It is best to soak your hempseed overnight before cooking it. Once soaked it should be simmered for around 15 minutes. The seeds will start to split to reveal the white hearts. Take care not to overcook the bait, especially if you wish to use it as hookbait. You need to keep an eye on your pan and stop cooking when the seeds are just beginning to split. When the hempseed is cooked, strain off your seeds but retain the oily water as this is excellent for mixing with groundbait. Rinse the seeds in cold water and pack in a sealed container.
Hookbait Tricks
Hempseed is rarely used as hookbait for larger fish as the seeds are so small. However there is a method for fishing with these tiny seeds on a big enough hook. You can use a sticky substance, which is amusingly called ‘bogey’, tied to a hair rig with hempseed pushed into it. This creates a grainy ball which will enable you to land some impressive specimens.
Ramping up the Flavour
This particle fishing bait is naturally oily and flavoursome but you can pimp your bait with a variety of attractants if you wish. Add your chosen flavours to the cooking water to create your unique take on hemp.
Top Hempseed Tips
Hempseed floats if it dries out so keep it moist whilst you are fishing. Don’t use too much at once when you are fishing because you’ll find that little and often is the way forward when it comes to hemp. If you arrange a fishing trip at short notice and haven’t prepared any hempseed then you can do a little impromptu prep-work using a vacuum flask. Put some seeds in the flask and cover them with boiling water, allowing room for the seeds to swell. Seal the flask and leave overnight. The next morning you will have usable hemp.
