Catch More Carp On Boilies: Feeding Tips & Tricks
Boilies are one of the most popular carp baits used by anglers today, and in this article, we explore how to use them effectively in your fishing to put more carp on the bank.
Boilies have become a staple diet for carp in lakes across the UK and Europe – and for good reason. These highly nutritious baits are resistant to nuisance species and, when produced to a high standard, contain many essential nutrients carp require. But how should you apply them in your fishing? Below, we explore the most effective boilie baiting tactics and tips…
What is a boilie?
A boilie is simply a paste bait mix, rolled into balls and boiled to make them firm and durable. They come in a vast range of flavours and mixes, from sweet and light milk protein, birdfood, or nut blends, to heavy fishmeal-based boilies. Liquid foods and feeding stimulants are often added, which slowly leach out in the water, making boilies highly attractive to carp.
Boilies are typically available as shelf-life or freezer baits. Modern shelf-life boilies contain a mix of natural and minimal chemical preservatives to keep them fresh, while freezer baits will begin to turn within a week once thawed due to their active ingredients. Historically, anglers debated which was more effective – but in 2025, thanks to improved production methods, there’s little difference in effectiveness between the two.
Pop-ups & hookbaits
While standard boilies straight from the bag can make effective hookbaits, most anglers choose specialist hookbait options. These are usually supplied in smaller pots, boosted with extra attractors, colours, or hardened to withstand nuisance species or crayfish. Not to be used as freebies, these hookbaits are designed solely for presentation on the rig.
How to use boilies in your carp fishing
Boilies are incredibly versatile. They can catch carp of all sizes, but are often more selective for larger fish (10lb+). Here are some of the most effective boilie tactics:
Spread baiting
Whole boilies can be fed using a catapult, throwing stick, or by hand. When spread over a wide area – sometimes as large as a tennis court – carp are forced to move between baits, making them easier to catch once they encounter your rig. Once carp get a taste for spread boilie baiting, they can become very easy to tempt.
Tight baiting
Using a Spomb, baiting pole, or bait boat allows for a more concentrated feed. Mixing whole, chopped, halved, and crumbed boilies with other particles such as hemp, corn, and pellets creates a varied, highly attractive mix. This buffet theory should be used on clean lakebeds and pulls all fish into the area, increasing carp activity. Tools like the OMC B8M8 make creating ultra-fine boilie crumb quick and easy – a devastating edge that spreads scent and attraction throughout your swim.
Using PVA with boilies
PVA is one of the most effective ways to present boilies tightly around your hookbait. Using mesh systems like the OMC ChopStix allows you to load in crumb, halves, or whole boilies for a compact parcel of attraction. Once in the water, the PVA dissolves, leaving a perfect pile of free offerings around your rig.
PVA tips for carp fishing with boilies:
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In colder months, try compressed PVA bags of boilie crumb dipped in liquid boosters for extra attraction.
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Attach mesh bags either by nicking them onto the hook or threading them down the hooklink for an anti-tangle presentation.
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Small mesh stringers of 2–3 boilies can be deadly for accurate long-range presentations.
Solid PVA Bags filled with liquid-boosted crumb are another all-year-round edge, while traditional boilie stringers on PVA tape remain an underrated big fish method.
Boosting boilies for carp
Glugging boilies
Adding liquid boosters (such as OMC Paella Gravy or Nutty Sauce) increases attraction. Soaking boilies until they absorb the liquid and then rolling them in crumb to form a crust creates a sticky, highly attractive coating that carp find irresistible.
Washed-out boilies
Some anglers pre-soak boilies in lake water for 24+ hours. This softens them for easier digestibility, reduces colour and flavour intensity, and makes them appear as “safe” baits to the fish – a big edge on pressured waters.
Crumbing boilies
Particularly effective in winter, crumbing boilies releases the attractors locked inside during the boiling process. Carp often become preoccupied with hoovering up every fine particle, increasing bite chances. It’s also cost-effective, stretching 1kg of boilies much further. There's no better tool for the job than the B8M8.
Boilie hookbait choices
Pop-ups vs bottom baits vs wafters
Pop-ups are the most widely used hookbait choice today, keeping hook and bait clear of debris and working perfectly with many modern rigs. Bottom baits, however, still excel on clean lakebeds, blending naturally with free offerings and proving especially effective in summer when carp are pressured. A wafter is a good balance between the two, subtle on the lakebed but buoyant enough to negate the weight of the hook and rig.
Best rigs for pop-ups
Best rigs for bottom baits
Best rigs for wafters
Bright vs subtle
Many anglers believe bright hookbaits (white, yellow, pink) are often best in winter and spring when carp feed more instinctively. In summer and autumn, subtle “match the hatch” baits usually outperform bright options, as pressured carp associate unnatural colours with danger. Always experiment – water clarity, lakebed colour, and angling pressure can all affect results.
Big vs small
Bait size doesn’t dictate carp size – a 50lb carp will take a 10mm bait just as readily as a 18mm option. Larger baits, however, are more selective, helping avoid smaller nuisance species. Matching the hookbait size to the feed mix is crucial, with mixed sizes often working best to avoid suspicion.
Choosing the right boilies for carp fishing
Boilies don’t need to break the bank. With the right application and preparation, even 1kg can be used effectively over several sessions.
Shelf-life vs freezer baits
Modern stabilised boilies, like OMC’s iScream and Paella, have revolutionised carp bait. They don’t require freezing, remain soft and digestible, and retain high levels of attraction – saving anglers time and money while ensuring top results.
Birdfood, nut or fishmeal boilies
Traditionally, sweet nut/birdfood boilies were used in winter, while fishmeal baits dominated summer. Modern low-temperature fishmeals, however, work year-round. Venue type and water pH also play a role, which is why many anglers (including OMC’s Ali Hamidi) prefer to mix bait types for consistent success.
Best boilies for carp – OMC Range
The iScream – A nutty, creamy blend of Tiger Nuts, Peanut, Milk Proteins, and amino-rich attractors, designed to trigger intense feeding responses.
The Paella – A savoury combination of Meat, Shellfish, Squid, Fish ingredients, salts, and spices, with a highly water-soluble amino profile.
Both are stabilised boilies, containing natural preservatives (not heavy chemicals) for long-lasting freshness without the freezer.
Final thoughts
Boilies remain one of the most effective carp baits ever created. Whether you’re spreading bait across a wide area, fishing crumb-filled PVA bags, or boosting hookbaits with liquid attractors, the right approach can transform your results.
Better still – OMC is giving you the chance to win a £100 omctackle.com voucher in our monthly Bait Competition. Simply submit a catch report using OMC bait for your chance to win!
So that’s boilies – versatile, reliable, and big-fish proven. Add them to your carp fishing tactics and get ready for your alarms to scream!
Journalist Chris Haydon joined the OMC Family in the spring of 2024, after six years working for the UK's number 1 fishing publication, the Angling Times. He is a keen Coarse and Carp Fishing All-rounder, fishing in the South West region, including the famous Cotswold Water Park.
