I’ve spent a lot of time chasing barbel and, although I like all species, they are just possibly my favourite. Most anglers think of meat or fish baits as the main attractors, but I’ve always felt that spices were the better bet. To that end I spent a great deal of time experimenting, and reading up on all the world wide curry mixes, and it makes fascinating reading. You may learn that a mere two of the items in a curry are ginger and clove, but how much of each? Equal amounts? 90% versus 10%? Or vice versa?
Yes, it is complicated, but get it right and it’s brilliant. Your favourite chips taste ok on their own, are much better with a pinch of salt, but become uneatable if covered in salt. That’s what I had to sort out, and I finally go it right in 1997. Since that time I haven’t changed a thing, as Mega Spicy worked right from the off and is still doing the same. Dusted on to meat, added to maggots, cooked into hemp, mixed into paste – it won’t let you down. On the odd days when the barbel just won’t play then if there are chub, bream, or carp around you’ll have to settle for them. It works all year round but it seems the colder the water the better your results may become.
Archie Braddocks


Sweetcorn with Mega Carp. I tipped a tin of Jolly Green, juice and all, into a maggot box and stirred in two heaped teaspoonsful of Mega Carp. Best done the night before.
So my next step was to purchase several books on oriental cooking with spices, to find out what each individual item was used for. With this info, plus my own observations, I was able to come up with a blend that definitely attracted perch – after much field testing.
