Maggots as Fishing Baits
Show me maggots and I immediately think of fishing bait. A fly, specially bred as the parent of our fishing bait, lays its eggs on liquidised meat and fish. Five to ten days after hatching the maggots are drinking only liquids at which stage they pupate for 14 days. After the first day or so the pupae is of no use as fishing bait: it now floats rather than sinks.
Development of the maggot can be retarded for up to six weeks by refrigeration. Hence English coarse fisherman can buy maggots (natural shade or coloured) from "Mag-it" vending machines:
Essex, Hertfordshire and Suffolk
NB A link to suitable fishing sites for the areas served by these "Mag-it" 24 hour machines is on each page.
Mag-it news
A leading brand of soft pellets (for carp, tench, roach and bream) is now available in "Mag-it" vending machines. Instructions for their use are on each machine.
Using Mag-it maggots
Never forget the value of pre-feeding at your chosen spot for at least 30 minutes and continuing to feed whilst actually fishing.
Time to use our maggot as fishing bait. The maggot has a sharp and blunt end, the latter clearly recognisable by two "eye holes". Lightly hook the loose skin at the blunt end. Tip: if you use two maggots on a hook then hook one at the sharp and one at the blunt end; this prevents the "helicopter effect" of the line twisting as it's drawn through the water.
Left with some maggots after a day's fishing, discover pupae from a forgotten purchase? Don't despair, the humble maggot can still be used as food for any pet that can eat an insect of that size.
Alternatively you could deliberately allow some of the good quality "Mag-it" maggots to pupate and turn into a chrysalis. Put the maggots in a well-ventilated storage container furnished with a moist, small particle medium such as sawdust. Remember, the speed of development is temperature sensitive: its all just a matter of practical experience.
Sieve regularly to remove any dead maggots and then, finally the casters. Now to use the caster as fishing bait: put the hook into the "blunt" end, turn the hook so you can ease the caster on as far as the hook spade and no further.
News from the Angling World
Angling and the weather
An interesting link which outlines the effect of the weather on various sorts of fish etc:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/sports/features/fishing.shtml
Young recruits
Students at a school in Wem, Shropshire have been having weekly angling lessons at a trout fishery. This pilot project has been launched thanks to the Environment Agency with the aim of introducing them to fly fishing. There is the additional bonus of learning about both plant life and fish in the same lesson.
Reducing crime
A new scheme has been launched in Reading, Berks called Angling Action. Its aim is to encourage more people to become anglers by publicising the hobby (especially in schools and clubs) thus making a contribution in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in certain areas of the town:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/4710395.stm
Angling coverage on BBC Radio
The BBC have stated that the "Fish on Five" series with Nick Hancock will not be returning. However, apparently, there have been discussions with the governing bodies of the sport regarding the inclusion of angling on Sport on Five from the autumn of this year. However, the BBC also urgently wants ideas on how the average angler would like his sport covered. If you have any suggestions to make please make them via the "contact us"/e-mail facility:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/index.shtml?logo
Please remember this is your chance to have a say on how the sport is covered on Radio.
Other fishing links, which we hope you will find useful, can be found on our links page. Thanks for your visit to this voluntary site last updated 22.11.05.
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