Flavours decoded

Before immersing hook baits and loose feed in the latest ‘magic’ fish-catching potion, make sure you choose the right one with Roman Buczynski’s guide to how, why and what will work

ENTERING the world of carp fishing flavours, liquids, glugs, potions and brews, you’ll face sensory overload as you marvel at the incredible variety on tackle shop shelves. But this vast selection means it is often difficult to fathom exactly what flavours to use, and when, and how. Get it right and you can add a unique, bespoke taste signature to your baits. Get it wrong and you will not only ruin your baits, but kill your chances of landing a carp! This is why we enrolled the services of Avid and Mainline-backed Roman Buczynski to shed some light on how to get the most out of liquid flavours.

How and why flavours work

If you spend time observing truly wild fish – either coarse or game – they will instantly respond to an insect hatch, even if it is at night. The reason is partly visual but, from a taste perspective, it is the chemicals that these insects release that arouse fish’s feeding instincts. The flavours anglers use work in exactly the same way. “A carp has no idea what a strawberry or a pineapple is, yet baits flavoured with aromas of these fruits catch huge numbers of fish every year,” said Roman. “It is the actual chemical composition of the flavour – the amino acids, feed stimulants and other properties – that trigger a response in the fish. Even a subtle change in the acidity or alkalinity (known as the PH value) of the water can encourage them to search for the source – your hookbait or loose feed.” This is one of the reasons that certain bait flavours work better in certain types of water. The chemical reaction that occurs is stronger than it is when that same bait is used on a different type of water. “For example, I’ve known my bait flavour to have a poor result when used on a very silty venue,” recalled Roman. “But, swapping over to a fruity-based bait, the runs came thick and fast. It wasn’t the flavour itself, more the chemical reaction of the liquids in that bait combined with the pH value of the water. “This can also often explain why certain baits might ‘blow’ on a water, where other baits become well-established. Conversely, using a new bait, which is very different to what a lot of others are using, say a very spicy or nutty/creamy bait, compared to everyone else’s high-level fishmeal offerings, can suddenly rip waters apart. “It produces a very distinct and instant reaction, which is something the fish quickly lock on to as being ‘different’.”