There is a widely held theory (not one that I subscribe to) that oils, as bait additives, are completely ineffective. The thought being that oils are insoluble in water and that fish cannot therefore taste or smell them.
My own more empirical view is that if I can taste a tiny drop of an oil on my tongue and also smell it through the medium of air, then fish can do so in water!
Oily fish are certainly very effective baits for pike - and in certain circumstances can seem to out-fish all else!
Oils
- John Milford
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Re: Oils
A seeker of "the fell tyrant of the liquid plain".
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Re: Oils
Many thanks again gentlemen. This is all very helpful stuff and if the river would drop a little, just for a few hours, I could start to enjoy some experimenting. I think that there is some calmer, dryer, colder weather on the way towards mid January. But who knows?!?!
Trouble is, the fish just don't read the books......
John Harding
John Harding
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Re: Oils
One point, do not make the bait too smelly - as fish can smell/sense as little as "one billionth of a drop in a swimming pool" attributed to the American eel by M Sosin and J Clark in their book "Through a Fish's Eye".
It should be, like those round baits, a faint odour!
It should be, like those round baits, a faint odour!
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Re: Oils
I've found pineapple juice really effective for flavouring floating baits for carp. I used a small juice box - reduce it by about half in a saucepan, then add (while hot) to the mixers.
Fish sauce is a pretty good attractant, but eels seem to really like it. Don't say I didn't tell you...
¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸,.·´¯ ><(((º>
Cole aka JAA
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Cole aka JAA
https://crucians.org/
https://www.anotherangler.net/
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Re: Oils
I think your point Olly, is very valid, and I really do not know how much oil to add to my bread crumb based groundbait - just a drop or two seems to be the view. I’ve heard that powders such as turmeric and coriander are less critical when added to a pint of maggots. Pineapple on the other hand seems to be a juice rather than either an oil or a powder, but it does get good reviews……
Trouble is, the fish just don't read the books......
John Harding
John Harding
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Re: Oils
Since this is an older thread I have quoted you so you see it troydog. Santiago mentioned hemp oil, and I have to say this is a great additive, but beware how much you add. Ive used it for bream fishing often enough to know that it works a treat, but too much and it can ruin a day. I found this out the hard way when the bream wouldn’t come near my swim, or weren’t interested in my bait because I never got a single bite. I was using the same bait as my two friends and they caught a load of bream, and I was sitting between them. What happened? Well I didn’t discover the problem til I was packing up and I tossed the little remaining groundbait into the water. I saw a slick appear, and although the crumb initially went to the bottom it didn’t stay there and began floating up to the surface, no good when fishing in deep water (15–20ft). I killed my swim as soon as I chucked the first ball out.
For a kilo of crumb you don’t need anymore than a tablespoon of hemp oil, that’s safe, or even half a tablespoon, but don’t add anymore. It does work a treat though
Don’t cast doubt,cast out.
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Re: Oils
I first learnt about oils when pike fishing - a feeder full of mashed sardine/mackerel and bread - with a mackerel tail as bait. This succeeded when the was not to much wind. But you could always see a small oil slick leaving a surface trail.
With a gale you could up the amount of oil by dipping the bait in it and also injecting it with oil making both a quick release and a slower one. This would leave a slick over 100m long, in some cases even longer.
Many anglers use 'washed out' baits to imitate a bait having been in the water for some time.
With a gale you could up the amount of oil by dipping the bait in it and also injecting it with oil making both a quick release and a slower one. This would leave a slick over 100m long, in some cases even longer.
Many anglers use 'washed out' baits to imitate a bait having been in the water for some time.
- Mr B
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Re: Oils
Oil of Ivy, was an old favourite.. not Ivy oil..
My old mate and myself I was talking about it over a pint a few weeks ago... I had forgotten all about it for years.
Mr B.
The close season is an important and interesting time for the Angler who set out to catch big fish. It is a timely opportunity for him to make new tackle or renovate old. There are no end of jobs to do, apart from those horrible things called Gardens!
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Re: Oils
I found this works a treat, especially when night fishing for pike.Olly wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:22 pm I first learnt about oils when pike fishing - a feeder full of mashed sardine/mackerel and bread - with a mackerel tail as bait. This succeeded when the was not to much wind. But you could always see a small oil slick leaving a surface trail.
With a gale you could up the amount of oil by dipping the bait in it and also injecting it with oil making both a quick release and a slower one. This would leave a slick over 100m long, in some cases even longer.
Many anglers use 'washed out' baits to imitate a bait having been in the water for some time.
"....he felt the gentle touch on the line and he was happy"
Hemingway
Hemingway