Boilie School BS-03: Base Mix Templates — Marine, Birdfood, and Milk/Nut Styles.

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The three base families you’ll see everywhere

Almost every “good” boilie you’ve ever heard of can be traced back to one of these:

  • Marine fishmeal base (fishmeal + binders + solubles)
  • Birdfood base (birdseed meals + binders + proteins)
  • Milk / nut base (milk proteins + nut meals + gentle solubles)

You can blend them, but learning them one at a time is how you become consistent fast.

Template #1: Marine fishmeal base (classic big-fish profile)

Best for: warm water, campaign baiting, big-lake carp that respond to strong food signals.

Simple template (percent ranges):

  • Fishmeal(s): 25–40%
  • Structural binders (semolina/flours): 35–50%
  • Supporting proteins (veg/milk): 10–20%
  • Solubles (yeast/hydro/salts): 5–12%

Beginner marine “starter mix” example (safe + proven): This is a learning mix, not a secret sauce.

  • 35% quality fishmeal
  • 30% semolina
  • 20% soya flour (or other veg protein)
  • 10% birdfood or ground grains
  • 5% yeast product (brewer’s yeast or yeast extract)

That mix will roll, boil, and fish. From there you can refine with a hydrolysate, a better fishmeal, or a more targeted soluble blend.

Template #2: Birdfood base (texture + digestibility)

Best for: mixed seasons, waters with natural grains/seeds in the food chain, anglers who want reliable rolling and leakage.

Why it works: birdfood brings texture and tiny particles that help water penetrate and carry signals out.

Template (percent ranges):

  • Birdfood / ground seeds: 20–40%
  • Binders (semolina/flours): 30–45%
  • Proteins (marine, milk, or veg): 15–30%
  • Solubles: 5–12%

Pro tip: Birdfood mixes can be too open. If baits crumble, increase fine binder slightly or tighten boiling time.

Template #3: Milk / nut base (clean signals, confidence feeding)

Best for: pressured fish, cooler water, snails/mussels present, and anglers who like a “natural food” vibe.

Important: We’re keeping the full Michigan Carp premium milk/bird blend private for now. What I can publish here is a clean template you can learn from—without giving away your exact recipe structure.

Template (percent ranges):

  • Milk proteins & milk powders: 20–35%
  • Nut meals / gentle fats: 10–20%
  • Binders (semolina/flours): 30–45%
  • Gentle solubles (yeast, milk solubles, sweeteners): 5–12%

Starter “milk-style” learning mix (not your premium blend):

  • 40% semolina/flour blend
  • 25% milk powder/protein blend
  • 15% nut meal
  • 15% ground grains/birdfood-style ingredient
  • 5% yeast product

This teaches you dough behavior and leakage. Once you can roll and repeat, you can upgrade ingredients and refine signals.

How to choose which template for Northern Michigan

  • Early spring / cold water: milk/nut or lighter birdfood, low oil, steady leakage.
  • Summer peak: marine or blended bases, more food value, bigger baits.
  • Fall feed-up: higher food value and consistency—marine often shines here.

Rollability rules (so you don’t waste batches)

  • If dough is sticky: reduce liquid slightly, rest dough 10 minutes, add a pinch of binder.
  • If dough is crumbly: add egg/liquid, or reduce “hard” protein fraction.
  • If baits split in the pan: boil time too long or dough too dry.

Action steps before BS-04

  1. Pick one template and build it once with simple ingredients.
  2. Write down how it rolled, boiled, and dried (your “mix log”).
  3. Only change one thing at a time when upgrading.

Next in series: BS-04 — Liquids & Additives — Flavors, Oils, Hydrolysates, and How to Dose Them

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