| How many carp anglers wish to catch more carp but | | | | lactose (milk sugar.) Both these are notably potent |
| are stuck in a rut? Revealed here are some very | | | | taste enhancers in their own way and can condition |
| crafty ideas to catch more fish that manipulate carp | | | | carp onto baits but they can do the opposite in some |
| senses plus their responses to popular readymade | | | | fish if negative experiences are linked with such |
| and homemade baits. Discover how to exploit baits | | | | substances. |
| and bait substances to stimulate carp responses in | | | | You can say the same about solvent based flavours |
| your favour even more! | | | | of course, and with familiar substances like robin Red |
| So many carp anglers today are seriously confused | | | | which is one of the most over-used products in |
| about bait and which ones to use. To make things | | | | readymade baits known to man. Never forget that |
| very simple here is a method that really hedges your | | | | an individual carp will test a bait if it needs substances |
| bets and ensures that whatever baits you use fish | | | | a bait provides, but if it has been satiated by months |
| will be much more likely to respond favourably! | | | | and years of that bait and has been hooked a lot on |
| It is pretty obvious that most anglers today fall into | | | | it then a different bait that supplies it needs will |
| 3 camps, those who use readymade baits all the | | | | obviously potentially produce a more confident |
| time, those who use their own more economical | | | | feeding approach. It is well known that if a bait is far |
| homemade baits all the time and those who make | | | | too familiar to a wary carp (in any way including |
| their own homemade baits and maybe exploit | | | | shape, colour, flavour, movement, baiting pattern on |
| aspects of readymade baits and commercial bait | | | | the lake bed etc,) then such a bait can scare a fish |
| ingredients and liquids and so on in unique ways to | | | | right out of a swim! |
| make their baits different to normal. | | | | If you have been through the process of testing a |
| The fact is that so many carp anglers understand so | | | | recipe of bait for a number of years then you will be |
| little about how carp actually experience baits in | | | | familiar with this phenomenon: you will normally find |
| various ways and are nonplussed when it comes to | | | | there are fish that just do not get caught on that |
| understanding what baits do to water itself let alone | | | | bait. However when you change to a different bait |
| to carp senses or digestion or metabolism or general | | | | recipe, these other fish can appear as if by magic |
| health that benefits the catching of them that they | | | | very quickly, if not immediately! It is no surprise that |
| simply miss out on such advantages -big time! | | | | new baits catch out wary fish, but also no surprise |
| If you are pretty much clueless about the design of | | | | that if a change in bait recipe provides new |
| your baits and their modes of action you are like an | | | | substances a carp need or much higher levels or |
| adolescent who thinks he knows how the world | | | | qualities of them then a carp can be very much more |
| works via his limited perspective but actually has | | | | vulnerable to such a bait. It might be noticed that |
| barely any actual first hand experience upon which to | | | | certain bait substances will incite feeding behaviours |
| base his belief system on! In case you have missed | | | | even if substances in a bait have no nutritional value |
| the point, advertisers of products focus on | | | | whatsoever, or cannot be digested when consumed |
| adolescents to a massive degree because | | | | because carp lack the enzymes and gut microbial |
| adolescents are an extremely easy group to | | | | species to complete the job! |
| manipulate and influence without them even being | | | | You can see the advantage of fishing multiple |
| aware of it. I you knew the truth of how much you | | | | different baits if you want to hedge your bets about |
| were being influenced through tv soap operas, tv | | | | baits. Even on a single day, parameters in a swim can |
| reality shows, direct tv adverts, mainstream | | | | change an lead to a fish feeding on one bait more in |
| magazines and newspapers, the news and through | | | | contrast to another and fish may go through various |
| films and pop music for example you would be | | | | feeding modes and behaviours over a period of time |
| amazed. | | | | in a swim which baits having distinct different |
| Part of the process of getting you to buy | | | | characteristics can exploit! |
| readymade baits is nothing to do with what baits do | | | | It is purely conditioning that has led to the majority |
| or how they work, but simply giving you a mental | | | | of carp anglers today using just the one type of bait |
| image, impression or label to attach your feelings to. | | | | on a rig. Most anglers will use one or two bottom |
| Feelings ultimately influence your buying decisions so | | | | baits or pop-up baits of one kind on all their rigs, |
| your associations in your mind with any particular bait | | | | even when using 3 rods. Unless you are some kind of |
| should be of great interest to you! The big picture is | | | | master I would suggest there is much to be |
| that most carp baits work on most carp waters | | | | discovered and benefited form using different baits |
| when enough is applied in a short time or longer | | | | of different rods. |
| period of time. | | | | I have done loads of bait testing and substance |
| This applies in the case of the cheapest semolina and | | | | testing in the last 5 years, not in tanks with juvenile |
| soya baits to the most over-priced protein-rich ones. | | | | carp in artificially filtered water or unnatural water |
| Basically though all you want is to get as many bites | | | | quality, but in real fishing swims. This has involved a |
| as possible, preferably as soon as possible. Ask any | | | | lot of fishing with simple homemade baits fished |
| group of carp anglers to list why they prefer to use | | | | against readymade baits. Like many anglers I have |
| one bait as opposed to another and at least 9 out of | | | | used baits from a range of bait companies and these |
| 10 answers will have absolutely nothing to do with | | | | have varied hugely in price. Yet I have not found any |
| how and why the bait works. If you then anglers | | | | benefit in using expensive baits over cheaper ones. |
| why they use this company or that company almost | | | | But I must add here that the key is often not what |
| inevitably it will come down to an emotional response | | | | a bait is made of and intended to do in your swim |
| linked with a fogged-up feeling of brand loyalty but | | | | and to the fish, but exactly how and why you apply |
| the focus will certainly not usually be on what the | | | | it and fish it and this takes bait and fish know-how as |
| bait is doing to the fish and how a bait actually might | | | | well as hard experience and a little fishing talent too. |
| out-compete any other baits (even within the range | | | | Your measure of success may be the consistency |
| of the same company!) | | | | with which you keep on catching different unique |
| I know a surprising number of bait company bosses | | | | individual bigger fish from a water. If this is the case |
| who tear their hair out trying to convince the | | | | then the protein content and higher cost of a |
| average carp angler who buys their readymade baits | | | | readymade bait may not be the influencing factor at |
| that one particular bait is far more productive than | | | | all in your success. |
| another yet the anglers simply dismiss it because it | | | | Many other factors and characteristics in a bait can |
| does not conform to their conditioning and | | | | lead to success that have nothing directly to do with |
| assumptions about what characteristics a good carp | | | | protein content. (It may be noted that fish can be |
| bait has. I would say to a degree every bait | | | | fooled into responding strongly to baits that have |
| company boss has this problem and this is why the | | | | many features of popular protein-rich baits |
| average carp bait is a sad compromise of what carp | | | | readymade baits but which actually contain far less |
| will respond to and what anglers will respond to! | | | | protein!) Consider the protein contents of baits such |
| Especially over the last 5 years I have been testing | | | | as peanuts and tiger nuts or even bread. Richard |
| readymade baits from leading UK companies in many | | | | Walker knew a thing or two about fish feeding |
| ways to see what can be done to utilise baits in | | | | behaviours and their responses to baits and his |
| more innovative ways that anyone can exploit. A | | | | record common caught on balanced bread crust and |
| very big challenge for most carp anglers today is | | | | bread paste and not some special paste of that era |
| how to economise on baits long-term. | | | | needs to be thought about more than is has been by |
| Cheaper products usually contain less in them to | | | | most modern bait fashion- following carp anglers! |
| inspire interest of fish but this is not much of a | | | | The justification for bait prices is often the high cost |
| problem until you are faced with trying to make your | | | | of quality protein ingredients used in their |
| baits compete against extremely sophisticated bait | | | | manufacture, yet such baits are often most suitable |
| designs that are pushing the buttons of carp on so | | | | for waters that are hungry waters which have fish |
| many multiple levels. But it is a fact that using a | | | | that tend to binge feed. This is especially the case in |
| simple homemade bait packed with just one uniquely | | | | waters that hold a good head of fish. In low stocked |
| potent substance can compete with such baits. For | | | | richer waters where natural food is very plentiful and |
| some anglers, accepting this can take some seeing to | | | | where fish tend to be highly opportunistic and on the |
| believe it! I know from personal experience in testing | | | | move a lot grazing as they go you would be |
| substances alone and with bailiffs and leading anglers | | | | surprised at how simple a bait can be that catches |
| on certain waters that this experience this can result | | | | such fish. |
| in a shock and provide an unsettling blow to the | | | | But even waters with a good head of big fish a |
| popular paradigms of what carp baits should consist | | | | cheap simple bait can easily catch as many fish as a |
| of! | | | | very protein rich bait. However when I call bait |
| Obviously if you know nothing about bait in the first | | | | recipes simple you have to be aware that what is |
| place then you are basically doing a lottery heavily | | | | often not simple about a bait even if it contains just |
| influenced by media advertising, advertorial opinions | | | | a few ingredients is the impact particular select bait |
| and second-hand recommendations of friends whose | | | | substances have on fish responses of many kinds! It |
| motives or interpretations of baits may not quite be | | | | is a bit like saying drinking alcohol or smoking |
| appropriate or up to your needs. | | | | cigarettes is simple. Their effects are complex and |
| If you are one of those anglers who is stuck in a rut | | | | very profound! Alcohol and cigarettes provide specific |
| of using one type of bait this is an interesting point. | | | | hormone and amino acid dumps in the body that lead |
| Every carp is an individual just like every human. | | | | to a drop in nervous tension and (in some individuals |
| Every carp has had its own set of influences in | | | | note more than others) lead to addictive behavioural |
| forming its perceptions of its surrounding environment | | | | responses. Yet all I am referring to here are just 2 |
| and most vitally how it responds to all stimuli, | | | | substances; nicotine and alcohol. |
| opportunities and threats alike. Individual fish develop | | | | Have you ever wondered why some people feel |
| their own defence mechanisms of all kinds, just like | | | | they want a cigarette while drinking alcohol? How |
| every human individual does. Some carp will associate | | | | about having a coffee? Some people feel the need |
| certain stimuli with danger quicker that other fish and | | | | for a wheat and fat based biscuit or even chocolate; |
| are more sensitive to certain substances than other | | | | why is this and how does this relate to addictive |
| fish too. | | | | substances, brain hormone and amino acid releases |
| Some fish will develop more complex behaviours in | | | | that change body physiology and actual behaviours?! |
| terms of dealing with rigs and dangerous baits as a | | | | All this kind of thing can be related to carp and carp |
| defence mechanism, while some fish might well avoid | | | | baits - and even the simplest bait containing just 2 |
| familiar fishing baits all year except for special periods | | | | ingredients! Consuming or even sensing any of a |
| when their bodies cannot get what they need from | | | | range of substances can recondition behavioural |
| natural food due to its scarcity and so fall for carp | | | | responses dramatically and this does not just occur in |
| baits and perhaps only get hooked maybe once or | | | | humans. |
| twice a year, if that. Some fish simply find an area to | | | | I guess now you can see that you can make a habit |
| escape fishing pressure feed predominantly on | | | | forming bait out of just 2 or 3 ingredients without a |
| naturally food and rarely stray past the boundaries of | | | | bait costing an obsolete fortune every week. There |
| their haven which is when they may become more | | | | was a time I was buying readymade baits at prices |
| vulnerable to capture. | | | | from 6 to 12 pounds a kilogram to test them against |
| Some carp are loners and others are shoal fish. Some | | | | homemade baits that cost 3 pounds or less. I found I |
| carp may be 60 years old and highly experienced fish | | | | could exploit various aspects of the readymade baits |
| and are a lighter weight than their younger less | | | | and top them within my cheap homemade baits. |
| experienced brethren maybe at a mere 10 to 20 | | | | Basically the idea is you choose a major characteristic |
| years old (if that.) Now just like humans, every carp | | | | or set of them in a readymade bait and copy them |
| has its own unique DNA. The DNA of humans and | | | | but do it in a way that costs much less than actually |
| fish changes over time due to many reasons. One | | | | buying the readymade bait. It does not necessarily |
| factor is diet. Fish and humans are naturally designed | | | | cut the bait company out of the equation because |
| to exploit new food sources that supply the vital | | | | you are still buying their products to achieve this. |
| energy they need to sustain basic functions so it is | | | | For example, you might simply buy a small bag of |
| no surprise that humans and carp can senses | | | | Richworth Tutti Fruiti baits, freeze them in lake water |
| substances and potential food items they have never | | | | to remove a proportion of the all too familiar flavour, |
| ever experienced before within their environments! | | | | and re-freeze and then defrost them in CC Moore |
| In case you had over-looked this point, some fish | | | | Feedstim XP liquid for instance. You still have many |
| and some humans will be more sensitive to certain | | | | favourable characteristics of a bait you trust, but |
| substances than others and this can be for a | | | | altered it to make it different to get around negative |
| multitude of reasons. Perhaps the body cannot | | | | fish conditioning using a product from a different |
| assimilate or naturally generate a vital substance | | | | company that you also really trust. |
| needed in the body well enough to supply the body | | | | I use the method of making very cheap homemade |
| with enough of it. This can mean the person or fish | | | | boilie and pellet base mixes by cutting commercial |
| will be more sensitive to food items containing that | | | | base mixes with different more economical |
| substance. If this sounds far-fetched, just try a food | | | | ingredients of many various kinds, some of which are |
| with no salt compared to one without, or compare | | | | not in mainstream use in commercial or homemade |
| the taste of a low fat food compared to a normal | | | | bait making. All it takes is a little know-how of fish |
| fat level food. | | | | responses and vital requirements and feeding triggers |
| Humans are pretty messed up in terms of their | | | | etc to find alternative ingredients to use. You might |
| responses to foods today. For instance there are | | | | go for a coarse wholemeal chapatti flour mixed with |
| generations that have become genetically altered by | | | | gram (chick pea) flour for instance, boosted with |
| the influence of refined sugar in the modern diet that | | | | maize protein or hydrolysed poultry protein for |
| can be traced back initially to grand parents refined | | | | example. You might just go for CSL powder and |
| sugar consumption. Since 1900 the average human | | | | tiger nut flour to bulk up a popular base mix to make |
| liver has doubled in size due to the negative impacts | | | | homemade baits. |
| of the so-called modern food industry and the | | | | Obviously you will want to make sure you bait really |
| incidence of over-eating foods containing substances | | | | is as potent as possible while being more economical |
| the liver has been over-loaded with. The liver is the | | | | and sometimes it is a really good idea to focus your |
| area of the body that is very vital in detoxifying and | | | | attention not on bulking baits out but making a |
| clearing the body of all kinds of things including food | | | | readymade base mix recipe even more concentrated. |
| substances that in lower levels are healthy. For | | | | A very example is adding a much higher level of |
| instance consuming hemp or sesame seeds may be | | | | LO30, or Robin Red, or concentrated yeast powder, |
| very healthy for one person, but my simply over-load | | | | or concentrated garlic powder, or boosting you base |
| another person. | | | | mix with more hydrolysed liver powder for instance. |
| The way bodies respond to food substances is very | | | | The list goes on and on and I really like to find new |
| much a product of long-term sensitisation. Some | | | | more alternative substances that fish will not fear at |
| substances very definitely alter behaviours and even | | | | all that are not offered for sale by bait companies |
| taste bud sensitivities. I am certain most carp are | | | | and this is something anyone can do with enough bait |
| acutely aware of the fish protein LO30 used in so | | | | knowledge! (For much more information see my |
| many baits today just as much as baits utilising | | | | website and biography right now! |