Sponge Balls

There are many types of artificial baits on the market. A tip I’d like to share with you is the use of sponge balls that are used in the hospitality industry to flush the tap lines. These sponge balls have a diameter of 10mm and are only available in orange.

Why Sponge Balls?

The great thing about these sponges is that they can absorb a lot, making them ideal for soaking. Once soaked and in contact with water, they expand to 15mm. If you use a 20mm boilie in combination with a sponge, it stands nicely as a snowman. Keep in mind that once you’ve used them with, for example, a Garlic soak, you should continue to use them with that because the sponges always retain the scent.

You can also pre-soak the sponge balls and the boilie using a grip bag, see my other article: >> Hook Bait Soaking

Harmful to the Fish?

The chance of a sponge ball coming off your hair is minimal with a good setup. This also applies to existing artificial baits on the market. The carp also roots in the bottom and ingests unwanted material (which is not food), and it spits that out too. So don’t worry.

Reuse

What you can do is use a small jewelry grip bag, for example. First write on the bag what soak you’ve used and then put the sponge in the grip bag. This way you can reuse it next time.

The sponge balls are available at various hospitality websites/webshops.
It’s worth a try because I’ve already had several carp on the mat this way.

Good luck!

Marcel Dolderman

I have been fishing all my life, but the carp bug started around when I was sixteen, in the western part of the country where I was born. I was less active in fishing for a few years, but the passion runs where it cannot be suppressed. Fishing truly brings me peace, being out in nature, and feeling the adrenaline rush when the bite alarm goes off. Besides carp fishing, I enjoy experimenting with everything related to carp fishing.