What's best, live or dead maggots on canal ???

[Just Paul 1]

Some people say live are better than dead , any suggestions ??

 

[rayner]

Deads are generally thought of as a commercial bait, I see no reason why they wouldn't work on a canal though. Especially if baiting for bream or carp.
The main reason I use dead maggot on the hook is to prevent the maggot from turning covering the point, with feed they lay on the top of any silt. So if you fish a silty canal they may help you. As long as your deads are prepared correctly they don't hinder bites.

 

[Keith M]

I can see why feeding dead maggots can work on top of thick silt, but I still much prefer to use live ones on my hook.

However if you are catching Bream or Carp on a commercial fishery where they are used to seeing dead maggots regularly then no doubt they do work.

I rarely fish commercial fisheries and the fish on the waters that I do fish do not usually see many dead maggots, and a sudden drop in bites is usually a sure signal that your maggot needs changing; and a fresh wriggling maggot can often tease a fish into biting.

Keith

 

[steve2]

On my favourite tench water feeding dead maggot and fishing fake on the hook always works well. Live maggot only attract small roach and perch.

 

[markcw]

On canals I always use live maggots,and rarely use dead on commercials.
If I want to put a bed of feed down, I have used boiled rice, both plain white and multi coloured with a few live maggots in with it. Works out cheaper than buying a couple of pints of dead maggots.

 

[Paste paul]

Some good suggestions up above.......
If I’m using maggots in the feeder I will often use a few dead to feed because they won’t riggle into the silt....
Having said that I probably wouldn’t take dead’s to a canal....
On some commercial waters dead’s are deadly pardon the pun.....
Carp love them so do skimmers... I personally don’t use any maggots on commercial simply because I prefer pellets or paste.....maggots can draw small stuff into the swim......

 

[rayner]

Just a thought, has anyone submerged maggots into water to see how long it takes for them to appear dead? It can't be too long.

 

[markcw]

Not for a long time and I forgot how long it took. Nowadays I either put a few in a bait tub and pour a bit of coffee on them to kill them, or place one on my leg and roll it along under my finger, taking care not to press to hard, I have never bought dead maggots,due to hardly using them.

 

[markcw]

Some good suggestions up above.......
If I’m using maggots in the feeder I will often use a few dead to feed because they won’t riggle into the silt....
Having said that I probably wouldn’t take dead’s to a canal....
On some commercial waters dead’s are deadly pardon the pun.....
Carp love them so do skimmers... I personally don’t use any maggots on commercial simply because I prefer pellets or paste.....maggots can draw small stuff into the swim......

Some commercials like TBF and a few around warrington respond well to a few handfuls of maggots being lashed in every so often, the carp move in and small stuff move out,
It was not unusual to get through 6 pints last year on a place up north.

 

[barbelboi]

On a fish'in at Clattercote some years ago, on a freezing February day, when the night temperature was well below brass monkey distress levels I inadvertently left the maggots in the car overnight after purchase. Of course, next morning they were all frozen to death so I was a little apprehensive. The short story, I came second with a decent net of roach all caught on dead reds - only four of us caught....

 

[Paste paul]

Some commercials like TBF and a few around warrington respond well to a few handfuls of maggots being lashed in every so often, the carp move in and small stuff move out,
It was not unusual to get through 6 pints last year on a place up north.

I suppose it depends where you are fishing.....
The venues I attend are mainly pellets...... having said that maggots do work well at Aston depending on the lake you fish and the species you’re after......
It tends to be maggots for Hyde and pellets for carp I know you can start with maggots and switch to pellets in the afternoon and have a great bag of fish......

 

[108831]

Live pinkie on the canal,live maggot,if after skimmers/bream caster/dead maggot feed....but depends on what canal,what stretch and if the stars align...

 

[Paste paul]

Just a thought, has anyone submerged maggots into water to see how long it takes for them to appear dead? It can't be too long.

I’ve never tried to kill them this way I’d have thought it would take a while........
If killing large amounts freezing them is best just defrost the day before......
You can kill them with hot water but if it’s too hot they discolour ...
For small amounts you can pour hot tea on them this usually does the trick or if you roll them on your trouser leg vigorously it will kill them and just bob them on the hook......
If you put maggots in shallow water in your bait box they will start to float which in its self is a great summer method ....

 

[mikench]

It was not unusual to get through 6 pints last year on a place up north.

Quite normal round here with such good beer.:wh

 

[Keith M]

Just a thought, has anyone submerged maggots into water to see how long it takes for them to appear dead? It can't be too long.

Whenever I use them! They certainly remain wriggley long enough to catch a fish and if they do stop moving I put a fresh one on. I put a fresh one on after every bite anyway even if I’ve missed a bite, If I haven’t had a bite after a few minutes then I would change my maggots anyway.
However I do occasionally use dead’s in groundbait.

Deads certainly catch fish, especially on commercials and on thick silky bottoms but I try not to fish commercials or fish for Bream unless I’m fishing in a Match.

Maggots don’t only catch small fish like some have said, I often trot for Barbel and Chub using red and white ‘live’ maggots and catch some large fish using them, as do some other river anglers on here who like me enjoy trotting for Barbel and Chub.

Keith

 

[Just Paul 1]

Thanks Keith , and dont let the wife see what you wrote lol

 

[rich66]

If the canal gets fished regularly then I’d be tempted to give them ago.
Dead’s have worked well for me on the lakes near home, I think the fish get used to anglers chucking their left over maggots in so dead’s seem a safer option ?

 

[rayner]

I’ve never tried to kill them this way I’d have thought it would take a while........
If killing large amounts freezing them is best just defrost the day before......
You can kill them with hot water but if it’s too hot they discolour ...
For small amounts you can pour hot tea on them this usually does the trick or if you roll them on your trouser leg vigorously it will kill them and just bob them on the hook......
If you put maggots in shallow water in your bait box they will start to float which in its self is a great summer method ....

My comment regarding how long it takes for a maggot to appear dead was nothing more than to judge how long before live maggots went dormant in the swim.
I'm not blowing my own trumpet too loud here I hope but I am probably the finest maggot killer in Northern Europe.
I'm also the world premiere single tub maggot floater. :wh

 

[markcw]

I make them float better, I dont use water in a bait tub, I put a few in a tub and pour a little lemonade or coca cola ( other carbonated drinks available) over them. They seem to swell more and take on air quicker than plain water,