| * You really can catch more big fish on your | | | | in depth knowledge of a carp's essential dietary needs |
| homemade boilies and 'dough' paste baits! Here's how... | | | | you can apply in your bait design!) |
| Carp baits vary tremendously in quality around the | | | | Previously, as baits became more advanced, being |
| world! | | | | based on information gleaned from scientific research, |
| To such an extent that some baits contain ingredients | | | | it was made clear that a ' high protein' milk derivative |
| and flavours of types and quantities that can even be | | | | bait would outfit a low protein cereal/bean based bait. |
| repellant to carp after a period of time of introduction | | | | Some of these baits had an assumed 'biological |
| into a particular carp water! | | | | nutritional value' of up to 96 % ! These were based |
| So much of the reason for this lies in the nutritional | | | | mainly on milk protein, milk, fish, shellfish and meat |
| value and health and energy benefits you give to your | | | | protein. |
| fish in return for them eating your bait, and this can | | | | But science has shown that the majority of this protein |
| have massive implications regarding your catch results | | | | is not synthesized to benefit the fish at all and is |
| over time. | | | | wasted! In fact, baits with a biological nutritional value |
| The fact that the majority of angler's use popular, shop | | | | (or 'BNV') of 30 % to 55 % or even lower, are just as |
| - bought ready - made boilies, and bait mixes, can | | | | effective. |
| actually give you a massive unseen edge! | | | | Costs of milk proteins became uneconomical in the |
| Shop - bought baits will only provide certain levels and | | | | 1980s for anglers in the UK, and so anglers |
| of nutrients, making it easier to catch carp on your | | | | experimented much more with cheaper bulk |
| own designed bait providing you aim to make a bait | | | | ingredients, and their relative ratios to find success |
| with different ingredients, or perhaps of better quality | | | | much more economically. |
| or percentage in your bait to the known shop - bought | | | | However, so - called high protein 'BNV' baits still out |
| baits being used on your water. | | | | fished the low-protein, carbohydrate - based baits in |
| For example, if fishmeal baits are working well on your | | | | the long run, far more consistently and effectively |
| water, why not make your homemade baits with far | | | | when it came to the really big fish. And this again |
| higher quantities of quality predigested fish and shellfish | | | | proved the benefits of using a balanced nutrition theory |
| proteins? Or really raise the level of protein regarding | | | | bait, correct. |
| the soluble attraction activity of your bait - add loads | | | | This theory stands the test of time; still today especially |
| more green lip mussel extract, corn steep liquor, | | | | after decades of constant hard pressured carp fishing |
| predigested liver powder, squid liver extract etc. | | | | in the UK, where carp are seriously 'clued - up'. |
| To understand bait from a commercial producer's | | | | By 'high protein', I mean high - quality in terms of your |
| perspective; he must make a profit, so if he can, he will | | | | bait's amino acid profile, and other nutrient ingredients. |
| use the minimum of expensive but most often most | | | | When compared to a carbohydrate bait with a very |
| highly concentrated nutritional / effective carp | | | | low quality of these nutrients available. So when you |
| attractional ingredients,and 'bulk - up' their commercial | | | | see 'high-protein', don't assume that 30 - 45% is low. |
| shop bait with less effective ingredients over the long | | | | Semolina and wheat flour, 50 / 50 % mix, for example, |
| term. | | | | may only contain a maximum of 10 % protein, if |
| This as a major weakness you can exploit over | | | | anywhere near that; it feels to us like the difference |
| EVERY angler who slavishly uses shop - bought baits | | | | between eating pasta compared to stake. It's like |
| for fishing and who wrongly expect exceptional results | | | | eating sugar; loads of quick energy benefit, but no |
| every session due to using these baits. | | | | essential nutritional essentials are being supplied for |
| Not only is the nutrition / attraction factors limiting and | | | | essential bodily rebuilding and survival. |
| very 'standardized' in many ways, but so are the | | | | You don't hear about body - builders thriving on a high |
| ways they are used by anglers too. Also commercially | | | | sugar diet (this can lead to diabetes among other poor |
| made baits are produced by machine and most often | | | | diet effects), but on a high protein, 'balanced nutritional |
| result in identical shapes and densities. This is not | | | | profile' diet where every dietary essential need is met. |
| always in your interests if you wish to target those big | | | | Most Americans and anglers from countries where |
| wary carp that have been absolutely conditioned | | | | carp fishing has not yet become an extremely |
| every day to eating anglers' shop - baits and managing | | | | intensively competitive sport may quite rightly wonder; |
| to not get hooked on them. | | | | what all this fuss about bait and it's quality is really all |
| Many big fish actually eat your free baits perhaps 4 or | | | | about, and question it's necessity! |
| 5 days or longer after you have gone home, when | | | | Even a simple 'kitchen' bait like a homemade corn flour |
| they have been leached of anything that may be | | | | dough, with added coke or canned sweet corn juice |
| associated as a threat to the carp. (Perhaps certain | | | | with catch all day and probably always will on most |
| flavours or types of attractors within the bait.) | | | | 'low or no pressure' carp waters, around the world! |
| Most anglers have heard of using baits with no | | | | A high quality boiled bait approach is not necessary on |
| flavours in, or using baits that have been pre - soaked | | | | every water; not every carp has ever seen a boilie |
| in lake water to mimic 'safe' free baits, that abound in | | | | bait before, and many carp may not even recognise |
| pressured carp lakes after a busy weekend. | | | | them as food items immediately! |
| Also, one important point to appreciate is that if a carp | | | | And many waters are so over - stocked that there |
| senses a bait, but does not need more of it to fulfill it's | | | | will never be enough natural food, nor anglers' bait to |
| dietary needs, it's brain will not register a feeding | | | | supply their needs fully, and any bait from maggots to |
| response! | | | | sweet corn, to bread will always catch their fare share |
| That is why being aware of all the carp's potential | | | | of big fish, regardless of any nutritional needs among |
| dietary deficiencies and providing for them, is so vital | | | | the fish population. |
| because you will achieve takes owing to perhaps | | | | But on those hard - fished pressured waters where |
| merely one ingredient and it's benefit, at times when if | | | | big fish have seen practically every boilied bait of |
| this ingredient was absent, then the carp will simply | | | | every description before and been caught on them |
| ignore your bait! | | | | previously, they certainly do learn by association, both |
| A carp's individual metabolism, programmed caution, | | | | of the dangers and benefits of eating particular baits. |
| mode of picking up hook baits and preferences for | | | | The 'HNV' theory baits have historically simply |
| specific tastes, smells, eating experiences, and so on, | | | | produced the biggest carp, the most consistently, |
| an individual carp may be easier to catch by exploiting | | | | where anglers are using varied baits of different |
| this. Finding a bait it likes it can be landed repeatedly | | | | qualities and designs from attractor baits to the most |
| over long period of time, e.g. months or even years. | | | | advanced highly digestible balanced 'HNV' baits. (On |
| This shows that a winning formula does not need to | | | | high angling pressure waters.) |
| be changed as often as the bait adverts would | | | | Even where carp are being offered a range of |
| suggest! I know extremely successful anglers who | | | | 'balanced nutritional value' type shop - bought baits |
| have used the same basic base mix formula for | | | | every day, some baits will tend to catch more bigger |
| decades And NEVER use flavors! | | | | carp than other baits, and this is where the |
| By using your own mix, you know for certain what | | | | advantages of designing and making your own |
| ingredients and attractors certain fish prefer, gleaned | | | | homemade baits really pays long term dividends. |
| from experience of past catches and why because | | | | You see, no - one else can go to a shop, buy the 'new' |
| YOU know the ingredients used in your own baits, | | | | bait you've so been carefully introducing into the water, |
| while no-one else does! This gives you an incredibly | | | | (to get the fish to feed confidently on it) and then have |
| powerful edge... | | | | someone else catch the lake's biggest fish as a result |
| You can catch the same fish on the same basic bait | | | | of all your efforts. You will benefit directly from your |
| mix in different parts of a large lake, at steadily larger | | | | own unique efforts; and often be rewarded with |
| weights, for years, because it wants and needs it, and | | | | exceptional and very consistent big fish catches! |
| has accepted it as 'natural food'!!! Carp can learn just | | | | Good fishing so often results from good bait - may |
| like dogs about certain actions and rewards, some | | | | your baits be more than just 'the flavour of the month' |
| beneficial and rewarding, others dangerous and stress | | | | in the latest shop bait advertisments!!! |
| inducing. | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait 'edges' up |
| Wary, big fish have been caught TWICE on the same | | | | his sleeve. Every single one can have a huge impact |
| bait on the same day because they wanted and | | | | on catches. (Warning: This article is protected by |
| needed a certain bait so much at that point in time! | | | | copyright,but reprints with a link are OK.) |
| The most wary fish can eat your bait in confidence, in | | | | By Tim Richardson. 'The thinking angler's fishing author |
| preference to shop-bought bait, even selectively | | | | and expert bait making guru.' |
| ignoring adjacent baits! If a carp does not require the | | | | For more expert bait making information and 'cutting |
| substances in your bait, it will not eat it. | | | | edge' techniques see the expert acclaimed new |
| In other words, when foods are available of every kind, | | | | ebook / book: |
| to satisfy the carp's natural needs, then if he doesn't | | | | "BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!" at: |
| NEED your bait, most likely he won't even register it as | | | | "> |
| food, unless he's ill, diseased, or mad! Heh Heh... And I'm | | | | Tim Richardson is an internationally acclaimed carp and |
| sure many of us have direct experience of this | | | | catfish bait-making expert, and a highly successful big |
| extremely frustrating situation! | | | | fish angler. His best selling bait making and bait |
| Commercially designed aquaculture feeds, and koi - | | | | enhancing books / ebooks help beginners and |
| enthusiast feeds, are rigorously, scientifically tested for | | | | experienced anglers alike, to improve and enhance |
| optimal growth and health effects. If you want to see | | | | their baits achieving far greater catches of big fish. |
| this for yourself there are many papers and articles on | | | | * His books are even used by members of the 'world |
| this subject; especially from sponsored Japanese | | | | elite' "British Carp Study Group" for expert reference. * |
| research institutions and American universities. | | | | Your catches could gain from more understanding, |
| It is complex stuff and it takes hours to extract | | | | expert bait making experience, powerful insights and |
| information that is applicable to carp fishing bait | | | | cutting edge fishing information and techniques; take a |
| formulation. (My research, I hope, will give you a clearer, | | | | look at Tim's dedicated fishing bait making website. |