Tigers, Chufas Or Growlers!

Unquestionably, tiger nuts are a deadly bait. Self-baiting, carp will eat them and then excrete them a few hundred yards down the bank, until another carp picks them up and does the same. They’re superb on big, low-stock pits, and have proved the downfall of numerous big carp. Given how they work, you don’t need to feed loads in a swim. They work well fished over other particles or chopped tigers, in PVA bags, and in spod mixes at low levels. And whilst you can buy them ready-to-go, preparing your own isn’t just cheaper, but you can make them so much more attractive to the carp. Here’s a couple of ways to do just that… 

SIMPLY TIGERS
Crucially, and before you even think about prep, obtain your tigers from a reputable dealer, ideally from a fresh crop—they shouldn’t look like old, dried, wrinkled prunes! Next, presoak 1–2kgs of nuts in a pan of water for 24hrs (ratio: 2 parts water to 1 part nuts). Here’s how you do the rest…

1. Bring the pan to the boil and simmer for 30–45 minutes.
2. After about 20 minutes, the nuts should be hydrated and easy to bite through.
3. Remove a large handful for hookbaits.
4. Transfer the remaining cooked nuts to a sealable bucket and add a bag of demerara or muscovado sugar. Stir well to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved.
5. Once cool, they can be frozen or used within a couple of weeks. As they ferment, the liquid will turn incredibly sticky and smell delicious!  
6. Those hookbaits you picked out can be stored in a small, sealable box and soaked in Hinders Betalin. (They can be stored this way indefinitely, and flavoured Betalin is also fine.)

TIGERS WITH A TWIST IN THEIR TAIL!
The best things come to those who wait, and the best nuts are those that are full, plump and swollen, albeit their method of preparation is a little more time-consuming.

1. Weigh out 1–2kg of standard tiger nuts.
2. Remember the ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part tigers (they must be covered).
3. Pour the correct volume of hot water into a sealable bucket (see 2). Add a bag of muscovado sugar, a bag of demerara sugar and 1–5ml Hinders Betalin (original). Ensure all are fully dissolved. (Some like to use Coca-Cola instead of water, but be warned!)
4. Add the tigers to the liquor, and if necessary, top up with hot water.
5. Leave for 24hrs in a warm spot and ensure they remain covered.
6. Then leave the nuts and liquid for 5–7 days in a nice warm, sunny spot.
7. At this point you should have some nice, juicy, plump nuts!
8. Transfer to a suitable pan with sugar liquor, and boil for 5–10 minutes max.
9. Return to the bucket and seal.
10. Leave for a further 2–3 days to allow the final fermentation process to complete.
11. They can then be either frozen or used.
12. If perfect, the nuts will exude a nice sweet, milky, fizzy juice. Ultra tigers!