Can I catch a tench on a hair-rigged twig?

[robtherake]

and one of their favourites ........................ oranges cut in half! They soon suck the soft fruit out leaving just the pith and peel. I kid you not!

 

Squid and Mandarin, anyone? Call me cynical, but I wouldn't be surprised. Didn't someone on another thread say they were experimenting with orange juice in their baits, or was that you, Budgie? There was a Matt Hayes article in the AN where he was catching carp on hair-rigged strawberries, so maybe it's not so surprising.

I would guess there's plenty of citric acid in elderberries too but I've seen carp pulling trailing bunches of fruit down and shaking the whole branch in an effort to get them off. The fish rose out of the water ever so slowly and in completely vertical fashion to get at them (must have taken a fair bit of effort); it's got to be one of the strangest bits of feeding behaviour I've seen.

[Dick Dastardly]

Interesting post, Dick D.

 

A slightly different deviation from the original post. Andrew has already met the tench challenge. Is there anyone who reckons they could catch a perch on a jigged twig?

 

 

Not so sure there John as with the twig/bare hook thing we are relying on the fish just taking the bait "involuntary" With predators though they are more specific in what they actually take in,they NEED to target a specific "prey" I put prey in inverted commas as we all know pike will take most things that move from live fish to Smart Cast transducers! with the whole range of both live and dead things if moved in between! I could definitely take a Pike on a "jigged" or "worked piece of wood as indeed so many do on a regular basis with a plug! Some of the most effective Pike Jerk baits are simply a very slightly "shaped" plug of wood (hence the name). They have no "inbuilt action" and you have to impart all the movement to them that is required to "bring them to life" So A Pike on a "twig" is pretty much all ready "done"!

 

But a Perch? Truthfully I dont know John.You dont often get Perch grabbing strange things do you? Why? maybe better eyesight than Pike? maybe not so stupid as Pike? I reckon I could catch one on a length of rubber band in the right situation but this would obviously be down to the movement I could easily impart in to such. I have had Perch take bare hooks occasionally but this has been when Ive got them into a frenzy taking loose fed maggots on the drop and they've just grabbed anything that's fallen through the water with the handful of freebies.

 

So to try and answer with my views on your question (as not knowing the "answer" I cant give one!) I would guess that on a static piece of twig definitely not,a moving piece of twig unlikely!

 

Good question!

[Dick Dastardly]

I would guess there's plenty of citric acid in elderberries too

 

 

I assume that citric acid is only found in Citrus fruits such as Lemon,Orange,Lime,Grapefruit and their derivations?

[robtherake]

I assume that citric acid is only found in Citrus fruits such as Lemon,Orange,Lime,Grapefruit and their derivations?

 

No, mate. I used to make a lot of my own plonk, and from memory I'm pretty sure they contain citric acid.

 

EDIT - http://sawmillhollow.com/2010/07/research-on-elderberry/

 

Yes, they do.

Edited May 25, 2012 by robtherake

[Dick Dastardly]

No, mate. I used to make a lot of my own plonk, and from memory I'm pretty sure they contain citric acid.

 

EDIT - http://sawmillhollow.com/2010/07/research-on-elderberry/

 

Yes, they do.

 

 

Nice one Rob thats cleared that one up!

[Phone]

Androo,

 

You know I claim to be an "expert" on this subject. I'll stake my reputation and bet the farm you can't catch carp on grapefruit rind.

 

Guys,

 

Citric acid is a wonderful bait additive. Vinegar is SUPER. The substances that make grapefruit bitter and unique from other citrus fruits is not the citric acid.

 

Carp will "overcome" a lot of misgivings. For example, coffee is also bitter. You can't catch a carp on a coffee bean (probably). But how many times have I seen coffee (and the grounds) added to something else and the angler swears coffee is a good additive. Carp will eas "IN SPITE" of objectional mixtures. But a solid, untreated, grapefruit rind will not catch carp. (Or anything else that uses smell/taste.) I guess you could carve a lure from grapefruit rind and catch a (something?).

 

Phone

 

Carp will suck and blow darn near anything including rocks. Maybe you would get lucky on a coffee bean hair rigged if the outer skin wasn't scratched. But they, carp, won't even pick-up grapefruit rind.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Phone

[Dick Dastardly]

Androo,

 

You know I claim to be an "expert" on this subject. I'll stake my reputation and bet the farm you can't catch carp on grapefruit rind.

 

Guys,

 

Citric acid is a wonderful bait additive. Vinegar is SUPER. The substances that make grapefruit bitter and unique from other citrus fruits is not the citric acid.

 

Carp will "overcome" a lot of misgivings. For example, coffee is also bitter. You can't catch a carp on a coffee bean (probably). But how many times have I seen coffee (and the grounds) added to something else and the angler swears coffee is a good additive. Carp will eas "IN SPITE" of objectional mixtures. But a solid, untreated, grapefruit rind will not catch carp. (Or anything else that uses smell/taste.) I guess you could carve a lure from grapefruit rind and catch a (something?).

 

Phone

 

Carp will suck and blow darn near anything including rocks. Maybe you would get lucky on a coffee bean hair rigged if the outer skin wasn't scratched. But they, carp, won't even pick-up grapefruit rind.

 

 

Now there's a challenge if ever I saw one! So you reckon (even taking into account the "involuntary hoovering in" principle and that you can catch on a "neutral" non food item,even a bare hook) that there is no way you could hook a carp if you used grapefruit rind on the hook?

 

BTW If Barry gets chance to do the "half oranges" photos this weekend I will get him to try them on grapefruit as well.Admittedly they only suck the flesh out and leave the orange peel/rind but I wonder if they will ignore or nosh the soft grapefruit flesh?

[Phone]

Dickd,

 

The "flavoring bible" for carp fishermen should be Fenaroli’s Handbook of Flavor Ingredients rather than lore and marketing. Basic taste qualities like sour, salty, sweet, bitter and umami (the taste of MSG) serve specific functions in identifying food components. This was the "base line" for lots of testing. Oddly, the chemicals that make up the 10 or so "bitters" are not always bitter tasting to humans. Still, carp had statistically significant aversion to "bitter" compounds in any form. For example, they don't like carrots. Humans can "taste" maybe - just maybe 1% of what a carp can taste (that's from Phone - the 1% without looking). After all, the taste/smell part of the brain in carp is NOT in their head but in their butt and runs the entire lateral line including the whiskers.

 

Phone

They HATE grapefruit rind. Oddly, acorns are bitter and they carp will suck and blow acorns but rarely finnish them off. (go figure!) How many guys do you know that swear by chocolate (a bitter compound - - - what the 'ell do I know?)

[Anderoo]

Challenge accepted!

[Phone]

Androo,

 

Touche'

 

Another one I though of last night should you not have a grapefruit handy is the peel of a YELLOW banana. If you use banana be sure the fruit is all removed. Carp love banana fruit but won't touch the peel when it is yellow even though yellow is a favorite carp bait color.

 

So, I guess I'm committed to:

carrot

yellow banana peel (no fruit)

grapefruit peel (rind)

coffee (bean)

chocolate (raw)

 

You pick-um'

 

Phone

edit sp

Edited May 26, 2012 by Phone