Carping - UK vs. US

[Newt]

Just thought you folks might get a chuckle out of how far behind the US is in carping. This is an advert for a product that has only been on the market for a few months.

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BERKLEY® POWER BAIT CARP BAITS

 

 

In Pursuit Of The World’s Number One Sportfish

SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA - It may be hard to believe but the number one sportfish in the world, that is, the most sought after fish by fisherman, is the carp. In the United States, the carp’s popularity is quickly growing and carp enthusiasts are gaining ground. Berkley, the world leader in carp bait production, now offers Power Bait Carp Bait to make that next carp outing a trip to remember.

 

Power Bait Carp Bait is a chunk form bait with the proven carp Power Bait attracting scent and flavors of strawberry and corn added. This new bait is a result of extensive testing with carp, both in the laboratory and the field. Hundreds of formulas were tried with thousands of carp caught. As a result, carp anglers no longer have to make their own baits, Power Bait Carp Bait is prepackaged in strawberry and corn flavor. The messy concoction of bran flakes mixed with strawberry soda will be a distant bad memory.

 

Carp can feed anywhere in the water column from the bottom up to the surface but they most often feed along the bottom. They will suck in silt and food and then spit it out into the water. Food is then sucked back in as it is momentarily suspended off the bottom. Power Bait Carp Bait is ideal for this feeding habit. The chunks, with their distinctive texture, odor and flavor the carp find appealing, are easily identified as food.

 

Berkley Power Carp Bait is packaged in 6-ounce bags and has a suggested retail price of $3.69.

 

To find out more about the Berkley Power Bait Carp Bait or for the nearest Berkley retailer, call Berkley Angler Services at 1-800-BERKLEY.

[tj]

Is power bait carp bait similar to our old fashioned british luncheon meat?......often called spam!

[Newt]

Haven't seen any yet but no, not luncheon meat. A thick paste with some fine particles added I think.

 

It may even be excellent bait. Berkley has done a nice job with their pred version of powerbait so I have hopes for this one.

 

Mainly, it is the first effort by a mainstream company to make a Carp bait for US anglers. And encouraging for that reason. If it happens to work, that will be a nice added bonus.

 

[ 13. January 2003, 04:54 AM: Message edited by: Newt ]

[Bruno Broughton]

Newt

 

When I last went into a US supermarket, I came out with enough ingredients to make 6 POUNDS of bait for $3.69, never mind 6oz. BTW, have you tried imitation maple flavour as a bait additive/dip (I used 'Mapelene', from memory)- spot on!

[singy]

Isn't berkley power bait actually an artificial bait? the stuff I saw was like rubber. looks crayfish proof and I'm sure you will be able to use it over and over again.

 

Not sure but I think it's the same stuff they make the power bait worms out of.

[Dunk Fairley]

Power bait is actually based on Maise/Corn meal. It's got a few bits and bobs in it as well and is a bit rubbery.

 

It comes in small jars and as far as I know, isn't really designed for mass baiting tactics.

The dips smell REALLY good, but I've yet to use them in anger. The orange coloured spicy one definately smells like a winner. I'll be dipping luncheon meat in it for Barbel in June.

 

As far as Carp go, as I said, I've not used it in anger, but I know one seriously well known carp man who has. He caught without any problems. He's now evaluating it this winter.

[limestone]

Have you tasted the stuff, though? You won't - it doesn't taste at all - of anything!

 

Not ideal for a bait, I would have thought. The smell in air is only for the angler's benefit - the fish won't get that at all.

[Newt]

Bruno Broughton:

Newt

 

When I last went into a US supermarket, I came out with enough ingredients to make 6 POUNDS of bait for $3.69, never mind 6oz. BTW, have you tried imitation maple flavour as a bait additive/dip (I used 'Mapelene', from memory)- spot on!

Bruno - certainly the supermarkets are filled with things to make carp bait. As are the UK supermarkets. Yet you folks still sell tons of made-up baits.

 

I will continue to make up mine but may well give this stuff a try - just in case it happens to be a real killer bait.

 

Just interesting that a major player is now making a specialized bait for carp. Until recently they wouldn't have because of lack of a market.

 

Now, if the Berkley goo sells well other companies will jump in to make their money. And more casual anglers (or anglers who have always targeted other species) will see it and consider carp as a target. Which will lead to more companies making baits. Who knows - maybe one day you will be able to buy a ready-made boilie at a tackle shop or something equally strange.

 

My latest bait (waiting for somewhat warmer conditions though) is a giant maize I found in the specialty section of a supermarket - used for making soups and stews. Large diameter (10-24mm in the package I bought) but not much thicker than normal maize at maybe 3mm. Much like a thick coin.

 

White is all I've seen. Takes scent well. Boil for about 2 minutes and then leave in the hot water for an hour. Nice, firm grain results that will go on a larger hook without breaking up. #2 is the largest hook I've tried but that works well. Leave intact while heating and soaking /w flavor and it takes a very mild scent. Clip off a bit of skin on the end and it takes up lots more.

 

I put some on yesterday and it stayed on thru 3 casts and several hours in a 3mph current. No fish but nothing else was catching for anyone so not a good test of anything other than how well it holds up. I could still smell a faint vanilla scent after several hours in the water too. Probably should have tried anise this time of year.

[Bruno Broughton]

Newt

 

Most of my US carp (from 11 states and four of the five Great Lakes) have come on popped-up corn (i.e. maize). I usually cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour with added sugar or, better, a sweetner - doesn't make it too sticky. 1lb of sugar per 5lb of dry maize is about OK.

 

I really pour in the flavour onto the cooling corn and dip the baits into neat flavour before casting. The end rig is quite simple.. a four-inch nylon link, a size 4 STRONG hook (Drennan Continental Boilie hooks or Continental Starpoints are great), with a longish hair capable of holding two corn grain and a yellow, foam lookalike trapped between. The foam also helps soak up flavour if it is squeezed when immersed.

 

This is fished straight off a semi-fixed 2-3oz lead over a corn-baited area. If carp are present, you get 'em immediately; if not, wait and they will come.

 

The key is NOT to boil the corn until it goes soft or to use sweetcorn. If the bait is too soft, the carp crush it with their lips and don't hoover it back to be crushed by the pharyngeals, giving you 'twitchy' bites. Hard corn results in self-hooked carp on this rig.

 

[ 14. January 2003, 12:31 AM: Message edited by: Bruno Broughton ]

[Newt]

Sounds great Bruno. Only US carp or would the UK smarties fall for this as well?