Additives this weekends question

[joffmiester]

When it comes to additives and fishing it looks like a bottomless pit with thousands upon thousands of different flavours particles and colours. This had come about more today because of the growing numbers of carp anglers trying to get that edge over their dream catch. For us match anglers is it a slightly different story or do we secretly try and get the edge on our competitors . It's been knocking around for years about colours in baits yet additive are rarely talked about in match fishing. Predator plus comes to mind as about the only one talked about on the competition seen . Spices like salt garlic and turmeric are widely used as is vanilla yet is it kept a secret . Are these additives making the difference to catching and not catching . I've used predator plus did it make a difference  :( well I can't be sure as the first time I caught loads of perch . The second was a kiss of death or was it all about the pegs I'd drawn . These additives are they just a confidence thing or do you think they really work for match fishing .

[bill yards]

I don't mind what additives I use; usually Brut or Old Spice ot whatever I am given. These are Xmas prezzies and usually last until next year.

[daveyboy]

It just depends what you call additives Joff, I suppose all of the sensas/ vde etc groundbait contains additives, I use the above ground baits , but I don't use additives such as liquids and powders anymore, I personally think it a confident thing, a mate of mine used brasem in there g bait one day and has a good net of bream,he uses are it all the time he his bream fishing. and has full confidence in using the same additive time and time again,
I used it a couple of times and just attracted a few wasps to my ground bait bowl

[MrV]

As you say Joff, its a bottomless pit  Moons ago, on the T & M canal around here, the common scent on any match come autumn/winter was Sensas Picardie. A lot of anglers swore by the stuff for gudgeon, but everyone had there own way of using it as an additive. Personally, I used to mix it neat to a sloppy milk, then add soil or leam to the mix to get my "gudgeon mix. I found this way made it less "active", and it was a basic mix for bottom feeders.
I also had some success using it in my punch feed, but it was added to my punch mix in dry form to produce active particles when fed.
Sensas don't make it anymore, which is a shame. I did find a similar smelling groundbait on a recent holiday to Belgium, but its black, so I think would only work for gudgeon. However, there seems to be a lack of gudgeon on the cuts now, so it will be interesting when I get round to try it. 

To add a little extra point about Carpers trying to get the edge with additives. If you remember the piccie of the 50 odd pound lump I caught in Belgium a couple of years ago, this was caught on a straight from the bag 16mm crab flavoured boilie. All I fed all week was the same bait in 10mm size. It was the biggest fish of the week for 6 of us. The other 5 lads used all sorts of flavourings, soaks, enhancers and dips, and fair play, they had their reasons for trying them. However, when they asked why I wouldn't try their concoctions, and I said "because everyone else adds things to shop bought bait and I want to be different" they were amazed. My thoughts were that on the lake we fished, it was occupied by a dozen anglers every week for 36 weeks of the year. Most of these were "proper carpers", and they would all be using different flavours, or recommended flavours and the fish would get wise to it, or even confused by it all, and look for something different. To prove the point that additives don't always work, a friend  went to the same Belgian lake 4 weeks later and fished shop bought boilies all week. He had a cracking week, again having the biggest fish of the week off the lake. 

Makes you wonder if its time to turn the clock back and go to plain old brown crumb 

[TK]

On the club scene a couple of years back I did use 'additives' on my hook baits - essentially the adage of sweet in summer, 'spicy' in winter.

Didn't do too bad back then..........and thinking about it, my results have nose dived a bit over the last couple of seasons since I retired and don't have time to pick up any bait and 'mess with it'

Either that or Cotti who tends to pick up all my bait and give it me on the towpath on the morning of the match is adding liberal doses of essence of cormorant to my mags, pinkies and squats

[MrV]

since I retired and don't have time  to pick up any bait and 'mess with it'

[TK]

since I retired and don't have time  to pick up any bait and 'mess with it'

MrV - it's true - honest - how many times have you heard old timers say 'I don't know how I used to find the time to go to work' ....... I used to have more time to myself when I was at work !!!

[TRICAST62]

need to get out more boss

[Pedro]

[move] ESTER'S

                                         They'll do ya melon in!!! [/move]

Pineapple flavour good in winter 

[joffmiester]

since I retired and don't have time  to pick up any bait and 'mess with it'

WHAT!!!

[joffmiester]

Pineapple good in the winter ??? is that for match fishing or specimen fish ??

chinese five spices is good in the winter when you have a low feed G/B i was told last night

[darkhorse]

i now a few were using bagem pineapple on meat in winter, when i spoke to one lad using it all his fish were foul hooked