I’ve always believed that if there was one bait that changed carp fishing forever, it was Richworth Tutti Frutti.
For anglers who fished through the late 1980s and 1990s, the smell of Tutti Frutti instantly brings back memories of early mornings, green buckets, old school buzzers, and the excitement of fishing with what was considered one of the most revolutionary boilies ever made.
The Bait That Started a Revolution
Before the explosion of modern fishmeals and heavily marketed bait ranges, Richworth was leading the way. Their Tutti Frutti boilies became one of the most recognisable carp baits in the UK and across Europe.
The sweet, fruity aroma was unlike anything many anglers had used before. At a time when homemade baits and simple flavours were common, Richworth produced a consistent, shelf-ready bait that simply caught carp… and lots of them.
Walk around almost any well-known carp water in the early '90s and there was a good chance someone would be fishing Tutti Frutti.
Why Were They So Successful?
Part of the appeal was confidence.
When anglers started seeing big names catching consistently on the bait, everyone wanted a bag. Richworth built a reputation for quality and reliability, and the boilies seemed to work on everything from small club lakes to famous big-fish venues.
The bright colours and unmistakable fruity smell became iconic.
Many anglers still swear there has never been another Tutti Frutti flavour quite like the original.
More Than Just Boilies
Richworth didn’t stop at boilies either. Their range grew to include:
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Pop-ups
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Hookbaits
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Pellets
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Groundbaits
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Dips and liquid attractors
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Matching flavour systems
For many of us, opening a fresh bottle of Tutti Frutti flavour or a bag of fresh boilies instantly takes you back thirty years.
The Golden Era
Richworth was part of what many consider the golden age of carp fishing.
Alongside names like Nash, Hutchinson, Solar, Rod Hutchinson baits and Mainline in their early years, Richworth helped shape modern carp fishing.
Back then there weren’t hundreds of bait companies launching a new range every few months. Certain names became legendary because they genuinely earned their reputation on the bank.
Do They Still Catch?
Absolutely.
Despite today’s obsession with krill, squid, liver, insect meals and complex nutritional profiles, plenty of anglers still catch carp on sweet fruity baits.
Carp haven’t suddenly stopped liking fruit flavours.
In fact, on waters dominated by fishmeals, an old-school fruity bait can often offer something completely different that the fish haven’t been seeing week after week.
The Nostalgia Factor
For many anglers, Tutti Frutti isn’t just a bait.
It’s a reminder of:
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Canvas bivvies and oval brollies.
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Isotopes taped onto bobbins.
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Delkim conversions and Optonics.
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Hand-written catch reports in Carpworld and Carp-Talk.
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Watching VHS videos until the tape wore out.
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Spending every spare penny in the local tackle shop on another kilo of boilies.
Some things never leave you, and that smell is definitely one of them.
What are your memories of Richworth Tutti Frutti?
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Was it your first ever boilie?
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Did you catch your PB on it?
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Do you still use it today?
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Or do you think modern baits have finally left it behind?
Let’s hear your Richworth stories and photos from the golden days of carp fishing. 