| This is rapidly becoming the age of the 'bait | | | | [Here are clues to great bait characteristics and |
| sponsored angler.' Commercial pressures and | | | | most can be made simply from 'kitchen larder' |
| marketing demand that many more ordinary | | | | ingredients with a couple of commercial carp |
| anglers are having to compete with those | | | | fishing products added!] |
| 'sponsored' individuals. These fortunate are able to | | | | I must add here that so many of the successful |
| 'free-feed' huge quantities of top quality boilies, | | | | carp bait ingredients have 'acid-forming' |
| pellets and ground baits, supplied to them either | | | | characteristics, including: milk, butter, cheese, |
| for free, or at 'knock-down' discount prices. | | | | casein, whey, malted dairy products, all pectin |
| Everyone knows that using bait supplied in large | | | | preserved or sugared fruits, dried sulphured |
| enough, regular quantities, will directly affect the | | | | glazed fruits, white beans, soy beans, mushrooms, |
| movement, feeding behaviour and location of | | | | all meat, gelatin, fowl and fish, shellfish. |
| carp, in a water. | | | | Also: All alcoholic drinks, coffee, curry, pepper, salt, |
| Generally, carp fishing has become more | | | | spices, fish sauces, aspirin. Eggs, especially whites, |
| competitive than ever before, with many more | | | | preserved ginger, flavourings. Preservatives like |
| anglers lining the bank each week-end. Sponsored | | | | benzoate, sulphur, vinegar, salt and brine. Tobacco |
| anglers often catch many times the number of | | | | juice! Starches as in wheat, semolina, rice, (and |
| big fish than their peers. | | | | soya to a lesser degree,) all flour products; e.g. |
| This is not necessarily only a result of good | | | | maize, grits, barley, groats, cornflakes and oats.) |
| angling ability, but simply more bait and perhaps | | | | Rice to a lesser degree.) Desiccated coconut (one |
| time to leverage it. In this situation most anglers | | | | of my favourites) many nuts; peanuts and many |
| simply do not have the resources and time to | | | | seeds. |
| compete and many even struggle to catch at all, | | | | For winter baits, the 'acid spicy flavours' really can |
| which is a tragedy! | | | | work. Exploiting for example the cinnamic acid in |
| Making your own homemade boilie baits at | | | | cinnamon and coumarin (coumarate - an enzyme |
| cheaper prices is one way to get around this | | | | in turmeric.) ('Megaspice' and 'Bunspice B' are |
| phenomenon. Trying to keep up with these guys | | | | good.) Significant levels of salicylic acid is also in |
| use of bait is a severe challenge for many anglers. | | | | yeast extract; a great carp attractor! |
| Often they will try and catch using the same baits | | | | Other notable herbs and spices containing this acid |
| as the sponsored angler 'to keep up.' Are using | | | | and which you might like to try, either as |
| particles and cheaper pellets, a better option? | | | | extracts, or in essential oils, or flavour form, or as |
| As in the case of any new boilie bait or rig, the | | | | powders, are the following: |
| first original pioneers or field testers achieve | | | | Cummin, cannella, curry powder, dill powder, |
| maximum results. The whole point of a new bait | | | | garam masala, paprika and hot red peppers |
| is to achieve a competitive 'edge' by being | | | | powders and extracts, black pepper, bergamot, |
| 'different' enough to confuse the 'danger | | | | mustard, rosemary, thyme, fennel and coriander. |
| reference points' of carp that have been | | | | Mustard (isotheocynates) and chilli powders |
| previously caught by angler's baits and rigs. | | | | (capsaicin) boost metabolism, dilate blood vessels |
| So you are aiming to keep ahead of anglers as | | | | and increase levels of the fat burning hormone |
| much as the fish. This means you ideally need to | | | | ephedrine. (Ephedrine is the 'James Bond' pill that |
| be using a slightly 'alternative' approach at all times | | | | keeps you active and energetic all night long!) |
| in order to keep maximising your catch rates. | | | | Sprayed dried fruit juices such as that of the |
| This is not difficult, in fact very easy as long as | | | | famous 'strawberry' contain large doses of |
| you think 'fish' not 'angler.' It is surprising what a | | | | 'bioflavonoids,' antioxidants that have excellent |
| big carp will eat when it is not scared of it! Yes all | | | | cardiovascular benefits. They keep blood vessels |
| baits are used in cycles, as one catches and fades | | | | healthy and keep blood triglycerides levels lowered |
| another gets 'picked-up on' by the majority. | | | | (needed with diabetes.) In carp this means more |
| (Especially with different types of boilies and | | | | health and energy! Many grains too, contain these |
| pellets.) | | | | healthy substances. |
| I do not mean to 'rock your boat' but...What is | | | | Bait success seems much to do with energy |
| your 'favourite' bait flavour? This opinion is | | | | release or energy gain. Some carp baits with |
| normally based on personal past successful catch | | | | sweeteners even fool carp into eating them by |
| experiences or recommendations. But can you | | | | making their in - built mechanisms think they are |
| improve on simply this, to multiply your catches | | | | eating something highly essential and beneficial to |
| hugely, in an increasingly competitive environment? | | | | their diet, (when in fact this may not be the case |
| Perhaps so: | | | | at all!) As in consumption of very large quantities |
| Many fishermen get 'fixated' on flavours, | | | | of peanuts, tiger nuts or very low nutritional value |
| mistakenly thinking that if they can smell them | | | | boilies. |
| and they smell 'good' to them, then carp will love | | | | Some carp baits when used by anglers can cause |
| them too. But there are many variables (some | | | | carp to even lose weight and become unhealthy. |
| unknowns) involved here and no-one actually | | | | These baits may not kill the fish but certainly drop |
| knows what flavours really 'smell' and 'taste' like | | | | their weights! I have observed so many similarities |
| to a carp. | | | | between naturally derived substances that |
| The scientists can trigger carp 'food' receptors in | | | | maintain human health and carp health for use in |
| tests and tell us numerous substances that will | | | | very attractive and 'healthy' carp baits. |
| stimulate a carp to feed, or alter its behaviour in | | | | Examples of effects of these 'flavours,' |
| some way that makes it easier to catch them, | | | | ingredients and attractors are for example: |
| (change brain chemistry and 'turn them on' etc,) | | | | To reduce blood cholesterol, detoxify the blood, |
| but this data does not translate evenly into | | | | strengthen the immune system, balance liver and |
| making and exploiting carp baits. What does a | | | | kidney functions and reduce high fluctuations in |
| carp think?! | | | | blood sugar (as in diabetes,) that these effects |
| Well now perhaps it's time to get further into a | | | | should all be looked at further in carp baits! |
| carp's brain and body, by exploiting particular | | | | Cod liver oil is a prime example, containing |
| ingredients, in order for you to compete and | | | | essential fatty acids and carp attractive alkaloids |
| catch them more effectively but benefit them | | | | too! |
| too - you will see what I mean in a moment.... | | | | I highly recommend essential oils in conjunction |
| Would most carp anglers use 'algae flavour' or a | | | | with flavours. They do not 'attract' carp from |
| flavour that would make you feel sick like | | | | range perhaps like many flavours and additives, |
| something 'well fermented' would? I doubt it! | | | | but do seem to give that extra 'edge' and taste |
| When fishing, most anglers fish the same flavour | | | | dimension. |
| in all their boilie baits in a swim and do not vary | | | | Many times I have used these when all else fails, |
| their bait flavour levels for different hook baits, on | | | | in large dosed bait soaks on the surface of baits, |
| different rods, in different areas of a water. | | | | whether homemade boilies, pastes, particles, meat |
| Flavours work better in different levels at | | | | or fish pieces or ready-mades, to produce a big |
| different temperatures and in different waters; | | | | 'surprise' in unfavourable fishing conditions and |
| and even in different parts of different waters. | | | | temperatures. |
| How and why these flavours actually achieve carp | | | | These oils are less easily distributed in water |
| 'takes' is so irrelevant to most fishermen that | | | | compared many components of flavours. Ideally |
| they miss a huge area of 'know-how' that would | | | | your flavour will pull carp from range, home them |
| net them loads more fish at different times of | | | | into your hook bait and induce it to eat it by its |
| the year. So let's look more into what some | | | | attractive taste and palatability. |
| flavours are! | | | | This is where taste enhancers are really great and |
| 'Flavours' may be actual flavours and not 'nature | | | | there are many proprietary ones to choose from |
| identical' or 'synthetically chemically produced.' | | | | for carp baits. Of course, sea or rock salt is very |
| Many anglers prefer 'natural or nature identical | | | | good and a carp dietary essential. |
| flavours these days rather than one based on a | | | | 'Aromas' found in peppermint, ginger, geranium |
| 'solvent.' Some flavours very water soluble. | | | | and black pepper 'citronellals' make baits 'different' |
| Flavours are based on so many substances, from | | | | to the usual 'flavours.' The combination of 5 or so |
| ethyl alcohol to glycerol, to propylene glycol and | | | | essential oils in combination found in 'Olbas oil' have |
| oils. Many modern carp flavours are mixtures of | | | | always helped me catch more fish. (But in far |
| oils, taste enhancers, amino acids, sweeteners and | | | | higher drop doses than you might expect - e.g. at |
| different 'secret' extracts and compounds etc. | | | | 25 or more drops per pound of bait. |
| 'N-butyric acid' is a very commonly used 'attractor' | | | | An added tip - I have done very well for big fish |
| at the moment in the UK along with 'pineapple' | | | | actually dipping, soaking or 'glugging' my pastes |
| and the 'associated 'blue cheese' flavour and blue | | | | and boilie baits in neat essential oils, either in |
| cheese powder is getting more used and well | | | | individual ones or mixtures, like eucalyptus oil, |
| known and these work very well in winter | | | | peppermint oil, black pepper oil, and garlic oil. |
| temperatures. | | | | In fact, I once used fresh rigs made using dental |
| Amyl acetate, the 'pear drops' smell is another | | | | floss with added peppermint oil impregnated in the |
| example that held favour in the past - fashions | | | | floss material. My catch rate always improved the |
| just keep changing! (Some flavours only require | | | | first cast each rig was used and I soon put the |
| just one or two drops to be very effective while | | | | two together and added additional peppermint oil |
| others take much more!) | | | | soaks to all my lines, leads and rigs! |
| One noticeable thing with many flavours is that | | | | You might now have figured the significance of |
| when carp have been caught on them, they can | | | | phenols mentioned above - and maybe would like |
| very quickly lose effectiveness by 'danger | | | | to try out these two ideas in your winter or |
| association' and actually become a carp 'repellant!' | | | | summer baits (in very high levels!): |
| (E.g. Propylene glycol and glycerol based flavours, | | | | Peppermint oil (phenol; phenyl salicylate) and winter |
| but many others too!) | | | | green oil (phenol; methyl salicylate...) |
| Many common flavours are formed when an | | | | Here's a 'different' essential oil to try: mustard oil. |
| alcohol and an acid form an 'ester' as in | | | | (Its 'volatile component' is allyl isothiocyanate.) |
| 'esterification.' | | | | (The antioxidant 'free radical' scavenging effects |
| There seems to be a definite link between the | | | | of allyls etc, in garlic oil may have much to do |
| carp attraction of the following when used in carp | | | | with its success. Better still, when used with a |
| baits: | | | | 'sweetener,' fructose from the supermarket, |
| Plant 'phenols,' 'alkaloids' like betaine, alcohols, | | | | saccharin or a proprietary sweetener this is a |
| esters, essential oils, fatty acids, sugars, | | | | great all season attractor and 'trigger.') |
| (saccharides like sucrose, lactose, maltose etc,) | | | | Winter green oil and ginger oil and salicylic acid all |
| protein amino acids and non-protein amino acids | | | | work as 'anti-inflammatories' and one use for all |
| and many many other natural substances.... | | | | three is to reduce headache inflammation! |
| Certain flavours have been found more effective | | | | I hope this gives you 'more clues' to what effects |
| in bait with an added sweetener like saccharin and | | | | carp really like in their baits and what 'volatile' oils |
| Talin. (Talin is used in synthetic 'maple' | | | | and flavours can do! Like many other fruit ester, |
| flavour.)Another very significant taste enhancer | | | | fruit oils spices and herbs, these especially work |
| and 'enzyme active' sweet plant protein is | | | | well used as 'triggers' and attractors in winter and |
| 'Thaumatin B.' (Both naturally occurring plant | | | | cold water conditions. |
| extracts.) | | | | Generally in carp baits, 'flavours' work better |
| Kiwi fruit contains a 'Thaumatin-like' protein, and | | | | without heat being involved. Boiling flavours as |
| Nutrabait's "Kiwi flavour" is said to uniquely | | | | with many bait ingredients will actually destroy the |
| produce the biggest fish in a lake. | | | | 'active' components that catch you more carp. |
| Water temperature and 'pH' affect your baits | | | | Therefore you need to add flavours after boiling! |
| potential to be 'detected' by fish and this is | | | | You can make a useful very creative mixture |
| possibly affected by water density changes in | | | | from a liquid amino protein product like 'Minamino' |
| differing temperatures and other factors in the | | | | or any proprietary fishing ones and add flavours |
| water environment. So fishing with different | | | | and extracts to it. (You could try mixing up |
| flavour levels in different baits and using different | | | | various carp liquid amino products to produce an |
| baits with different flavour ph levels and 'tones' is | | | | exceptionally different flavour and attractor base.) |
| very much an over-looked 'edge' for most carp | | | | One very simple one I remember making that |
| anglers. | | | | hooked a huge carp within half an hour, on a |
| On 'hard-fished' carp waters where certain | | | | massive water of thousands of acres was: |
| flavours have done very well perhaps add one or | | | | A mixture of ethyl alcohol flavours like Tutti Fruiti |
| more flavours to the successful one and | | | | and other different based flavours, 'Scopex', |
| experiment. Do not bother making new baits, just | | | | n-butyric acid, 'Robin Red' extract (from Haith's,) |
| create individual 'dips' to soak your hook baits into | | | | Minamino, sea salt, liquorice extract powder, 'Olbas |
| and trial 4 or 10 different versions until your catch | | | | oil,' peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil. This mixture |
| rate doubles or trebles or more! (I've experienced | | | | was re-frozen into pop-up boilies around 6 times |
| this for myself...) | | | | until the bait was just buoyant, then frozen and |
| Betaine seems to have a range of uses in carp in | | | | stored until use. |
| regard to osmosis, amino acids synthesis for | | | | This easy and simple 'mega-enhancement' method |
| example. There is no doubt in my mind that when | | | | works exceptionally well for pastes, dough baits, |
| making carp baits, the addition of betaine | | | | 'particles,' pellets, ground baits, method mixes, and |
| hydrochloride, (e.g. at 1 gram per 1 pound mix of | | | | 'PVA' bag mixes too - so try them all! If you are |
| dry powder 'base mix,') makes all the difference, | | | | lazy - just try adding Nash bait's 'peach oil palatant' |
| as opposed to adding a simple flavour or 'label.' | | | | or any 'taste enhancer, citrus oil and flavour' |
| The addition of a 'sweetening' substance is | | | | combination to your pellets, or boilies and compare |
| significant to catch rates in carp: You definitely | | | | results to those baits used without! |
| see a difference in 'takes' with baits that have | | | | Using 'conventional' proprietary boilie 'dips' and |
| been sweetened rather than unsweetened; even | | | | 'glugs' are not always the best option where they |
| if the bait itself is a 'savoury' one like 'fish or | | | | have already been 'hammered.' Simply soaking |
| meat.' | | | | your baits in dissolved sea salt or even liquidized |
| You only have to put a very generous quantity | | | | tinned sweetcorn can make all the difference to |
| of honey, or maple syrup, or brown sugar, icing | | | | your catch rate. Making changes, being creative |
| sugar, fructose or molasses or sweetened | | | | and doing things different to the majority of your |
| condensed milk, coconut milk etc into any carp | | | | peers will make your catches consistently |
| ground bait and compare it to one without to see | | | | outstanding... |
| the difference in results. | | | | I had another memorable occasion where I had |
| 'Talin' is the name for one of the sweetest | | | | fished in cold temperatures for three days and |
| substances known and comes from a bark | | | | nights without a 'take' and decided to soak the |
| residue. It is in fact used in many synthetic carp | | | | hook baits directly in eucalyptus oil. The baits |
| flavours and with very good reason - it really | | | | already contained this but I felt the levels were |
| works! It is also used in production of synthetic | | | | not high enough. With 5 minutes before |
| maple syrup and many commercial bait companies | | | | 'packing-up' one of the biggest carp in the lake |
| use it in their flavours! (Perhaps try 'Hinders' for | | | | took one of the baits. |
| this.) | | | | There are so many options 'out there' for you to |
| Synthetic 'maple' flavour also contains the very | | | | genuinely exploit for massively improved catches. |
| carp stimulatory 'alkaloids' from the herbs; | | | | There are for example a host of other attractors |
| fenugreek and lovage. It is one of the greatest | | | | and flavours to give you a new 'edge'. Peppers |
| carp flavours ever discovered but does not seem | | | | with 'citrus tones' not in general use, from Japan |
| in 'fashion' much these days. (Try combining it | | | | and Korea etc, or how about 'spicy' seaweed |
| with 'Scopex' flavour!) | | | | from Hawaii etc... Here's a few oils to mix with |
| In fact in the 1940's American scientists a most | | | | your flavours you might wish to trial: |
| effective flavour to eradicate carp using poisoned | | | | Coriander oil, passion flower oil, apricot kernel oil, |
| laced maize; it was synthetic 'maple syrup' flavour! | | | | linseed oil, pistachio oil, hazel nut oil, macadamia oil, |
| Come cold water conditions certain flavours will | | | | fruit pip oil, rose musk oil, safflower oil, coconut oil. |
| out catch others. This may well be because of | | | | Other interesting areas of flavours are where the |
| their acidic pH and how this affects the pH of | | | | attractors form a 'cloud' of attractive particles in |
| your bait. Now I do not know much of the | | | | suspension immediately around the hook bait. Use |
| chemistry involve with flavours, but years of carp | | | | of special solutions, emulsions and colloids can |
| winter fishing results have provided many very | | | | create very effective areas of immediate |
| reliable flavours. | | | | attraction and modern emulsifiers also have great |
| Some substances in flavours and carp attractors | | | | beneficial and carp attraction benefits. |
| help carp balance their body functions and equalise | | | | With mass use of pellets not designed for carp |
| cells 'osmotic stress.' Salicylic acid may help in this | | | | fishing, some commercial pellets are designed |
| way. It is interesting that it is produced by the | | | | more for their oil holding capacity. This may not |
| 'esterification' of the natural 'phenol' acetylsalicylic | | | | be ideal for fast and effective carp food digestion |
| acid. 'Eugenol' from cloves is another famous carp | | | | and may inhibit uptake of many valuable nutrients |
| 'attractor.' It is a 'volatile' phenol - phenyl | | | | and cause certain angler induced nutrient |
| propenoid.' Many world famous fruit, herb and | | | | deficiencies. |
| spice 'winter flavours' may contain salicylates in | | | | Laxatives might well be another significant edge in |
| very very small amounts... | | | | baits, linked to use of some flavours. (Perhaps in |
| But the interesting fact about cold water flavours | | | | the case of certain propylenes and related |
| is that many of the best are even more | | | | compounds.) The benefit to carp is that they will |
| exceptional when water temperatures rise. This is | | | | naturally excrete food faster by 'colonic peristalsis.' |
| great news when you are making your own baits | | | | Insoluble 'roughage' like water weed cellulose, |
| and really provides confidence and trust in your | | | | mollusc and shrimp shells help this effect and a |
| baits, in all conditions and times of year. | | | | percentage of insoluble ingredients in your bait I |
| Natural substances in natural flavours contain | | | | think are a good thing for the carp. Crushed |
| some very powerful carp attractors or triggers. | | | | mollusc shells and prawn shell is great for this and |
| For example, there are significant levels of 'phenol | | | | a source of essential chitin containing nitrogen and |
| alkaloids' found in fruits such as strawberry, | | | | is very important in the natural carp diet. |
| cranberry, guava, blueberry and mulberry, plum, | | | | (Anyway, when carp are able to eat more bait; |
| tomato, blackberry and kiwi fruit. | | | | this produces more 'takes' and fish caught!) |
| You may already recognise that each of these | | | | Coarse bird food, shellfish and fish meal |
| flavours work exceptionally well to catch carp! | | | | ingredients used in conjunction with lots of |
| Some are kept 'quiet,' others are now 'fashionable' | | | | predigested ingredients might be more effective |
| and more well known now and therefore used by | | | | and preferable to mainly wheat semolina and soya |
| more carp fishermen in their baits etc. | | | | based baits with a low percentage of fish meal to |
| (Of course, like most things in fishing, it is the | | | | 'boost nutrition for example. |
| baits, additives and flavours that are used by the | | | | One of the most beneficial ways to create baits |
| 'highest numbers of anglers,' that catch most of | | | | that carp can eat more of without getting |
| the fish. But that does not equal that these | | | | 'filled-up,' because it passes through their gut |
| products are always the 'ultimate' ones or the | | | | quicker is to really raise the level of soluble |
| very best most suitable to use consistently in | | | | ingredients in your baits; focussing especially on |
| 'hard-pressured' waters...) | | | | the proteins and reducing whole carbohydrates. |
| Phenol 'alkaloids' can affect brain activity and carp | | | | The range of amazing new predigested proteins |
| (and human) behaviour. Water chestnuts, peanuts | | | | and other ingredients and additives is vastly |
| and almonds contain significant amounts of salicylic | | | | under-exploited at present, by the average angler. |
| acid also. This acid relieves stress and defends | | | | Innovative products can really work wonders too |
| against animal eating attack and plant alkaloids play | | | | to give you an edge as in the case of all new |
| defensive roles too. | | | | ingredients! I wonder about the properties of 'aloe |
| I have 'accidentally' discovered the success of | | | | vera.' |
| using very finely crushed almonds and peanuts in | | | | It is a 'gold-mine' of water soluble amino acids, |
| 'PVA' bags with some exceptional catches... Try | | | | vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, |
| soaking these in your 'flavour mix' with an added | | | | saccharides, plant sterols (these lower blood |
| essential oil and pure salmon oil for example in | | | | cholesterol levels,) and glycoproteins (cell |
| your PVA bags. | | | | membrane glucose containing carbohydrates |
| Tiger nuts (chufas) and tiger nut extract, oil or | | | | attached to proteins and lipids.) |
| juice are only one currently 'fashionable' option. | | | | Aloe vera is a great 'healing agent' with many as |
| Tiger nuts (high in soluble glucose and oleic acid) | | | | yet not understood benefits, while being a gentle |
| were even grown in the UK during the war years, | | | | laxative at low doses... |
| when sugar was in short supply!) | | | | The old argument about how can a carp possibly |
| Some of you might like to investigate the | | | | eat one boilie in preference to a different one is |
| potential uses of mushrooms and fungi too! | | | | mute. Most experienced carp anglers know this |
| (Yeasts are only one option - remember for | | | | occurs on 'hard-fished' much pressured waters for |
| instance, yeast extract contains significant salicylic | | | | many varied reasons in certain situations. |
| acid levels...) | | | | But the unique feed bait quantity and quality |
| Caffeine in cocoa and coffee contains substances | | | | applied to a water by individual anglers compared |
| that are detected by carp (like 'dopermine') and | | | | to the majority, is a major factor in this. |
| are proven 'alternative' carp attractors. (It has | | | | My guess is that you'd better ensure your hook |
| been proven carp have 'dopermine receptors.') | | | | baits are 'different' enough to draw the attentions |
| Most of the biggest carp in a small water in | | | | of fish in feeding positive ways! |
| Sussex UK 'felt the effects' of this 'bait approach!' | | | | Well, bait making and enhancing is an 'art' and not |
| Many were caught over forty pounds using truly | | | | an 'absolute' science, that's for sure! It is evolving |
| 'addictive baits' based on this principle of 'affecting | | | | as I speak and future 'fashions' in this very |
| brain activity and behaviour.' | | | | commercial led 'passion,' recreation and sport, will |
| In carp this acid possibly has an 'anti-inflammatory' | | | | always by its very nature, keep changing. |
| role like the carp essential omega 3 fatty acids | | | | This is the age of 'confidence in a bottle and in a |
| like those in fish oils. It is used in the production of | | | | bag.' The instant angler and the 'instant bait' are |
| 'Aspirin' used to thin blood and prevent incidence | | | | here to stay. I hope now you are now more |
| of heart attacks. | | | | prepared than ever, to experiment with your |
| Citrus lime, orange and lemon all contain significant | | | | baits! The well-used methods of 'over-flavouring,' |
| anti-inflammatory 'bioflavonoid' with beneficial | | | | soaking and glugging your baits is just a |
| cardiovascular effects. These fruits are familiar | | | | preliminary step. |
| and successful carp bait flavours. Perhaps try | | | | Let's hope all my 'miss-spent' youth, applying what |
| mixing lemon and ginger essential oils with your | | | | I learnt in plant physiology classes, making |
| flavours and add some liquorice extract to | | | | homemade carp baits, (while becoming a |
| sweeten and 'Robin Red' extract to increase the | | | | professional horticultural grower) benefits you too. |
| alkaloid levels and as a long range 'protein feeding | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait |
| trigger.' | | | | 'edges' up his sleeve. Every single one can have a |
| Citrus fruits like lemon, orange and tomatoes are | | | | huge impact on catches. (Warning: This article is |
| acidic. But they form alkaline blood when digested, | | | | protected by copyright, but reprints with a link |
| which is interesting considering the alkaline ph of a | | | | are OK.) |
| carp's gut. (Each of these fruits contain salicylic | | | | By Tim Richardson. 'The thinking angler's fishing |
| acid...) | | | | author and expert bait making guru. |