| What follows is in parts going to be a little heavy but I am determined to expose the secret pulling power of hemp and why it has such a massive influence on fish. Nobody can deny that hemp has that secret something, that magic touch! But what is it? Why does hemp outshine other similar small particle baits? How come it’s stood the test of time and never dropped out of fashion?
Technically a nut, hemp seed typically contains over 30% oil and about 25% protein, with considerable amounts of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. Hemp seed oil is over 80% in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and is an exceptionally rich source of the two essential fatty acids (EFA’s) linoleic acid (18:2 omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 omega-3). In the early years of my barbel fishing my feed regimes were totally hemp orientated and even today in the age of the halibut, trout and carp pellet I still use hemp and lots of it, soaking on Sunday, boiled on Monday and fished with on Wednesday. Its preparation is a full time job and makes me, or any other angler who takes the preparation of this bait seriously, few friends around the home as my wife and many others I am sure cannot abide the strange earthy stink of boiling hemp. Like most fishermen I have messed about with lots of different methods trying to attain the perfectly prepared and cooked grain of hemp; the demon seed attained from the plant Cannabis sativa L. I have soaked and boiled it, sealed it into thermos flasks and left it to stand overnight (much like you would do with wheat) and steeped it in buckets of sweet light syrups and savoury stocks. I remember when I was a lad (not that long ago), hemp in fishing was frowned upon by some anglers, with wild and ludicrous tales of hemp polluting the water, growing wild on the riverbanks and sending the fish into easy to catch drugged states of feeding euphoria where only the anglers ‘fishing the seed’ would catch. It was a little pathetic really, almost like the Salem witch trials or the Spanish inquisition. All manner of half-truths and myths were bandied around regarding hemp. The stuff that we use for fishing poses far less of a threat as a polluting agent as say the creosoting factory, the water treatment works or the paper mill and if it’s been correctly prepared and boiled there is zero chance the stuff will ever grow. And as for fish getting stoned, they would need to consume vast quantities of the stuff as the substance responsible for the ‘wacky’ in the ‘baccy’ – THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is in the region of 20x less potent than the mildest forms available. We humans have been using hemp for 10,000 years, the earliest piece of fabric found was a slip of hemp cloth circa 8000 BC. it has a myriad of uses from textile manufacture to super green bio-fuels and has been an important food source. Research into the possible uses of hemp are ongoing and in-depth; in 1955 the Czechoslovakian Tubercular Nutrition Study concluded that hemp seed was the ‘only food that can successfully treat the consumptive disease tuberculosis, in which the nutritive processes are impaired and the body wastes away’ – Robinson, 1996.
Hemp as a human food source, however bizarre it may seem in the age of the ‘Big Mac and fries’ has a history thousands of years old and not surprisingly so when faced with its scientifically analysed nutritional breakdown. It really is a fantastic food second only to the soy bean in terms of complete protein as it contains all the essential amino acids needed by man to survive. Fish, and especially barbel with their super sensitive barbules which they use to ‘taste’ prospective food items, were bound to become pre-occupied with such a tremendous source of energy, health giving minerals, high quality protein and fatty acids, when you break it down and look closely it really is the perfect bait to firstly entice the fish into becoming active, then stimulating a feeding response and then finally holding their attention for a long period of time as they forage to pick up every single morsel that is available to them. The Dietary Requirements Of Fish This is where it starts to get a bit heavy, most of the evidence regarding the actual nutritious value of hemp and the importance of certain components of its makeup are geared towards ourselves, humans, but below is a breakdown showing what fish need and in what amounts. Nutrient requirements for Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Pacific Salmon, Common Carp, and Tilapia as Percentages of Diet, Milligrams per Kilogram of Diet, or International Units (IU) per Kilogram of Diet (as-fed basis). Amino Acids, What are they? Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The body requires 20 different amino acids of which 8 are referred to as essential amino acids which cannot be synthesized by the human body. Animals and plants manufacture proteins which contain these essential amino acids. Non-essential amino acids can be synthesized by body but this does not mean they are unimportant, they are, it is just that the body is capable of producing sufficient to meet the demands for growth and tissue repair. It is therefore important that our diet contains appropriate levels of protein. The essential Amino Acids are: lsoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylaianine, Threonine, Tryptophan and Valine. The non-essential Amino Acids are: Alanine, Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic acid, Cysteine, Clutamic acid, Clutamine, Glycine, Histidine*, Proline, Serine and Tyrosine. *Histidine is essential for babies but not for adults The Fatty Acids, What Are They? The main components of all fats are the fatty acids which might be saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Fats containing a high proportion of saturated fatty acids are solid at room temperature. These are commonly known as saturated fats and are usually derived from animal sources e.g. lard, suet and butter. Most plant fats are high in either polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats except palm and coconut fat which is highly saturated.Saturated and monounsaturated fats are not necessary in the diet as they can be made in the human body. Two polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that cannot be made in the body are Linoleic acid and alpha-Linolenic acid. They must be provided by diet and are known as essential fatty acids. Within the body both can be converted to other PUFAs such as arachidonic acid, or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In the body PUFAs are important for maintaining the membranes of all cells; for making prostaglandins which regulate many body processes which include inflammation and blood clotting. Another requirement for fat in the diet is to enable the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K to be absorbed from food; and for regulating body cholesterol metabolism. Analysis of Hemp Oil Mineral Assay of Sterilized Hemp Seed: (Data courtesy of Ohio Hempery) Analysis of Hemp Seed Fatty Acid Analysis of Hemp Oil Check out the fatty acid spectrum above.When it comes to attraction levels, broad spectrum hasalways been a sure fire indicator to a successful baitand you cannot get much broader spectrum than that! * Essential Fatty Acid (EFA). This 1:3 LNA: LA ratio is called ‘the optimum balance’ by Dr. Udo Erasmus, author of the book ‘Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill’, an authoritative book on edible oils and fats.** GLA is Omega-6 Super GLA, less commonly found in fish and flaxseed oils. No wonder Hemp seed oil has been dubbed, ‘Nature’s most perfectly balanced oil’ due to the fact that it contains the above stated perfectly balanced 3:1 ratio of both the required essential fatty acids (EFA’s) for long term human consumption and optimal nutrition. Oils containing both Omega 6 and Omega 3 Oils Containing Both Omega 3 And Omega 6 Fatty Acids As A Percentage Unique qualities! Only hemp seed oil contains Omega 6, Omega 3 and GLA and only hemp seed oil contains 75-80% polyunsaturated fatty acids-the highest ratio in the plant kingdom and unique among seed oils. So there is the scientific breakdown of hempseed oil, a little on the heavy side I admit but none-theless concrete evidence supporting the obvious attractive nature of the not so humble hemp seed. Carbohydrates – Yer what? Carbohydrates are chemical compounds that act as the primary biological means of storing or consuming energy, other forms being fat and protein. Relatively complex carbohydrates are known as polysaccharides. Carbohydrates are naturally produced by plants and animals. Sugars and starches are carbohydrates. Strictly speaking, carbohydrates are not necessary for human or fish nutrition because proteins can be converted to carbohydrates-the traditional diet of some people and many species of fish contains almost zero carbohydrate content, and they are very happy and perfectly healthy. They are on a permanent Atkins diet so to speak However, carbohydrates require less water to digest than proteins or fats and that being so are an important source of energy. So Lets Have It In Layman’s Terms, What Else Is It All About? What other attractive points does hemp have then? Well, I actually believe that fish, especially barbel, feed heavily on hemp not only because it is nutritious but because it resembles colonies of small mussels and freshwater snails. The crunchy texture they will obviously encounter when taking in and crushing hemp seed on their pharyngeal teeth must be similar to the crushing of small shells. If you have ever had a barbel disgorge its stomach contents more often than not there will be evidence the fish has been feeding on mussels and snails so this type and size of bait coupled with their natural texture must appeal to the barbel in the extreme. So by using a carpeting technique we actually recreate a very natural looking feeding situation for the barbel shoals to home in and settle on. There is so much anecdotal evidence regarding the power of hemp as an attractor, when it comes to introducing hemp into the swim we really must be absolutely sure about where it is in regards to the baited hook because it would be quite easy to draw the fish out of the swim rather than pull them into it. Methods of Deployment So how do we go about introducing such a potent stimulant into the areas we are planning to fish? Personally I used to simply catapult or throw the stuff in, peppering the surface of the Trent and spreading the bait over an area possibly 200 yards long and then introduce the rest via my swimfeeder. This is blatant stupidity at its most Darwinian awards best. Think about it: you cannot go about blasting a half gallon of well prepared hemp onto the surface of a major river and expect to get any type of control over your feed pattern or, more importantly, the location of your feed pattern. Any bonus you were hoping to achieve has been instantly negated by the lack of accuracy involved in the action of introduction. If you don’t know where it is you cannot expect to benefit from its presence. Spods and Droppers So how do we get the seed into the area we wish to fish in an effective and efficient manner? A spod is good, and very tight on stillwaters if you are accurate with your casting. The feed pattern is opened up a little on running water though as the feed has to fall through almost the entire water column and is therefore going to be affected by the current somewhat. A better option if the angler needs to keep the feed pattern tight is a dropper; these can be very small or huge homemade things able to carry about a quarter of a pint. Droppers are fantastic for shortish ranges but they are outrageously awkward to cast (in my opinion) anything over 20 yards. Groundbait and Swimfeeders Groundbait is also an option but beware! Either you introduce the hemp as a sandwich filling between two caps of crumb in an open ended feeder (or put it in a capped feeder with casters) but if you are ‘balling it in’ add it to the groundbait at the last moment and get it all in at once because groundbait dries the seed out and renders it buoyant. Within minutes all the hemp in your groundbait bowl is going to be floating out of your swim and taking cannabis sativa L fixated fish with it the next time you introduce it to your swim. Suitable Bedfellows Hemp and caster and hemp and corn are as comfortable together as egg and chips but what else can be regarded as a suitable accompaniment? Conditioning seed mixes used for canaries, pigeons, parrots and such likes are a great addition to hemp. Try to create your own personal ‘parti-blend’ with a wide range of different seeds. All seeds and grains have slightly differing nutritional spectrums and inherent qualities which they pass onto a mix enhancing the finished bait. As they say sometimes, things ‘Are greater than the total sum of their parts!’
I will list a few of the main players in the blends of seeds available but to be honest there are dozens of seeds for the angler to choose from and to list them all would be boring in the extreme, a bit like reading a Neil Warnock match/referee report on a Sunday morning after he hasn’t had his own way with the referee! Pearl Barley Protein And Amino Acids For Cooked Pearl Barley Essential amino acids% of optimal mg/g Values per serving 157g / 1 cup Vitamins and minerals for cooked pearl barley Millet Niger Rape or Canola seed Other Hemp Products And Their Uses So there you go, I am almost finished. My final point is simply that I regard hemp almost as the Chinese regard the pig. In so much as I do not waste any part of it, not even the water it has been boiled in. And just as the Chinese chef can find many different uses for his pork we can do the same with our hemp seed. Search pet shops and feed merchants and I am in no doubt you will find lots of potentially fantastic hemp based products. Have you tried these? Hemp milk Hemp Cake Or Slate Ground Hemp/Frenzied Hemp |
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