Old maggots

[Tigger]

I like to use old maggots in cold weather as they don't stretch the same as new ones in the cold water. Regarding flavouring I've never done it but it sounds like it's worth a go if fishing a static bait. I can't see the point when trotting.

The dark casters are great for trotting or still water fishing used on their own or as a cocktail with a maggot/maggots, corn or a lighter/orange coloured caster...I wouldn't throw them away.

[RUDD]

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?

 

Three to five - no way near enough but here goes

 

Tumeric (poweder)- winter baits

Scopex (liquid)- summer baits

fishmeal (powder)- used all year

molasses (liquid) - all year

fishguts (liquid) - all year

 

I use loads of others but so many to mention!!!!!!!!

[tony tinca]

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.

 

 

Until a few seasons ago i couldnt be tempted into flavouring or colouring any baits , that was until geof valance suggested to me to try turmeric on my luncheon meat and the effect was enough to convert me and since then there has been no stopping me with flavouring and colouring .

on a match a few weeks ago before the ice came i had made up 10mm bread discs and put 20 into 5 different bags with different colours and apart from the normal yellow and red i tried blue and purple discs and green and caught on each of them more than on the natural bread

I also flavour my maggotts using krill ,what i do is put 2 pints in the fridge overnight then next day when they are still and soft i add a handfull of the krill powder ( i havnt used the liquid one yet ) to them and shake around in a plastic bag and then put in the freezer for at least a day and then they are ready once they have defrosted , they will be nice and soft and juicy ( unlike if you kill them with boiling water first )

I think flavouring and especially colouring makes its biggest difference in autumn and winter when you really have to grab the fishes attention to induce bites

[Andy Macfarlane]

I think you lot are looking after your maggots better than you look after yourselves. I've used maggots after 7 months (yes that's months at the back of the fridge...about 1.5 degrees for those interested) and although a little dehydrated and a little lifeless, as you'd expect, the fish went barmy for them. Fish generally can't be that fussy and ammonia certainly doesn't put them off. Not in my experience anyway. In fact, I've used ammonia to clean maggots I 'grew' myself before washing and riddling them. That didn't do any harm either.

 

As for black casters, they go into groundbait and get squished into the feeder anyway. If a few start to float once the feeder hits the bottom, they just get seen anyway and draw fish into the general feeding area anyway. That's all that rise and fall groundbait does anyway.

[Andy_1984]

I think you lot are looking after your maggots better than you look after yourselves. I've used maggots after 7 months (yes that's months at the back of the fridge...about 1.5 degrees for those interested)

 

 

if you still have any this year by the time we go for tincas keep them away from me or bring some deodorant those things were unnaturally smelly, might well have been what the maggots were in though ? unbelievably the fish did go barmy for those 7 month old maggots!

[watatoad]

I think you lot are looking after your maggots better than you look after yourselves. I've used maggots after 7 months (yes that's months at the back of the fridge...about 1.5 degrees for those interested) and although a little dehydrated and a little lifeless, as you'd expect, the fish went barmy for them. Fish generally can't be that fussy and ammonia certainly doesn't put them off. Not in my experience anyway. In fact, I've used ammonia to clean maggots I 'grew' myself before washing and riddling them. That didn't do any harm either.

 

As for black casters, they go into groundbait and get squished into the feeder anyway. If a few start to float once the feeder hits the bottom, they just get seen anyway and draw fish into the general feeding area anyway. That's all that rise and fall groundbait does anyway.

 

:bigemo_harabe_net-163:

 

Oh! Andy you're going to make a lot of sensitive anglers feel quite squeamish and more than a little queasy...hehehe

 

Good on you bet it saved you a few bob, I think that's brilliant.

Edited January 2, 2011 by watatoad

[Andy Macfarlane]

The maggots I kept previously were given to me on the first frost of 2009 and I used them as soon as the tench fishing picked up in 2010, so the maggots must have been a good 6-7 months old. It wasn't a money saving scheme. I took them in and out loads of times, used a very small amount and put them back. Why buy something you already have?

 

It just so happens I have a tub at the back of the fridge again, so I don't see why anything should be any different this time around.