According to literature data (Kasumyan & Døving, 2003; Isaeva 2007), sucrosa as gustatory stimulus is indifferent for most of cyprinid (Cyprinidae) fish such as carp, Cyprinus carpio, tench Tinca tinca, bitterling Rhodeus sericeus amarus, lake bleak Leucaspius delineatus, crucian Carassius carassius, goldfish Carassius auratus, chub Leuciscus cephalus, European minnow Phoxinus phoxinus and bream Abramis brama, in the experiments with the agar-agar pellets.

Sucrosa as gustatory stimulus is only positive for roach Rurilus rutilus, grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella as well as for guppy Poecilia reticulata (Poeciliidae) (Kasumyan & Døving, 2003) which eat the most large amount of vegetable food.

In the field experiments described below, we have tested the attractiveness of sucrosa for cyprinid fish.

Moistured unfermented wheat bran with sucrosa (10 %) and without sucrosa were mixed with the pure dry grey clay in proportion 1:1 or 1:2, depending on the clay pastiness. Both mixes were rolled into the balls (3 cm diameter) and dried in air within 12 hours. Then dry balls (that had the same color) were strung on the lines (0,25 mm) ended by the small button like stoppers (15 mm diameter), with marks to distinguish them.

In the field, lines with the two compared balls were tied (25 cm between centers of the balls) to the cross bar placed above the water with the help of two racks. Narrow channels (40-50 cm width) in the shallows between macrophytes (usually water lily, Nuphar lutea, and pondweeds Potamogeton spp.) were selected. Balls went down to the depth of about 5 cm, to attract roach and other top dwelling fish, or about 30 cm, to attract crucian and other bottom dwelling fish.

In the surface tests, mainly juvenile roach, R. rutilus, rudd, Scardinius erythropthalmus, as well as juvenile and adult river bleak, Alburnus alburnus, were attracted. In lentic waters, lake bleak, L. delineatus, occured instead of river bleak. In the bottom tests, mainly juvenile crucian, C. carassius, tench, T. tinca, as well as juvenile and adult bitterling, R. sericeus amarus, (in areas with the sandy bottom) were attracted.

Roach, rudd and bitterling actively ate (in June) green algae.

After immersion into the water, clay balls with sweet and savorless wheat brans were beginning to crumble with bran particles and attract fish. The fish were biting and destroying the balls. So, the first touch of fish to one of the balls and the destruction of the most attractive ball first were used as criteria for statistical estimations.

15 tests of compared balls were carried out within one session. No preferences to sweet or savorless brans were obsereved (sign test), including roach. Both balls ... Read more »

Many of national manufactures actively use beef meal, poultry meal and dried blood to produce fishing baits and groundbaits. Experimental data show that these products are attractive for fish, only if fish are familiar with them.

Some tunas such as skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), little tunny (Euthunnus affinis) and yellowfin (Neothunnus macropterus) respond positively to aqueous extracts of tuna flesh as well as to tuna blood (Tester et al., 1955). In contrast to these results, whole beef blood and beef blood plasma are not attractive, while whole beef blood is even repulsive perhaps due to its bright red color.

Juvenile sockeye salmon, Oncorhinchus nerka, are attracted by extracts of beef liver and beef heart, if only fish grown in these byproducts (McBride et al., 1962). Fish grown in these feeds do not respond to extracts of zooplankton, brine shrimp (Artemia salina), squids and some natural oils.

It means that the use of meat meals and dried blood in fishing baits and groundbaits needs prebating. This inevitably leads to overrunning these products, their losses and, in final sum, to the eutrophication of water bodies.

Basic References

McBride J.R., Idler D.R., Jonas R.E.E., Tomlinson N. 1962. Olfactory perception in juvenile salmon.: I. Observations on response of juvenile sockeye to extracts of foods. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 19, 327-334

Tester A.L., van Weel P.B., Naughton J.J. 1955. Response of tuna to chemical stimuli. Part I. In: Reaction of tunas to stimuli, 1952-1953. Special Scientific Report: Fisheries No. 130, United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, 1-124