The Baiting Pyramid

This is a generalised rewrite of the account given in the book "The Carp Strikes Back" written by Rod H & the chapter was contributed to the book by Mike W. Although it was conducted in England, the theory should hold true, in similar conditions in N.A.       This strategy was meant to be effective on large waters with a relatively high general population of fish & was found to be effective in attracting the biggest fish from this type of water. Mike conducted an experiment & his results & conclusions are re -defined below. Mike conducted his experiment over a total period of 12 weeks, beginning in the month of August, not the most productive of carping times ! He used upwards of 20 lbs of boiled maize per DAY !. This was soaked for 24 hrs & then boiled for 30 mins at 15 psi (pressure cooked). Attractors were boiled in for a further 20 mins shortly before fishing.

What Mike had likened his theory to was similar to the feeding scenario at an African water hole. Here the animals come to drink obeying rules of 'pecking order' which basically means that larger & more poweful animals are dominant at the drinking hole. He had expected for the smaller fish to find & feed on the bait followed by larger fish.  Eventually the biggest fish in the water would come to dominate the feeding area & this is the way it happened in practice. Below is a diagram of the baiting pyramid, shown to illustrate size & time factors, approximately.

Starting in the first week of  August 20 lbs of maize was introduced daily. Mike observed the water & did not fish for 6 weeks during this early baiting period, wanting to get the fish feeding confidently. Since there was no other carp fishing pressure on the water Mike was sure the fish would not become disturbed by anyone else during this period. After the 6th week Mike began to fish & was rewarded with 3 fish to 18 lbs on the first week. He was able to hold the fish in this swim for a further 6 weeks & was able to catch the largest fish in the water. During the period of the experiment he caught 23 fish in total; 10 doubles, 7 mid/low 20's, culminating in 6 carp over 29 lbs. The last fish a low 30, being taken a day before the autumn frosts, put an end to his carp fishing for the Autumn.

Mike qualifies his results by pointing out that he could be wrong , but in his mind this is the way he can make sense of sorting out the bigger fish from the larger waters. 20 lbs of bait / day is an amount few of us would contemplate introducing over a long period, but I think it goes to show just how much food can be consumed when it is available. Makes a mockery of the N.A fisheries rules on groundbaiting dont you think ? & these lakes in England (although Mike says are fished lightly) are fished far more than in N.A terms, & with less density of carp involved too.

Baiting pyramid diagram

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