I couldn’t believe the day that my dad called the house to tell me he was lost. Of course I immediately got worried and began to panic. My first thought was “oh my God he’s got Alzheimer’s or something worse!” He was a taxi driver for Pete’s sake, so this couldn’t be happening. So, I began asking him a series of rapid, and decisive questions. What’s near you, can you see any restaurants, is there anyone around that can help you, are there street signs, did you cut off the car? Arrgghh!

It was a complete surprise and relief when he said, “Rabbit, there are some new streets on this side of town and I’m not sure where my turn to get to the range is. What, did you think your old man was getting old?” Well, yeah I did, but I was relieved to know he was still capable of being in his right mind.

So the next chance I got, I went to several stores looking for a GPS system that my pop could use. It had to be easy because let’s face it, he pulls over, gets out of the car and looks up our phone numbers in his hand written address book to use his ‘programmed by me’ cell phone. I’m sure if it weren’t for me he’d still be carrying around that prehistoric 20 lb bag phone.

After several questions I found the Navigon 2100T portable GPS. In a sense what makes the portable feature really awesome is that it can be put in either the car or the truck. Too small like the Magellan Roadmate,or it’s also not big and bulky like the Cobra GPSM 2500. Whatever, he wears bifocals.

The other neat feature I liked was the 3 D images that Navigon 2100T portable GPS offers. I didn’t find this on any of the other models I looked at. It gives a very realistic look to the roads that will make my dad’s navigation attempts a lot easier.

It also comes with “test to speech” technology. Wow what a great little feature. I’ve heard GPS systems in the past that tell you turn left 15 miles down the road. This neat little machine tells you to turn left at “Carlisle Street.” My dad knows streets. Guesstimating 15 miles is a stretch. He’s too proud to touch the little button that measures your distance on the car. By the time you’ve turned down the wrong road, you’re five minutes into it before you realize it was the next left. But not with the Navigon 2100T portable GPS system.

If you want to get traffic control a nice feature to upgrade to is the replaceable SD card. If you get caught up in traffic, you can find another route to your destination.

Not to mention, the price wasn’t bad at all. I finally caved in on Amazon and got two for a little over $300. Well, I had to have one too. In less than a month, my dad had out done me and was showing me how to use my Navigon 2100T portable GPS.

As our society becomes increasingly technical and urbanized, more people are starting to feel the desire to escape it all. Outdoor sports allow for an excellent getaway from urban life, but one must recall common sense survival skills to enjoy the outdoors with no serious troubles.

More people are beginning to feel the impulse to break loose from everything, pause contemporary life, and regress to the ways of our ancestors. Maybe this causes the growing popularity of camping vacations, the highest experience of going back to nature and surviving in the wild, with just a plain structure for protective cover and a fire for fixing food.

Of course, lots of people don’t exactly do it that way. Camper vans are popular, and all sorts of electrical appliances have been adapted for camping - there are even camp microwaves. Most people consider at least modern toilets and showers to be a campsite necessity, regardless of whether it’s really true to the spirit of the outdoors. Camping doesn’t really have to be an outdoors thing if you don’t want it to be, as many camper vans aren’t that much different from houses on wheels, and many families stay in them for a large part of their holiday. It’s all about doing what you feel comfortable with.

For passionate campers, however, the most earnest form of camping is camping that calls for survival skills, for instance, devouring wild caught food, finding your way around by the location of the sun and constructing fire. You would have to be incredibly hungry to consume the animals that can be found in the woods of most countries, however, and in these areas, camping with facilities and brought food is often more accepted.

A staple survival instrument is a good flashlight. There are many newer LED flashlights which are quite bright, and long-lived on battery lifespan. Even more dependable in an emergency is a crank or shake flashlight which doesn’t call for any batteries, and which will always be there in a time of trouble.

Most campgrounds are in woods or open fields, and are often publically-owned - if you would like to find one, they should be distinctly marked on maps for walkers and on road signs for cars. It’s up to you what you take with you, but most people will opt to have at least a tent, sleeping bags, torches, and either a tool for making firewood or a portable oven where campfires aren’t allowed.

How would you go about starting camping out, if you have never been before? Before preparing for the camping trip first you have decide where would to spend the trip and how long would the last camping trip The most important thing you need to decide is, would you like to rent your camping out equipment or would you like to possess your own stuff?

The new camper needs to set these factors. The expectations that you have in your mind about camping out seem to be the after effect of the films that show camping. It that is the case then you will want to make that camping out idea your own and try it out for yourself. Without the need of a motor home with running water and plumbing system, I know campers who when they find their perfect place to camp, will pitch a tent ,and others that would never consider camping. Some people prefer no tent or cover at all and set up a hammock between two robust trees to enjoy their camping experience. To ensure a camping out experience like no other, some obtain water and food completely from local sources. No one individuals idea of camping is wrong and it is up to their own interpretation of a camping out experience.

Planning your first camping trip is exciting and its also essential to make sure that all your camping out needs and desires are met. If you’re novice to camping out, you might need to work your way up to really roughing it in the wild. Maybe you won’t dig up roots to eat a wild outdoor meal, you will nonetheless step outside your comfort zone when you go camping out. When preparing your camping trip, it begins in your mind. You will imagine how the adventure will go.

To avoid being letdown you should know that your first time camping out will not go without some bumps. After all you will be utilizing camping out utilities and equipment for camping out that are most likely going to be foreign to you. You need to just relax and enjoy your camping trip. This way you will really enjoy your trip and so will your family. The new experiences you can have with a novice camping out experience can be something you write down in a daybook or tell stories about for years to come.

A long custom of camping out on holidays, spring break, summertime and family reunions are being carried out by some families. This can be a special way to draw together with your family without a lot of interference. It is widely believed that children are the most interesting camping out enthusiasts, they are always ready to plan for a camping out trip. Camping out trips are exciting for youngsters and a great time for them to discover new things. Young individuals are so adaptable to camping out conditions so if you have a chance to camp with younger family members, make sure you don’t pass up the chance.

When you are thinking about an Arizona vacation you are more than likely thinking about the Grand Canyon. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and one of the greatest assets in the Natural World. The Canyon floor runs 277 miles with beauty that you will be in awe of while you are there. Not only is there the Grand Canyon to see in Arizona but a number of other options in Northeastern Arizona await your visit too.

You may begin your trip in Flagstaff where the beauty of the mountains surrounds you. There is shopping, dining or live music to enjoy in downtown Flagstaff’s downtown area. Maybe you will be there for the Oldest Hopi Art Show in the World which will showcase the art, music and culture of the Hopi Indians. Or maybe you will want to visit the Meteor Crater Center which displays the never-ending process of impacts and collisions in our solar system by the Meteors. Take time to visit the Painted Forest where nature has created the beauty of petrified wood in stunning colors, a true work of Mother Nature’s handiwork.

Head out on Hwy 90 toward Hwy 64 as you head for the Canyon. You will arrive at the East entrance which is far less crowded than the others. You will enjoy the experience more not having to wait so long to find a parking spot of to get in. Once you arrive, before you park, take the Desert View Drive route to see the Canyon. This is the longest stretch of road open to the public along the South Rim. In the evening sit back and enjoy the stunning sun setting over the Canyon. Unbelievable.

After spending the night near the Canyon you may want to travel to John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum to learn about his Colorado River Voyages from the 1800’s. At the museum you will be able to see an oversized, yet accurate, replica of the long boat they used on the river. Inside you will see sketches, photos and other memorabilia of Powell’s journey on the river from 1869 and 1871. There are also Native American and pioneer artifacts to bring history to life for you.

Take a tour on the river or on Lake Powell. There are charter boats you can get at Page to see the beautiful lake area. From this community you will be able to over look the lake and Glen Canyon Dam. Here you will also be right next to the Navajo Nation and learn about their culture and modern life. The Lake extends for 180 miles and has over 90 canyons to explore, have a blast!!

Lake Powell is over 180 miles long with over ninety canyons to explore and fantastic water adventures to participate with such as boating, fishing, skiing or just relaxing.

The Canyhon de Chelly National Monument offers you rugged cliffs to see and stunning views. There are jeep tours that you can take and explore the Anasazi ruins. The Anaszi Indians are the ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians. They were in the area as early at AD 1 and AD 1300! There are artifacts of their baskets, pottery, cloth ornaments and tools remaining for you to see.

Take a jeep tour of Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Here you will be surrounded by sheer cliffs and hundreds of Anasazi ruins. There are also modern Navajo homes and farms in the area. The Anasazi Indians are the ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians who settled and farmed in the Four Corners region between about AD 1 and AD 1300. They made fine baskets, pottery, cloth ornaments and tools. They left behind a wide array of artifacts for you to study while you are in the canyon. This will be a fabulous stop on your trip.

Top fishermen know that by exploiting the way your target fish feed at any time of day or night or time of the season, they can reliably improve their catches and keep catching more consistently than the average angler. This is one very significant bait and rig subject which is neglected by the majority of anglers. In fact fish like carp change their mode of feeding all the time even over a 24 hour period or in an instant and you can manipulate and induce changes in feeding to catch far more fish!

Blood worms (and jokers) are notorious natural baits known for being banned owing to their extreme success at match venues. This is a good lesson to all carp anglers in how carp feed and exploit their modes of feeding. Fish like carp can feed in many ways, from dashing about after fry, to slowly sifting through silt for many hours with their heads totally buried. It makes logical sense to get to know exactly what your fish is eating at what time of day or night, where and why in order to fully exploit the form of feeding used at any point in time, or to even induce the one you wish the carp to use in order perhaps to hook them more easily by leveraging special bait formats and ingredients.

You may have watched koi or goldfish sucking algae off the sides of a pond. But carp can also feed by filtering tiny items from the water, while moving and even while stationary. The position and concentrations of natural foods like algae and crustaceans called zooplankton or daphnia fluctuate depending on sunlight angle and intensity, temperature and water mineral and oxygen concentrations among other time and seasonal variations. The successful use of very fine ground baits is one way to induce the filter feeding type of modes whilst on the way to the angler inducing feeding on larger food items such as boilies for instance.

This kind of feeding or similar can be used to further explore the potential of your hook baits and free baits as food items even before your bait is actually touched by a fish. You might have seen a fish suddenly dart towards a bait after having started gulping in water first to taste your bait more efficiently using taste buds in the pharyngeal cavity in the gill area. Fish also use gulping in a snapping motion in a mobile pump feeding) or static position to filter feed and particulate feed and carp and bream do this much of the time in turbid lakes; lazy of what!

Carp actually derive very significant nutrition by filter feeding as this is the primary mode of feeding used especially in turbid lakes. It is a great advantage to use this mode to good effect, and I have had outstanding success for bigger carp fishing over ground bait and forms of more soluble boilies and pellets forms over deep silt in smaller turbid lakes; where catching filter feeding carp can be very difficult with more conventional approaches and large baits and pellets etc. This method of feeding exploitation can drive fish into a feeding frenzy even though no solid bait has actually been consumed yet!

Carp, barbel and tench and even trout and bass feed to varying degrees using filter feeding and they use branchial sieves to do so. These are adjustable in order to catch the most profitable nutritious particles sizes available, depending on concentration and abundance. These are also adjusted to catch batches of particles or individual large ones. In feeding terms, carp are categorised as suction feeders and slow ones at that, but that hides the fact that they can suck up items at a tremendously powerful velocity when required which has great rig implications especially when a fish is filter feeding on food at a long distance from the fish’s head where long rigs and critically balanced baits have great benefits!

The chemical senses of carp are often mentioned in relation to bait, but the role of the carp lateral line is far less mentioned. The electrical sensitivity of this area in food detection is often severely over-looked by anglers seeking to improve their baits and it is so finely tuned it can detect the tiny movements of zooplankton. As carp are primarily filter feeders using slower suction motions compared to other fish, it makes sense to exploit this by using fine ground baits and smaller hook baits too!

Although filter feeding modes in carp reflect their most dominant small sized natural foods you can overcome their preoccupation with these to get them to feed on your fishing baits by also using fine particulate feeds and smaller baits at least to begin with in your ground baits, method mixes, stick mixes etc. Many carp in pressured fisheries regard eating 21 millimetre pellets nad boilies as natural as they literally depend on them for essential dietary requirements, but it does not mean using hook baits of this size make it easier to catch warier fish. The finding is that smaller baits do often fool carp better than large baits and this is not merely due to the fact that proportionately far greater numbers of anglers use baits over 1 centimetre in size…

If you look at the success of captures on small pieces of baits fished over crumbs of baits or fine particulate ground baits saturated with nutritional liquid food additives with added blood worms, maggots, sweetcorn and hemp seeds etc, you can see distinct advantages because it taps into more of the fishes ranges of natural modes of feeding. It is no surprise that fishing tiny hook baits makes sense for big fish even those with huge mouths, when their most efficient and predominant modes of feeding involve the gulping, filter feeding and particulate feeding modes, as opposed to chasing down prey fish for example (although carp do this too.) When you match up the primary feeding modes of your target fish at that time of season to the ground baits, rigs and hook bait characteristics and sizes you choose using a bit more expert knowledge, and your fishing success can be truly multiplied for life…

By Tim Richardson.

You can make carp baits as easy and simple or as complex as you want but one thing is certain and that is, for best results you need to make sure your baits are as unlikely to arouse as little suspicion in fish as possible. To do this you need to leverage the top rule with fishing bait; that of making your bait unique and different! A new different bait has the best potential to tempt big wary carp because even where a so-called food bait or nutritional biological value bait is established, once fish get hooked on it, then fish feeding behaviour on it can alter dramatically!

So if being new and different with your baits is the key to most consistently staying ahead of the fish and fellow anglers and making fish far easier to catch compared to over-used popular baits, how might you achieve this edge? The short answer is every substance you use to soak into your readymade baits or include in your own homemade baits has the potential to breathe new life into your bait and improve or prolong catches on it. This in effect turns your bait into a fresh new one which the fish may well regard with less caution.

Now it is true that much about baits is marketing and gimmicks to catch the attention of angler, just the same as a the flashy paint and spoilers of a car have bear zero impact on its function. However, the fishing bait industry provides us with numerous trustworthy substances to exploit to alter our baits to prolong their effective function and effect. But many of these get over-used and it is a top idea to find new and interesting other ingredients and flavors etc not currently sold for fishing purposes!

It has been said that even changing to a new flavor can improve results and this is true. Flavors are probably the most famous and popular but least understood fishing bait ingredients for thousands of fish species. They can be exceptionally varied in their contents and effects upon fish senses and how they work is often shrouded in theories and tank tests with little in common with real fishing conditions.

We can associate flavors with fruits and sugars of many kinds from oranges and pineapples to apples, pears, butter and cream, spices and herbs, molluscs and crustaceans, fish and everything in between and those besides. But many flavors are beyond what most anglers would even term flavors and have bitter, sour, salty, sickly, acidic, highly pungent even repulsive effects on us humans, but carp absolutely love them. It is an interesting fact that complete digestion of many substances occurs as a direct result of bacterial action to help break down food in the gut which enzymes alone cannot digest. In this example, this means that flavors and ingredients that are partially digested or even represent or mimic these can be super attractive to fish

In the case of big carp, they can be caught on baits containing strong powerful flavors or minimal amounts or none at all. The angling fishing pressure they receive 24 hours a day will often influence which approaches and which forms of flavor are more stimulatory or more repellant! But even using rubber and plastic baits will eventually be associated with previous captures and be less effective for this reason.

When you realise that carp will pick up anything between its lips to more fully sample and identify its potential a food you can understand why practically any bait will hook a carp at least once or never again. This means that fake baits are not the super baits many seem to think as over time these bait forms too will lose their initial advantages and edges through over-use and repeated capture conditioning of fish. Just by handling them you are tainting them with substances carp can detect and associate with danger if hooked on them and encountering them in the future.

Food ultimately comes down to the supply of energy and its efficient use in our bodies and fish are just the same. Any aspect of bait which can provide more efficient use of energy, or at least appear to can be fantastic to use in baits and many are waiting to be discovered and exploited. As big fish have a greater energy requirement it stands to reason that these respond to such substances rather well. If you consider that oils, betaine and even amino acids have a tendency to promote growth and have significant relevance in the use or supply of energy, it is not a surprise they are potent fish feeding triggers!

A great additive for big fish baits is betaine. This is a familiar substance for many carp anglers. But why is it special? So many substances trigger feeding or at least induce exploratory feeding behaviours. Well betaine occurs naturally in human diet and fish diet in natural foods. So it is no surprise that it is used for many vital functions roles and processes in our bodies and though not an a carp essential amino acid it is very important and vital to fish. In fact, so vital that its feeding triggering effects top that of the amino acid alanine which is a known feeding stimulant for very many fish species. The fish olfactory bulb receptor cells are especially stimulated by betaine. It was originally named betaine because it was first identified in the root crops beta vulgaris or beetroot, from which the very first sugar beets were derived from. (Sugars and sweeteners are potent carp feeding triggers.)

In fact I focus on betaine because it has an even more intense feeding stimulation impact on carp sensory systems than the fellow feeding stimulator, the amino acid alanine. Most anglers already appreciate the impacts of amino acids upon fish feeding but do not relate this intense feeding response to hardly any other substances. But just in the same way that betaine and amino acids are significant growth and health and balance promoters etc, thousands of other substances have very significant bioactive effects on fish we can exploit in baits for big fish.

You can help your bait enhancing and bait making efforts enormously by looking at how the food we eat is formulated. The food industry go to great lengths to get substances in our food which make you eat more of it, even to the extent of training our taste buds with all that sugar, salt, yeast extract, and the vast number of other healthy and unhealthy additives hidden away in long ingredients lists. When I began writing books and articles many scoffed (please excuse the pun,) at my claims that there are many addictive substances to exploit for use in baits for big fish; just 2 clues are the capsaicin receptors found in carp, and the addictive effects of certain cereal gluten substances which release feel-good but addiction forming endorphins in carp brains! Fishing blends well with other outdoors recreation and sport activities like hunting, camping, boating and other such hobbies and but so knowing as much as possible about your improving your fishing baits will ensure you always have better results; guaranteed!

By Tim Richardson.

There are times of the year that hiking in California is so beautiful that you will want to go every weekend! Maybe even take a week and see more than one area of the state on different trails. If you are looking for some of the best hiking trails around rivers, glaciers, deserts, the coastline or the grasslands California has it all.

Heading out to Mount Tallac will bring you to the 9.4 mile round trip hike at an elevation of 9,735 ft at the summit. It has a gain of 3,255 ft during the hike so be prepared with lots of water and very good shoes and gear. It is probably one of the best trails in the Lake Tahoe region with views from the summit so stunning to your senses that you will be hard pressed to capture pictures that will be as beautiful as what your eyes see. This trial is both wooded and mountainous. You will pass two lakes on the hike. Part of the trail is a steep climb up the switchbacks and when you reach the saddle of the mountain be ready for it to become exposed and very hot!

The hike to Upper Yosemite Falls is 7.2 miles round trip. The elevation at the summit is 6,526 ft and an elevation gain of 2,700 ft. You will want to do this hike from May to jUly when the waterfall is at its full force and most beautiful. You will hike through switchbacks in the forested area before coming to the flat area with your first view of the falls. Enjoy the mist from the falls as you get closer to it. You will face another set of switchbacks before reaching the summit. These are the most difficult and very steep so if you aren’t in good physical condition you will want to pass on this part.

Desert hiking is a little different. It’s hot and yet beautiful when you go to Mosiac Canyon. The trail is just 2.5 miles round trip but you are in the desert so it is hot. Bring plenty of water with you. The formations of the canyon are stunning; you will be able to see nature at its best and maybe even some desert wildlife while on this hike. This location is the hottest place in the US so be ready to be super hot and drink plenty of water (not sodas or other stuff, water to hydrate your body!)

Mt. Shasta is the most challenging hike in the whole state of California. The trial is 12 miles round trip of body assaulting climbs. The elevation at the summit is 14,179 ft with a gain of 7,259 during your climb. You will need to plan this hike from between May to mid July due to the weather in the spring that can come viciously crashing in on you without much warning and in the summer the lava rocks and rolling boulders offer a hazard since they can come crashing down the mountain at any time being washed loose by the melting snow. Due to the chance of altitude sickness do not do this hike alone, take a partner for safety and practical reasons. If you aren’t in superior shape, pass on this trail. Read all you can about it before beginning so you are prepared for the challenges you will face.

Mt. Shasta offers you a different type of hike. You will want to bring your sunscreen, sunglasses, an ice axe and shelter. Since you won’t have much warning if the weather is going to turn on you take the shelter to offer protection when, and if, you need it. Bring along your crampons, helmet, summit pass, and winter boots and wear extra layers of cloths, and again, plenty of water. Don’t plan on drinking snow melt around Helen’s Lake since it is contaminated by human and animal urine…yummy!

The 16 mile round trip hike of Half Dome has an elevation gain of 4,800 ft. It reaches the summit of 8,842 ft. This hike is best between late May and early October. It is a difficult hike which brings people from all around the world to Yosemite National Park. If you aren’t in excellent physical shape with lots of hiking and climbing experience behind you don’t attempt this climb. The switchbacks are rocky and many ankles are injured here so be super careful. When you reach Nevada Falls you are at the halfway point of the climb. Here you should take the time to assess your strengths and skills to see if you are prepared to continue on. The climb gets tougher so be ready. Not only is the climb tough but the altitude change will require some adjustment of your body so give it a little while. Rest, and then go on. The continuation is very steep, excruciatingly long to reach the back of Half Dome rock. Your body is continually assaulted on the switchbacks during this phase. The Half Dome cables will fill you with shock and fear, they should! Now, assess your ability to continue on and if you are sure you are willing, the success of the climb will give you stunning views of Yosemite Valley below. This hike is only for those that are in good, if not superior, physical condition. If you aren’t then don’t do this one. There are many other trails that will better fit your ability.

These days saving money on fishing is very important and anything you can do to get better results for less money is worth doing and making your own unique homemade fishing baits is a fantastic example and need take very minimal time! There are a few basics to know about making baits and once you have these you can go ahead and make very unique and successful baits economically for the rest of your life. Making your own baits will save you’re a shocking amount of money and not just in the long-term; so imagine what else you could be spending your hard-earned money on instead!

For the more technically minded fisherman, carp do not get their energy needs from carbohydrates but mostly protein and also fats and oils in their natural diet. Being aquatic they are extremely well adapted to extract far more energy from protein foods than humans on land. The very basic protein requirements of carp are extremely significant in terms of making effective baits because these are composed of basic building blocks called amino acids, some of which carp essentially need to consume in order to survive.

Proteins are composed of amino acids which carp can easily detect and find stimulating; and there are around 10 plus essential ones which carp cannot synthesise in there own body and must consume in their food to survive. The carp essential amino acids list includes: Histidine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, tryptophan, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and arginine and carp will eat foods and baits containing any of these as they are essential to them. Exploiting protein ingredients in your baits is obviously a good thing as you are offering something fish need to survive.

It may be no surprise that both humans and carp have evolved in part due to the energy providing foods available for us to exploit in our environments. We can exploit how these foods are detected by smell and taste for example, by boosting the levels of the most highly stimulating substances within our baits. These may consist of natural food sources of soluble amino acids, flavors or even using specialist hormone preparations etc, but there are thousands to choose from!

In fish experiments the essential amino acid requirement of very few fish has been established, but those of carp are known and can be exploited in our baits to good effect. But you do not need to know how to create a balanced profile or high protein bait to catch fish. It does help to use protein foods like hens eggs, fish meals, caseins etc which are high protein sources, because they provide many essential amino acids and are extremely well proven bait ingredients.

In the UK many fishermen have the attitude that carp baits not made from very expensive protein ingredients are crap baits and catch few big fish, but the truth is that you can catch as many fish on carbohydrate based baits if you know what you are doing and have enough experience of other ingredients and how to fish such baits well and save yourself a fortune, which is what I have done successfully for decades. You just keep adjusting levels and types of stimulatory and attractive substances to create new baits regularly, so keeping ahead of the fish; and many big fish often fall to new unfamiliar baits with good reason…

So many carp fisheries are over-stocked that the fish need to eat your bait and treat it as natural food. As many carp anglers know well, possibly the greatest edge is to be different and so you can fish with confidence against any well-used readymade commercial bait knowing your unique bait has a great edge of being different and unique. This is one great motivator for me to make my own extremely economical and productive homemade carp baits rather than spend 10 pounds or 20 Dollars on a bag of readymade bait that others are already using!

Other ingredients like bird foods containing hemp and corn, crushed seeds and nuts etc, can be utilised to make very nutritious stimulating baits simply bound together with eggs to make a dough and boiled in water. You can combine these with both carbohydrate and protein ingredients to make any recipe of bait you so desire and bait making does not have to be rocket science to catch fish! However, if all you remember from this article is that carp love amino acids and it is recommended you treat your bait as an amino acid carrier, then you can leverage this fact in your homemade baits and readymade bait dips for the rest of your life; and for more consistent big fish catches!

By Tim Richardson.

Many methods can be used to enhance your hook baits effects and productivity. The carp ability to learn is beyond doubt, otherwise they would simply be as easy to catch as they are when virgin fish which have never been fished for. One of the easiest ways to change your bait to get an extra edge over wary fish is to use a liquid bait soak consisting of flavours, oils or amino acids.

Easy homemade bait dips can be produced using the spare oil from canned fish or fresh mashed fish juices. Sandwich pastes and pates mixed with warm water are very effective too and shrimp, crab, duck and liver plus many others all work. You can mix easily available flavours in too, like fine rock salt, ketchup, fish source and anchovy source and fruit cordial juices etc. You will find your homemade boilies work better if you steam for a couple of minutes instead of boiling in their stimulating attractors and so on.

Coating your baits in even simple paste or dough bait certainly increases catches. Because most of the stimuli which incite fish feeding are water soluble, it is sensible to get many soluble attractors in your paste for best effect! There are many feeding triggers in fish and using mashed tinned fish like tuna, anchovy or salmon to make paste to go around your hook baits is easy; just mix with eggs and wheat flour or with ground dog mixers to bind!

If you use readymade baits like boilies and pellets or even prepared particle baits like nuts or seeds or tinned meats, you will get more takes by altering the surface coating. Make it irregular shaped as if other fish have already been chewing at the bait. This helps release the baits intrinsic attractive substances too. Another trick when using boilies is to poke them with a knife point or baiting needle to go deep inside the bait to release attraction - it really works and changes the bait surface into a very unusual and irregular texture too with all its advantages!

The act of putting paste on all your free baits as well as around your hook baits can truly produce great catches; it sounds like hard work but that’s why it works; just like in any endeavour! This paste or dough bait covering can be anything and put around anything used as a hook bait; do not be a slave to convention! Even using a Scopex flavoured dough bait around a salmon flavoured boilie is different enough to produce great catches even if it is still a relatively very conventional combination.

Making the leap of faith and trying coating pop-up buoyant baits with paste is a very good edge indeed and extremely well proven! The pop-up or semi-buoyant hook bait has no need to be like the paste around it and in fact the more alternative your paste is the better. Coating pop-up baits with paste is a great edge which is little-used by the majority of carp anglers and as you can see, these things just take a little lateral thinking utilising what we are already using.

Many big fish can tell which baits are hook baits by their behaviour in the water and their weight and buoyancy. Using a more buoyant hook bait can seriously fool these fish where blank sessions could well occur on mere conventional bottom baits! It might come as a surprise but you can easily make pastes from scalded pellets and other baits too.

It is beyond question that carp and many other fish learn through experience and repetition not least in regards being hooked on any particular bait or rig. Obviously the greatest edge is to make sure your baits represent as little association with any previous encounter as possible; and even instil confident feeding. Fish certainly remember far longer than just seconds or individual fish would always be easy to catch every time, so do yourself a favour and look further into how to make your baits different; and reap the huge rewards - this fishing bait secrets ebooks author has many more fishing and bait edges; just one could impact very significantly on your catches!

By Tim Richardson.