Colin Harlow 2
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how do you turn maggots into casters and how long does it take?
casters
- Thread starter Colin Harlow 2
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Colin,
Making Casters is a little time-consuming but nonetheless enjoyable for that.
Turning Caster is a lot easier if you are interested in a relatively large quantity, so for smaller quantities (2 pints or less) it is a lot simpler to actually buy them.
For about 3 pints of Caster you will need about 5 pints of maggot as you will get a lot of ?skins? and dead maggot that just won?t ?turn?
I used to try to get ?Caster maggot? from the bait breeder, as these are larger than normal bait maggots ? ask you tackle shop they might be able to help.
What you will need to start with is:
a) 2 or 3 large bait trays (not bait boxes, but proper trays, you can order some nice medium sized Sensas trays from your tackle dealer.
b) A good maggot riddle
c) Supply of clean, quite fine sawdust (not wood shavings, but sawdust)
d) Some brown paper bags and some polythene sandwich bags.
e) A spray bottle, like the ones used to keeping ground bait moist.
Typically when you get maggot from the shop they will last about 5 days in the ?fridge, so turning maggot to Caster will take about the same time plus a day or so depending on the temperature that you keep them.
Start off by riddling the maggots and getting them as clean and lively as possible. Do this by putting them through the riddle at least twice, discarding the skins and dead maggots.
Place about 2? of sawdust into one of the bait trays and damp it down using the spray.
Put the fresh maggots into the moist sawdust and store in a cool dry place (the garage in the autumn or the fridge in the summer) and leave for about 8 to 10 hours.
Riddle the maggots off (twice) keeping the ?turned? caster in a separate bait tray, and returning the maggots to a fresh batch of moist sawdust.
Take the caster and drop them into a bucket of water and skim off those that float, as these are useless for bait. Sieve off the water and shake dry and then place the casters into a paper bag and pop that bag into one of the polythene bags and put into the fridge.
Repeat the process until all the maggots have either ?turned? or have been discarded as either dead or maggots or ?skin?
The need for the paper bags is that if you put the caster into polythene then they will suffer ?bag burn? when in the fridge and those in direct contact with the polythene will go very dark and may even float.
My experience is that moist sawdust gives a ?softer? caster whereas dry sawdust gives a harder shell.
I hope this helps.
Making Casters is a little time-consuming but nonetheless enjoyable for that.
Turning Caster is a lot easier if you are interested in a relatively large quantity, so for smaller quantities (2 pints or less) it is a lot simpler to actually buy them.
For about 3 pints of Caster you will need about 5 pints of maggot as you will get a lot of ?skins? and dead maggot that just won?t ?turn?
I used to try to get ?Caster maggot? from the bait breeder, as these are larger than normal bait maggots ? ask you tackle shop they might be able to help.
What you will need to start with is:
a) 2 or 3 large bait trays (not bait boxes, but proper trays, you can order some nice medium sized Sensas trays from your tackle dealer.
b) A good maggot riddle
c) Supply of clean, quite fine sawdust (not wood shavings, but sawdust)
d) Some brown paper bags and some polythene sandwich bags.
e) A spray bottle, like the ones used to keeping ground bait moist.
Typically when you get maggot from the shop they will last about 5 days in the ?fridge, so turning maggot to Caster will take about the same time plus a day or so depending on the temperature that you keep them.
Start off by riddling the maggots and getting them as clean and lively as possible. Do this by putting them through the riddle at least twice, discarding the skins and dead maggots.
Place about 2? of sawdust into one of the bait trays and damp it down using the spray.
Put the fresh maggots into the moist sawdust and store in a cool dry place (the garage in the autumn or the fridge in the summer) and leave for about 8 to 10 hours.
Riddle the maggots off (twice) keeping the ?turned? caster in a separate bait tray, and returning the maggots to a fresh batch of moist sawdust.
Take the caster and drop them into a bucket of water and skim off those that float, as these are useless for bait. Sieve off the water and shake dry and then place the casters into a paper bag and pop that bag into one of the polythene bags and put into the fridge.
Repeat the process until all the maggots have either ?turned? or have been discarded as either dead or maggots or ?skin?
The need for the paper bags is that if you put the caster into polythene then they will suffer ?bag burn? when in the fridge and those in direct contact with the polythene will go very dark and may even float.
My experience is that moist sawdust gives a ?softer? caster whereas dry sawdust gives a harder shell.
I hope this helps.
PS - just read the information in Ed's link but I'd still recommend to use damp sawdust and the use of the intermediate brown paper bag.
Also, use the largest bait trays that you can afford (and have space to store) as the maggots will 'turn' quicker if they are not crammed into small trays. Personally, I never use bait boxes to make caster.
A cheapie second-hand 'fridge used only for baits in the garage makes for a much happier married life - Believe Me!!!!!!!!
Also, use the largest bait trays that you can afford (and have space to store) as the maggots will 'turn' quicker if they are not crammed into small trays. Personally, I never use bait boxes to make caster.
A cheapie second-hand 'fridge used only for baits in the garage makes for a much happier married life - Believe Me!!!!!!!!
M
MarkTheSpark
Guest
skim off those that float, as these are useless for bait
Not true. There are many ways of using floationg caster, and some of the best matchmen I know keep hold of the floaters. It might be a tiny difference, but a caster with a steel hook in it sinks at a slightly faster rate than one without.
This effect is even more pronounced when using fluorocarbon, which adds to the sink speed. Using a floating caster will counter some of this effect; as long as it sinks on the hook, it doesn't matter. 'On the drop' bites are easier to get on the floater, too.
If you want some of the best pastie fishing you've ever had, collect a few pints of casters from sunday matchmen after the match (you will need a few quid's worth) and then let them turn in the fridge the rest of the week.
Most will be floaters, some will be sinkers. Make up a waggler rig with all the weight right under the float and a 2ft tail of 4lb fluoro to a forged size 18 or 16. Or get a float controller. You're going to fish your baits at distance, just under the surface.
Get to the lake early, and bomb it with the casters in a brown crumb binder, or better still with sticky mag. Wait until a few carp come to scoff the caster, then get some more in. Wait until the carp come back, and bung some more in. Keep that up for a couple of hours or more, until the water's alive with the little beggars.
Two catsers on the hook, cast into the middle of this maelstrom, and prepare for fireworks. I've seen people have 200lb off the top this way.
Not true. There are many ways of using floationg caster, and some of the best matchmen I know keep hold of the floaters. It might be a tiny difference, but a caster with a steel hook in it sinks at a slightly faster rate than one without.
This effect is even more pronounced when using fluorocarbon, which adds to the sink speed. Using a floating caster will counter some of this effect; as long as it sinks on the hook, it doesn't matter. 'On the drop' bites are easier to get on the floater, too.
If you want some of the best pastie fishing you've ever had, collect a few pints of casters from sunday matchmen after the match (you will need a few quid's worth) and then let them turn in the fridge the rest of the week.
Most will be floaters, some will be sinkers. Make up a waggler rig with all the weight right under the float and a 2ft tail of 4lb fluoro to a forged size 18 or 16. Or get a float controller. You're going to fish your baits at distance, just under the surface.
Get to the lake early, and bomb it with the casters in a brown crumb binder, or better still with sticky mag. Wait until a few carp come to scoff the caster, then get some more in. Wait until the carp come back, and bung some more in. Keep that up for a couple of hours or more, until the water's alive with the little beggars.
Two catsers on the hook, cast into the middle of this maelstrom, and prepare for fireworks. I've seen people have 200lb off the top this way.
M
MarkTheSpark
Guest
I forgot to mention that this is a DISTANCE method - middle of the main bowl of the lake, where the carp feel safe. It is not as effective close in.
"Not true"
On the contrary Mark, for most general fishing situations I would stand by this statement.
The last thing I want is a trail of floating caster enticing fish downstream from where I am fishing.
"'On the drop' bites are easier to get on the floater, too."
Those bites might be easier to get, but will mainly result in a 'shelled' caster being reeled back in.
On the contrary Mark, for most general fishing situations I would stand by this statement.
The last thing I want is a trail of floating caster enticing fish downstream from where I am fishing.
"'On the drop' bites are easier to get on the floater, too."
Those bites might be easier to get, but will mainly result in a 'shelled' caster being reeled back in.
M
MarkTheSpark
Guest
Fair play, Peter. I was just urging Colin not to dismiss floaters completely.
Regards using them on the hook for on the drop bites, I both agree and disagree! Black casters that float like corks are useless, but if you get the semi-sinkers that just hang in the surface film they work really well.
It's the age-old conundrum, isn't it? Like going down to a 22 to get bites then losing most of the fish - is it better to stick with a 16 and land all the few bites you get? I'm a 'bites first, solve the problem later' kind of guy.
Actually a little shot adjustment often makes the diff; even an inch further down the line, a No 6 can translate missed bites into hook-ups.
Regards using them on the hook for on the drop bites, I both agree and disagree! Black casters that float like corks are useless, but if you get the semi-sinkers that just hang in the surface film they work really well.
It's the age-old conundrum, isn't it? Like going down to a 22 to get bites then losing most of the fish - is it better to stick with a 16 and land all the few bites you get? I'm a 'bites first, solve the problem later' kind of guy.
Actually a little shot adjustment often makes the diff; even an inch further down the line, a No 6 can translate missed bites into hook-ups.