Yuku free message boards

Front page of this weeks Angling Times is the news item about tests done over a period of time on certain baits. The study, carried out by respected fisheries management consultant Ash Girdler, involved groups of carp being fed an exclusive diet of a given bait over 12 weeks. The baits were peanuts, sweetcorn, maggots, tout pellets and shelf-life boilies. Ash ensure that each group got the same calorific content (eg as maggots are around 90% water, the group of carp being fed those received more) The growth rates of the carp, in order of most to least were, trout pellets, peanuts, maggots, sweetcorn and finally shelf-life boilies. One of the main 'shocks' to come out of the test was that 85 of the 90 carp being fed shelf-lifes died. Not only did they show no growth but their internal organs were 'shot to bits'. The ingredient believed to be to blame is the preservatives (benzoic acid being identified as THE lethal one) inhibited the carp's ability to process nutrients, so they effectively starved to death as well as being poisoned at the same time. The editorial comment in the AT did point out that we should act sensibly on these findings as the reports were carried out on baits from 8-10 years ago and that shelf-life 'technology' has moved on since then, and that fish in lakes have all manner of baits fed to them, so they can pick out a balanced diet. Interesting study though I, sure you'll agree.