BIG CARP APRIL 2026 RICHARD - Flipbook - Page 169
ANDY
ASH GEDEN
LITTLE
a t tractor is rich in fructo s e , a su ga r fo u n d mo s t ly i n f ru i t s .
Ca rbohydrates in the diet a re es s e n ti a l an d a re u s ed m a i n ly fo r
e n ergy production. The ene rg y i s i m p o rt an t i n t h e as s i mi l a ti o n
o f proteins. If the diet is de f i c i e n t i n ca rb o hyd rate s , m any o f
t h e amino acids liberated f ro m th e p ro te i n wi l l b e c o nve rte d to
gl ucose to provide energy fo r t he re ma i n d er to b e i n c o rp o ra te d
a s new protein. Commerc i a lly p re p a re d c a r p fe e d p el l e t s
c o ntain 8% glucose to prov i de th e e n e rg y n e e d ed fo r m a x i m u m
g rowth/protein synthesis . E n erg e ti c a lly, on e mo l e c u l e o f
gl ucose will provide the en e rg y fo r ap p rox im a te ly 1 7 a m i n o
a c ids to be linked or abou t ha lf o f o n e s m al l p ro te i n .
Carbohydrates not needed for immediate energy requirements
a re converted to glycogen o r fa t . G lyc o g en i s b ro ken d ow n
ra pidly on demand, part i c ul arly u nd e r s tre s s c o n d iti o n s
p romoted by adrenalin, t h e f li gh t o r f i gh t h o r mo n e . D u r i n g
t h e fight the fish rapidly d ep l e te s i ts glyc o g e n s to re , wh i c h
c a n take up to two days to re p la c e . L a rg e a m o u n ts of l a ct i c
a c id accumulate in the m u s cl e s d ur i ng t he ra p i d u t li l i s a t i o n
o f glycogen. This can resul t i n l ac t i c a ci d sh o c k , o f te n l e th a l i f
t h e fight is unduly prolong ed .
To sum up: dietary carb o hyd ra te i s e ss e n t i a l a n d w il l b e
o b tained by the fish feed i n g o n ve g et a bl e m a tte r, in s e c ts ,
m olluscs, crustaceans and o t h er f i sh . T h i s c a rb o hydra te w i l l
b e in the form of large polys ac c h ar i de s . Po lys a c c h ar i d e s , wh e n
b o ught and used in pure fo r m , a re b l an d an d p o o rly s ol u b l e
s o are unlikely to be usef ul as a tt ra cto rs b u t w i l l ma ke g o o d
b a it binders. Simple sugar s a re ve r y e f fe ct ive swe e te n e rs a n d
a t tractors. In the natural wo rl d, c arb o hyd ra te s a re t h e ve h i c l e
u s ed to process the sun’s en e rg y i n to c h e mi c a l e n erg y u s ef u l
fo r living organisms.
FR E ELINE 47
