Ecobait Observations
Fish Chocolate spread liberally on a softbait proved the downfall of this big boy.
“I have been following the development of Ecobait for several years now and have put some of the test product through it’s paces.
John Baanders has been the man driving the concept, his aim to produce an eco-friendly fish bait that does not impact on our natural resources. Until now he has been close, but no cigar.
Part of his brief has been to create an effective bait alternative that does not need refrigeration, will stand up to a warm environment, is easy to use, and does not smell. A tough ask but after much trial and error he finally has all the ducks in a row, the above boxes ticked.
Ecobait is not a wonder product that will guarantee to catch fish when all else – natural bait and artificial lures – has failed. From my experience with the product, it matches the performance of natural bait – squid, kahawai, pilchards,
skipjack tuna, mullet, shellfish – without the impact on the environment and/or fish stocks.
To successfully bring an artificial bait and berley to the market has been a tough row to hoe for John with plenty of disappointments along the way. As an angler I am not so much interested in the process but the finished product. In recent months I have been using the two varieties of bait, crayfish and squid incorporating a squid attractant that enhances the performance of bait and lures – John calls it Fish Chocolate. Also have been using the Ecoberley, whichis very effective.
Instead of cutting pieces or slabs of natural bait with a knife, the angler uses scissors to cut a matting-type base which is impregnated with the attractant imitating the stuff in natural bait that attracts fish and a bite response.
Deploying a ledger rig – Black Magic 5/0 Snapper Snatchers have been my go-to terminal tackle – while drift fishing, I have put my fair share of snapper in the bin thanks to Ecobait. I have played around with all sorts of ‘test’ scenarios – one hook baited with natural squid, the other squid-flavoured Ecobait; one hook baited with Ecobait ‘squid’, the other Ecobait ‘crayfish’; small bits of Ecobait attached to the assist hooks of sliders and slow-pitch inchiku jigs; and coating lures with Fish Chocolate – and can confirm it does the business. There is no definitive ‘test’ to prove the effectiveness of Ecobait other than fish in the bin. The beauty is you don’t need to refrigerate or freeze Ecobait, it doesn’t smell, is easy to use and won’t stink out your boat, your clothes, or your hands. It is a hard bait that stays on the hook. For surfcasters this is a big plus as bait elastic is not needed to hold a bait together. And most important of all, Ecobait has minimal environmental impact and easy on the pocket.
The comments above apply equally to Ecoberley. Catching live baits at times can be a frustrating business, but the use of berley will often bring them on the bite – blue koheru are a prime example. The one time I used Ecoberley in no time at all I had these kingfish candies swarming around the back of the boat, along with jack mackerel and piper. I recall many years ago testing another ‘new’ berley which used freshwater carp as its base. It was very oily but acted more like a fish dispersant rather than attractant!
In summing up, Ecobait has a lot going for it. It is a practicalproduct that is value for money while going easy on theenvironment.”
Grant DixonMangawhai
Left: The bin is starting to fill up with a decent haul.
Above: Another for the bin.
Bottom left: Squid ‘flavoured’ Ecobait was just as effective as its natural counterpart when it came to putting fish in the bin. Also very economical.
Right: Squid ‘flavoured’ Ecobait hook set up while drift fishing in 60m of water.
Above: Another for the bin.
Bottom left: Squid ‘flavoured’ Ecobait was just as effective as its natural counterpart when it came to putting fish in the bin. Also very economical.
Right: Squid ‘flavoured’ Ecobait hook set up while drift fishing in 60m of water.
