Bait, The US guys have seen this and may want to ignore it. Boring.

My “Paper” on baits, some science some opinion. I shall not differentiate for I consider myself a magnificant authority on bait, modest too!

I wish the UK were more open in the discussion of baits. Of course I understand, often bait is a livelihood and secrets are not to be reveled.

I’ try to start at the beginning. Ultimately with carp bait you have three choices. The first choice is never invoked as it is not even a little understood. We will ignore this choice

That is the fight or flight response used to entice game fish.

The two remaining choices are carbohydrates (sweet usually and by the end of the day alcohols) or protein (as amino acids). The major player is protein. Protein is a collective word to describe the structural components of life which are the amino acids. Carp as omnivores eat a wide range of food, both plant and animal. I will have to say, without scientific evidence, there seems to be a correlation between water temperature and food preference for carp. The warmer the water is, the sweeter the bait, the colder the water is, the more organic acids. Of course , there are thousands of other factors that keep bait choice from being this simple. Still I believe it is a good rule of thumb to use at the beginning of the day.

Here is the most controversial statement I will make. “Carp eat between nothing and very little when the water temperature is below 50 degrees F. and what they do eat they digest probably less than 5%” I stick by this statement until proven wrong no matter how bad a thrashing I take!!

Chemical senses (roughly defined as smell) in carp represent there most powerful tool in exploiting food sources.

A Phone theory, “Protein requirements for healthy carp and the stimuli for finding and trying baits are not related. The trigger mechanism for finding food may, or may not necessarily have a healthy affect on the creature.”

The most pronounce and consistent USEFUL attractant for carp response is “chitin”. This is not really an attractant but a non energy food. Chitin is a nitrogen containing polysaccharide. You would recognize chitin as the stuff that makes up the shell of bugs and shell fish. Chitin is the second most abundant bimolecular structure on earth. (Quiz- what’s first?). Chitin is a compulsory part of carp diets. In addition to healthy liver function it stimulates the immune system, and supports the structural parts of the carp body. Carp are often fooled by glucose or many of the other polysaccharides since they are closely related to chitin. Chitin is broken down in the system by acids.

I will add here my favorite cheap and abundant source of chitin is brewers yeast. Brewers yeast, in addition to having chitin, has a lot of protein and contains the vitamin B group niacin and phosphorus to promote digestion. First ingredient – brewers yeast primarily for chitin.

Favorite attractant, the Nightshade family and in particular capsaicin a derivative of capsicum which contain major long distance flavors (I use the words flavors and attractants interchangeably). They may be the most potent of all "here fishy, fishy, fishy additives. Plants like, red pepper (my personal most consistent performer), tobacco, tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes are all nightshades. Nightshades like cayenne pepper are not a taste thing for carp. They are an amino acid receptor switch. For example the capsicum or hot stuff in red pepper is a vanilloid which reacts with the amino acid betaine. Humans have a rich source of betaine – puke or hydrochloric acid as stomach acid. Carp don’t have a stomach and need to replenish from some outside sources. The misunderstood word is “flavor” as in a “vanilla flavored or hot sauce flavored bait”. Carp do not taste these bait enhancers, they are positive receptors that turn on the smell/feeding response for protein requirements.

Additional attractants of note are kola nut, licorice root, marshmallow root, peppermint. These additional attractants do not have the range of the nightshades. On small water, range could sometimes be a negative. Personally I cannot address small water successfulness from experience. So the second ingredient – hot pepper (powder or liquid) as capsicum.

Do not confuse an attractant with aromatic scent covers. Molecules with aromatic ring structures are not attractants but what I call scent covers. Since carp, and all teleosts are endowed with natures best chemical detecting systems within their environment scent covers are often confused with attractants. Don’t mistake attractants with scents or odors. Some scent or odor covers, neutral as attractants are, the drugs caffeine and salicylic acid, odors of camphor, cinnamic acid (cinnamon), eugenol (nutmeg and cloves), safrole, anethole (anise), tannin (tea), gallic acid, and vanillin; also the vitamins ascorbic acid and niacin loosely called phenolic compounds are effective. Aromatic ring structures blast carp smellers and it is best NOT to use them if possible.

While I’m here the lily family, especially garlic have no effect on carp. Catfish in the US love lilys so garlic is effective. Allicin the principle aromatic of garlic has an odor only when crushed and that trauma IN AIR excites an enzyme which changes the precursor alliin to allicin. In the absence of air garlic has NO ODOR. To think of all the years I used garlic faithfully. Third ingredient – no aromatic scents or covers unless ABSOLUTLTY necessary.

Food values of bait are, IMO essential from a responsibility standpoint. Even thought brewers yeast has some protein it is not enough or in the right form to necessarily benefit carp. We need to add a fish protein for this. I like fish protein powder as opposed to meal but cost is sometime prohibitive for some to use. Fish protein powder at 70% protein is $8.00 a pound in the US while fishmeal 55% protein is less than $4.00. Fish protein in dry cat food is even cheaper. Fish protein is by far the best in that it contains all of the amino acids in balance with the requirements of healthy carp.

Now the carrier or bulk of the bait. I do not like soybeans. I am completely out of step with the rest of the world here but too many bad things can happen to soy meal and derivatives after the bait is completed but before it is used. I prefer corn in many forms. I especially like corn gluten meal. Among the bulk products are the binders. If you will use corn something as the carrier or bulk I recommend corn syrup as the binder.

I am often questioned is one amino better than another? Nope, just cheaper. For example betaine is hydrochloric acid. Useable betaine could be easily derived from nearly pure protein, human hair and hydrochloric acid. Add hair and acid until the acid is essentially neutralized. I’ve never used this combination, I’m just making an illustration. LOL maybe your barber has the secret ingredient to carp bait. I’d better not leave you with that thought. Sources for Betaine are the weed devil’s horsewhip, chaff flower, beet molasses (beet molasses is about the 4th pressing of sugar beets), it is highly concentrated in capsicum, kola nut, and licorice root. Approved food sources for betaine ae marshmallow root, peppermint, wheat grass, wolfberry fruit, wood betony, and yarrow. The only eatable non-plant source of consequence is brewers yeast. Do you notice any repetitiveness here?

And, while I haven’t checked precisely, I’d guess this is the source of success with cranberry flavor.

A side bar I use as the secret ingredient. Don’t tell anyone, its secret. Antacids like Tums and Rolaids (peppermint for fun) really turn on the little receptors in the fourth sensory system in carp. (Quiz – what are the first three?) Carp have an electro receptive lateral line system which is capable of detecting chemicals from long long LONG distances especially in concert with nightshades. If you believe, as I do that motion is ful change from Tums or Rolaids to Alka-Seltzer.

Well how’s this for boring!!! but I love it. Will be glad to test any theory you may have on real fish if it is possible to set-up for less than millions.

Phone

Posted on CarpOnline July 6,2001

Approval by Phone for this posting has been given.