| Are you one of those fishermen who would love to | | | | there are new and alternative products available |
| have your own unique and exceptionally successful | | | | today and also so many just waiting to be exploited |
| bait? Carp bait is such a big issue and staying ahead | | | | in carp baits, if you know what you are looking for. |
| of the majority with bait is very often the key to | | | | Farmers are being forced to supply their animals' |
| success. | | | | feeds with a lower protein content as sea products |
| Here in the UK carp bait making is not as popular as it | | | | availability drops and prices rise. They are exploiting |
| once was owing to the massive availability of | | | | ways of producing better results with lower protein |
| readymade baits. But for many carp fishermen, they | | | | feeds instead. There is much research going on in this |
| want more satisfaction from their catches and more | | | | area and it is of great interest to us as regards carp |
| control over exactly what goes into their bait. They | | | | baits. We may have to convert to non-sea products |
| recognise many of the great benefits and | | | | for ingredients at some stage the way things are |
| advantages of using bait that is unique only to them! | | | | going. |
| Also, homemade bait making is a great economical | | | | For example, the use of industrial enzymes and |
| way to compete with those notorious 'bait | | | | bacteria and special methods to really maximise the |
| sponsored anglers' enjoying the edge of subsidized | | | | energy and nutrition provided in cereals for example, |
| commercially produced pellets and boilies. | | | | to be converted to maximum yields in farmed |
| Bait making is still very much alive in Europe, the | | | | animals. These are exploiting corn and wheat for |
| United States and many other parts of the world. | | | | example. |
| We fishermen enjoy a challenge, especially one which | | | | In fact, cereals are being bred for better nutritional |
| enhances our enjoyment of our sport and very | | | | profiles and indeed sweetcorn has been bred for |
| often can multiply results beyond the average or | | | | maximum sweetness and sugars content for years. |
| simply ordinary. | | | | Crops grown in areas where nutrients are less |
| Often bait making enthusiasts are either keen | | | | available are obviously not going to be as beneficial as |
| beginners or experienced fishermen who have the | | | | they will contain less vital minerals and trace elements |
| knowledge from years of fishing perhaps beginning | | | | and lower percentage of protein, for example. |
| some 25 years ago or more. | | | | In carp bait, one of the great aims is the maximum |
| But the old recipes from the past decades can be | | | | triggering of the carp's sensory systems, so changing |
| vastly improved upon these days. In fact, there's far | | | | carp brain functioning and getting the carp to feed on |
| more available than the commonly used betaine | | | | our hook baits. But a bait does not have to consist |
| hydrochloride, or corn steep liquor. Often newer | | | | conventionally of 'protein this or amino acid that.' |
| products have resulted from commercial pressures | | | | There are thousands of other substances and |
| within a variety of industries, from brewing, to | | | | unusual ingredients which can act as 'feeding triggers' |
| aquaculture to livestock farming. | | | | or various stimulators, that can impact upon carp |
| For example, there have been many scientific studies | | | | behaviour. |
| on fish feeding triggers and also and especially, | | | | For this particular reason, you can make baits very |
| methods of enabling fish to benefit from the | | | | different to those of your carp fishing peers baits. |
| maximum energy from there food as possible for the | | | | It's human nature for the majority to jump on a |
| least energy expended in digestion and other | | | | successful readymade bait 'bandwagon.' But as you |
| important and vital processes. | | | | get to know more about bait, then the more you will |
| There is definitely a greater move by fish farmers in | | | | be able to actually take advantage of 'going' baits |
| response to the rapid decline of the world's fish and | | | | that the majority are using, by 'topping' them in |
| shellfish stocks. They are needing to replace the | | | | creative and scientific ways. |
| conventional protein providing fish farming feed | | | | Very many of these ways are both surprisingly easy |
| constituents, with those from alternative sources like | | | | and extremely effective in catching you more fish |
| beans, pulses and cereals. | | | | than the 'average' guy. Why not make your own bait |
| This is obviously not just down to 'saving the planet' | | | | 'the flavour of the month?' |
| but in full knowledge that the prices of fish and | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait 'edges' up |
| shellfish are rising, many to uneconomic levels, as | | | | his sleeve. Every single one can have a huge impact |
| supplies become far scarcer. But what does this have | | | | on catches. (Warning: This article is protected by |
| to do with bait making and producing our own special | | | | copyright.) |
| and unique secret baits? The big 'hook point' is that | | | | By Tim Richardson. |