Additives

[sagalout]

Given the cost of the latest additive (goo at £104 per litre) has anyone proved an additive to work? I have used several over the years and cannot say I have noticed any difference with any of them over loose feeding some hemp, pellets or maggots.

[peterjg]

Over many years I have used garlic (in different forms) for carp - it does not increase your catch rate but for some reason it seems to sort out the bigger carp. Betaine also works for carp but I can't get it to work for roach? Anyone with similar experience with betaine?

[mark brailsford 2]

I have given this some thought in the past,
You could use these new additives on a day when the fish are really ''ON'' and you could bag up, but, was it your Additive that helped you bag up or the fact that the conditions were just right for the fish and got them feeding and you just happened to be fishing on the right day at the right time.
Going back to the ''rip of Britain'' thread, it makes you wonder if the bait manufactures have known this all along, they know they can part us daft buggers with our money, just put a nice florescent label with a picture of a 40lb carp on the bottle then sit back and wait for the dosh to come rolling in, and they know it will!!

[markg]

I remember once last year fishing a river with bread and sweetcorn and only getting a few bites, nothing much. Thought I would try some garlic and chives cheddar cheese for the first time as an experiment. Immediately I caught a big roach followed by several other good fish fish. Tried on other occasions when the fishing was bad and did not always work especially if the fish were really not having anything.
My conclusion was that if the fish really were not feeding, using flavors/additives was not going to make much difference but, if they were just being slow and finicky then something with a flavor/additive could really make a difference. I have noticed similar outcomes with other flavored baits. That they will make a difference on certain occasions and conditions but, not always, especially if the fish are just not feeding full stop.

[barbelboi]

IMO much of the time it's more of a confidence thing for the angler rather than the fish – if you catch well one day using an additive to your bait/groundbait you're more than likely to convince yourself that the flavour was the reason you caught - where it could quite easily be the case that you caught despite the flavour. I look to two main things, bait and presentation, although I do often use natural additives, particularly betaine , fishy ones and CSL, and they may well help. Also I believe that fish soon wise up to any new ‘superbait/flavour’.

On the other hand I have caught many better quality fish of many species on unflavoured artificial baits. Possibly it is more likely that fish will be attracted to something different so a different scent from an additive, or lack of it, may well be productive. Anyway, if manufactured baits such as boilies are so good in the first place why do manufacturers also supply dips to further enhance them and, if any particular additive is so good why are there so many different types available and so many opinions of what works and what doesn’t.

As stated, I do use natural additives as and when but I would be looking more at the actual bait and presentation on the day.
Jerry

[chav professor]

I am convinced that flavours and additives work in certain situations - but it is hard to prove definitively as there are so many variables.

for example: You could use the same float, rig, swim... whatever....... fail on plain maggots, go back the next week to the same swim and improve and put it down to the additive. The biggest variable is that it is a different day!

I have used certain products for years now and I am now confident to state that without any doubt certain flavours/additives/attractants work. My experience is based around flavouring particle baits like hemp, pigeon conditioner and maggots. I have little experience of rolling my own bollies so I am happy to go on a professionals judgement on that and just buy good quality baits (Hookbait company or Celtic baits - little companies that care about the product and never compromise on quality). I can pretty much guarantee that there are additives to fishmeal based pastes and cheese pastes that can transform these baits to a new level of effectiveness - especially for chub!

I like the Goo product, a lot! I have yet to use it but it has a few qualities that make it stand out from the crowd. first and foremost - it sticks like sh** to a blanket - once a small quantity is applied to a bait, most of the attraction will be where you want it on the bait, on the lake bed - not washed out as it falls through the water column.

Where I saw it used, a cm squeeze was put into a PVA bag, cast out and a few hours later a 27lb common was caught.

I have paid 12 quid for my Goo, it will probably last me 2 or 3 seasons...... if you go a lot, perhaps a season..... it goes a long way.

BTW, 40lb of bream, roach and perch on maggots flavoured with Archie Braddocks floral surprise/van den eynde 'roach' powder...........

[Fred Bonney]

I used a infused pellet crumb with N Butric Acid on a flooded Trent, after I and all around were blanking on the usual baits. It worked better with a dendrobena than any other bait. Had a good bag of barbel when others continued to blank.
Didn't work again!
Still safely sealed away for another trial!
Also tried on a very slow day the Van de Ende Predator plus splashed on the maggots and got myself a good bag of perch. Still awaiting further tests very soon.

[mark brailsford 2]

Originally Posted by Fred Bonney

I used a infused pellet crumb with N Butric Acid on a flooded Trent, after I and all around were blanking on the usual baits. It worked better with a dendrobena than any other bait. Had a good bag of barbel when others continued to blank.
Didn't work again!
Still safely sealed away for another trial!
Also tried on a very slow day the Van de Ende Predator plus splashed on the maggots and got myself a good bag of perch. Still awaiting further tests very soon.

Don't get any of that stuff on your clothes Fred...It's freekin BAD!!!!!

[Fred Bonney]

Well under control Mark, only my closest "friends" get a chance to sample the perfume!

Talking of perfume, I was pointed in the direction of tea tree oil, I have a bottle to give it a try, anybody made use of it ?

[clayton wood]

Be careful with Tea Tree oil Mate. Have a look at this site doesn't look like a good additive for fish.

Tea Tree Oil : Science and Safety | NCCAM

Side effects don't look good, especially

Tea tree oil should not be swallowed. Poisonings, mainly in children, have caused drowsiness, disorientation, rash, and ataxia—a loss of muscle control in the arms and legs causing a lack of balance and coordination