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
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.
The machines are usually stocked with white, red and mixed
maggots, and red worms.
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.
Finding a Mag-it
Vending Machine
You can find "Mag-it” bait at over forty
locations in the East of England, usually near to popular fishing spots.
The links in the lists below will point to addresses (and
maps eventually) ...