Tell me more about Magnum White
I received a message last night asking why Magnum White has been such a great cold water catcher. So here is my answer...
The most important thing in any winter bait is ease of digestion, thus a fairly quick pass through. Carp being cold blooded are only as active as the water temperature allows. The colder the water the slower the metabolism which stretches out to all parts within. So a bait that perhaps takes a day to digest during the summer can take a week in the winter, which means a week of not needing to feed.
This is the argument I have had for years. Carp are opportunists and will eat most things. Obviously some things trigger them much more and some things they definitely prefer to eat. But they eat their own crap when not a lot else is around.
Anglers tell me their baits are good winter baits because they catch a few on them, but don't realise and often refuse to be convinced that same bait could be stopping the fish and it's shoal mates feeding again for a long time, thus messing the fishing up for both themselves and others.
One from this last January
The Magnum White is by far the best winter bait I have used (I feed it my pet fish at home too). It is based on a yellow bird food base mix which I originally put together in 1987. It has had a couple of teaks since then as better ingredients for the job have materialised, but still basically the same.
One of my many Fruity Trifle mid-winter captures, although the Magnum was taking things a step further.
Anyone who has read much of my winter writing over the years will know I used to mention Fruity Trifle a lot as my favourite cold water bait. Magnum White and Fruity Trifle are the only two baits in the Quest Baits range that have actually shared the same base mix. The cream smelling stimulants and enhancers, the carp love. They have always liked milky creamy type tastes. 
So why white?
White is a natural colour stimulant for carp. Like it or not, they eat a lot of bird crap and puke. It's my opinion that it’s the main reason that carp tend to take bread from the off. White is a colour they immediately associate with food.
It is also a superb warm water bait and one I put my faith in everywhere.
Best fishes
Shaun
About the Author: Shaun Harrison
