* Do you want ‘a shot of confidence' when other baits have let you down? Here is are some truly powerful weapons to add to your homemade carp baits!

‘Milk proteins' are extracts of whole milk by using various processes, e.g. some use acids, and others, using physical means, use grading screens and ‘ultra filtration' etc. Some of these milk derivatives retain certain nutritional qualities that are better for bait making purposes and unique carp attraction, and offer different qualities in a bait.

The caseins are measured in ‘mesh grades', and vary widely in quality and solubility and digestibility. Acid and rennet caseins are often used as the highest quality whole food protein in balanced nutritional-value baits. They are often recommended to be used together as a 50/50 combination and offer around 90 % and 95 % protein contents.

(This is not necessarily able to be fully digested and assimilated in carp though and takes certain ‘special treatment to get the very best effects!')

Caseins are less soluble than other milk protein extracts, and lower quality caseins are utilized in industry, for example in plastics and glues. The theory says use the highest ‘food consumption' grade quality and freshness. This is expensive stuff, however, and individuals and the odd bait company have still used ‘industrial grade' caseins to good effect!

Lactalbumin is far more soluble than caseins and has approximately 88 % protein content. ‘whey protein isolates' are regarded as among the very highest quality proteins available for use in carp baits owing to their exceptional ‘biological nutritional value.'

‘Lactalbumin' is actually composed of lactalbumin and lactoglobulins, so it has elements which are not soluble, but its one of the very best sources of quality protein available in carp bait-making. Carp also love its creamy taste.

One thing that occurred to me about milk protein ingredients (and most other bait ingredients,) is the link between their water solubility, carp attraction and ‘biological nutritional value.'

Sodium caseinate is a renowned, highly nutritional carp attractor in its own right. It is lighter than calcium caseinate (‘Casilan' a ‘weight gain' drink,) binds well with other ingredients, and is 96 % protein. Carp love its taste and smell. It is highly water soluble.

Along with calcium caseinate (similar,) and casein, these are used predominantly as the quality protein ingredients in an extremely wide range of baits, and form part of carp fishing ‘folklore'. It is very water soluble and digestible, but its limitation in bait use, is its high buoyancy!

Used in high levels, it is often the main protein ingredient of semi-buoyant boilies, and rates of around 50 % inclusion in the dry base mix are used for floating boilies (‘pop-ups'), and is very highly recommended in dough and paste baits!

To make baits softer and more soluble use: whole milk and calf milk replacers, e.g. ‘Vitamealo'. Having increased fat content, it is more soluble and soft, with a very creamy taste and smell. Another called ‘Lamlac' is alternative, as is whole milk powder.

Rates of use for most milk ingredients average up to 25 % (4 ounces per pound of powdered base mix, although the caseinates tend to make your bait much more buoyant!) I love to use lactalbumin and sodium caseinate in my baits - I know they will work with these!

There are many more to choose from, but they have been an essential and favorite part of extremely effective carp bait ingredients for bait makers world-wide and these provide much of carps' essential dietary amino acid profile.

They tend to be used today, in conjunction with other effective ingredients like fish meals, shellfish meals, yeast and yeast extracts, and various meat, nut and bean meals, to name a few.

I do get a ‘shot of confidence' when using purely milk protein ingredient baits. I guess it is because they have never let me down even at the hardest of times and caught some of my biggest fish.

The author has many more fishing and bait ‘edges' up his sleeve. Every single one can have a huge impact on catches. (Warning: This article is protected by copyright, but reprints with a link are OK.)

By Tim Richardson. ‘The thinking angler's fishing author and expert bait making guru.'

For the expert acclaimed massive new bait making ‘bible' ebook / book:

"BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!" SEE:

http://www.baitbigfish.com