CarpFever 2015

TACTICS
COMPOSITION OF A GLUG
It is important to keep in mind that carp do
not ‘smell’ flavours the same way humans do.
They make use of chemoreception, which
consists of at least two types: olfaction
(smell) and gustation (taste). The best way
to exploit this is to add substances that
stimulate the carp’s senses. I’ve found the
best way to stimulate them is by adding
amino acids combined with other stimulants.
Amino acids are the basic building blocks
of protein. Proteins have been discussed
extensively in carp fishing; I don’t think it
needs any introduction. By adding proteins
to your baits, you are effectively adding
amino acids and increasing the bait’s
attractiveness. Additional stimulants that
could be considered in a glug could be
compounds like betaine and aspartic acid;
betaine by far being the most commonly
used. Betaine is basically a sugar beet extract
that is available in liquid form as well as a
powder form, and aspartic acid is a form of
amino acid. These elements have shown to
enhance a carp’s response to soluble aminos.
So how do you put this information to use
you may wonder? I always try to match my
glug with the liquids in the actual boilie I’m
baiting up with and boost the glug with some
stimulants. I never use any concentrates, as
I believe the carp can detect the chemical
composition. Carp are deterred by bitter
tastes, which could render your hookbait
very unattractive if it is heavily scented. If I’m
fishing with a pineapple boilie for example, I’ll
add the following liquids to my glug:
» Corn steep liquor
» Aminol Feedstim (Minamino or any other
free amino acids)
» Liquid betaine
» Pineapple liquid food
» Syrup from tinned pineapple
» Pineapple oil
There are no rules in carp fishing, so there
aren’t any limitations to the ingredients you
can use. These general guidelines can
however assist you in making a simple,
yet effective glug.
Carp are
deterred by
bitter tastes,
which could
render your
hookbait
very
unattractive
if it is heavily
scented.
OTHER BAIT EDGES
Apart from making the hookbait appeal
to the carp’s taste and smell, you can also
enhance the bait visually. I’ve had some
phenomenal results by adding Robin Red to
my hookbaits, a well known and effective
additive in the carp fishing world that
makes the bait a dark red colour. Apart from
the obvious reasons for its inclusion, the
variation in colour could make the hookbait
stand out nicely. You could also add bait
dyes and colourants to accomplish this.
Bright popups also add to the visual effect
and could balance out the weight of the
hook, giving you a nicely balanced hookbait.
Washed out pink and bright yellow popups
have landed me many carp in the past, and
are also amongst my favourite colours.
Balancing the hookbait by adding some
cork dust is another useful tip. I have been
applying this to my fishing for the past few
months and have had some really positive
results. If the hookbait is pinned down by the
weight of the hook only, it becomes really
difficult for the carp to eject the hook as it is
sucked into its mouth further than expected.
These small edges can sometimes make
the difference between a blank and a
special capture.
www.carpfever.co.za December 2015 | 23