Maggots in the rain!

[The Flying Tench]

Sounds like a rather unromantic song, I realise - assuming one is not a maggot!

 

But isn't the maize a pain in the rain? I think it's when you chuck the loose feed in, the maize seems to get everywhere! I don't quite understand what happens, but today it even gunged up the centrepin I was using. It occurred to me perhaps I should ask them not to put any maize in in future when it's raining. Or maybe sawdust wouldn't be so bad?

 

Has anyone found a way of minimising this problem?

[Steve Walker]

No, I haven't - but I think if you didn't have something in there they'd be even more prone to climbing up the sides.

 

(I thought it looked like a song title too!)

[Steve Walker]

I used to have a waterproof bait apron, though, that helped.

[Rusty]

I keep maggots in a fridge so I make sure the tackle shop doesn't pile in loads of maize when I buy them, they don't need it when they're stored that way. If you can't do that and they're in the shed then sieving them before a session gets rid of most of it.

 

Wet maggots will always find a way out but wet maize/sawdust will always find a way into your centrepin.

[Vagabond]

Because our local tackle dealer has recently moved to a commercial fishery eight miles away, visits to the tackle shop are less convenient, I have taken to buying several pints of maggots at once, splitting the supply into small containers and freezing them.

 

Serendipity

 

Have discovered a few advantages.........

 

Frozen maggots do not climb out of the box in rain

 

You don't need maize meal

 

Whereas you can't realistically buy less than half a pint at a time at the tackle shop, you can take small quantities from the freezer (ie less than a quarter pint for a short autumn/winter morning session) so one bulk buy lasts months.

 

Frozen maggots do not burrow into the bottom, so you can afford to be economical with loose feed in still water

 

When that skimmer bream you are swinging to hand falls off the hook full toss into the maggot box, scattering maggots far and wide, maggot corpses are easier to recover/remove from unwanted places than live ones.

 

Fish seem to take frozen maggots just as readily as live ones (and astonishingly, a very small proportion (around 1%) of maggots "recover" from freezing and wriggle a bit, so you can use those as hookbait anyway)

 

A spill in your tackle box or car boot does not produce a cloud of bluebottles a fortnight later. (Bluebottles in the car can set off my car alarm - usually at about 2 am)

 

You can refreeze unused maggots (just once)

 

I have yet to discover any major disadvantage - can anyone think of one ?

[BobH]

I always refuse Maize meal and ask for sawdust, it dries off the maggots and helps to keep them longer.

 

If I want clean maggots I put them through a riddle !!

 

Never had a problem this way.

 

Bob

[Matthew Simmons]

Interesting Vagabond. Certainly I freeze any spare maggots after a session but I use them in groundbait - especially bream seem to love them. I also freeze casters and use them for loose feed with hemp on the river. I have never tried either as hook baits, but I certainly shall after your experiences.

 

I normally ask for the maggots to be supplied without anything - I sprinkle a handful of betaine green groundbait over them when I get home if I can be bothered - I think it gives a slight edge - but who knows!

 

But I do find maize gets everywhere. Anyone have any good techniques for cleaning pins - all mine are bearing-based as opposed to true pins.

 

M

[robd]

I have yet to discover any major disadvantage - can anyone think of one ?

 

They don't turn to casters very easily.............

 

Always found reds to freeze and thaw out more naturally than whites (which look most unappetising). I wonder why, maybe something in the red feed?

[Vagabond]

They don't turn to casters very easily.............

 

Always found reds to freeze and thaw out more naturally than whites (which look most unappetising). I wonder why, maybe something in the red feed?

Yes to both those points - the frozen whites do seem to be a bit stickier when defrosted - it is definitely better to keep maize out of the equation also, if you are going to freeze them. Sawdust is OK but few dealers use it - perhaps a good case for "bring your own" ?

 

I think as a good principle, have the maggots as dry as possible when you freeze them.

[Tigger]

I get maggots with little or no maize and keep 'em in the fridge same as Rusty. I have no problem with my maggots getting wet when trotting as I have them in a bag round my neck.