Description
AABaits Pop-Up Mix
Our AABaits Original Pop-Up Mix has been refined to improve handling and make rolling easier, while adding slightly more structure to the core. It now matches the buoyancy of the discontiuned Ultra Buoyant Pop-Up Mix.
This mix can be used with either water or liquid egg, alongside bait preservative. When using water and bait preservative, the finished baits will still be sufficiently firm. For those who prefer a harder finish, using liquid egg with bait preservative will increase firmness slightly compared to water.
For best results, always weigh your liquids (egg or water) and powders accurately. Pop-up mixes require precise measurements, so we recommend using scales accurate to at least 0.1g to ensure consistency.
This mix produces extremely buoyant hook baits that will remain popped up for days. In our tank tests, 12mm pop-ups tied to a thinking anglers size 4 curved shank hook with a micro ring bait swivel remained buoyant for over 7 days (testing was stopped at that point).This mix is also ideal for incorporating your own base mixes. Thanks to its high buoyancy, it allows a high inclusion rate of base mix when producing matching ‘match the hatch’ wafters. Please refer to the guide below for the recommended ratios for different hook bait sizes. These are guidelines only and can be adjusted to suit your own preferred level of buoyancy and rig setup.
Made with milk and egg proteins, along with high-quality milk powders, this mix offers excellent leakage and takes on flavours and attractors extremely well. It is easy to use and roll, with a firm yet workable texture that allows use with a bait needle without excessive force.
Wafter Buoyancy Ratios
15mm Hook Bait
- 30% Pop Up Mix
- 70% Base Mix
Produces a well-balanced wafter when used with a Thinking Anglers Size 4 Curved Shank Hook and Micro Rig Swivel, based on our own testing. As every base mix differs in density, your results may vary. Use this as a starting point and adjust the ratio to achieve your preferred level of buoyancy.
18mm Hook Bait
- 20% Pop Up Mix
- 80% Base Mix
Produces a well-balanced wafter when used with a Thinking Anglers Size 4 Curved Shank Hook and Micro Rig Swivel, based on our own testing. As every base mix differs in density, your results may vary. Use this as a starting point and adjust the ratio to achieve your preferred level of buoyancy.
NOTE: These are guidelines, ratios can be altered accordingly. Adding more base mix will lower the buoyancy of the finished hookbait.
Pop Up Buoyancy Ratios
15mm Hook Bait
- 75% Pop Up Mix
- 25% Base Mix
Produces a pop up that is still buoyant enough when used with a Thinking Anglers Size 4 Curved Shank Hook and Micro Rig Swivel, based on our own testing. As every base mix differs in density, your results may vary. Use this as a starting point and adjust the ratio to achieve your preferred level of buoyancy.
18mm Hook Bait
- 65% Pop Up Mix
- 35% Base Mix
Produces a pop up that is still buoyant enough when used with a Thinking Anglers Size 4 Curved Shank Hook and Micro Rig Swivel, based on our own testing. As every base mix differs in density, your results may vary. Use this as a starting point and adjust the ratio to achieve your preferred level of buoyancy.
NOTE: These ratios are intended as a starting point and can be adjusted to achieve your preferred level of buoyancy. Increasing the proportion of base mix will gradually reduce the buoyancy of the finished hook bait. If too much base mix is incorporated, the hook bait may not remain buoyant for the required duration. Trial and error may be necessary to achieve the perfect balance for your chosen base mix and rig setup.
Mixing Ratios
Standard Mix (No Dye)
- 80g Liquid Egg (or Water)
- 20g Bait Preservative
- 10ml Flavour
- 155g Pop Up Mix (Roughly extra 10g pop up mix when using water)
Standard Coloured Mix
- 80g Liquid Egg (or Water)
- 20g Bait Preservative
- 10ml Flavour
- 153g Pop Up Mix (Roughly extra 10g pop up mix when using water)
- 2g Standard Dye
Fluoro Mix
- 80g Liquid Egg (or Water)
- 20g Bait Preservative
- 10ml Flavour
- 148g Pop Up Mix (Roughly extra 10g pop up mix when using water)
- 7g Fluoro Dye
Pastel Mix
- 80g Liquid Egg (or Water)
- 20g Bait Preservative
- 10ml Flavour
- 149.5g Pop Up Mix (Roughly extra 10g pop up mix when using water)
- 3.5g Fluoro Dye
- 2g White Dye
Iron Oxide Mix
- 80g Liquid Egg (or Water)
- 20g Bait Preservative
- 10ml Flavour
- 153.5g Pop Up Mix (Roughly extra 10g pop up mix when using water)
- 1.5g Iron Oxide Dye
Colour, Flavour & Mixing Guide
Overall Mixing Ratio
IMPORTANT: Always weigh both liquids and powders accurately using digital scales capable of measuring to at least 0.1g.
The standard mixing ratio for this wafter mix is 1.46g powder to 1g total liquid. This ratio has been developed to provide the ideal consistency, workability and finished buoyancy.
When incorporating additional liquids or powdered additives such as flavours, oils, liquid foods, amino acids or powdered attractors, the ratio may require slight adjustment.
As a starting point for customised recipes, reduce the ratio to approximately 1.35g powder per 1g total liquid, then fine tune until your preferred dough consistency is achieved.
Colour Inclusion
The inclusion rates below are intended as a guide and can be adjusted to achieve your preferred colour intensity.
Standard Colours
- 2g Standard Dye
- 153g Pop Up Mix
Fluoro Colours
- 7g Fluoro Dye
- 148g Pop Up Mix
White Colour
- 4g White standard dye
- 151g Pop Up Mix
Pastel Colours
- 3.5g Fluoro Dye
- 2g White Dye
- Per 149.5g Pop Up Mix
Iron Oxide Colours
- 1.5g Iron Oxide Dye
- 153.5g Pop Up Mix
Larger Batch Guide (Per 1kg Wafter Mix)
- Bright Fluoro Colours – 40g Fluoro Dye
- Pastel Colours – 20g Fluoro Dye – 10g white dye (not essential). Lowering the fluoro dye will create a pastel colour but we personally prefer the colour achieved by adding white dye, as it creates a softer, more natural-looking finish.)
- Standard Colours – 11g Standard Dye
- Iron Oxide Colours – 8g Iron Oxide Dye
- White Colour – 22g White Standard Dye
Note: For the most even colour distribution, place the dry mix and dyes into a sealed bag, trap some air inside and shake thoroughly before adding any liquids.
Flavour Inclusion
Some flavours simply are not compatible with pop-up and wafter mixes and can significantly affect the binding properties of the dough.
If this occurs, try one of the following:
- Dilute the flavour with bait preservative.
- Mix it with your other liquid ingredients.
- Dilute it with a small amount of water before adding it to the egg.
Some flavours can only be applied to the finished hook baits because they interfere with the binding process too much to be incorporated into the mix.
For maximum attraction, we recommend boosting finished hook baits with flavours and additional liquid attractors after boiling. During the boiling process, some attractants are inevitably lost, while the coagulated egg albumen locks in a proportion of the remaining liquids, reducing their leakage. Applying flavours and attractors to the finished hook baits maximises leakage and overall attraction.
Note: Allow the hook baits to dry until they still retain a slight amount of flexibility before reapplying additional flavours or liquids. These can be applied multiple times to further increase attraction.
Instructions
- Weigh out 80g water (or liquid egg) and 20g bait preservative (100g total).
- Add 10ml flavour and mix thoroughly.
- Add your chosen powder blend and mix until a light, fluffy consistency is achieved.
- Lightly coat a pair of vinyl gloves with approximately 0.5ml of your chosen oil.
- Knead the mix for 2–3 minutes until a smooth dough is formed.
- Place the dough into a sealed bag and leave to rest for 15 minutes to allow full absorption.
- Lightly knead again before rolling into a sausage suitable for your extruder.
- Load into your sausage gun and extrude a small amount to check sizing.
- Begin with a slightly undersized nozzle and gradually trim it until it perfectly matches your rolling table. Always test using a full-length sausage before making further adjustments, as a full sausage can expand slightly differently during extrusion.
- Roll your hook baits and transfer them to a tray. Rice flour is normally unnecessary with this mix, but if sticking occurs, lightly dust the tray and remove any excess before use.
- Bring water to the boil, then reduce slightly (approximately 98°C). Although the mix will withstand a full rolling boil, a slightly lower temperature is recommended.
- Remove the hook baits and place them onto an air-drying tray.
- Air dry your hook baits for a minimum of 24 hours before storing, allowing longer during colder or more humid conditions. The lower the remaining moisture content, the greater the resistance to mould.
Batch Yield: Approximately 250g of finished hook baits. Simply halve all ingredients to produce approximately 125g.
Boiling Times
12mm – 60 seconds
15mm – 1½–2 minutes
18mm –2–2.5 minutes
Drying & Storage
Proper drying is essential. Air dry your hook baits for a minimum of 24 hours before storing, allowing longer during colder or more humid conditions. The lower the remaining moisture content, the greater the resistance to mould.
Avoid over-drying your hook baits. Excessive drying can make them brittle and prone to cracking when squeezed. We prefer our finished hook baits to retain a slight amount of flexibility, allowing them to bounce back slightly rather than becoming stone hard.
Unit E2, Russell Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, CH42 1LU, UK
Angela Oliver (verified owner) –
Great pop up mix caught using this base mix