| Certain big carp baits have endured the test of | | | | benefits from. |
| time over many decades. Some have especially | | | | The common focus of many anglers in regards |
| proved themselves far more productive | | | | their baits is the 'flavour' it has, or less degree its |
| long-term for the bigger specimens. Many anglers | | | | 'protein content.' High protein boilies for example |
| desire consistent big carp catches and baits that | | | | have been very popular in the past and there |
| can possibly 'level-out' differences between an | | | | have been situations where anglers have used |
| angler's angling abilities, time available, monetary | | | | bait ingredients to achieve the highest crude |
| and tackle resources, experience and so on. | | | | protein levels in their baits. Often , milk proteins |
| There is no doubt among those anglers that use | | | | have been used because many milk derivatives |
| 'high' or 'balanced' nutritional value baits, that they | | | | and fraction have very high protein content, with |
| produce long-term big fish results. Providing the | | | | quite a number quoted as having 88 to 96 |
| essential dietary requirements of fish can very | | | | percent protein. |
| much determine the initial and repeated behaviour | | | | Carp for example do not require 'protein' at least |
| a fish has towards such a bait. Refining the taste | | | | 'whole protein' as such, but certainly have essential |
| of the bait is a very important part in this too. | | | | dietary requirements for nitrogen and amino acids |
| But what is the mystery and incredible cumulative | | | | among very many other 'essential' requirements. |
| effects of specific nutritional baits can have and | | | | The protein content of a bait is often quoted as |
| how do they really work both short and | | | | doing all the major stimulatory and attraction |
| long-term to achieve the hooking of a fish? | | | | work of the bait. Certainly, the soluble |
| Comparatively few anglers understand why such | | | | components of such a bait do much of the work |
| baits work and often, when asked about them, a | | | | compared to the insoluble and least digestible |
| vague "something to do with protein, oils, flavours, | | | | components. |
| minerals etc" is offered. It seems to me that | | | | Some nutritional ingredients have stimulatory |
| many anglers drop the deeper questions about | | | | effects which can be as or more important than |
| bait, when things get any further than the 'name' | | | | the nutritional benefit to the fish upon attempted |
| or label, or flavour a ready made products is | | | | digestion. I'm referring to milk proteins like casein |
| marketed as. But anyway, why would an angler | | | | for example. Enzyme treated casein is far better |
| even benefit from knowing how and why their | | | | from a nutritional and stimulatory perspective than |
| ready made baits work; they catch fish after all? | | | | whole casein powder, it having significantly more |
| It is common for an angler to see an advert or | | | | solubility for a start. The taste and smell of milk |
| 'advertorial' with their current favourite fishing | | | | proteins is undeniably very potent to carp, even |
| heroes and buy the ready made bait being | | | | the humble normal milk powders used every day. |
| recommended and use that. This is fine for very | | | | Used in ground baits for example, these readily |
| many anglers, but then very many anglers make | | | | prove their worth. |
| up the majority who only achieve the kind of | | | | Things have changed drastically in carp fishing in |
| results the 'average angler' achieves. If you want | | | | the UK over the last 50 years. The commonly |
| more certainty about better than average results, | | | | held popular theory of milk proteins seemed to be |
| you require more control over this vital aspect of | | | | a product of the age, where few anglers used |
| your fishing. | | | | much bait if at all, and the secrets of nutritionally |
| There is of course nothing wrong with 'borrowing | | | | stimulating baits were not yet being exploited by |
| confidence' from recommendations of successful | | | | the majority of anglers using ready made baits as |
| and 'high profile' anglers. They must use bait of | | | | they do today. Also there were far fewer carp |
| some sort; so why not think "If it is good enough | | | | anglers in the past and far less carp in any |
| for them, it is good enough for me." Many anglers | | | | numbers of any significant size.) |
| over-look the fact that most of these anglers | | | | The fact is that the use of two to ten kilograms |
| would also do very well on any quality bait and | | | | of free bait boilies or pellets, or other baits for a |
| 'crap baits' too... If you team up an exceptionally | | | | single night session, is a common practice for |
| talented angler with outstanding bait, the results | | | | many modern carp anglers. The fish are getting |
| will be as expected, but then they will do it with | | | | filled up and sustained on more food than they |
| 'humble baits' too. Think Dave lanes catches off | | | | need on many waters. The long periods of time |
| the surface at 'Horton' or Rod Hutchinson's results | | | | during a season where no fish are caught, as in |
| at 'Redmire' on particles for instance. Many an | | | | the winter period on many waters demonstrates |
| angler would turn to a tiger nut or peanuts, hemp | | | | how many fish no longer really have to feed all |
| or maggots, if boilies and pellets were banned on | | | | year round. A spring and early summer binge is |
| their water. | | | | commonly being replaced by the 'traditional' UK |
| The days of the cheap 'crap value' semolina and | | | | October pre-winter feeding binge of 20 or more |
| soya flour baits with a flavour (and similar) that | | | | years ago. |
| dominated many waters in the past have been | | | | The popular UK theory about bait was that carp |
| replaced by a completely different generation and | | | | 'preferred' high nutritional value ones where lower |
| quality of baits used today. (Sure there are | | | | nutritional value baits were introduced. (These |
| artificial or fake baits being used today, but these | | | | were mostly carbohydrate based baits made |
| are hook baits only!) | | | | predominantly from soya flour and semolina.) |
| Quality baits are those designed specifically to | | | | When fishing with fish and milk protein based |
| provide for the needs of a particular species of | | | | baits, on some waters in the 1970's and 1980's |
| fish using a balanced and broad spectrum of highly | | | | depending on many variable factors, this may well |
| nutritious fresh ingredients which have more | | | | have been the case. However, I have always |
| favourable digestibility and therefore higher | | | | fished a variety of baits side by side of both low |
| nutritional value. The 'bioactivity' and solubility and | | | | protein carbohydrate type and of high or balanced |
| components of such baits varies extremely | | | | nutrition types. |
| widely being designed with various different | | | | On balance, the baits which caught most fish |
| approaches and angles of stimulation and | | | | were the ones I used the most, it became clear |
| attraction in mind. | | | | that a balanced nutrition bait had a frequent edge |
| Anyhow, some 'club water committees' seem to | | | | especially for bigger fish with greater nutritional |
| like banning such baits due to the changes in | | | | and energy requirements. In this respect the |
| feeding behaviour of their target species which | | | | bigger fish can be easier to catch as the nutritional |
| may be roach as opposed to carp. (These guys | | | | baits appear more big fish selective. Many |
| need to adapt their tackle and baits!) Sure, you | | | | American anglers and those in countries 'crawling |
| need to check on certain particles like peanuts and | | | | with virtually un-fished for carp' have yet to |
| so on, but then particle baits are easily available, | | | | discover this experience. I've yet to notice maize, |
| ready prepared these days.) Why would you ban | | | | plastic baits, hemp, sweetcorn etc to be as big |
| quality nutritional boilies and pellets anyway; many | | | | fish selective... |
| fish species grow bigger, faster by regularly | | | | But it is very often the case that the introduction |
| feeding on them and meeting their essential | | | | of large amounts of a variety of baits, from |
| dietary needs so much more efficiently. | | | | pellets, peanuts, maize, boilies and so on, can |
| Not only this, pest and disease immunity can be | | | | massively impact on the feeding habits and |
| improved, especially over the winter and spring | | | | feeding locations of fish in any individual fishery. |
| periods and general health and condition is | | | | Even if it is a '50 / 50' semolina and soya flour |
| improved, if not fish longevity too. Why would | | | | mix, on many waters where this is introduced, if |
| any responsible fishery owner not want such | | | | enough is regularly introduced it can for a while |
| benefits? If over-stressed fish need to they can | | | | dominate catches. Carp generally tend to exploit |
| often 'turn-off' boilies and pellet baits and thrive on | | | | any readily available regular food source. |
| the more abundant natural foods made available | | | | I remember it striking me that carp often have |
| by the far lower dependence of fish upon them. | | | | the habit of binging on large amounts of bait |
| Most lakes have one or a few so-called 'natural | | | | smaller fish cannot handle. Just imagine all the |
| feeders' that are never, or extremely rarely | | | | occasions where lots of ground bait, maggots, |
| caught on anglers' baits of any kind. | | | | sweetcorn, pellets and dog biscuits have been |
| I'm sure this has much to do with the way their | | | | used over the course of a day and build up in an |
| receptors are developed, actively adapted and | | | | area or swim. At some point, often in the evening |
| coded for various substances in their environment. | | | | or following morning, the carp will move in and |
| In a related way, it is not dissimilar to an individual | | | | devour everything left. So there appears to be |
| who is unable to put on muscle due to the way | | | | efficient energy benefits to eating a new bloom |
| their genetics, body chemistry and metabolism | | | | of food appearing in a swim. |
| are set-up even when eating a high protein diet. In | | | | Of course carp are conditioned by repetition into |
| contrast, a different individual can seem to put on | | | | behaviours so they will respond to bait being |
| the pounds, or remain muscular even on a | | | | introduced. On some lakes they will roll over a |
| vegetarian low protein diet. | | | | freshly baited area upon its initial introduction, but |
| 'Blind spots' in physiological processes are very | | | | wait to feed on it for 3 or 4 days if they have |
| common types of developmental adaptations, | | | | been constantly subjected to heavy fishing |
| mutations etc in nature. These contribute to | | | | pressure. (Fishing over washed out nutritional baits |
| diversity and the ability of organisms to survive | | | | is a well-known edge where fresh boilies used as |
| threats like changes in food availability and | | | | ground baits may even act as a deterrent.) |
| opportunities involving the need to adapt to new | | | | It is not necessarily the new wonder 'HNV' bait |
| foods available in the environment and so on. We | | | | that dominates a water all the time. There are |
| are to a great degree a product of the diet our | | | | factors here which complicate things. For instance, |
| ancestors and the foods available in their | | | | just how much of the fishes dietary requirements |
| environment, just like carp are. (In fact the links | | | | satisfy them to the extent that they do not |
| and commonalities between humans and carp are | | | | actually need to consume all the nutritional baits |
| very significant when it comes to designing fishing | | | | being introduced? How does this affect the impact |
| baits.) | | | | of newly introduced nutritional baits? (Is it healthy |
| I've seen exceptionally talented anglers dominate | | | | for fish to feed on beds of 20 kilograms of |
| catches on a lake using 'crap' baits, but would an | | | | 'Marine pellets,' or oily fish meal baits? Oily 'glugs' |
| 'average ability angler fare so well on highly | | | | are still being promoted by some 'names' in fishing |
| pressured waters? Indeed many more famous | | | | magazines.) |
| contemporary anglers have swapped the bait | | | | I remember fishing a water in the early 1980's to |
| company that sponsors them fairly frequently; | | | | 1990's against someone who is now the boss of |
| how confusing is that for those anglers who know | | | | one of the biggest UK tackle manufacturers. This |
| very little about bait? There are definite | | | | guy had access to all the refined extracts etc |
| advantages to having a general background in | | | | available from the Far East; money was no |
| fishing of many kinds before going into carp | | | | object. Over all, he told me himself, for the time I |
| fishing. | | | | did and what I knew about bait and how it |
| Learning about the behaviour and feeding habits | | | | worked at that time, I did extremely well for |
| of different fish and the kind of baits, tackle, | | | | catches. (Although my fish were often not as |
| methods and principles to catch them effectively | | | | consistently big as his on his more refined often |
| gives a carp angler huge advantages. New anglers | | | | far more sophisticated enzyme active, |
| starting in carp fishing have far less 'real grounding' | | | | self-digesting baits.) |
| to apply to carp and are far more dependant on | | | | My point here is that despite the series of |
| help from other anglers on the bank and | | | | sessions where this guy pre-baited heavily with a |
| magazines and so on. This can be | | | | new special pre-digested bait etc, he did not |
| disadvantageous because certain biases can | | | | eclipse me all the time, even on my less refined |
| develop which can obscure what is really going on | | | | 'attractor combined nutritional style' baits. Being |
| and far better baits and tactics to overcome | | | | able to 'pre-bait' while actually fishing (or |
| challenges. | | | | beforehand) and keeping your 'HNV' bait going into |
| Statements like: "Pop-ups do not work here," or | | | | a water every 2 or 3 days at least, is very |
| "You need to be 'in' on this bait to catch" or "This | | | | important in getting it established. This practice is |
| set-up is the one to use" and so on. The advice | | | | a key part of exploiting balanced or high nutritional |
| can be well-intentioned and certainly effective at | | | | value baits. |
| the present, but things can change very rapidly, | | | | That said, the results of many contemporary |
| especially when fish are being caught by anglers | | | | anglers using different companies ready made |
| using the same or similar baits and tactics. | | | | 'HNV' or 'biological nutritional value' type baits can |
| Thinking ahead of current successful baits, | | | | often be very similar, as all these baits become |
| methods and approaches etc is one of the more | | | | 'natural food' fish become dependant on. In such |
| 'hidden' aspects of successful carp angling. | | | | situations, using new baits you have made |
| If you are user of 'food' type baits like modern | | | | yourself, or ready made baits that you have been |
| boilies and other baits like pellets and dough baits | | | | adapted and enhanced, can prove highly |
| specifically designed for catfish and carp, then you | | | | productive. |
| are familiar with 'the jargon.' This refers to the | | | | Such baits certainly can produce for you as many, |
| theory that nutritionally balanced fishing baits will | | | | if not more big fish than the 'standard versions' of |
| induce better results as a results of consistent | | | | popular established ready made baits. The author |
| bait introduction and positive recognition. This can | | | | has many other 'edges' to reveal... |
| result in fish treating your bait as natural food that | | | | By Tim Richardson. |
| they derive significant dietary and energetic | | | | |