Carp digestive enzymes do not work in optimum ways on foods ingested when water temperatures become low, acting much more slowly as a result. Below water temperatures of around 10 degrees Celsius, carp metabolism can begin to slow down and affect carp feeding behaviour.

Winter carp aquaculture feeds differ from other feeds because they contain less fish protein constituents, while adding higher quantities of more easily digestible type foods that provide more easily available energy. This allows carp to eat more food and thus keep putting on weight.

Fish farmers' feeds are specifically designed to give carp higher levels of very easily digested, improved energy-producing ingredients. Such ingredients include wheat germ, wheat bran, rice bran, rice and peas.

Carp fishing milk protein baits of mid to high protein levels like 40 % to 75 %, have been found by anglers to be extremely effective in the winter, when compared to many other kinds of bait. This seems in contradiction to cold water diets and highly digestible energy feeds given to carp in aquaculture, weight gain is paramount.

Increasing flavour attractor levels, like fruit, spice and sweet labels, to counteract lower water temperatures, has proved beneficial for colder periods in baits. This perhaps relates to these flavours' lower pH values, in relation to water conditions, temperature and ability of carp to detect them better in lower temperatures.

The extremely water soluble 'ethyl alcohol' type flavours have proven to be outstandingly effective attractors in winter time.

In winter, it can be a good time to soak your hook baits in concentrated flavour, like 'Tutti Fruiti', or other readily soluble flavours, to produce more bites. This method works very well with the single hook bait approach where no free bait is put in the lake. Don't worry, they'll find it!

In dietary terms, it's better to increase the digestibility of milk protein baits by the addition of 3 to 4 ounces of wheat germ as a prime example, in substitution for less soluble ingredients, like caseins. This is one of the elements of many commercial bait companies successful winter boilie baits base mixes.

In Summer, and during high water temperatures, milk protein baits should be used sparingly. Any uneaten baits can build up in a swim and start to release carp-repellant ammonia. If you've smelt old 'gone-off'' milk, then you'll understand the effect! Any uneaten bait does this, but milk especially, with its extremely high protein nitrogen content.

Milk proteins are often 'improved' by using sweet, creamy or fruity taste-enhancing 'appetite stimulators'. This could well be linked to the attractive acid pH of the popular fruity, spicy, sweet flavours used in the winter.

I'm reminded of the success of 'Tutti Fruiti' flavour ready made baits at this time. But never forget, being different can really multiply your results. It seems that savory, or meaty flavours in milk proteins in the summer, can work very well too!

A simple addition, like a teaspoon of turmeric, Paprika, other red peppers, fresh ground black or white pepper, or crushed garlic, for example, make great, proven, naturally derived attractors, and help stimulate carp feeding and digestion, especially of proteins.

Very many natural plant extracts, of the leaves, stems, roots, seeds, beans, berries, rhizome, etc, make amazing carp attractors. They contain substances that have powerful effects on a carp's body in tiny amounts, like drugs. Like drugs, there are always effective, new attractors waiting to be discovered and there are many that are known to be very effective in carp baits but are not in the 'mainstream'!

Most of these extracts give the carp a biological, nutritional or physiological reward for eating it too! Many of these foods are also used to promote health and well-being in commercial and pet bird foods.

* Bird foods for added digestibility and nutritional profile leak-off.

Many bird foods are excellent easily digested carp bait ingredients, and are ideal for use in winter, cold water baits. They make great functional and nutritional additions to milk protein ingredients.

Milk protein ingredients often form a very dense texture, especially caseins, not being very water soluble; partly sealing in their own attractive properties to carp. Bird foods can greatly reverse this effect, making baits far more attractive.

Bird foods are usually of low to mid protein content. They are designed to promote maximum health in birds, but they are high in nutrients which carp find highly beneficial, like minerals. Salt, oils, amino acids, and simple carbohydrates. They also contain soluble fiber which helps speed digestion.

Bird foods are often used to 'open up' the bait texture. This all helps carp sense attractors faster, and you to achieve more 'takes' quicker. Carp digesting these combined baits receive more easily accessible energy too, a great edge in winter.

Bird foods ingredients effects mean more bait is able to be consumed by the carp, by making it more digestible, but it will pass through the fish faster. So carp will feed for longer periods, eat more bait, and consequently increase the chances of more 'takes.'

They improve bait texture and attraction and attractor leak-off. Additionally, nutrition is more balanced, fulfilling more dietary deficiencies at a time when natural food may often be much less available. This increases baits' carp desirability as a 'regularly consumed nutritional carp food source'.

One of the best methods of using milk protein baits in winter, is as dough or pastes to release the maximum amino acids attraction from them.

Hook baits made from various milk protein ingredients with added eggs are best boiled in water very quickly. These are then air-dried thoroughly.

I often prepare these baits by putting a length of hair rig line with a loop through them. These are then ready to tie to the hook. If I don't do this, many milk protein boilie baits can dry out and become as hard as rock!

I have found great success in putting 'free baits' of dough or paste into water soluble poly vinyl alcohol bait feeding bags. I add milk protein base mix powders, dampened a little liquid protein supplements. These bags are sealed, attached to the hook rig and cast out. The bag melts, releasing a milky cloud of great carp attraction and flavours, pulling in carp from large distances.

There are many, many other bait 'edges' in carp and catfishing that make all the difference between an average catch, a 'blank' trip, and a 'red letter' day, each time you go fishing. It pays handsomely to know them!

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

For more information see: http://www.baitbigfish.com