Maggots

[Guest Ferret1959]

What's the history behind fishing with maggots? Who found out they where good to fish with?

Why are they used so much 'cos they aren't exactly natural food in the waters are they?

[Vagabond]

Maggots are mentioned in the first printed version of "The Treatyse of Fishing with an Angle", published in 1496.

 

The earlier written version (c 1450) mentions the "flesh fly" which probably means the same thing. There is nothing written in angling literature about maggots - or much else - earlier than that.

 

So sorry, Ferret,can't tell you, as it was (just) before my time!

[Guest Ferret1959]

Cheers.

[Eddie]

One can I suppose imagine a medeival angler sitting by a babbling brook scratching his a* se, and watching the maggots dripping from a dead bird hanging in a bush where it had died from getting caught in some discarded fishing tackle, marvelling at the way the fish intercepted each one as it hit the water and thinking I`m going to get myself a bucket and stick it under the gallows tree and catch and flog the maggots that fall of the bodies to anglers and make myself a fortune.

Ah well now you know how bored I am.

[Chris Plumb]

AElfric's Colloquy written in Saxon times around 990 describes a fisherman using a hook and bait but doesn't confirm what bait was used!!

 

 

Chris

[Vagabond]

Ferret1959:

 

Why are they used so much 'cos they aren't exactly natural food in the waters are they?

Maybe not, but a lot of maggot-like creatures must drop into waters from overhanging trees and bushes.

 

BTW In older books, the maggot may be referred to as a gentle ("a little kicking gentleman") and in older books still might be referred to as a "mawk" - from which we get "mawkish" as in "a mawkish sense of humour"

 

"Mawk" might make a good handle for a new poster .....

[davidP]

On a natural water with overhanging trees there'd be a regular supply of larvae (like caterpillars) falling into the water. A lot of insects also lay their eggs in bank-side vegetation so there would be a natural supply there as well (try investigating some of the bullrushes & segmented reeds - you may be surprised). Ancient man was a master at using his environment to his advantage and he'd have spotted this. He'd know where and when to collect them and how to use them to catch fish. Most of this knowledge has now been lost by modern man, but enough knowledge was retained (or remembered) to allow the bait industry to get set up.

[Ziptrev]

I believe one of Izaak Waltons tips in 'The Compleat Angler' is to hang a dead Sheep in a tree, allowing the maggots to automatically feed your Chub swim!!!

I guess the MAFF, Or DEFRA newbies might say something about that now!

 

Zip

[Vagabond]

There is a lovely story by Dick Walker about Fred Taylor and himself finding a long-dead sheep in a field beside the Gt Ouse, and suggesting they did just what Walton did - ie hang it from a tree over a good swim.

 

Fred then said "If we cut it in half, we could bait a swim each"

 

To which Dick's response was "Good idea Fred, here's the hatchet"