Series: Base Ingredients (Part 2 of 3)
Prev: Part 1 — Nut Meals & Nut Flours → (add link)
Next: Part 3 — Nut Base Mix Templates → (add link)
If you only learn one nut-based combo, make it tiger nut + peanut. It’s cheap enough to bait with, easy to source in the USA, and it produces a boilie carp accept quickly—especially on pressured water where “weird” baits get mouthed and spat.
This is not a protein-flex bait. It’s a palatable food signal that leaks and gets eaten.
Continue the Nut Base Ingredients Series
→ Part 1: Nut Protein Powders & Nut Meals (Foundations)
→ Part 2: Tiger Nut, Peanut, Almond & Hazelnut (Ingredient Guide)
→ Part 3: Nut Boilie Base Mix Recipes
Quick Start (the simple working formula)
A reliable starting point for Michigan:
- Tiger nut flour: 15–25%
- Peanut flour (defatted/PB2-style): 10–20%
- Binder spine (semolina + soy flour): 35–55%
- Optional strength: egg albumen 2–5%
Keep the whole mix rollable and test it before you scale.
Tiger nut: what it actually brings
Tiger nut flour is:
- sweet and creamy (carp-friendly)
- oily enough to leak attraction
- fibrous enough to open the bait
Best use: 15–25% in a base mix where it’s clearly “the theme.”
Peanut: pick the right type
Defatted peanut flour / PB2 style
- Higher protein (for a nut ingredient)
- Easier rolling, less greasy
- Great for consistent base mixes
Full-fat ground roasted peanuts
- Stronger smell and oil leak
- Can soften baits if you push it
Simple rule: if you’re learning, start with defatted peanut flour.
Michigan Notes: when this combo beats fishmeal
This bait often outperforms heavy marine mixes when:
- water is 50–60°F and carp are feeding but not smashing oily baits
- you’re fishing short sessions and need fast acceptance
- your water gets pressured and carp get cautious around harsh smells
Step-by-step: build the dough so it rolls clean
- Mix dry ingredients thoroughly (5 minutes).
- Beat 5–6 medium eggs (depends on your mix).
- Add dry mix slowly into eggs, stop when it forms a firm dough.
- Rest the dough 10–15 minutes (important with nut/fiber ingredients).
- Roll and boil.
- Air dry:
- freezer baits: 2–6 hours, then freeze
- tougher baits: 24 hours in a cool airy spot
Two proven “first builds” (dry base mixes)
A) The easy sweet-nut classic (balanced, rolls well)
- 250 g tiger nut flour
- 180 g semolina
- 200 g toasted soy flour
- 150 g defatted peanut flour
- 120 g wheatgerm
- 50 g egg albumen
What it does: steady leak, decent firmness, good for spring through fall.
B) The heavier baiting mix (cheaper, volume-friendly)
- 250 g semolina
- 250 g toasted soy flour
- 200 g defatted peanut flour
- 200 g tiger nut flour
- 100 g wheatgerm
What it does: easy to roll, good durability, ideal for campaigns.
Common mistakes
- Too much full-fat peanut → soft baits and greasy dough.
- No binder spine → baits crack or collapse.
- Not resting dough → you keep “fixing” a mix that just needed time.
- No jar test → you learn at the lake (worst place).
FAQ
Do I need flavors with this?
Usually no. If you add anything, keep it subtle (a touch of maple/vanilla).
What size baits for Michigan?
For general fishing: 15–20 mm.
For cold edges or cautious fish: 12–15 mm.
How long should they last in water?
Aim for: softening starts 8–12 hours, still fishable at 24 hours. Adjust boil time and albumen to tune it.
Next Steps
- Read Part 3: Nut Base Mix Templates (add link)
- Related: Boilie School hub (add link)
Continue the Nut Base Ingredients Series
→ Part 1: Nut Protein Powders & Nut Meals (Foundations)
→ Part 2: Tiger Nut, Peanut, Almond & Hazelnut (Ingredient Guide)
→ Part 3: Nut Boilie Base Mix Recipes
Disclaimer: Product strength varies by brand, batch, and processing (protein %, fat %, grind, and solubility). Treat inclusion rates and recipes here as reference starting points only. Always check your product label, start low on any new ingredient, roll a small test batch, and adjust liquids/binders/boil time for your mix and water temperature.