Whatever Happened to Vitalin Original? The King of Cheap Spod Mixes!
Who else remembers Vitalin Original?
For years it was probably one of the best-kept secrets in carp fishing. Originally sold as a complete working dog food, it somehow found its way into the carp scene and became an absolute weapon for spod mixes.
The beauty of it was the price. Around £10 for a 20kg sack, and because it absorbed so much water, that 20kg bag seemed to turn into an endless amount of bait. Once you’d soaked it properly, it would easily make 70–80kg of spod mix, giving you enough bait for multiple sessions for next to nothing.
It had everything going for it too. Different-sized particles, cereals, biscuits, oils and a lovely sweet smell once it had been soaking. Add a bit of hemp, sweetcorn or pellets and you had a mix that would keep carp grubbing around for hours without spending a fortune.
I’ll never forget the first time I used it…
I’d read that it expanded when soaked, so I thought I’d stick a load in a bucket with some water, put the lid on and leave it overnight in the house.
Big mistake.
I massively underestimated just how much it expanded. By the morning, the Vitalin had literally forced the lid off the bucket and kept growing. There was soaked dog food pouring over the sides and all over the carpet.
Let’s just say… the wife wasn’t impressed. 
That carpet never really recovered, and I got a proper telling off. Looking back now it’s hilarious, but at the time I wasn’t laughing!
It’s a shame the original recipe disappeared because it really was one of those products that punched well above its weight. Cheap, effective and capable of making an unbelievable amount of bait for very little money.
Did anyone else use Vitalin Original?
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Did you have your own favourite recipe?
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Did you mix it with hemp, maize or pellets?
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And has anyone found a modern alternative that’s anywhere near as good?