Lob worms or maggots?

[tiddlertamer]

My thinking is that maggots will catch you more fish than lobworms, especially with a constant stream of loose fed maggots attracting the fish.

 

I therefore invariably and with almost depressing regularity always plump to fish with maggot as hook bait with a constant stream of loose bait maggot to draw fish in.

 

But methinks a lob worm would attract a better stamp of fish.

 

OK – there’s no hard and fast rules.

 

But would fishing with big juicy lobworms increase my chance of specimen or larger fish whilst meaning I’d catch less fish?

 

Or are lobworms a good natural ledgered bait but not so effective being trotted down a swim unlike the devastatingly effective maggot?

[Tigger]

My thinking is that maggots will catch you more fish than lobworms, especially with a constant stream of loose fed maggots attracting the fish.

 

I therefore invariably and with almost depressing regularity always plump to fish with maggot as hook bait with a constant stream of loose bait maggot to draw fish in.

 

But methinks a lob worm would attract a better stamp of fish.

 

OK – there’s no hard and fast rules.

 

But would fishing with big juicy lobworms increase my chance of specimen or larger fish whilst meaning I’d catch less fish?

 

Or are lobworms a good natural ledgered bait but not so effective being trotted down a swim unlike the devastatingly effective maggot?

 

 

 

I think on most occassions maggot rules. Just try varying the ammount you put on the hook. I use from two maggots up to twelve mixed red and white on a 14's kamasan animal ! Just swap the number round until you get some action. Even when ledgering I will use large bunches and even tiddlers will take them and bunches often seem to be more attractive to perch etc..

[tiddlertamer]

I think on most occassions maggot rules. Just try varying the ammount you put on the hook. I use from two maggots up to twelve mixed red and white on a 14's kamasan animal ! Just swap the number round until you get some action. Even when ledgering I will use large bunches and even tiddlers will take them and bunches often seem to be more attractive to perch etc..

 

 

So you nearly always use size 14 hooks despite the number of maggots? I tend to go smaller with size 18 hook with double maggot. I Occasionally go up to size 14 with three maggots to try and discourage minnows.

 

It's interesting how you and me (you from the north and me from the south) are both big maggot fans whilst others on this board such as Anderoo and Chris Plumb (I'd claim they are both west though I suspect they might dispute that!) swear by both bread and lobs.

 

Different rivers maybe responding diffferently to different baits.

 

Cheese paste has always worked well for people I know on the Hampshire Avon but also been a bit pants on the river Lea.

Edited February 18, 2011 by tiddlertamer

[Tigger]

So you nearly always use size 14 hooks despite the number of maggots? I tend to go smaller with size 18 hook with double maggot. I Occasionally go up to size 14 with three maggots to try and discourage minnows.

 

It's interesting how you and me (you from the north and me from the south) are both big maggot fans whilst others on this board such as Anderoo and Chris Plumb (I'd claim they are both west though I suspect they might dispute that!) swear by both bread and lobs.

 

Different rivers maybe responding diffferently to different baits.

 

Cheese paste has always worked well for people I know on the Hampshire Avon but also been a bit pants on the river Lea.

 

 

I do change hooks but often will just try double maggot on a 14's hook and when trotting for a change (I just hide the hook in the maggots a bit by hooking them on slightly further down the body) and the fish usually oblige. I virtually always use at least three or four maggots though. I'm no lover of cheesepaste either and on my local river you'd blank more often than not using it along with bread, sweetcorn etc. IMO maggots are the king of baits .

[Anderoo]

West? How dare you, sir! SOUTH EAST MAN, SOUTH EAST!

 

(Spiritually, if not geographically!)

 

I've used little other than bread this winter, but only because I've been fishing a certain way for chub. When trotting for anything and everything, maggots are always my first choice. Nothing can resist them. Lobs are a great bait when you want to be selective, aiming to catch either specific species, or fish of a certain size (although small perch might might still barge in!).

 

Cheesepaste and bread will catch any chub that swims. I think the reason maggots are generally favoured is that it's easy to get the feeding right. Get fish feeding, and you'll catch them.

[Tigger]

Cheesepaste and bread will catch any chub that swims.

 

 

 

Not on my local river it won't. If I used bread or cheesepaste I would either blank or catch the odd fish or two and that's ledgering or trotting. Maggots clean up on my local whether trotted or ledgerd.

Edited February 18, 2011 by Tigger

[Rusty]

I’m a die hard maggot fan for trotting but this Winter I’ve found that lobs have been just as good if not better in terms of fish size. Last Sunday was a perfect example, I came a across some perch and caught a few small ones on maggot, a change to lobs instantly produced bigger fish although the tiddlers still tried hard. I usually carry a small pot as a change bait and end up getting frustrated if I run out.

 

During Winter I’ve caught bream chub, perch, small pike and gudgeon (and of course trout) on trotted lobs and I see from CP’s blog that barbel are partial to them as well. I’ve not had a grayling, dace or roach yet though, maggots seem to be better for those at least where I fish. I find a size 14 hook is a good compromise, it’ll just about take a fat lob and double maggot doesn’t look too out of place.

 

Off to buy bait for tomorrow now, I think two pots of lobs will accompany me this time.

[Chris Plumb]

It's interesting how you and me (you from the north and me from the south) are both big maggot fans whilst others on this board such as Anderoo and Chris Plumb (I'd claim they are both west though I suspect they might dispute that!) swear by both bread and lobs.

 

 

Hey I'm a lobs and maggot man - don't use bread a whole lot - the trout seem to like it even more!!! This time of year I may trot with both - last time out I had 3 chub and a barbel on trotted lobs all circa 3lb (see blog) and when I switched to maggot caught a couple of perch! I've also taken to using corn quite a bit in the winter - especially where there are trout - had some good catches of chub and grayling on red corn - I'm sure they mistake it for trout eggs...

 

 

C.

[tiddlertamer]

Hey I'm a lobs and maggot man - don't use bread a whole lot - the trout seem to like it even more!!! This time of year I may trot with both - last time out I had 3 chub and a barbel on trotted lobs all circa 3lb (see blog) and when I switched to maggot caught a couple of perch! I've also taken to using corn quite a bit in the winter - especially where there are trout - had some good catches of chub and grayling on red corn - I'm sure they mistake it for trout eggs...

 

 

C.

 

I should have added the following capitalized word in the sentence 'Anderoo and Chris Plumb swear RESPECTIVELY by bread and lobs', as a result of Anderoo's fantastic Winter chub campaign on bread and you joining him with lobs to hunt down specimen perch.

 

Do you use whole lob worm when trotting and a much larger hook, as opposed to when using maggot?

 

I guess I always think a larger hook will put off many fish but perhaps the lure of a big fat juicy lob worm will override that particular problem.

[Chris Plumb]

Do you use whole lob worm when trotting and a much larger hook, as opposed to when using maggot?

 

I guess I always think a larger hook will put off many fish but perhaps the lure of a big fat juicy lob worm will override that particular problem.

 

 

Yes whole lobs on a size 8 hooked once in the very head. Trotted maggot usually 14,16 or like tomorrow when I'm primarily after big dace - 18s.

 

C