flavourings

I read somewhere that it was best to use spicy flavourings in winter and sweet flavourings in summer. I would be interested to hear fellow anglers views on this subject.

It doesn't work like that. You can use both sweet and spicy all year round. It's more a case of giving the fish what they prefer according to the water and the species. In some waters the preference will be for sweet flavours, in others it could be spicy. In many it's both.

Most of the time the best flavour (sweet or spicy) is the one that the majority of anglers are using and is therefore the one the fish are 'hooked' on.

Best thing to do is have a walk round the water and chat with the anglers who're fishing. Most of them will tell you what you need to know, apart from specific recipes in use at the time.

It's a minefield !
For a rough idea of how I now see it after at least 15 years of using flavours.The first on maggots was Red Zing!by Geoff Kemp.
Summer: Tench Carp Bream Fishy or fruity flavours
Barbel: Spicy,Fishy or Meat(liver)summer or winter
River Carp:Summer anything, winter fruit.
Chub anything but Garlic seems to do better in winter on hemp/maggots. Fishy or fruity on bread mash with crust.
Roach stillwater Autumn/winter essential oils , Aniseed , fruit . Spicy in very cold water. No idea about summer.
River Roach. Fishy or savoury ie cheese in winter no idea about summer.
Perch Spicy / worm flavours in winter.
The following have remained constants in the old flavours draw.
Richworth : Esterberry. tutti fruitti.Liver &Marine , Aniseed, Blue Cheese. All in spray or dip form.
Hutchie Monster Crab.
Nash Jamaican Spice Essential Oil.Roach attractor , Bream attractor.
Nutrabaits.Betain.Geranium essential oil.N butric acid
Whizzo worm extract.
Braddock Supaspice
Garam Masala from the local deli.
Finally molasses from the local farm shop.It is the cheapest and best!.

David,
I popped out today, just for half an hour!!! two hours later and half a dozen farmy/horsy shops.......no flipping mollases!!!! it was so easy to get last year, is every one and his dog on it this year?.......i came back with a jar of malt extract with cod liver oil and butterscotch....from the chemist, i'll try anything once!!

Paul, if you have that sort of problem, the chemist can give you some stuff or try prunes in juice....
lol

Paul, let us know how you fare with the malt extract.
jen