Cheap Fishing Bait for Carp Fishing
Cheap carp bait is always a great option if you don’t want to spend a fortune on expensive boilies, attractants, and rigs.
We’ve tested all these options for you, and here is a list of the things that worked!
- Bread
Bread is ideal for surface fishing and a guaranteed winner for top-feeding carp. They almost always go for it, and it’s one of the easiest ways to hook them.
• We recommend thick-crust bread, as it stays on the hook longer.
• Roll it into a ball and it will sink, making it perfect for bottom-feeding carp too. - Sweetcorn
A true classic — sweetcorn has been used as carp bait for generations. Its bright colour and sweet taste make it attractive, but keep in mind that anglers using boilies or flavoured attractants might sometimes draw fish away from you.
Still, it’s cheap, easy to get, and carp love it. - Cheese
Good, strong-smelling cheese is another surprisingly effective bait. Carp are drawn to its scent, especially on warm days when the smell carries further in the water.
• It can dissolve fairly quickly, so you may need to rebait your hook every few minutes.
• Cheddar and blue cheese tend to work well.
There are plenty of other alternatives you can find at home, such as dog biscuits, cat food, or even soft-boiled potatoes. But from our tests, bread, sweetcorn, and cheese are the top 3 carp baits we’d recommend.
Please note:
Always check with the lake or venue owner before using homemade baits, as some places may restrict certain types for environmental reasons.
