Chillis and barbel

[David Heeley]

Not a recipie just a question. The active ingredient in chilli powder and by inference in curry is capsaicin. This compound evolved to deter mammal predation on the chilli plant seeds. It can be used to deter squirrels from bird tables.
Birds can not taste it. Do you think barbel can ?
Ps does it deter otters ?

 

[David Heeley]

So why is added to hemp, boilies etc by bait manufacturers and why do so many people put curry spice on meat?

 

[Terry Simner]

Because anglers search for an 'edge', the philosophers' stone of baits (and if they add something, and then catch, it leads to confidence (misplaced or not) in that flavouring... if only for a while.
BTW ...I'm not sure if chilli is an actual enhancer, but it doesn't put fish off eating bait flavoured with it.

 

[Gerry Giles]

Not sure if my theory is correct ?

but when I used to do a lot of Carp fishing in Europe mainly and used to take a large sack of hemp and cook it on the bank ( I found fresh superior to stored) I found if Bream were a nuisance I would wack a load of chilli flakes in and cook it then the bream buggered off big smile !

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I love spices in bait
My own home made boilies are a spicy bait and barbel and chub absolutely love them.
For me it’s not about giving a bait an edge as Much as it is making something that works and continuing based on previous success.
The sole reason that my baits are spicy is only down to the fact it’s something I tried one day, caught on well and as the old saying goes......... if it ain’t broke.......
For me It’s as Terry said, a confidence thing but not as terry said an edge!
It’s no better than a lump of meat or a grain of corn and I absolutely believe that.
I just get a real kick out of using something I created and no one else uses it and it works!

spiced baits are as old as the hills and have been catching fish for donkeys with certainly no negative effect that I’ve heard of.
I will say though i believe Gerrys point to be quite valid. I don’t catch any where near as many bream when I use a spicy bait. The odd one will brave it but generally they leave them quite alone. Chub on the other hand can’t shovel them down quick enough

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

There is a theory iv herd that spice in baits causes the fish to digest , use , and pass out the baits quicker , hence feed more . Not sure if it's right , or even relative to barbel , but interesting all the same .

Hatter

 

[Terry Simner]

Hi men ,

There is a theory iv herd that spice in baits causes the fish to digest , use , and pass out the baits quicker , hence feed more . Not sure if it's right , or even relative to barbel , but interesting all the same .

Hatter

That would certainly be true of black pepper, which is thought to aid digestion (even aromatherapists use it with clients with stomach problems), and I do know that too much chilli helps food go through me quickly

 

[Terry Simner]

but not as terry said an edge!

I just get a real kick out of using something I created and no one else uses it and it works!

I see that as 'an edge' Richard. Something special that you're using that others aren't ...a unique 'signature'.

 

[David Heeley]

This question was the result of reading up on how to stop squirrels eating the bird food. Combined with me having too much time on my hands. The answers are just as fascinating as the question. I really can believe the bream thing. I was a very keen match angler in the 80, 90 s and early 2000s
Certain associations were in my mind beyond doubt. Roach and hemp, Chub and wasp grub being the real biggies.
The idea that certain flavours could deselect certain species never really came up. It doesn't when everything counts.
Personally I would be suspicious that they are keen on the salt content of spicy additives and may well be attracted to the umami flavour again associated with spicey meat flavours and the capsaicin is largely unnoticed
As for the bait manufactures well we have all spent money on the next never fails flavour.

 

[Terry Simner]

Re. "umami". Years ago I read that that in Europe in the Middle Ages, when the ability to read and write was almost the exclusive preserve of monks and other high ups in the Roman Catholic church, a certain abbot defined the 5 (I think it was 5) known tastes (sweet, sour etc). And one of those tastes was semen!
Hmmmmm.

 

[David Heeley]

Re. "umami". Years ago I read that that in Europe in the Middle Ages, when the ability to read and write was almost the exclusive preserve of monks and other high ups in the Roman Catholic church, a certain abbot defined the 5 (I think it was 5) known tastes (sweet, sour etc). And one of those tastes was semen!
Hmmmmm.

Something to add to the list of banned baits before someone tarnished the reputation of anglers everywhere.

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I see that as 'an edge' Richard. Something special that you're using that others aren't ...a unique 'signature'.

No mate. To describe it as an “edge” I’d be saying my bait is better than without the said addition. Ie I use it because it has an edge over a bait without.
That’s not the case. My bait doesn’t have an edge.

 

[Neil Blood]

Robin Red is full of it and it’s a fantastic barbel bait ingredient

 

[Terry Simner]

Robin Red is full of it and it’s a fantastic barbel bait ingredient

I've always thought the R/R glug smells much like tomato sauce ...but I've not had the stomach to actually taste it