| Beware - this extremely revealing article may | | | | In winter and spring I have given Robin Red added |
| contribute to you catching many more big fish as a | | | | lecithins to emulsify the oils. This can be done in |
| result of you taking more interest in your baits from | | | | advance of mixing with other ingredients. It helps bait |
| this moment on! When you think about the success | | | | performance overall in the water plus improves bait |
| of the well-known carp bait additive Robin Red you | | | | nutritional value, adds another Harada-proven feeding |
| may not realise that it could have certain detrimental | | | | trigger and improves bait digestion. I use lecithins all |
| impacts on wary carp that are all too familiar with it; | | | | year round anyway in a range of homemade baits as |
| but you can alter Robin Red to make it different and | | | | an added food source and more unusual feeding |
| perform even better to achieve a carp fishing year | | | | trigger that improves digestion of things such as bulk |
| you will always remember! | | | | oils in summer. I get premium grade liquid lecithin from |
| You may know that Robin Red is a bird food applied | | | | Phil at CW Baits plus a number of other ingredients |
| to carp fishing for all the positive effects it has on | | | | including Robin Red itself. |
| carp health and on feeding responses etc. As the | | | | A good edge to bulk up Robin Red is add a premium |
| majority of ready made bait manufacturers use it in | | | | winter koi feed ground into tiny particles and soaked |
| at least one bait in their range - usually a red bird | | | | in hemp oil and very unusual blend of flavours, |
| food type bait or even a fish meal or meat type bait | | | | essential oils and many other potent liquids, some |
| or forms of ground baits, over the decades it could | | | | common, some completely new. Again all this can be |
| have side effects with some fish. What I mean is | | | | mixed in with Robin Red in advance of mixing bait |
| that our baits are meant to attract carp and induce | | | | ingredients together, making ground baits etc. |
| them to feed as confidently as possible, but what if | | | | I do like to be different and find ingredients and |
| an ingredient is so obvious and distinctive to carp that | | | | combinations that will trigger feeding or really boost |
| it reminds them of many previous experiences of | | | | the modes of behaviour that lead towards more |
| getting hooked? | | | | intensive feeding! One little edge I do is include a |
| You might think this may or may not be a possibility, | | | | range of familiar things prepared in more unusual |
| but as they say, the greatest edge in carp fishing is | | | | ways. Just a taste of this mad creativity of mine is |
| being different. There are numerous substitute Robin | | | | this: try making your Robin Red differentiated by |
| Red type products available. Certain versions I have | | | | preparing hemp seed cooked in anchovy concentrate |
| used have fished just as well as the original version | | | | or add crushed peanuts or crushed tiger nuts cooked |
| when fished side by side, but then the versions I | | | | in not the familiar Talin, but CC Moore Ultrasweet |
| have used have been either designed by bait makers | | | | with hot chili powders (among very many other |
| with over 40 years experience or have been | | | | examples I could mention!) |
| personalised by myself. | | | | I often add chili pepper powder or ground pepper |
| There is no doubt of the performance of the original | | | | flakes to Robin Red baits and this is very successful. |
| material however and its versatility as a bait additive | | | | You can make your winter and spring baits potent by |
| is literally limited only by your imagination. Below are a | | | | adding a range of other herbs and spices to your |
| few things I have tried using to either make my | | | | Robin Red. These offer an incredible range of |
| Robin Red go further in a bait, or to differentiate it | | | | attractive benefits to your baits and carp and will |
| from the usual version, or to give it an extra kick of | | | | certainly not detract from the potency of the Robin |
| some kind or even to make the way water interacts | | | | Red. (These add all kinds of things including vitamins, |
| with it different to some degree. | | | | oils, minerals and trace elements, essential oils, |
| Note: You certainly do not need to be aware of | | | | alternative taste and smell factors, plus very many |
| literally all the components and ingredients used in | | | | other components that most anglers have never |
| Robin Red for your own alterations, or adaptations | | | | heard of that are extremely healthy!) Another |
| of it to be extremely effective in boosting your | | | | example I have used is lactose in solution-treated flax |
| catch rate. Just remember that you would be wise | | | | seeds and sesame seeds in Robin Red plus added |
| to test any new bait on an easy water or in | | | | ground egg food pre-soaked in liquid foods such as |
| circumstances where you can fish and expect action | | | | CSL or liquid liver extract and betaine or betaine HCL. |
| readily. Doing this actually provides you with incredible | | | | Please note that whatever you do avoid using MSG |
| confidence, especially hen you take your tested new | | | | in its pure form - it has been found to literally |
| baits to a range of new waters and they catch good | | | | explode brain cells within 3 hours of it entering due to |
| fish straight away. | | | | messing up the vital and delicate osmotic balance and |
| The best thing about testing your new versions of | | | | diffusion of cell liquids etc and is at least 3 times |
| baits against your favourite readymade baits for | | | | more damaging than effects of alcohol in the brain! |
| instance is that your personal confidence in your baits | | | | Natural-form MSG is found in so many protein type |
| is massively improved and stays with you. Also | | | | ingredients you would not believe, but for taste |
| please bear in mind that certain new baits might be | | | | enhancing why not try concentrated or |
| less instant than others, just as some commercial bait | | | | enzyme-treated yeast powders with alternative |
| ingredients and additives and liquids may take a bit of | | | | powdered enhancers (blue cheese powder for |
| feeding in advance for fish to really get revved-up on | | | | example from CC Moore is another great enhancer |
| them. So do not go expecting every new bait to | | | | that is excellent in low water temperatures with |
| out-fish an established bait immediately (although | | | | concentrated garlic for instance!) |
| some certainly will!) | | | | So many anglers are still stuck in the mindset that |
| I often make a slurry with Robin Red and mix all | | | | boilies should be firm, resilient, have a particular shape |
| kinds of other stuff to it; you can pre-soak particles | | | | and most limiting of all, preferably stay intact in the |
| like this for instance and soak meat and other types | | | | water for at least 12 to 48 hours or more! Among |
| of baits in this and other slurries too and the liquid | | | | the very best homemade baits I have ever created |
| Robin Red type liquids are not to be forgotten - | | | | lasted a mere 30 minutes to 3 hours immersion and |
| including the CC Moore Red Venom which I have | | | | these were even very successful when fished |
| done extremely well on and contains an addictive | | | | against probiotic and enzyme-active balanced amino |
| component (that builds in effect the more regularly it | | | | profile fish and milk based HNV boilies. |
| is used!) | | | | |