Old maggots

[tiddlertamer]

Just been rummaging through my fridge and found some old maggots in a couple of containers from a day out fishing about ten days ago. (Don't tell the missus )

 

One container is just black casters - no good methinks. They'll just float as loose bait.

 

But one container has maggots. And they are wriggling... But I suspect they smell of ammonia and there is certainly a horrible amount of sludgy waste.

 

Are they still usable?

 

Some people think that old maggots, stinking of ammonia put fish off.

 

However, maybe I'm being wasteful.

 

Should I cut my losses and buy new maggots or will fish in fact fish take old maggots. My tackle shop is quite a journey away from the river I hope to fish so I can save a lot of fishing time if the old maggots are good for catching.

 

Views please.

[Emma two]

I'm no maggot expert, but occasionally use the odd pint or two. usually breedin 'em myself in summer. I would keep the black casters, and squash 'em up to pulp add to grpundbait. If your not needing that type of grounbait at this time of year, then put them in a plastic bag, knot it and place in the freezer. if your worried about the ammonia on the still wriggling ones then blanche the lot with boiling water, drain them dry to be used as either loose offerings or again bag up and freeze for grounfbait additive at a later time.

[watatoad]

I would wash them in a sieve, wash the bait box and don't forget the lid/cover, tip them onto some paper towels to dry them, put them back in the bait box, add some fresh sawdust - (which you can get from your local pet shop). Then off to the venue, no problem, oops nearly forgot don't use hot water - barely luke warm works best.

Edited December 29, 2010 by watatoad

[Anderoo]

Fresh maggots are probably better, but if the tackle shop is a long way away and you have some live maggots already, I'd just use them up. They'll be OK. If you can, put them in a new tub with some dry groundbait/crumb/whatever just so they can clean themselves a bit.

[Dales]

This time of year I always hold on to old maggots and casters to take Pike fishing and use as loose feed in the hope of attracting prey fish in to the swim.

[Leon Roskilly]

If I'm not fishing again in the next couple of days, unused maggots go into the freezer.

 

Defrosted they are as good as live maggots for trotting, and can be mixed into groundbait.

[Steve Burke]

I prefer fresh maggots but have used old ones successfully. However I flavour all my maggots, whether fresh or not. Not only does this get rid of the smell of ammonia but is successful in its own right. In fact I haven't used non-flavoured maggots this century!

 

Whilst I buy liquid flavours from tackle shops, powdered ones I make up from various spices. In general the colder the weather the hotter I spice I use. Hopefully you'll have some spices in the kitchen cupboard. You can use them on the day, but I prefer to add them to the maggots on the day before. They'll eat the spices and then taste of them too.

 

Like Leon I often freeze maggots, and find this preferable to boiling. I still flavour the maggots by adding the liquid flavouring to a plastic bag. When the maggots thaw out the flavouring will have been absorbed. BTW, you'll probably need to freeze the maggots for at least 48 hours to kill them.

[RUDD]

With any maggots / pinkies be they straight from the shop or having been a few weeks in my fridge here is how I clean them every few days and as soon as I get home from the tackle shops with them:

 

 

I use a sensas bait bucket with maggot riddle that fits on top and an old washing up bowl that rectangular pinkie riddle fits onto.

 

Pour maggots onto a maggot riddle (pinkie riddle if using pinkies) and quickly shake to get rid of large pieces of rubbish, sawdust, feathers etc.

Then pour onto a pinkie riddle and repeat procedure to get rid of any smaller particles (reason being is they soak up the amonia).

Clean out rubbish from riddling in bait bucket.

Pour maggots onto riddle and let them wriggle through into bucket.

Clean dead maggots / casters off riddle and repeat ridling until you are happy all debris has been riddled off.

Once clean add half a handfull of maizemeal to maggots in a clean baitbox, put of lid and give a gentle shake - riddle straight away to get rid of maizemeal - You should now have clean amonia free maggots.

Pour maggots into a clean bait box - SIZE is important - I only fill a 3.3 pint bait box with one pint of maggots so they can breath / do not sweat.

 

If using maggots straight away or next day:

Add a few drops of your choosen liquid additive or the required amount of powder additive. Put lid on box and gently shake for 30 seconds - additive should now be on all maggots.

Add a handfull of maizemeal and again gently shake to coat all maggots.

If using next day put in middle part of fridge WITHOUT lid on.

 

If storing for a few days DO NOT add additives until night before fishing but store in middle of fridge with lid off.

 

Try and clean maggots every day or ATLEAST every two days.

 

Maggots should last you about seven days (you can get away with a few more if the maggots were freshly delivered to your tackle shop).

 

If you need to store for longer go through whole process but put maggots in a freezer bag with some liquid additive once cleaned - then pop in the freezer.

 

A top tip is to use old 35mm film cannisters and fill each with a handful of maggots and use a different liquid additive in each - then freeze (you now have a choice of hookbaits with different flavours to try and belive me you will pick up bonus fish that may not have picked up your hookbait if not flavoured differently).

 

Pinkies can and will last eight or so weeks in a bit box in a fridge (but do slightly shrink after a while) if looked after in above manor.

 

The reason I use maizemeal is that it does not make maggots/pinkies skin toughen up.

Sawdust, breadcrumbs or groudbait have a harsher texture and as maggots rub against these mediums their skin toughens up.

I belive the softer the bait (no matter what it is) the more positivly a fish will take it as it is easier to eat.

 

I know the above all work as I have won my clubs winter league once and finished top five for the last seven years, including second twice.

During these winter league matches I have caught alot of bonus fish such as Tench, Crucians, big bream, big perch and even big rudd when switching to frozen maggots with different flavourings.

Edited December 29, 2010 by RUDD

[tiddlertamer]

I prefer fresh maggots but have used old ones successfully. However I flavour all my maggots, whether fresh or not. Not only does this get rid of the smell of ammonia but is successful in its own right. In fact I haven't used non-flavoured maggots this century!

 

Whilst I buy liquid flavours from tackle shops, powdered ones I make up from various spices. In general the colder the weather the hotter I spice I use. Hopefully you'll have some spices in the kitchen cupboard. You can use them on the day, but I prefer to add them to the maggots on the day before. They'll eat the spices and then taste of them too.

 

Like Leon I often freeze maggots, and find this preferable to boiling. I still flavour the maggots by adding the liquid flavouring to a plastic bag. When the maggots thaw out the flavouring will have been absorbed. BTW, you'll probably need to freeze the maggots for at least 48 hours to kill them.

 

 

I like the idea of using flavourings, both tackle shop ones and also from the spice rack in my kitchen.

 

I've tried tumeric once but just ended up with very yellow fingers...

 

What flavourings would you suggest though?

 

If you could only have between 3 and 5 flavourings, which would you pick?

[Steve Burke]

I like the idea of using flavourings, both tackle shop ones and also from the spice rack in my kitchen.

 

I've tried tumeric once but just ended up with very yellow fingers...

 

What flavourings would you suggest though?

 

If you could only have between 3 and 5 flavourings, which would you pick?

 

Before I reply I'd just like to say that Rudd's advice is excellent. You'd be well-advised to take it.

 

Turning to flavours I'm a great fan of Archie Braddock's. Archie has now retired but you can get a limited range of his flavours from the 2 suppliers below. Definitely get his books too. They're not expensive and contain a huge amount of advice.

 

I use both his powders and liquids, often in combination. My favourite powder of all is Archie's Perch Magic. I've caught countless specimen perch on it, plus lots of big tench, not to mention my personal best bream. Quest Baits stock this one, but not Walker's of Trowell.

 

To start with I'd suggest a couple of Archie's liquids. More often than not I use spicy flavours in winter, and sweet ones in summer. Red Hot Surprise is excellent in very cold weather. Just about any of the fruity flavours are great in the summer. Walker's stock these but not Quest Baits.

 

http://www.walkersoftrowell.com/index.php?...40&Itemid=1

 

http://www.questbaits.com/docs/specialist/index.php

 

Stick to the recommended doses as overdoing the flavours can actually put fish off. Having said that you can somewhat up the flavour level when it's very cold. Additionally the liquid flavours will gradually evaporate, especially in warm weather, so you'll have to top them up during a session.