Bait thoughts

After feeling guilty about posting this on an external feeding factors thread (try saying that after a few) I hope If anyone finds this interesting they could reply here rather than removing the original train of thought from the original thread. (confusing, but trust me).
I wrote:
Sorry must write this down before I lose train of thought even though may be more at home in a bait thread.
Would it be worth looking into different flavours for the summer months some of which fish prefer to sift through gills or swallow, sift or swallow?
(sorry Graham, the bait is set)

I know this is all a bit backwards but this train of thought started here:
An excellent point from rodney brings me to this:
Don't fish generally take nutrition in the colder weather from, not so much the actual bait particle entering the gut but from whats on the bait particle sifted through the gill rakers? Is this maybe all a fish needs with its much slowed matabolism. I'm sure most of us have seen golfish in winter floating almost motionless on their sides only to burst into life if any object gets too close.
Would'nt this count for the shyest of bites in winter as the intention of swallowing the bait is reduced?
I'm tryng to visualise this as maybe 'drinking' the water contained around the bait as a minimum of energy is used.


Why tench and crucians come to mind while writing this I'll probably remember sooner or later.

Remember we were up to sift or swallow?

Hi Tim,
I posted this in the other thread before I saw this one so I'll drop it here as well.


Tim,
You said, "I'm tryng to visualise this as maybe 'drinking' the water contained around the bait as a minimum of energy is used."

This could partly explain partly why bread is such a good winter bait, as when wet the fish can literally 'drink' it from the hook with little effort and as it's almost liquid so little break down is needed?

"Why tench and crucians come to mind while writing this I'll probably remember sooner or later."

I see them too )

I seem to remember something about Crucians mouthing the bait but not actually moving it. Maybe this is why.
Also I believe larger roach are also well known to do this although not to the degree of a crucian. (However in the roach case maybe bigger fish = older fish = clever fish.)

Maybe there is some truth in the dormant mud laying tench in colder weather, sifting minute particles in winter while laying in a dormant state for months?