Rather than hijack Myster's topic on keeping maggots I'm starting this new one about flavouring maggots.

I'd be interested to hear the views of others as to

1) what flavourings have worked best for them
2) time of year
3) species.

This is what I posted about flavourings on a previous topic:

"When Archie Braddock wrote about flavours in The Book of the Perch some 15 years ago I was very sceptical. However, now I'm very much a convert!

Initially I thought flavours may work just because they covered up smells the fish don't like, including ammonia in maggots. Nowadays, though, I won't use maggots without flavouring them!

The turning point for me was when I baited up 2 parts of a featureless swim on a commercial water with 2 different flavours. One flavour attracted mainly roach, the other mainly perch. I then switched the flavours around. The fish followed their favourite flavour!

You don't need to buy a huge number of flavours to begin with. Indeed, if you do it'll take you longer to determine what does and doesn't work best in different circumstances.

For instance you could just buy a fruity one for members of the carp family, including tench, bream and roach. Add a spicy one for perch and you'll cover most stillwater species in summer. Two I can highly recommend from personal experience are Archie's Peach flavour and his Perch Magic.

I'd add that the colder the water the more I use stronger spicy flavours. Also the colder the water the more flavouring I add, but be careful here as too much flavour can result in catching less rather than more."

This post has been edited by Steve Burke: May 6 2007, 07:56 PM

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Have to agree with you Steve i use archie braddock flavourings on my maggots and in my barbel paste i was lucky enough to go with him last december as a 30th birthday present and i filled a note book with tips i really rate his floral suprise as a silver fish attractor but then ive also used it on commercials and caught carp when others around me have failed, i dont know if its coincidence or not ive yet to make my mind up.

In the 'Fish Tales' episode on Carp, Chris Yates mentions the maggots being used are flavoured with coriander.

This post has been edited by rarepleasures: May 6 2007, 05:31 PM

I flavour the mine with paprika powder or chile pepper
First i clean the maggots and then i put them maggotbox and sprinkle the powder over them
afhter 1 or 2 days they smell and tast like a pepper or paprika
But i have found that perch like very hot pepper flavour

gr jerry

Experimenting with flavoured maggots last year a number of times I was catching Roach with Hot Magic(Archie Braddocks) and by changing to chocolate flavour was catching skimmers and small perch,although the roach would take the chocolate and non-flavoured.I find it best to carry a few flavours and chop and change a while,even if your catching.
Along with Hot Magic I also use Floral Surprise and carry a little almond essence,vanilla essence,curry powder,tandoori powder and chocolate powder.If I get hungry I always carry a loaf and can knock some canny sarnies up in a twinkling!!
And curry powder don`t half make your eyes water when the wind blows it back in your face!!

This post has been edited by dogstick: May 6 2007, 11:02 PM

I am experimenting at the moment, yesterday I used turmeric had a good day with plenty Carp, Chub and Crucians. I've also used VDE liquid pellet or Scopex. Matt Hayes says flavoring maggots is useless because it quickly washes out, I swear it gives me an edge.

I have just watched an Archie Braddocks DVD on Bits and in particular flavouring Maggots. Now here in France a tub of maggots will cost around €2.50. That will get you AROUND 100 maggots!!!! Now if Mr Braddocks is right. And I certainly think he IS!! I will start to buy Maggots, freeze them and Flavour them at the same time!! I have LONG been a user of flavours for maggots but have never really been 100% about them. But all I read about this man is 101% GOOD!! And the "Experts" Who back him cannot ALL be wrong can they??

Steve (or anyone else!), do you have a preferred and trusted flavour for tench?

I certainly think he is as well. Archie's book 'Fantastic Feeder Fishing' is a must read for anybody interested in flavouring maggots, he doesn't hide his light under a bushell does Archie, but by heck he knows his stuff.

Not sure about Tench, but Scopex flavoured red maggot (dead) catches everything else!

Hahahahahahaha great minds.....