Carp Hormone Rumours

I'm sure you have all heard the rumours about certain anglers (who will remain nameless) using certain Hormone/ Pheromone chemicals to help them catch carp. From working in the industry and speaking with hundreds of anglers a week we have heard lots of rumours and speculation over the years about who is using it and what it is they are using.

We are not going to go into details and if you're here to find what it is or who is using it your in the wrong place. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty and there is no way other than catching them red handed to prove it. So only those involved will know and they should ashamed. 

We decided to create this post to explain to you why we believe you shouldn't be using it going of the information we have been given so far. With their being very few medical professionals in the angling community its all like a game of Chinese whispers with lots of snippets of information being batted around. None of this information here is concrete but as they say there is no smoke without fire and I think we should all be very concerned about what could possibly be going on in this sport of ours.

The Carp Hormone like substances we have been told about is a prescription drug that can only be obtained by a vet and you will probably be surprised to hear that the drug in question isn't even intend for fish but rather a much much larger animal. Now in our eyes this is definitely wrong as it is a controlled substance no different than using or selling anabolic Steroids so is there legal implications for falsely obtaining or selling them? From what we have heard it isn't difficult to find a Vet who will give you a prescription given the right circumstances.

There are a large amount of medical side effects to humans especially pregnant women when exposed to even in small doses. These Hormones show their effects in minuet doses to the extent that less than 1ml in a lake can draw fish in from over 20 meters away while still spodding. Now if you think about how many litres of water there are in a lake and the fact that less than 1ml can draw fish and provoke a feeding situation you can start to understand just how concentrated these chemicals are. We have heard stories of people handling the Hormone chemical with gloves on due to them being absorbed through your skin. 

We all know you shouldn't clean your hands in a lake but many of us do especially to wash spod mix off your hands. Now picture 2-3 anglers or even more using this on a lake, think of the sheer effects these untested Hormones could have on your body. Now throw into the equation hundreds if not thousands of people testing different types of Hormones and Pheromones trying to find the right one it could be catastrophic for the industry. For this reason alone we urge you not to try and source them.

If we were to ignore the side effects on the human body and just think about the match scenario it is still morally and ethically wrong when people have worked hard to pay for an entry fee to only have it stolen from them in an impossible contest. It is just wrong on so many different levels and if anyone has done this and it can be proven should be ashamed of themselves and in our eyes, and i'm sure most of you will agree should have to repay any winnings and have there titles stripped from them and barred from all competitive events again.

Very few anglers will fish a lake while carp are spawning, this for me is mainly because during these periods carp are very stressed and the last thing I want is to add anymore stress to the situation and possibly cause any of the fish to go belly up. Without giving too much away one of the effects we have been told about is these Hormones will make Male carp start milking out of season. Now if you consider the biological impact to the ecosystem of a lake, this could have huge impacts on how your local venue will produce spawn for years to come. So not only are they forcing spawning state but they are then actively fishing for them. 

The doses people are supposedly using are minuet and obviously there is no usage labels, so no-one knows for fact exactly how much to use in what baiting scenario. Putting too much in could have the completely opposite effect and rather then help you catch fish it will stop them from feeding. If you think about the current situation theres no doubt in my mind that lots of anglers will now be out there trying to find which chemical this is and without the correct information they will be trying different substances that have no place in a fishery, think about the sheer impact this can have not only on the anglers well being but also on the fishery itself. I saw a post on social media from a fishery that has publicly stated that they have banned these substances and multiple anglers who they believe have been using them. They then went on to say that they will be seeking financial compensation from these anglers if it is found that any harm has been done to there fishery, which is essentially their lively hood.  

So if you are one of the people trawling the internet looking for information on these products please think again because not only are you putting yourself at medical, legal and financial risk but it could also be the end of many lakes we all love.

UPDATE: WE HAVE ALSO HEARD RUMOURS OF PEOPLE CAPITALISING ON THIS SITUATION BY SELLING VILES OF SALT WATER IN THE ESSEX AREA CLAIMING THEM TO BE THESE SUBSTANCES - PLEASE DON'T RISK IT

FURTHER INFORMATION:

The Carp Chronicles Podcast also did a fantastic episode where they discuss the ethics of using these products and it is well worth a listen. You can find it easily on Youtube.

Our friends over at Munch Baits recently did a post on facebook, which I think hits the points we are trying to make perfectly, which I will also put below.

*** Pheromones/Hormones in Bait?!?! ***
.
If the world couldn't get any crazier, there now apparently seems to be 'Fish Pheromones' or Hormones being added to bait. We've seen products from the Salmon Farming industry right down to Horse Hormones doing the circuit and even had calls from the general public asking if we could source them.
.
So just wanted to give you all our views on the matter... First off, the use of any products under this category are totally wrong on so many levels and any anglers using such should definitely hang their rods up. There are certain Hormones used within the Carp Industry for artificial breeding which are injected into the fish at small levels but they are NEVER to be used in bait applications.
.
We believe it stems from ‘researched' techniques from the USA/Australia where scientists are injecting female Carp with Hormones to replicate breeding times to trap the fish for removal. They will attract Carp to an area but we're not convinced they will induce feeding. After all, you wouldn't take 10 Viagra and go out for a 3 course meal BUT the main difference here in the UK is Carp are not pests to us, they provide 1000's of us with ever lasting memories and we are lucky to have the chance to fish for them in the way we do. So their wellbeing is paramount and we believe, should be priority at all times!
.
So please if you are offered or even debating using these, take the high road. A bag of Bio Marine will catch you all the fish you need...
.
What are your views?
.
#CarpLivesMatter