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What is a fishing bait?
Fishing bait is a man made or natural food eaten by fish that anglers
use on their hook to catch fish.
Why use fishing bait?
To catch a fish you need to get the hook into the fishes mouth.
Fishing bait is used to tempt and lure the fish into doing this.
What bait to use?
This is where the problem could arise! There is a vast range of baits
both natural such as, berries that fall into the water from
overhanging braches and worms, flies, beetles, snails, slugs, spiders
and grubs that live or fall into the water and man made baits such as bread,
bread flake, bread paste, boilies, pellets etc.
The traditional baits are the garden worm and the maggot and these are
still the most favoured baits today. Over the years anglers have
experimented and used different food stuffs as a fishing bait such as
bread, cheese, sweet corn, spam luncheon meat and even sausage meat.
The bait to use to catch a fish depends on numerous factors, the main
one being what fish species you are fishing for. It would be no use
fishing for Gudgeon using a 20mm boilie. There are also baits that can
induce a fish to bite almost immediately; a hook baited with bread
punch fished along with a sloppy mix of cloud groundbait can often
bring bites instantly from silver fish when the weather is cold.
On this page you will find descriptions of the fishing baits used
by anglers and notes on how to use and look after the baits.
Remember though - You can bag up catching fish on a certain bait one
day and next day not even get a bite on the same bait.
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The Maggot
The maggot must be the most popular bait used by anglers. The most
common colours used are white, red and bronze but other colours are
available such as blue, yellow, green and flouro. A lucrative business
for maggot breeders as thousands of gallons per week are sold in the
summer months.
Maggots are produced from eggs that have been laid by the blue bottle
fly (Calliphora vomitoria) (also known as the blow-fly - the name
blow-fly comes from an older English term for meat that had eggs laid
on it, which was said to be fly blown. The first association of the
term “blow” with flies was used by William Shakespeare in his plays
Loves Labour Lost, The Tempest, and Antony and Cleopatra). The blue
bottle fly lays its eggs on decaying meat, fish, poultry or other
animal or bird. They have the ability to smell meat from distances of
5 miles (7 kilometers away). The commercial maggot farms will breed
their maggots on dead carcases of cows, sheep, pigs etc available from
the knackers yard. The life cycle of a blue bottle from fly to egg to
maggot to pupae, depending on temperature, is approximately 10 to 20
days. The maggot will attain it's maximum size within about 3 to 5 days.
Once it has reached its maximum size it stops feeding and will crawl
away to a dry place where it can burrow into soil or similar matter to
pupate into a tough brown cocoon (caster). It is when it has reached
its maximum size and stops feeding that the maggot is ready for use by
the angler as bait. It will show a black feed sack in the middle of
its body (this also shows the angler that the maggot is fresh). If the
maggot is kept cool it will be in best condition for about 4 or 5 days
after coming off the feed. If kept in very low temperatures the
maggots metabolic rate slows down and they can be kept for longer
periods of up to 4 or 5 weeks, although personally I don't think they
are as good at this age. After this time the maggot will start to
shrink and the body start to become harder. This is the period it
changes into the pupae (caster). The pupae then hatches into a blue
bottle, the adults emerge to mate, beginning the cycle again.
Care of your maggot
When you buy your maggots from a fishing tackle shop they will be in
sawdust, maize flour or other such medium. Some tackle shops sell them
cleaned but not all do. In either case it is best if you clean them
yourself. Do this by first riddling them. Then put them in a container
of clean sawdust or maize flour for half an hour or so. This helps
clean off any of the grease from the maggots body and also any excess
dye used for the colouring. Riddle them again and put them back into a
container of clean maize flour (this keeps them softer than sawdust)
then put them into a fridge at low temperature until you are ready to
use them. If they are straight off the feed you can soften them
further by adding a slice of bread soaked in milk to the container.
WARNING ... make sure the bread has drained and is not dripping with
milk; maggots when wet can climb vertically and escape form out of any
container. On the day of your fishing trip just check to see if they
need another riddle and fresh maize.
You can flavour maggots to give them an added fish attractant. Do this
with either a powder or liquid flavouring. If using a powdered maggot
flavouring add it to the maize before you put the maggots in the
fridge. Using a liquid flavouring it is best to use an atomizer and
spray the maggots. This can also be done on the bankside as you are
fishing but spray them about 20 minutes before use to allow the
maggots body time to absorb the flavouring.. If you have a large
amount of maggots to store split them up into smaller containers or
shallower trays before placing in the fridge. Maggots crawling over
each other produce generate heat and you may find if you
have a large amount of maggots in one tub that they will generate so
much heat that they will die.
Use of maggots
Maggots can be used singly or in pairs or bunched. To use a maggot
singularly, hook it thro the 'thick' end. If you find you are missing
bites you can try hooking it though the 'thin' end, or through the
middle 'handlebar' style. To use double maggot you can hook both at
the 'thick' end or hook one 'thick' end and the other 'thin' end.
If the fish are feeding on the top of the water you can get your
maggots to float: place some maggots in a bait tub with a little water
and replace the lid (make sure there are holes in the lid). Being in
water the maggots will take in more oxygen and start to float.
Maggots are also great to add to your groundbait. You can also kill
maggots by scalding them with boiling water. They become stretched and
thin and are ideal for adding to your groundbait. Also the scalded
maggot can be used as hook bait. The amount of maggot you will needed
for a fishing session depends on where and when you will be fishing.
On a stillwater you could get away with using a pint of maggots; on a
fast flowing river you may need a gallon or more.
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The Pinkie
The Pinkie is the pupae of the small green bottle (Lucilia sericata)
also a species of blow-fly, it is produced in the same way as other
maggots. Up to 20 eggs are laid in wounds or cuts on decaying meat,
fish, poultry or other animal or bird. Pale yellow or greyish-white
larvae hatch in between a few hours to three days, and begin feeding
on the decomposing animal matter they were hatched in, turning a
pinkish colour as they feed. They are fully grown in two to ten days,
when they will seek soil in which they will burrow to pupate. The
adults then emerge to mate, thus beginning the cycle again.
Care of your Pinkie
The cleaning and keeping of Pinkies is the same as for maggots only
use maize flour and not sawdust. Kept as per Maggots, the Pinkie tends
to keep for longer.
Use of Pinkies
The maggots of the green bottle fly are known to consume dead tissue
while leaving live tissue intact, and so have been sold for use in
maggot therapy. Nothing to do with fishing but just thought I'd
mention it. The Pinkie is used for smaller fish due to its size. When
fishing Pinkie use singularly or double on a fine wired hook size of
20 - 24. Pinkies can also be flavoured as with Maggots but, ...
WARNING ....Pinkies are even better escapees than Maggots so do not
let them get wet. The Pinkie is an ideal bait when bites are hard to
come by especially in the cold days in winter. Using Pinkie on the
hook, feed Squats in a fine sloppy groundbait. They can also be used
as loose feed.
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The Squat
The Squat is the larvae of the little house fly (Fannia canicularis)
smaller than the common house fly (Musca domestica). The eggs are laid
as per Maggots / Pinkies, in decomposing animal carcasses and hatch in
20–48 hours. In 6 or 7 days the larvae reaches pupation, which lasts 7
or more days when the adults then emerge to mate, thus beginning the
cycle again. The total life cycle (egg to adult) is 15–30 days,
depending upon temperature.
Care of your Squats
The Squat is bought from the fishing tackle shop stored in fine dark
red foundry sand which must be kept moist at all times and not allowed
to dry out. As with Pinkies a piece of bread soaked in milk will feed
the Squat and keep it soft. Change the milk soaked bread when
necessary and check the container and remove any dead Squats or
debris. Before you set off for your fishing trip, change the milk
soaked bread before you set off.
Use of
Squats
Squats are almost entirely used in groundbait.
Used in plain groundbait or continental groundbait they are a great
holding bait for Bream and other fish. All fish like Squats and unlike
the Maggot or Pinkie that crawls away and buries itself the Squat
stays where it's put. As a hookbait the Squat is not often used but
occasionally, on a very hard day in the winter months when the going
is tough and bites are hard to come by, some match anglers have saved
the day by using a Squat as hookbait. As a hook bait very fine fishing
tackle needs to be used, with a very small barbless or fine wire spade
end hook of size 22 or less.
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The Gozzer Maggot
The Gozzer Maggot is the home bred maggot. This is a super soft pure
white maggot. To breed Gozzers, obtain a pigs heart and make 2 or 3
cuts into it and place the heart on clean bran in a biscuit tin. Make
a hole in the lid just large enough for the fly to enter and place in
a dark spot away from the light. You will get a blow (a cluster of
tiny white eggs) in one or two days depending on the temperature of
the weather. Check for the blow a couple of times a day. When you see
that the heart has been blown, place the heart in fresh newspaper and
cover with bran to keep the smell down. Ensure that flies cannot enter
the tin and blow the heart again. Place the heart away from the house
in a dry place. WARNING .....make sure it is well covered with bran
and IS AWAY FROM THE HOUSE because the decaying blown heart will
stink, and I mean stink! Again depending on the temperature, in 6 to
7days you will have perfect Gozzers. Riddle the Gozzers and place them
in a bait box in fresh bran. Place in the fridge and keep as per
Maggots, changing the bran as necessary. Gozzers are an excellent bait
for Bream, Chub and Roach fishing. The only drawback from breeding
Gozzers is that you do not get a lot of Gozzers per size of heart. A quarter
to half a pint normally, but enough for hook bait during a fishing
session.
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The Caster
The Caster is the pupae of the blue bottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria)
(also known as the blow-fly). It is an ideal bait for all fish,
especially Roach, Bream, Chub and Barbel. The Caster is known for
sorting out the better fish but exactly why this is a mystery. Many
specimen fish have been caught and many fishing matches have been won
using the Caster. Fish do not always respond immediately to Casters
and it may be from a few minutes to an hour or so before they do, but
when they do you could be in for a great day, picking off the larger
specimen fish. Roach love Casters and many an angler will tell you
that the best bait for catching Roach is Casters. The Caster varies in
colour from a light, creamy colour in the early stages to almost black
just before it hatches. Personally I like my Caster to be a light
golden brown colour. As well as changing colour the Casters buoyancy
also changes. As it gets darker it starts to float making it useless
for fishing unless used as hookbait only.
Care
of your Caster
Casters are usually sold in an airtight polythene bag. The first thing
to do when you get your Casters is to empty them into a container of
clean water. The good Casters will sink to the bottom and the floaters
can be removed. Drain the Casters and place them in a plastic bag with
the air expelled in the fridge at a low temperature. To prevent 'burn'
marks on your Casters which are caused by being against the side of
the bag, check them daily by opening the bag and giving them a shake.
This will also allow fresh air into the bag. Again exclude the air
from the bag, re-seal and replace in the fridge. If you want your
Casters to be all the same shades of brown the way to do this is;
Empty your Casters onto a shallow tray and spread them evenly so that
you have a single layer of Casters. Cover them with a damp cloth and
place the tray somewhere cool with an ambient temperature checking
regularly as to the colour change of your Casters. The warmer the
temperature the quicker the change in colour. When they are the colour
you require put them back into a plastic bag with the air expelled in
the fridge at a low temperature. Fresh Casters can keep for up to a
week in the fridge if looked after, although they are at their best if
used within 2 or 3 days. For each pint of Casters you will need
approximately 1 and a half pints of maggots and many serious anglers
turn their own Casters by riddling the maggots 4 or 5 times a day to
catch the maggot at the turning stage. I have turned Casters myself
but I find it time consuming and the Casters I have bought from
fishing tackle shops have always been good Casters anyway. Only once
was I given old Casters and on that occasion the delivery to the
fishing tackle shop had been cancelled for some reason and the shop
owner told me the Casters were old. In fact he gave me them without
charge. Maybe not all fishing tackle shops sell good Casters and I am
just lucky in the respect that I have always received fresh Casters.
Use of
the Caster
When going fishing remove your Casters from the fridge and give them a
rinse in clean water. Drain them off and put your Casters in a bait
tub and cover the tub with cling film and replace the lid. When you
get to your peg open the tub and fill it with water to immerse the
Casters. Keep the Casters submerged in water for the rest of the day,
changing the water frequently to keep them cool. It is vital that the
Casters are kept submerged otherwise they will dry out and turn to
floaters, although you can leave a handful of casters on a tray to
become floaters and use as hookbait. The floating Caster will help to
counterbalance your hook. On warm days casters can turn into floaters
in a couple of hours or less if they are not kept cool in water. Skim
off any floater and put to the side for hookbait or discard it.
Floating Casters introduced into the water can be a disaster as the
wind or flow will take them away from your swim and entice the fish
away. As I have said, the Caster is an ideal bait for all fish,
especially Roach, Bream, Chub and Barbel and is known for sorting out
the better fish. Caster fished with Hemp is a deadly combination and
is known for producing for large catches of summer Roach. Fish Caster
on the hook and loose feed Hemp with a few Casters mixed in. If the
bites become less, then cut back on the loose fed hemp and try feeding
a few more Casters. You can also try a red maggot on the hook if bites
are slow. Casters are a great ingredient to add to any groundbait. Use
in plain groundbait or continental groundbait. All fish like Casters
and unlike the Maggot or Pinkie that crawls away and buries itself the
Caster stays where it's put.
Hooking Casters
The hooking of a Caster is different than the hooking of a maggot. The
most common method of hooking a Caster involves burying the hook
inside the bait. It is best to use a barbless or a fine wired hook
when fishing Casters as they are easier to insert into the Caster and
will not spoil your bait when you place the hook inside. Use a fine
wire spade end hook of size 18 or 20, push the point into the blunt
end of the Caster, rotate the hook inside the Caster until just the
spade is showing, then push the spade into the shell of the Caster to
end up with a totally hidden hook. The bigger the caster is the easier
this is to do. If any of the internal white juice of the Caster is
showing after hooking it, discard the Caster and start again because
it is unlikely that you will get a positive bite or even get a bite at
all. (Don't ask me ! I don't know why). The disadvantage with burying
the hook is that the Caster gets 'shelled' more often (shelled means;
after a bite, which in the case of Roach is super quick, you are left
with just the 'shell' of the Caster on your hook). Another method of
hooking a Caster is to simply hook it through the blunt end like a
maggot and leave the hook visible. Try this if the fish are competing
for food and you are getting lots of bites. This can be more effective
as with the hook point showing, less bites will be missed. The other
advantage of hooking Casters this way is that you can use smaller
hooks which, when fishing on the drop for example, will not weigh the
caster down as much and will allow it to sink slower than with a
bigger hook. If fishing double Caster, hook one Caster through the
blunt end and the other through the other end, this helps stop the
bait twisting in the water. For bigger fish like Chub , Barbel and
Tench try two or three casters on a size 14 or 12 hook.
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Sweetcorn
Sweetcorn can be used straight from the
tin, BUT, if you do take a tin with you on your fishing trip please
take the empty tin home with you and dispose of it in the dustbin.
Better still is to empty the sweetcorn into a spare bait tub and leave
the tin at home. Apart from giving anglers a bad name, tins left lying
around are a hazard to wildlife and make the countryside look an
eyesore.
Sweetcorn is a readily available and cheap bait used to catch all
species of fish, especially Tench, Bream, Carp and Roach. It is also
excellent to add to groundbait or used as loose feed. Tench and carp
anglers regularly lay a bed of sweetcorn, or use it in their
groundbait and when the fish turn up it helps to keep them
in the swim and the angler can have a 'bagging'
time. Sweetcorn is also great bait that will sort the better stamp of
fish from the bits, so if you are being pestered by smaller fish then
using a piece of sweetcorn could put you on to the bigger stuff.
There are various brands and variety of sizes of sweetcorn in both
supermarkets and tackle shops. A couple of well known brands, although
not the cheapest, are Jolly Green Giant, found in supermarkets and
Sensas sweetcorn from tackle shops. Sensas sweetcorn comes in
different colours and flavours and some anglers say that when the
fishing is hard this can make all the difference. Personally I don't
think there is a lot of difference from the cheaper varieties and the
more expensive ones, as long as the piece used for hook bait it is not
too hard or soft. There are some really cheap tins of sweetcorn that
are too hard or too soft and some brands are salty. Some anglers say
that quality sweetcorn will get you better results but I have not
found this to be true. I'm not saying just buy the cheapest, if you
prefer to buy the better quality sweetcorn then do so.
I empty the sweetcorn into a bait tub and the excess liquid I add to
my groundbait. Empty tins can be a danger to wildlife. DON'T leave
empty tins behind when you finish fishing, take them home and dispose
of them properly.
How to hook sweetcorn
I hook my sweetcorn depending on whether the fishing is hard and the
fish are shy of the bait or taking it confidently. If they are taking
it confidently then pass the point of the hook through the narrow end
and out through the other side, leaving the point of the hook showing.
If you find the piece of sweetcorn to hard or soft, use another piece.
If the fishing is hard, I will push the hook into the end of the
sweetcorn, turning it as I do, and push the hook into it to bury it.
Make sure the sweetcorn is soft enough for the hook to pull through on
the strike.
Feeding sweetcorn
Feeding sweetcorn can depend on what you are fishing for and the
amount of fish in your swim. If you are fishing for carp or bream then
a bed of sweetcorn laid down is ok because carp and bream can soon mop
this up, but if you are fishing for, and catching roach, then I would
feed a few grains of sweetcorn (5 or 6) along with a few casters every
other cast. This is because sweetcorn can soon fill up smaller fish.
It is always better to feed sparingly (you cant take it outa the water
once its in). If bites are few, try alternating with, sweetcorn,
sweetcorn and caster or caster on the hook. You may start catching
smaller fish using caster but if they are being attracted into your
swim so will the larger fish!
Imitation sweetcorn
Imitation sweetcorn is a rubber imitation grain of sweetcorn. It is
sold as pop-up bait or sinking bait. I have not tried these yet but
they do look like the real thing. Usually sold for around £2.75 for
approximately 10 pieces.
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