Imitation grubs (maggots, pinkies etc)

[St Stephen]

I don't fish enough (frequency of and length of individual sessions) to warrant getting live grubs (maggots, pinkies etc) and wondering whether imitation grubs are effective bait.  Since they won't squirm like a live grub would, is it the simple shape/colour that attracts fish to check them out or are they best dressed with an attractant ?   

I'm thinking small to medium river fish (rather than pond fishing) and maybe some small cove/harbour fishing for say mullet.  Any thoughts re imitation grubs please?

[Ken L]

I think they're more about feeding with real maggots and having a bait that doesn't get smashed up by small fish before something decent finds it.

If you don't want to visit a tackle shop, there are plenty of options. Pellets or breadpunch are always good standbys.

[Martin56]

Maybe, just buy a pint or even just a 1/2 pint, use them once while they are still alive, then kill any left over in Hot (not boiling) water and Freeze the rest. They'll still catch and I fish them in a 2mm bait band. (Like the QM 1 banded hook lengths to 6 or 7Lb)

[St Stephen]

(Thinking I've already replied to comments @KenL and @Martin56 but no sight of yet) 

Thanks kindly for posting your thoughts.

 

[Martin56]

Hi Stephen, maybe the site was down and didn't post ? We would love to see it get more on here, so stick with it buddy !!

[Blackbird]

 Imitation grubs don't really work on their own, as said, OK with lives if the fish are grubbing around. Corn meat and above all bread will all catch, and of course worm.

[Chris Plumb]

Concur with what's been said - I've tried plastic maggots and grubs and had very limted success with them - and will only resort to them if I'm getting totally murdered by - say bleak or minnows. But why not try worms? - easy to acquire and theres not a fish that swims that won't take one!

[wotnobivvy]

Not forgetting the ubiquitous jolly green giant, which can always be eaten by the angler !!

[chesters1]

Told this story before ,I was fishing down Folkestone warren (sea fishing the ponds long gone) A local (I spotted him on his bike earlier from the campsite we were camping on as I looked at the state of the tide)  walked over from the next spot who I had noticed kept recasting every few minutes but didn't appear to be using lures etc.

What bait are you using mate he says noticing me unhooking a dreaded dog fish .
"Lug and squid on this rod " I said

"OH" he says" you want to try these they're great down here"

Obviously the fact I was considerably older than him and had fished down there longer than he lived didn't occur to him,he obviously thought I was a newbie or gullible ?

"What is this miracle bait " I asked

He held out a crumpled bag of those haribo sour worm things "bloody brilliant" he says

"How much have you caught "I asked

"Nothing ,not a bite " he said

I didn't bother to question the logic behind his life choices and just said OK thanks for the advise

He went back to his spot ,casted every few minutes no doubt to replace his miracle bait that's dissolved into nothing then left just as it started to get dark which of course is the best time to start unless your lure fishing down there .Perhaps he found a better use for them like eating them just like I would .

So just like the topic in question everything is viable in "artificial" baits and like the chaps choice so long ago I have only ever caught using artificial "grubs" when your throwing real maggots around the hooked artificial ,I presume they work in the rush to grab the offerings or are accidentally hoovered up by bottom feeders feeding on maggots on the bottom .As an alone bait I have caught nothing on them and I have tried many in desperation on those hot sticky days when nothing else works .Never understood fake worms though they don't wriggle and the real version are under your feet or a rotten branch .

Not saying they don't work but I think it's unusual they do and not the first thing that pops into my head when bread is on the list which I have found catches everything inc predators no doubt grabbing it as a involitary response to something moving in the corner of their eye

Not saying maties miracle bait hasn't worked either I have caught fish on bare hooks when they were gold plated and sparkled in the water but as a regular bait that's worked regularly I much doubt it.

Artificial baits are a moot point flies work great when your fly fishing but stick one under a float and all changes ,I think your "artificial" has to show a semblance of reality to work ,artificial worms and maggots don't wriggle but nor do dead ones or real or fake casters so there's something fish sense we don't that determines if you catch I think ,perhaps what looks real to us isn't that real to fish

Take mackerel feathers for instance ,cast them in and your lucky to catch ,jiggle them about and your catching ,both exactly the same thing but acting differently ,acting more naturally looking like what the fish expect them to look like

Edited May 25 by chesters1

[Martin56]

Hi Keith, good to see you're still on here and doing a bit mate.