The Soar Tackle Lowdown: VDE Gold Pro Bream Groundbait Guide

The Soar Tackle Lowdown: VDE Gold Pro Bream Groundbait Guide

When it comes to targeting proper Bream and Skimmers on the rivers or still waters, Marcel Van Den Eynde Gold Pro Bream is an absolute classic that has stood the test of time. It is a sweet, highly aromatic mix that Bream simply cannot resist—honestly, it smells amazing! Don't just think of it as a Bream mix though, as Tench and even Roach seem to love it.

A "Versatile Flowing or Still Water" Mix

Straight out of the bag, Gold Pro is a medium-textured, fairly sticky mix. It’s nowhere near as heavy or sticky as Record Bream, but it has plenty of binding power to comfortably carry loose feed in a steady-flowing river of around 10ft – 12ft deep.

Because it is so versatile, you can easily change its mechanics by blending it with other VDE groundbaits or additives to suit your peg.

Stickier Mix / Slow the Breakdown

  • Add VDE Turbo: Turbo works well with Gold Pro Bream. For venues like the Trent when you need a little more bind, adding Turbo allows you to slow the breakdown time, giving you a versatile mix for more pacy swims.

  • Add VDE Secret: If you are faced with even more flow and/or depth, reach for VDE Secret in place of Turbo. Secret will really help to slow the breakdown time. It's easy to do by using simple ratios: More Turbo or Secret = more bind. If I was going over a 50/50 mix of Turbo and Gold Pro, I'd definitely reach for Secret instead of Turbo.

To Add Weight

  • Add Black Leam: Unlike the Turbo and Secret mentioned above, Leam doesn't bind the mix; it purely adds weight to get the bait to the bottom while actually helping the groundbait break open once it's there. A classic deep venue mix with a medium flow would be a combination of Gold Pro Bream, Turbo, Black Leam, and Brasem additive.

My Simple Gold Pro Mixes

1. For Summer Flows (Low Flow)

When there is very little to no flow, whether I'm on the River Soar or similar, and I'm after creating a Bream dinner table, I like a 50/50 mix of Gold Pro Bream and our Brown Crumb, plus a good sprinkle of Brasem additive.

This mix is perfect for balling in. It will break up beautifully in water up to around 10 – 12ft deep to create a nice feed area. This is also a nice mix for using through a cage or open-end feeder—just vary the amount you squeeze the mix to adjust how fast the release time is.

2. For Medium / Pacier Flows (e.g., The Trent)

For venues with a little more pace about them like the River Trent, you may need to tighten the mix up. A mix of up to 50/50 Gold Pro Bream with VDE Turbo is the classic "starting point."

If you need to slow the breakdown even further for deeper water or a stronger tow, simply switch the Turbo for VDE Secret. This will make for a really sticky mix that'll get down through the flow without breaking up. Again, add a good sprinkling of Brasem additive to keep the mix nice and sweet.

3. For Deep Waters (Lakes / Reservoirs)

If you're fishing deeper waters, maybe with quite a bit of tow, a good mix is Gold Pro Bream and Turbo to get the bind, and then add Black Leam for extra weight. This ensures your feed hits the deck exactly where you want it but still breaks open to create that Bream grazing area.

4. Additives

If need non active mix then adding a liquid additive to your mixing water will dull down any active paritcles especially when using Secret.

Tactical Mixing Guide

Venue / Condition The Mix The Goal
Still Water / Low Flow Gold Pro + Our Brown Crumb Classic Bream & Skimmer mix for balling in or through a cage / open-end feeder.
Medium Flow (Trent) Up to 50/50 Gold Pro Bream + Turbo Binds the mix to withstand the flow.
Fast Water Gold Pro Bream + Secret Extra bind from the Secret to hold the bottom.
Deep Water Gold Pro Bream + Turbo + Black Leam A more sticky mix with extra weight from the Leam to get down before breaking up.

My Top Tip: The Riddle

Always riddle your groundbait to get the best mix, or you can use a drill whisk if you have one. The benefit of running it through a riddle is to make sure there are no dry spots within the mix. This is even more important if you are mixing with Turbo or Secret, to make sure both groundbaits are thoroughly blended together.

When adding Leam, always make up your main mix first. You could effectively split your mix into two before adding the Leam, giving you one mix for the feeder and one mix for balling in (one without Leam and one with). It is important to add Leam to the mix through a riddle, then mix it all together. You may find that you need to add a little more water.

The Process:

  1. Mix all dry elements thoroughly – Add water gradually and ensure even mixing.

  2. Stand time – Let it stand for 5-10 minutes to absorb fully.

  3. Riddle it – Pass it through a groundbait riddle to aerate and break up any lumps.

  4. Final check – It should be fluffy and easy to ball up, even when adding Turbo or Secret. Add a touch more water if needed.

Following these simple steps makes a massive difference to how the groundbait performs on the day.

Session Planning with Gold Pro Bream

Before you head out or start mixing, consider:

  • Water flow: Still/Slow = neat or with Brown Crumb; More flow = add Turbo or Secret; + Leam for weight in deeper water.

  • Target species: Bream & Skimmers or Tench. Roach also seem to like this sweet mix.

Product Links

Find Gold Pro Bream and the other mixes mentioned above through the links below:

Need help dialing in your Gold Pro mix for the Trent or Soar? Get in touch—we're always happy to share what's working on the local rivers.

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