Multiplex Replica – Why This Boilie Still Makes Sense Today
Some boilies are more than just bait.
They mark a moment in carp fishing history.
Multiplex was one of those baits. Not because of a fashionable flavour or clever marketing, but because it introduced a different way of thinking about attraction – one that is still incredibly effective today.
At a time when most ready-made boilies were built around fast-release flavours and sweeteners, Richworth took a bold step forward, moving away from synthetic chemistry and focusing instead on natural, meaningful attractors aimed at big carp living in rich, open waters across Europe.
I had the chance to be directly involved in the testing and development of this bait family during its early days, working as an official Richworth tester when Big Fish was the brand’s exclusive partner and importer for Italy. What follows is not second-hand theory, but practical experience from the bank.
This article is not about copying the past for nostalgia’s sake.
It’s about understanding why Multiplex worked so well – and how the same logic can still be applied today.
Before Multiplex: How Ready-Made Boilies Used to Work
Up until the early 2000s, most ready-made boilies followed a very similar path.
Fast attraction, low nutritional value and heavy use of flavours and sweeteners.
Richworth was producing a huge range of baits, often based on classic 50/50 mixes enriched with Minamino. Within that range, differences between baits were mainly colour and flavour. The catalogue eventually reached around fifty different flavour options.
They worked – especially for instant fishing – but something was missing when it came to long-term pressure and big, educated carp.
The “Plex” Concept: A Change in Direction
As the new millennium approached, Richworth decided it was time for a real shift.
The project was developed under the internal code name Plex.
The idea was simple but revolutionary at the time:
build attraction through a combination of solid and liquid natural extracts, chosen for their biological relevance to carp, not just for their
smell.
This approach was particularly aimed at big carp living in open, food-rich waters such as those found in France, Italy, Germany and other European countries where the brand was rapidly expanding.
As part of the testing team, I had access to early data and carried out comparison tests that helped shape my own thinking about bait, especially regarding the use of synthetic additives versus natural attractors.
One test in particular stands out: a large batch of Multiplex produced with a tutti-frutti flavour, identical in every way to the original except for the added aroma.
That comparison confirmed something important – and it stayed with me ever since.
The Solid Mix: Simple, Functional, Effective
Multiplex based its attraction on five key solid elements:
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LT94 low-temperature fishmeal
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Brewer’s yeast
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CSL
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GLM
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Betaine
All included directly in the dry mix.
The result was a medium nutritional profile, perfectly suited to a bait that was never designed for heavy, long-term prebaiting.
Base Mix (1 kg)
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30% fine wheat semolina
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20% full-fat toasted soya flour
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20% fine maize flour
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10% LT94 fishmeal
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10% rennet casein
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7% inactive brewer’s yeast
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3% GLM extract
Nothing complicated.
Easy to roll, easy to process, reliable in production – exactly what a large bait company needs.
From a nutritional point of view, there is nothing extreme here.
And that’s the whole point.
Where the Magic Really Happened: The Liquid Package
The real strength of Multiplex was not the dry mix.
It was the liquid side.
This is also the key lesson for modern self-makers.
A well-designed liquid base can be applied to different dry mixes – birdfood, light fishmeal or even full fishmeal – while still delivering excellent results.
In other words, instead of constantly reinventing dry mixes, a serious bait maker should focus on developing two or three liquid bases with proven attraction and stability.
The dry mix can then be adapted depending on:
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water fertility
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fishing pressure
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baiting strategy
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quantity needed
Rich waters can handle nutritionally richer mixes.
Pressured waters or competitive situations often require lean, non-satiating baits.
Liquid Ingredients (per 1 kg of dry mix)
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100 ml CSL (Corn Steep Liquor)
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50 ml liquid GLM extract
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50 ml propylene glycol
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20 g betaine
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6–7 medium eggs
The attractor extracts were used generously, creating a highly hydrated final bait structure with strong leakage and long-lasting attraction.
Cooking and Stabilisation
For cooking, I strongly recommend steam cooking.
It is far more respectful of the ingredients used.
For 20 mm boilies, around 8–10 minutes is ideal.
After rolling and steaming, allow the baits to dry for around 48 hours before bagging.
To safely store the boilies, I suggest using the same stabilisation method adopted by Richworth at the time, adding to the liquid phase:
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10 g ascorbic acid per kg
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5 g potassium sorbate per kg
Final Thoughts
Multiplex was never about extreme nutrition or fashionable flavours.
It was about logic, balance and relevance.
Understanding why it worked is far more valuable than simply copying a recipe. That logic can still be applied today, adapted to modern waters, modern pressure and modern strategies.
Old school doesn’t mean outdated.
Sometimes it just means well thought out.
If you still roll your own bait, or if you’re starting to question what really makes a boilie effective, this is a very good place to begin.