I had read in one of the national mags sometime ago about the use of Glug dips for catching Barbel. In my local tackle shop there are all sorts of different flavours from different manufacturers at a price of about £8 or £9, having never used them I was tempted to buy but I have often thought how effective these Glugs would be in fast running waters such as the Trent and Severn.

Surly If you coat a boilie with a Glug then cast it into running water the breakdown of the Glug would be washed off almost instantly leaving little or nothing left attached to the baited hook, before you all shout at me that’s what you want to do to attract the fish towards your hook bait have you ever thought if that’s effective at all. It would seem logical to me that the Glug would dissipate very quickly and due to the high volumes of water it would be like measuring the Glug attractant to a ratio of water in parts per billions, surly this kind of ratio cant be effective at all.

I can see how it would work for catching on a Stillwater’s as the Glug wouldn’t be washed off the bait like it would on a running river.

I’m by no means an expert on this so I’m prepared to stand corrected so it would be great to get some feed back from those in the know to give me the confidence in using it.

Thanks in anticipation

I'm with you sheely, save your money.

It's not that I think glugs don't or won't work, because they will in the right place and at the right time. But I think you will need to keep re-glugging and recasting your bait to make it work (as you say the glug will wash off.) I'm sure others will disagree and that's fine

As Ricky has mentioned there are alternatives so have a read of his post.

You can make your own dips and glugs from the kitchen, or use a high attraction bait and feed.

The list of things to try is endless and what works for some, will not for others, but the glugs found in tackle shops do not tickle my fancy simply because of cost.

YES glugs do work massivley I carry a range with me and have on many times fished a bait without success and then added a boost to the flavour and caught instantly proving that the fish were there but didnt feel inclined to take the bait. I dont use the glugs themselves very often but use a range of feediing triggers used as addatives to baits.

If you can get a copy of fantastic feeder fishing by Archie Braddock - get one, it changed the way I fish many years ago.

It is a fantastic read based on fishing the River Trent and using his principles it has caught me many many more fish.

If your worried about the flavour washing off try glugging them in advance and freezing so that the flavour gets absorbed into the bait.

Martin.

Originally Posted by Martin E

YES glugs do work massivley I carry a range with me and have on many times fished a bait without success and then added a boost to the flavour and caught instantly proving that the fish were there but didnt feel inclined to take the bait. I dont use the glugs themselves very often but use a range of feediing triggers used as addatives to baits. If you can get a copy of fantastic feeder fishing by Archie Braddock - get one, it changed the way I fish many years ago. It is a fantastic read based on fishing the River Trent and using his principles it has caught me many many more fish. If your worried about the flavour washing off try glugging them in advance and freezing so that the flavour gets absorbed into the bait. Martin.

Excellent mate, I was just about to post the same thing. Glugs definitely do work, but you are indeed correct that if you glug and use on the same day it washes off after a few minutes. But try using glugs that have been left to absorb into the pellets or boilies for a year or so and use them. They will give you a massive edge and do not wash off. They carry the flavour for as long as the pellet or boilie is in the river or on your rig. Freezing as Martin says speeds up the process slightly.

The problem however is the oil that leak great in Summer, will not in Winter. So adding an emulsifying agent as Paul, PFloyd suggested regarding my rubby dubby boilies, would work when glugging and using the baits in Winter.

Good luck

Ricky

P.S. Thanks Ian, lol.

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Thanks for your view guys, its much appreciated, MartinE, thanks for the info with regard to Archie Braddock, ill certainly look out for a copy.

What you both say makes good sense with regard to possibly dipping boilies and freezing them or leaving them to soak up the attractant over a period of time. Often though theses types of products I feel can be misleading, I don’t think it possible to use a Glug straight out of the pot on a riverbank and it to be effective as logic tells me different, I guess though if it gives you confidence that has to be a good thing.

I also don't think that a glug will help unless your bait is given a porolonged soak in it followed by freezing to help it infuse into the bait.

I have a lot more confidence in using a good 'soft paste' wrapped around my bait; which will slowly disolve and leave a flavour trail leading up to my bait; instead of using a dip which will wash off very quickly in flowing water.

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Hemp and Caster...best natural glugs you can buy...tried and tested over many years, and no need to experiment!

When the flood is flowing a bait that's bin in a tub of dip for a year or more and a squirt of the same dip in your G/B mix or hemp keeps that flavour moving through enticing the fish up stream to hopefully pick up that little flavour bomb amongst the bits and pieces.