laguna
Well-known member
For the same reason a dog can smell a real meat sausage on land at a thousand paces...
Fish receptors are also known to be thousands of times more acute than humans so are able to detect an attractive soluble bait in water at remarkably very low levels. But remember; if you use artificial flavours and additives that humans can easily smell - then its probably much too overpowering for fish!
At least that's the consensus.
It's true that what may smell attractive to us, may equally be off putting to fish as they (and dogs for that matter) have hard-wired olfactory receptors to help them recognise and distinguish what they prefer, a trait if you like (instinct) between carnivores and herbivors having preferences for real food as opposed to adulterated foods, substitutes, synthetics and artificial food. A puppy might eat the squeak out of a squeaky toy, or even the toy itself, or mistake a quorn Berger for meat. But an adult dog knows better. Similarly a juvenile fish will usually eat whatever it thinks is edible whereas a wiry old fin tends to avoid it. Cautious learned behaviour or instinct? Bit of both perhaps. But undeniably smell comes into play as always.
What might be regarded as being too strong in regard to additives is a moot point. But generally it depends quite a lot on the pH between the potential difference of the water your fishing and the actual pH of the bait being used, and whether or not it has any positive or detrimental effect on amino acids. For example; fishing in water that has a pH reading of 8 with a bait of the exact same value won't necessarily stimulate fish olfactory. Similarly the difference between pH7 (neutral) and pH6 is 10 times more acidic - which could quite literally be one drop of added flavour too much! The difference between a red letter day and disaster. If your bait is above pH9 (basic) due to additives improperly applied or processed, then the free amino acids (responsible for smell and taste) will all but disappear, possibly rendering your bait virtually sterile and quite useless. The same thing happens at lower values too, though it depends on the type of food item you use as some foods preserve well in acidic environments and maintains their integrity.
A pH less than 7 is acidic. A pH greater than 7 is basic. The pH scale is logarithmic and as a result, each whole pH value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value. For example, pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5 and 100 times (10 times 10) more acidic than pH 6
I've talked about this before here on FM, and no doubt bored some folk to death, but otherwise more than happy to answer any questions here or privately on this subject if I have the time. But all I will say for now, is that a lot of time, effort and good research goes into what most anglers tend to skimp on in my opinion, certainly take for granted for the most part. Good quality bait.
Wherever possible I would suggest using real food baits - enhanced perhaps with SAC juice (recommended) which is an all-natural Glycerite 'bait activator' (alcohol-free extract). A Glycerite extract, any flavour, will quite literally help maintain the integrity of whatever you put on your hook - enhancing its appeal to the fish with the added free and essential amino acids (and friendly beneficial bacteria present), which all creatures need to get from their diet. The pH is critically adjusted depending on the type (fruits, botanical, animal derivatives) designed to maximise the effectiveness of any kind of bait from a maggot to a cooled rehydrated boilie, chick pea, pellet or groundbait.
Considering that fish are only interested in what you put on your hook - not necessarily how much you paid for your new tackle, kitchen sink, bells and whistles... It's probably a good idea to try and give them what they want? But as we all know, there is no magic bullet here, no single bait or ingredient can ever be relied on as each day and venue is different and there's a thousand other variables to consider too. But to address this one single point that of; making our bait more attractive I think is worthy of much more consideration than most of us care to admit. Their remarkable abilities in what fish avoid and - why they sometimes avoid it, has always fascinated me. But more importantly as an angler; why given a choice, do they prefer to eat what they do.
I'll stop rambling here for now, but I'll leave you with this question to ask yourself; Why do you think fish suddenly switch to eating something else in the middle of a session?
Good luck chaps. :w
Fish receptors are also known to be thousands of times more acute than humans so are able to detect an attractive soluble bait in water at remarkably very low levels. But remember; if you use artificial flavours and additives that humans can easily smell - then its probably much too overpowering for fish!
At least that's the consensus.
It's true that what may smell attractive to us, may equally be off putting to fish as they (and dogs for that matter) have hard-wired olfactory receptors to help them recognise and distinguish what they prefer, a trait if you like (instinct) between carnivores and herbivors having preferences for real food as opposed to adulterated foods, substitutes, synthetics and artificial food. A puppy might eat the squeak out of a squeaky toy, or even the toy itself, or mistake a quorn Berger for meat. But an adult dog knows better. Similarly a juvenile fish will usually eat whatever it thinks is edible whereas a wiry old fin tends to avoid it. Cautious learned behaviour or instinct? Bit of both perhaps. But undeniably smell comes into play as always.
What might be regarded as being too strong in regard to additives is a moot point. But generally it depends quite a lot on the pH between the potential difference of the water your fishing and the actual pH of the bait being used, and whether or not it has any positive or detrimental effect on amino acids. For example; fishing in water that has a pH reading of 8 with a bait of the exact same value won't necessarily stimulate fish olfactory. Similarly the difference between pH7 (neutral) and pH6 is 10 times more acidic - which could quite literally be one drop of added flavour too much! The difference between a red letter day and disaster. If your bait is above pH9 (basic) due to additives improperly applied or processed, then the free amino acids (responsible for smell and taste) will all but disappear, possibly rendering your bait virtually sterile and quite useless. The same thing happens at lower values too, though it depends on the type of food item you use as some foods preserve well in acidic environments and maintains their integrity.
A pH less than 7 is acidic. A pH greater than 7 is basic. The pH scale is logarithmic and as a result, each whole pH value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value. For example, pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5 and 100 times (10 times 10) more acidic than pH 6
I've talked about this before here on FM, and no doubt bored some folk to death, but otherwise more than happy to answer any questions here or privately on this subject if I have the time. But all I will say for now, is that a lot of time, effort and good research goes into what most anglers tend to skimp on in my opinion, certainly take for granted for the most part. Good quality bait.
Wherever possible I would suggest using real food baits - enhanced perhaps with SAC juice (recommended) which is an all-natural Glycerite 'bait activator' (alcohol-free extract). A Glycerite extract, any flavour, will quite literally help maintain the integrity of whatever you put on your hook - enhancing its appeal to the fish with the added free and essential amino acids (and friendly beneficial bacteria present), which all creatures need to get from their diet. The pH is critically adjusted depending on the type (fruits, botanical, animal derivatives) designed to maximise the effectiveness of any kind of bait from a maggot to a cooled rehydrated boilie, chick pea, pellet or groundbait.
Considering that fish are only interested in what you put on your hook - not necessarily how much you paid for your new tackle, kitchen sink, bells and whistles... It's probably a good idea to try and give them what they want? But as we all know, there is no magic bullet here, no single bait or ingredient can ever be relied on as each day and venue is different and there's a thousand other variables to consider too. But to address this one single point that of; making our bait more attractive I think is worthy of much more consideration than most of us care to admit. Their remarkable abilities in what fish avoid and - why they sometimes avoid it, has always fascinated me. But more importantly as an angler; why given a choice, do they prefer to eat what they do.
I'll stop rambling here for now, but I'll leave you with this question to ask yourself; Why do you think fish suddenly switch to eating something else in the middle of a session?
Good luck chaps. :w
