But... tell me honestly: are you sure that the crucian carp is not stuffed inside with all sorts of nuts, bolts, or at least microcircuits? So we were sure that no, it wasn’t stuffed. But how then can we explain the fact that from time to time he greedily pounces on a liquid with a kerosene smell, intended to protect metal from corrosion?

The man doesn't drink it, does he? But the crucian carp loves her. Moreover, he often even prefers it to all sorts of other (usually sweet) flavorings for fish. Strange, right? Are you sure that crucian carp don’t come to us on alien saucers? OK...

Meet WD-40 - an anti-corrosion aerosol produced by some American company, which our mechanics usually spray on metal to protect it from corrosion (corrosion), from squeaking, and also for unscrewing all sorts of nuts and bolts (rusted over time).

This liquid is a very popular additive in certain fishing areas. There are not only reservoirs, but entire areas where crucian carp are caught using WD-40. The kerosene smell of this liquid does not frighten the crucian carp at all - on the contrary, it attracts it. We’ll talk about this type of fishing now.

"Iron" crucian carp

Of course, we are joking - no crucian carp is made of iron and no gears inside it need to be lubricated. In fact, there is nothing surprising in the fact that crucian carp sometimes consume things that seem to be not intended for food. For example, the same aerosol with the smell of kerosene. After all, people sometimes sin with this.

Is tobacco, for example, edible? Cigarettes are a bitter herb mixed with a whole range of poisons, metals and carcinogenic resins! But nothing - people use it. Moreover, cigarettes are much more important and pleasant to them than even the most exquisite dishes.

And kerosene and gasoline are also kind of drugs. Some people get used to them. More precisely, to their smell - it has an invigorating and calming effect on the bottom. This is how people breathe all sorts of nasty things. Moreover, with great pleasure.

It seems that something similar is happening with crucian carp. There are crucian carp in the lake that are prone, roughly speaking... to drunkenness. They really liked the specific kerosene smell of WD-10 (and it spreads very well in water), and now they constantly demand a “dose”. More and more. However, none of this matters. It is important that crucian carp are caught by such smells. And if it is caught, then you need to catch it.

Preparing crucian carp dough

There is nothing complicated or unusual in preparing the nozzle. Prepare the usual dough: pour flour into a bowl, mix it with water, if desired, you can add eggs, margarine, butter or vegetable oil (your choice). The result should be a viscous lump of dough that doesn’t stick too much to your hands (this is the main sign - if the dough stops sticking to your hands, it means it’s ready).

Well, at the end we take that same aerosol, WD-40, and spray it on the dough. Neither we nor the fishermen know exactly how much to spray. We just take it and spray it - so that it smells like kerosene. Mix the dough again and the attachment is ready. It can be attached to a hook.

Some fishermen also prepare bait based on this kerosene aerosol. They also knead the dough, but it should turn out a little more dry, crumbly, and not so viscous. We also spray it there with the same WD-40 aerosol. We roll balls and when fishing you can throw them at the fishing spot to attract crucian carp. But fishermen usually do this infrequently. As a rule, they simply come to the lake with a lump of dough, put it on hooks and catch fish.

Fishing

Here, too, there is usually no need to invent anything. We just take a fishing rod, place a ball of dough on the hook, throw the tackle into the water (to some known crucian carp place - for example, under a snag) and wait for a bite. At first the bite is weak, but after 5-10 minutes the crucian carp will gather at our hook and the bite will definitely return to normal. In good lakes rich in crucian carp, the bite can last for a very long time: right up to darkness. The fisherman fishes until he gets tired of it.

The whole problem with this kind of bait is that if a crucian carp is accustomed to it, it will be very reluctant to accept all other baits. At least in such lakes, worms, bread crumb, and ordinary sweet dough are clearly inferior to the nozzle with the smell of kerosene. The crucian carp may or may not take all the usual baits - it either likes them or doesn’t like them. The crucian carp always takes our “smelling” bait.

Vladislav Ivanchenko -Especially for, Ukraine, Kyiv

To prepare the bait you will need:
1. A large saucepan with a colander.
2. Large plastic bowls.
3. Set of wooden spoons and spatulas.
4. Measuring cups and spoons for adding liquid ingredients.
5. Rags. Packages.

For half a kilo of bait you will need heels of chicken eggs. Break them into a bowl and stir until smooth. Add sweetener, flavoring and other luring, attractive ingredients. Oddly enough, fruity scents are very suitable for this. Add the dry part of the bait (flour and salt) to the mixture of eggs and various additives. Add slowly and stir with a spoon. At the end Mix this mixture by hand. The mass should be homogeneous. To prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands, treat them with vegetable oil.

First version of fish bait (for the lake) From the resulting mass, roll out sausages up to 3 cm thick. Divide them into pieces and roll them into balls. Now they are ready to cook. Boil water, place the balls in the prepared colander, lower it into the pan slowly so as not to spill the boiling water. The round shape is important for standing water: a lake or pond. Long boiling will help protect the bait from bream - the bait becomes hard. After cooking, place a colander in the sink to drain excess water. Then transfer to a rag and let cool completely, about 2 hours. That's it, they're ready. Place in bags, be sure to date and label the flavors, and store in the freezer of the refrigerator.

Second bait option (for running water) If your fishing will take place on a river, then there is no need to make the bait spherical. For faster cooking, you can simply cut the sausages, or you can roll them out to 1 cm and cook them whole. Approximately 1 minute. When cool, simply chop the sausage into small pieces. About a thousand servings of bait are formed from half a kilogram of dough.

Third option (for the shoreline of a reservoir) The yield will be hundreds of cubes of different sizes and densities, ideal for feeding licorice along the river coastline. So, after kneading the dough, you shape it into a brick. Wrap the film as tightly as possible, you need to get all the air or almost all of it out. Then place in a pan of boiling water for one hour. The “brick” may not be completely submerged, so a load on top will not hurt. After boiling over low heat, remove it and peel off the film from the finished mixture. Let it cool down. After cooling, cut it into cubes, but do not forget that the top layers will be buoyant. Separate them and store them in a separate bag.

Of course, you can use the bait fresh, that is, without heat treatment. This makes it easier for her to reveal all her taste properties of the mixture, and the signal for the fish will be stronger. A significant disadvantage is that such bait attracts trash fish; they gnaw it faster than the noble carp notices it. But the raw mixture cannot be thrown over long distances. And that’s why it needs to be deep-fried.

Simple tips at the end of the article:
- Do not use sharp baits;
- If you are into tobacco, wash until the smell disappears completely.
- Do not forget about other strong odors (soap, diesel fuel (gasoline), shaving cream, etc.);
- Take a thorough approach to the cleanliness of used dishes, as they create a noble environment for the growth of bacteria.
- Make sure that the heat-treated bait has cooled completely, otherwise it will deteriorate under the influence of ice.
- Remember, the main enemy of prepared bait is moisture during storage. By adding rice to the bag, you significantly reduce the water content.
- For long-term storage, use a preservative.

So, we looked at the question of how to prepare fish bait at home. Use only complementary foods that, according to the article, are most suitable for various bodies of water. Then you will ensure yourself a good bite and a wonderful catch.

Not every fishing trip brings a good catch. Weather changes, sudden changes in wind direction, incorrectly selected fishing location, off-season - all this can lead to a lack of fish in the cage. This is a bleak prospect for fishermen.

Perhaps you should pay attention to fishing flavors? But how effective are they? Every experienced fisherman will say: “Effective!” They can treat any bait: plant, live, artificial, or add it to all bait mixtures, thereby increasing their effectiveness: each particle is saturated with an attractive aroma, which lasts in the water for a very long time.

Ichthyologists divide the sense organs of fish into gustatory and olfactory. Unlike humans, they sense only substances dissolved in water and react to their minimal concentrations. Hungry fish swim up to the smell of components added to the bait. Thanks to this, the fisherman lures prey to a convenient fishing spot. The prey begins to feed in the feeding area, swallows the bait and ends up on the hook.

Fish Attractors

Attractant substances are not food for fish, they are designed to attract it and whet its appetite. They are added in small doses to bait or used to process the bait directly. These are oriental spices, oils, seeds of umbrella plants, some of them are reflected in the table. Their main goal is to encourage fish to swim to the fishing spot from a long distance.

Table. Popular supplements to attract peaceful fish.

The above additives can be mixed to enhance the effect and add versatility to the feeding mixture.

For example, when fishing for bream, cinnamon goes well with coriander, basil, and vanilla. Garlic - with star anise, anise, basil.

Some fragrances can be easily made with your own hands. For example, an infusion of fresh garlic is used for catching crucian carp: knead 2-3 cloves, pour a glass of hot water, and leave for 5-6 hours. The resulting volume is poured into water to mix 1.5-2 kg of bait.

Fruit attractants are widely used. They are presented in the form of clean scents: strawberry, plum, banana, peach; as well as their combinations, are used mainly in the summer.

Supplements for Carnivores

The most accessible and widely known means of influencing the olfactory receptors of predatory fish is familiar to spinning anglers who fish with foam rubber. If such bait is soaked in fresh fish blood, the chances of a bite increase significantly. But the effect of blood as a bite activator is short-lived and lasts only 5-6 minutes. According to reviews, the blood of a predator is much more effective than the blood of white fish. Foam rubber fish is the optimal bait when using blood and other liquid attractants.

Pike hunts by attacking its prey from behind cover; it does not have time to try the bait. This fish is careful and picky. It is not easy to interest her with a foreign aroma, so you should choose bait with an odor close to natural. So, the smell of blood suits her perfectly.

Pike perch is very active and rarely stands in one place. Its life activity begins at night. All this complicates the fisherman's hunt for it. Having set a goal, he will no longer back down. A properly selected additive with a clearly defined smell is the key to success when catching it.

For pike perch and pike, the main flavors are anise, herring, garlic, crayfish, and shrimp.

Attractants act effectively on catfish. Preferred odors are ox blood and chicken offal. They are very unpleasant for humans, but this fish reacts actively to them. When catching catfish, the bait is treated with a compound with a pungent odor. Diffusers that smell like fish, crayfish, or shells work well.

Qualitative characteristics

Carp love an abundance of complementary foods and a choice of bait. Females are especially picky; they approach the food very carefully, and upon noticing the slightest threat, they retire to rookeries at the bottom of pits - favorite places of peace and relaxation. When purchasing, you need to take into account the compatibility of the components of the bait with the attractant.

Their correct combination is a guarantee of a good catch of a weighty trophy.
Activators consist of synthesized pheromones, additives of animal and plant origin. In practice, choosing the right one is not an easy task. There are a huge number of their varieties and manufacturers on the modern market. Many fishermen make similar compositions at home.

Both factory-made and home-made mixtures must have some important characteristics that indicate their quality:

The active substance in the mixture must be safe and not have a negative effect on the reservoir and its fauna.

Varieties

Attractants to enhance the carp bite are divided into groups depending on the fishing location, the presence of a current, and the type of bait. They are produced in the following forms:

Among the taste preferences of carp, it is worth noting: honey, caramel, hemp, garlic, fruit aromas.

Carp baits can be divided into two types:

In spring and summer, fish prefer fruity and sweet aromas. During the cold period - smells of animal origin - canned fish, fish oil, blood, poultry offal and spices.

Fishing sauces

Dips are a type of attractant. The name comes from the English word “dip”, which means dipping, immersion. They are impregnating liquids containing amino acids, sugar, and flavorings. They come in liquid, powder, and gel forms. The bait is dipped into them before casting, after which it is saturated with aroma and other properties attractive to fish.

These supplements are now produced by hundreds of manufacturers. Despite all the diversity, they are divided into two groups:

Best Products

High-quality fishing flavors that combine all the beneficial properties of bite activators and demonstrate good results are products of well-known manufacturers.

In modern fishing, aromatic substances are widely used to activate the bite and keep the fish in the feeding area. Flavors for fishing are available in powder form, as sprays or dips. Powdered flavors are mainly used to saturate the smell of bait; sprays are sprayed onto bait or bait; baits are immersed in dips. In addition, they produce liquid attractants for impregnation of baits and baits.

Aromas used in fishing

Among the variety of attractants, the following flavorings are most often used for fishing:

• Anise. A flavoring agent known to many fishermen since Soviet times. It is considered the best for catching roach. Almost all carp fish from crucian carp to bream react to anise. It is often added to branded baits.
• Banana and peach. These smells are used mainly for carp fishing in the summer.
• Chocolate. Excellent for bream, silver bream and sop. Other cyprinids are also tempted by this aroma.
• Garlic. One of the truly popular scents. Neither crucian carp nor bream can resist him. Used mainly in cold water when fishing with a feeder or float.
• Caramel and vanilla. Universal flavorings for carp fish. Bream, roach, and crucian carp are partial to these smells.
• Cutting white fish. One of the rare attractants for attracting catfish and burbot.
• Coriander. Used to flavor bait intended for catching river fish on a feeder.
• Red worm. A rather disgusting smell from a human point of view, but it attracts fish and can be used to attract predators - rotan, perch and even catfish.
• Maggot. . Can seduce sopa and silver bream. Carp also loves it.
• Halibut. It works very well in attracting a predator to the bait; we use it for...
• Strawberry and tutti-frutti. Popular summer flavors for carp and crucian carp, can be used when fishing. These additives are often included in branded baits to attract fish and improve the bite.
• Honey and gingerbread. A aroma that is loved not only by children, but also by carp fish. Bream, tench, crucian carp, roach - this is an incomplete list of his admirers.
• Squid. Except for catfish and burbot. Be tempted by this smell and...
• Corn. One of the champions in carp fishing, it attracts bream and roach.
• Sunflower. Widely used in fishing, used even in winter when fishing for bream and crucian carp.
• Dill and fennel. Used for all types of carp fish, this smell will not spoil the appetite of catfish.

"Branded" smells

The most famous in the fishing community are Sensas flavors.


In addition to this French manufacturer, one can note the American “Megastrike” and the English “Dynamite Baits”.


The Polish company Traper is actively promoting its products.


The Russian company "Sabaneev" under the UNIKORM "Aromatics" brand produces products almost exactly repeating Sensas flavors. So these attractants can become a budget replacement for Russian fishermen.

We cook ourselves

Just as the hero in the famous film “Perfume” found a way to retain the smell, so the fishermen managed to learn how to prepare flavors themselves. To do this, you need to use the recipes given below. The basis of flavorings is sugar syrup. Then odorous substances are introduced into the syrup, and it preserves their odors. Below we will describe some recipes for preparing such compositions yourself.

Steps for making your own flavors:

1. Pour one kilogram of granulated sugar into a clean bowl.
2. Fill with 750 grams of clean water. It is better to take spring or bottled.
3. Place the pan on low heat and cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. During the entire process, remove the foam with a spoon. Do not rinse the spoon, wipe it dry with a clean napkin.
4. Add the aromatic additive to the syrup and cook until it dissolves.
5. Store the syrup in a cool, dark place.

Approximate composition of additives per liter of syrup:

• Vanilla – 3-4 pods, vanillin – 1 sachet or 4 sachets of vanilla sugar.
• Cocoa or chocolate – 150 grams.
• Cinnamon, coriander, cloves - 2 teaspoons.

Syrup flavorings are best used for dipping baits. By diluting this composition with water, the bait can be flavored. In addition to sugar syrup, you can preserve flavors and prepare flavorings using an alcohol base. To do this, dry spices are poured into a dark glass container and filled with alcohol or vodka. This is infused for three weeks in a dark place. If fresh ingredients - berries and fruits - are poured with alcohol, then to avoid the fermentation process you need to add a teaspoon of salt to a glass of liquid.

Let's look at what ingredients can be used for alcohol infusion:

• garlic;
• dill;
• vanilla;
• carnation;
• cocoa;
• anise;
• mint;
• cinnamon;

In addition to these components, you can use many other plants with your favorite fish scents. You can also try to create mixtures of aromas, because creativity is always welcome in fishing, and it may happen that someone will reveal to the world the most killer aromatic mix. It is better to use an alcohol solution as a spray, while the alcohol evaporates, but the preserved aroma remains.

The blood of domestic animals and birds can be considered as a homemade dip. For preservation, it is simply frozen, and when fishing, it thaws and soaks the bait. You can dip a foam fish in blood when spinning fishing for a predator - pike perch, burbot or catfish.

You can prepare aromatic herbs for fishing by drying them. In the gardens of our country the following attractant plants are often grown:

• dill;
• fennel;
• peppermint;
• lemon balm;
• garlic;
• anise;
• coriander;
• cumin and others.

After drying, these herbs can be used to prepare an alcoholic infusion, or crushed into groundbait. It is better to store dry herbs in closed glass jars, such as coffee jars.

Use of dry flavors

Dry aromatic substances are mainly added to homemade bait mixtures. If the supplement is branded, then this is very easy to do, you just need to follow the instructions on the product packaging.


When using your own dried and crushed plants, you need to be guided by your sense of smell and intuition. There are no exact recommendations here, since the compositions differ in the set of herbs, degree of dryness and concentration of aromatic substances. The same applies to flavoring bait with ground coffee, cocoa powder or vanilla sugar and cinnamon. The angler himself decides what proportions to follow.

Liquid flavors: dips and sprays

Amateurs and professionals of carp fishing have introduced into the fishing community the concept of “dips”, flavoring agents in which boilies are immersed. Literally translated from English, this term means “depth.”

Carp anglers dip their boilies into the dips. In addition to a pleasant and rich smell, dips have a good taste for fish. Syrups retain this taste and aroma. When approached by a tasty boilie, even enhanced with dip, the carp will certainly want to feast on it.


In feeder fishing, dip baits are also used. Vegetable baits are dipped in sweet solutions and delivered to the fishing site. The aroma of the dip should distinguish the bait from the background of the groundbait, so the bait attractant should be different from the dip.

Unlike feeder and carp fishing, when float fishing, deepening is not yet widely used due to the point supply of the nozzle. Here, the best flavoring option would be to add the aroma directly to the nozzle when preparing it.

To flavor baits that should not be dipped into the dip, such as maggots, worms, and semolina, spraying is used. When the bait is delivered to the fishing site with a feeder, the alcohol from the spray disappears, but the smell of the attractant remains.


It is useful to spray baits with meat or fish flavors for predators, especially for catfish or burbot, which use their sense of smell in their hunt.

Odors for certain fish species

Crucian carp loves maggots treated with anise spray. But the dough, on the contrary, is immersed in a dip with the smell of maggots. In general, when fishing for crucian carp, especially with a feeder, aromatization is very important. The bite of our picky fish is unpredictable neither in winter nor in summer. Garlic works well on crucian carp in cold water.

At the beginning of the season, bream prefer spicy smells: garlic, coriander, anise. Then corn, vanilla and caramel work best.

Which flavoring does a roach prefer? In winter they add sunflower, in spring anise and garlic, in summer any berry aromatics.

General principles of flavoring

It is generally accepted that during the spring fishing season, fish are more inclined towards spicy aromas; as the water warms up, sweet aromas begin to prevail. Closer to autumn, fish tastes again change towards spicy tastes. Animal scents also work better in cold water.

But, for example, they can be used to attract catfish in the summer. Fruit components are in demand throughout the open water season, but their use is desirable as similar fruits ripen in the current fishing region. In the summer, especially when fishing with long casting - for a match or a feeder - it is better to use dips with sweet aromas: tutti-frutti, caramel, vanilla. At the end of summer, fruity aromas such as strawberry, cherry, peach, and banana are popular.

In general, on any fishing trip you need to have a set of different scents with you. By varying them, you can choose the one that will help you improve your bite and enjoy your favorite hobby.