There are 2 main pellets used by coarse, match, and carp anglers. These are coppens pellets and skrettings pellets.
The main difference between them is: Coppens are lighter in colour and are a much denser pellet. Perfect for wagger, bomb, and pole fishing. Skrettings are darker and more porous and slightly rougher and better for soaking in water to use on a method feeder.
Coppens = higher oil content, less fishmeal, sink faster, don’t break down as quick?
Skrettings = sink slower, more fishmeal, less oil, break down and turn to mush quicker so are better for feeder fishing.
When it comes to 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm the best way to identify them is that the coppens will have more of a barrel shape and a much denser pellet and have a “waxier” look to them. However, coppens are no good when mixed with water, therefore if you are mixing up 2mm micro coppens pellets to use on the feeder, chances are this will not turn out very well as they won’t mold together that well and won’t break up very well when on the bottom of the water.
Coppens are perfect for hard pellet fishing when you are fishing pellets on the bottom with your pole and want to feed them in your pole pot etc. However, due to how hard they are can be a bit of hard work at 16m in a pole pot, purely because of how hard and dense they are. This means they are more likely to fall out of your pole pot.
They are also great for bomb and pellet or used with a waggler.
Some anglers say that because they are a denser pellet they are easier to feed in a catapult etc but I honestly don’t know what difference that can make.
Skrettings are darker, more porous, and are perfect for soaking in water or additives. Jamie Hughes, 3 time Fish O’Mania winner mentions in this video, that for all his micro pellet fishing he wants to use skrettings pellets for this. He describes them as nice light, soapy pellets that don’t go to mush
A skrettings pellet can still be used as a hard pellet but you have to be aware that its going to break down easier than a coppens pellet. If you are banding your hook bait then its always worth checking your bait after ten minutes or so to make sure that the bait band hasn’t gone through the pellet itself.
Batches can be hard to identify sometimes, so it’s always worth asking the fishery owner what style they are.
Contents
FAQs
Which is best for shallow fishing?
Skrettings in a larger size such as 6mm or an 8mm is great for shallow fishing. The reason for this is because they are less dense they will fall through the water slightly slower, which gives the fish more time to see the bait moving through the water. Of course, we are only talking a matter of seconds, but that could be a massive advantage in a match.
However, skrettings will make less noise when hitting the water, so bear that in mind as some fish will be attracted to noise. If you are unsure of this, take both sets of pellets next time you go fishing and fire them into the far margin with a catapult and listen to the difference the noise makes.
Which one lasts longer on the hook?
Coppens will last longer as hook baits due to them being a harder, denser bait. Having a bait band around these for hours will not affect the pellet. Whereas, a skrettings pellet will start to break up after a while.
Is one cheaper than the other?
No, the costs at most fisheries and tackle shops will be about the same.
Which work best with additives?
Skrettings pellets are best soaked in water which means these ones will take on additives much better than coppens pellets.
Do the fish know/care?
Fish can’t read what’s on the packets. Joking aside, if the fish are hungry and really on it, then it won’t matter at all which pellet you use. The only reason you will want to know yourself is that you can present one better than the other, depending on the situation.
Which one is best for feeder fishing?
Skrettings pellets are better for feeder fishing. They will mould into a better shape around the feeder and also break up easier once the feeder hits the bottom of the lake.
What about fishery pellets?
The fishery pellets rule can be a real pain. I can see it from both sides.
The fishery owner wants to know exactly what pellets are going into his fishery, and its also a way for them to make a bit of extra money for the fishery which can be invested back into fish stocks. This is why they like you to use their own pellets.
However, it can be a real pain for the angler who ends up with multiple bags of pellets from different fisheries, and they, themselves, may find it hard to know which fishery they got the bait from. The best way is to just put a sticker on the bag so that you know for next time.
Buying in bulk?
I have big tubs of my own pellets at home. These are stored in the garage and labelled as skrettings and coppens. As long as the fishery doesn’t make you use their own pellets then this is what I use.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, pellet choice is a personal preference.
Mike has over 30 years of fishing experience in carp fishing and general coarse fishing. He is always looking for the latest fishing kit to try out and talk about and needs a bigger shed due to all the fishing tackle he owns. You can read more about him here.