• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Maggots

Dave Brooksbank

Dave Brooksbank

Senior Member & Supporter
Any tips for keeping maggots staying fresh in the fridge, any surplus that I've bought home I've put in the fridge and after a few days have sweated and any bran or maize has turned mushy.Is it best to keep the baitbox lid off so they can breathe better or shall I just top up with brown crumb maize etc.
 
Wot he said ;)

No lid. As big a surface area as possible. It's the heat of them on top of each other that makes them sweat.
 
In an airtight bag. With maize and no air. The maggots shut down and can take up to an hour to come round. Anymore than 48 hours take out of bag and bring round. Rebag and cool again.
 
Hi Dave,
I stopped using bran years ago, go to the pet shop and purchase some sawdust, it comes in a block form and will last a very long time, just scrape it off the block when required.

When I go to the tackle shop to buy maggots I ask them not to put any bran in with them, when I get outside I top up with the sawdust.

When you get to the riverbank pour your maggots from one box to another keeping your box containing the maggots at a height of about three feet, as your maggots fall into the second container the sawdust should blow away.
Fill your second box with just enough for the session, if need be top up later.

Brian.
 
Firstly before you put the maggots in the fridge after a day's fishing. Is you need to cool them and slow their body metabolism down which generates all the heat. I used to up end a bin lid and spread them on there to cool down. Then do any of the above.
 
As Jon said put them in a plastic bag, squeeze all the air out and tie knot in bag,for me they last a week in the fridge.The go into suspended animation and will take quite a few hours to come round in an open bait box(they look dead).Its best to then riddle them and add new Maize meal.You can then do the same again and again if the conditions are not good to go fishing.You will loose some every time you do it but none will escape and no smells,and no sweaty maggots in a box.You can double bag them if worried the bag will burst.The first time you do it the black feedspot will still be in them and they will loose no size.
 
I'll go with what Sam says....damp sawdust in a box with middle of the lid cut out to stop escapees. This will keep you maggots in a plumper condition and also ideal for turning your own casters. Also a bottle cooler from a pub is a lot better for bait particularly in summer as they have a fast knock down time on temperature and the fans keep temp spread even.
 
The birds in my garden are very grateful for my unused maggots. Obviously most will bury themselves but, this gets the birds foraging ferociously. Which keeps them slim and healthy. :D
Or if you like, keep them in the shed till they turn, then chuck them out.
btw, hedgehogs like 'em to. Stick some in a cat bowl, so they can't crawl out. They'll be gone come morning, if hedgie is about. :D
 
Riddle maggots,put about 2pints in 3pint baitbox then cover box with plastic bag before putting lid back on then fridge, I have kept them for up to 3 weeks like this,they will take up to 2 hours to come round
 
I sort the bait for my mate as well as my own,we also buy a couple of pints of fresh on the day,plus may not even use them on the day so just keep on rotating things Chris.
 
When I fished hard for barbel on the Bristol Avon Dave, it was casters all the way - with hemp of course. Perhaps half pint of red maggits, just for the hook.
A full day's fishing would be at least 6 pts hemp and 4 pts casters. Bait dropping 2 and 1 straight off..
 
If I have to keep maggots for a longer period, I riddle off all the dead, and rubbish, seal in an air tight bag and keep in a fridge, but you have to unseal every day or so to keep the air sweet. For keeping for shorter periods, as said a large bowl in a cool dark place suffices.

I have scattered excess maggots in a variety of cars and vans, this can be a problem when trying to locate, until a squadron appears in the cab :rolleyes:
 
Cheers Keith,still helping us all out,You can also just freeze them,save them up and use them dead for tench fishing/lake fishing sessions.
 
Doing what Jon and Mark describe works well for me, very handy for fishing places like Loch Naw where fresh supplies can't be sourced locally.

In terms of looking after them in the tub, so to speak, as others have said use a tub with a large surface area with and regular riddling and addition of fresh maize.

With the exception of casters, I can't think of a finer bait. My last session of last season saw me break my PB twice with 13.11 followed by a 14.10, as well as a 12.5. All on maggots. They are deadly in the right conditions.
 
Joe, did you read Keith's piece about casters,the last section explains how to travel with maggots which maybe will help.You can also add freezer blocks or 2 litre water bottles frozen to the polystyrene box to cool the maggots even longer to make them last better on the journey
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top