Pinkies

[mikench]

I can't say I like these little critters either as bait or as themsélves but I am in awe of their longevity.

I have just checked 1/2 pint I bought at the beginning of march. I haven't changed the maize and have kept them refrigerated but there are few casters, no smell yet they remain alive. I'm only keeping them to see how long they will last.

I have a feeling Gordon (Wetthrough) has some even older which I gave him. They are extraordinary. How long will they last and should I give them to the birds?

 

[108831]

They last ages,but they shrink and toughen,they dont lose the ability to escape captivity though,bug gers...

 

[mikench]

I'll continue to keep them as the occasional check gives me something to do. They are fascinating in a gross sort of way.

 

[wetthrough]

Chucked them out last week Mike but they were still usable at about ten weeks. You'd know better.

 

[john step]

Reminds me of a time we travelled up as a team to fish a National somewhere on The Trent. Being nervous of leaving our tackle in the cars we took it along with our bait into our rooms. I had some pinkies over and took those as well even if they had limited value on the Trent.

You will have guessed whats coming!

At breakfast a room mate came scuttling down and said which dimwit has brought pinkies? They are running all over the floor
I went up to find hundreds of the little s*ds burrowing into the carpet.

I stamped and disguised as many as I could but inevitably there must have been a goodly amount hiding ready to hatch and entertain future guests in that room.

 

[108831]

Im sure ive told this tale before,but in the late 70's a mate and I went on a two week fishing/on the razzle holiday in Denmark,well back then the only place to buy maggots was in the north of the country,we were based at Silkeborg,so a two day break to buy bait was needed,well we went to get the bait,then booked into a very expensive skyscraper type hotel,it was very hot,so we snuck around 3 gallons of maggot up into the room,in the fitted wardrobes they had plastic draws,perfect for keeping maggots aired,when all was set,we went clubbing,returning in the early hours worse for wear,checked the bait all was fine,at 7am the phone rang waking us for breakfast,I went to the bathroom for a wee,bleary eyed,then came back to be greeted(as i'd woken up a bit)by maggots on the march,I shook my mate out of his pit and we were picking maggots up from everywhere,I opened the room door to check in the passage outside they were there too,so I was out there in boxers picking maggots up,we quickly loaded up paid the bill scoffed a rapid breakfast fully expecting a police car to pull us over,happy days,lol.

 

[rayner]

Witty's statement that pinkies shrink and the skins toughen is bang on, most folks don't recognise that happens.
It's the fact that the skins toughen that makes pinkies less effective in colder weather. Cold seems to bring out the small maggot anglers. I know when it's colder I never go without a half pint of the buggers. if only for a change bait, fluros are a must for me, always have a hand full in with my half pint.
If your test is only to see how long they will last that's OK, they will be no good for bait. I very rarely save any pinkies if ever, normally just throw them on the path for the birds.

 

[mikench]

I'll end up doing the same Gary and maybe sooner rather than later.

 

[silvers]

brilliant roach bait for match anglers.

On a cold, clear river I've won a fair bit of money over the years by loose feeding pinkies and fishing a very light rig with a 22 fine wire.
I would be catching the half pound roach whilst the maggot anglers were catching blades.

One the Nene around Peterborough (when it used to hold colour) we used to feed caster but use pinkie on the hook, with the occasional change to caster to sneak a better fish.

Always carry half pint of fluoros in the winter as a backup.

 

[Keith M]

Flouro Pinkies have won me several matches in the past; often when normal maggots were being mostly ignored.

I used to sometimes use Squatt as feed while using Pinkies on size 20 and 22 hooks during winter matches when a lot of the other anglers were really struggling to get a bite.

And Bream loved them whether it was summer or winter.

But this was before the country was full of the heavily stocked puddles they call commercials

Keith

 

[nottskev]

I just checked back - the last time I fished was 17th March, and the pinkies I threw out today were bought a couple of days before that. They were big flouro's and plump enough still to fish with, if we could fish.

Provided you keep them in the box, and that shouldn't be beyond us, you couldn't ask for a better live bait. Odourless, low-maintenance and lasting for ages, they're a great bait and not just for bits. These last ones I've just chucked turned up 3 decent bream and a 4lb barbel from a cold woodland pond, and they are often a top bait for choosy roach. I always take red pinkies and some flouro's when I'm after early season tench, and they often outfish more substantial baits.

 

[mikench]

I gave mine to the blue **** nesting in my bird boxes yesterday as even if they last another month, I think I'll treat the fish and myself to some new plump pinkies and maggots. Can't wait.

 

[rayner]

I just checked back - the last time I fished was 17th March, and the pinkies I threw out today were bought a couple of days before that. They were big flouro's and plump enough still to fish with, if we could fish.

Provided you keep them in the box, and that shouldn't be beyond us, you couldn't ask for a better live bait. Odourless, low-maintenance and lasting for ages, they're a great bait and not just for bits. These last ones I've just chucked turned up 3 decent bream and a 4lb barbel from a cold woodland pond, and they are often a top bait for choosy roach. I always take red pinkies and some flouro's when I'm after early season tench, and they often outfish more substantial baits.

In my experience, Kev bream in particular, prefer a soft-skinned maggot, there were times in the 60s and 70s when if you didn't have gozzers for matches on the Middle Level it would be a waste of time going.
That's why I never keep pinkies, I never buy more than a half pint and always give the birds what's leftover. Normally that's the half pint I buy minus the few hook baits. I mean it doesn't break the bank does it.

 

[mikench]

Go on I’ll bite, what are gozzers?

 

[rich66]

Gozzers now there’s something I’ve not heard of in yonks !

 

[Keith M]

Go on I’ll bite, what are gozzers?

See link below which explains what they are and how they are bred.:

<Fishing Memories: An Attempt to Breed Gozzers>

Wasp Grub was thought to be better, and in my part of the UK wasp Grub seemed to take over from the Gozzer.

Keith

 

[S-Kippy]

Back in the days when I used to fish the GUC and a few matches I never ever went out without some fluoro pinkies. If the roach wouldnt have punch then I'd stick a little link leger on...2 swan with double fluoro pinky on a 20. Fished on a Sigma Wand of course....deadly in winter and won me more than a few matches. Lasted for ever too.

But dont ever get them wet. A damp pinky can get out of anything.

 

[mikench]

I know all about wet pinkies being once caught in a downpour and covering most things up except the pinkies. Evil little b******.

Does anyone have a local Tackle shop which sells them? Even Willy Worms don't.

 

[nottskev]

I know all about wet pinkies being once caught in a downpour and covering most things up except the pinkies. Evil little b******.

I think you've misjudged these friendly little creatures. You should get better acquainted. As an incentive, you can also buy a specialist container, possibly a whole collection. Check out the Colmic Magic Net range. Italian ingenuity - mesh containers to clean bait and stop wet bait crawling out. There are round and square models.

Colmic Round Magic Net – Willy Worms

Container Colmic for Lures &apos;Squared Magic Net&apos; | eBay

 

[108831]

Yes Mike I can buy pinkies locally.

As for gozzers,they are home bred maggot,from a specific fly(you have to shoo the normal black/dark blue beggars off)so as to only get the right blow,these maggots were a must for skimmers and bream,I used to breed my own in very small quantities for summer canal matches during the summer months,kept them in damp bran.