carp Fishing: Modern Approach and Science