Maggots
These are available from most good tackle shops, usually sold in half pints or pints. There are various types, but for the beginner a pint of ‘mixed maggots’ of varying colours (usually red, white and yellow) would usually suffice. Maggots should be kept in secured bait boxes and are best stored in a fridge or cold area to prevent them turning into ‘chrysalids’ or what anglers call ‘casters’. However, if the maggots should change, the angler can still use the ‘casters’ as bait on the hook.
Maggots are now without a doubt the most popular bait to date and are used by anglers across the country.
There are 3 main types of maggots.
Bluebottle maggot - This is the most common maggot used. These grow in large numbers very quickly and have tough skin. These are good for loose feed or a hookbait.
Greenbottle maggot - This is a high quality maggot, they are smaller than the bluebottle maggot and these are also good for loose feed and hookbait and these are known as pinkies. When fish won’t take normal sized maggots anglers use 'pinkies' hoping the fish will find its smaller size less suspicious.
Housefly maggot - This is roughly the same size as a greenbottle maggot although they are a little softer and can burst if too much pressure is applied. These are commonly known as 'squatts'. These are used more for loosefeed than hookbait.
Maggots are now without a doubt the most popular bait to date and are used by anglers across the country.
There are 3 main types of maggots.
Bluebottle maggot - This is the most common maggot used. These grow in large numbers very quickly and have tough skin. These are good for loose feed or a hookbait.
Greenbottle maggot - This is a high quality maggot, they are smaller than the bluebottle maggot and these are also good for loose feed and hookbait and these are known as pinkies. When fish won’t take normal sized maggots anglers use 'pinkies' hoping the fish will find its smaller size less suspicious.
Housefly maggot - This is roughly the same size as a greenbottle maggot although they are a little softer and can burst if too much pressure is applied. These are commonly known as 'squatts'. These are used more for loosefeed than hookbait.
Hooking maggots - To hook maggots gently squeeze the maggot and nick the hook into the blunt end of the maggot, you know you have done it right when there is no juice coming out of the maggot.
If the maggot has busted open or too much liquid is coming out of the maggot take it off and try again. When people fish for species like carp or barbel and they use maggots, a fine wire clip is used and then attached to a hair rig.
If the maggot has busted open or too much liquid is coming out of the maggot take it off and try again. When people fish for species like carp or barbel and they use maggots, a fine wire clip is used and then attached to a hair rig.
Like many other types of baits maggots can be coloured and flavoured. Many anglers flavour there maggots with flavours such as fruit, vanilla and cream these flavours are preferred during the summer months and meat and spicy flavours preferred during the winter months although this can vary from different places where other flavours would be preferred during different seasons.
Cycle of a maggot
Cycle of a maggot
