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Elliptical Pellets

I believe astaxanthin was originally included to turn farmed salmon flesh pink and its what gave the original elips that deep orange colour. I did hear that it was eventually omitted due to cost? Then again, remember when there was a health scare around eating too much farmed salmon and was astaxanthin part of that scare?

Several years back you could still buy trout pellets containing astaxanthin from Skrettings (56lb sack); however they no longer appear to be on sale through their website.
 
Neil Blood said:
I believe astaxanthin was originally included to turn farmed salmon flesh pink and its what gave the original elips that deep orange colour. I did hear that it was eventually omitted due to cost? Then again, remember when there was a health scare around eating too much farmed salmon and was astaxanthin part of that scare?

Several years back you could still buy trout pellets containing astaxanthin from Skrettings (56lb sack); however they no longer appear to be on sale through their website.
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A google search seems to suggest that it is being looked into for uses to combat cancer so hopefully it is not carcenogenic, but you never know. Upon further google searching there is granular crumb available with added astaxanthin which may be of use rather than faffing about with the gel capsules.
 
Apparently krill meal contains astaxanthin; If you google 'boillies astaxanthin' you'll find that it occurs in various baits.

Doubt its inclusion mirrors the same levels as in the original elips?
 
A typical salmon/trout feed pellet content (high oil):


Oil 33%
Protein 38%
Fibre 1%
Ash 7%

Vitamin A 10000 iu/kg
Vitamin D 1500 iu/kg
Vitamin E 250 iu/kg

Contains: Fishmeal, fish oil, wheat, soya, maize gluten, wheat gluten, Vitamins and minerals
Copper Sulphate
Ethoxyquin (antioxidant)
Astaxanthin (pigment)
Canthaxnthin pigment)
 
I always thought astaxanthin was an antioxidant...

The old BFW pellets (Elips and Salips) were sourced from the same fish feed supplier. We were gutted when they changed the recipe and removed the astaxanthin. The pellets lost their orange colour and seemed more brittle, certainly more tricky to drill.

I did some looking around for astaxanthin at the time and found somewhere that supplies it to the food industry. It was super expensive!!! Which explains why it was removed from fish feed...The company did send me a decent sample which I popped into a couple of base mixes ;-)
 
This is from a site that explains what goes into Salmon feed.

Fish feed also contains vitamins, minerals, pigments and amino acids. The antioxidant astaxanthin is added to salmon feed to boost the fish's immune system and to protect their tissue. It is also a source of vitamin A. Astaxanthin is the substance that gives salmon its red colour. Wild salmon get astaxanthin by eating crustaceans.
 
I’m convinced there is something particularly attractive to carp and barbel within astaxanthin. The old salmon pellets had it as one of the ingredients and they quite literally caught everything. I had some very good pink shrimp meal (once), that was a very dark pink with a very strong smell.......wish I could source that again.
 
Ricky Middleton said:
Anyone tried the hinders flatz pellets?
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Hi all. First post after a couple of weeks of 'lurking'!

I used Hinders Flatz yesterday on for the first time, after bulk buying direct from Hinders website. Fishing the Dorset Stour.

Like others, I've been less than impressed with their Elips pellets, which seem to lose their flavour and break down very quickly.

The Flatz certainly seemed to seem to act as a good attractor, with every small 'pult load triggering an intense period of liners. They are drill-able with a fine drill, although superglued is probably a better option. They got me a take too, albeit to a lost fish due to a hook pull...

One thing I noted, is that they develop a spongy texture after being submerged. I discovered this after resting the swim when the liners stopped. The bait had only been in for 5-10 minutes prior and was checked 30 minutes or so later. The normal Elips pellets would dry out and return virtually to their normal state (with less flavour obviously).

Anyone got anything to report on the new Sticky versions? I've ordered a small bag of these - yet to find a boilie/pellet bait that I'm 100% confident in.
 
West Country bait do a cylinder elips ( yes I know) and I understand Hinders do a similar bait.

Usually good enough for 3 or 4 Wye barbel each and stay in shape and texture well
 
I've tried the Flatz, they do break down quickly and are rather small. I think they would be better in a larger size. The bream on the Tees certainly like them and stuck to Elips on other rivers as they last longer on the hair.
 
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