This winter down here in Cornwall I’ve had some terrific catches using the new Sonu Baits F1 Groundbait. Forget what it says on the label because this new sweet, fishmeal-based groundbait is adored by skimmers, too.

It is so easy to mix, too. I don’t bother mixing it the night before a match. I make it for the first job on arrival at my peg, and I can then add a little bit more water, a little at a time, until I am happy with the end result.

The crucial thing in winter is not to mix the Sonu Baits F1 groundbait too stiffly. The mix I want to achieve is one that starts to break up just before it hit’s the bottom, so that the ground bait covers an area of, say, a metre in circumference. I don’t want all the fish to be hemmed in too tightly over the feed, and on waters with natural tow, I like to search the peg for bites.

Let’s face the facts - we can’t see what is going on down in eight feet of water, and how can we say with certainty just where the groundbait ends up? But by searching the peg, letting the float pick up the tow, I can usually suss where the fish are sitting, because that is the point in the swim where you get your bites!

So how good is the Sonu Baits F1 groundbait? On a  recent match I weighed 12lb while the anglers either side weighed 2lb and 3lb respectively. They were good anglers, too, but I wonder whether the Sonu Baits F1 groundbait has a certain pulling power? I think so, because I have also been using it to catch big skimmers at White Acres and it has become an instant favourite and one that I won’t travel to skimmer venues without having in my carryall.