Freezing Casters??

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC) · Jun 7, 2010

Is it possible to freeze casters, I've never had a need to before?

I'm thinking as they are liquid inside the contents might expand and pop the shells?

If you can freeze them how long (and how) do you defrost them to ensure that they will sink (I'm guessing semi-frozen would float).

Any help/ comments appreciated

Mark Wintle · Jun 7, 2010

Yes, you can freeze them. As an experiment many years ago I froze a couple of pints and used them 8 months later, taking only the frozen casters as bait. I caught roach, dace and chub on them.

The disadvantages are that they darken rapidly after thawing, go off quickly, and the shells are fragile. You could mix them into groundbait provided you used it immediately.

slime monster · Jun 7, 2010

Exactly the same findings I had Mark , I have not bothered to do it again the main reason being the fragility and as you pointed out the rapid deterioration

peter crabtree · Jun 7, 2010

Certain fisheries are banning chucking unused bait in at the end of the match/session. I personally think this is a good thing. I take my leftovers home and liquidise them, then freeze the mush. Casters,maggots corn,meat, liquy them up and mix in your ground bait next time, makes great attrative cheap bait. Also, would you like to get up at silly 0 clock in the morning and sit on a swim that had been filled in the day before?
Casters must be fresh. end of,,,,,,

Alternatively feed them to the birds.......

alan whittington · Jun 7, 2010

Yep Peter casters must be as fresh as possible,to the extent that freshness is more important than size,other than as a catapult feed.Maggot on the other hand makes an excellent frozen bait,with a fish holding ability almost as good as caster(and it takes flavour brilliantly).

Paul C · Jun 7, 2010

They are definitely not the same after freezing, but usable.

The method I was told was to just about cover them in water and freeze them as a block of ice.

When defrosting change the water several times as it will turn black.

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC) · Jun 8, 2010

Thanks for the replies chaps.

It looks like I'll be better off using them asap rather than freezing them so I'd better get myself out fishing.

Skoda · Jun 8, 2010

I vaguely recall a pal of mine who neede to take casters to Ireland, talking about 'Zobbo' (not Zorro!), some chemical from the home wine making fraternity, that preserved casters for weeks.

Appaently very succesful.

Andy

Graham Whatmore · Jun 9, 2010

If you are intent on using casters over say a week ****y the best way I found is to wash them in cold water, place in dampened newspaper, put them in a sealed plastic bag and leave in the crisper tray in the fridge.

It goes without saying that you do them in seperate parcels because once they have become exposed to the air during a days fishing they will inevitably darken and harden (even in water) and there isn't much point in saving them. I do the same with frozen maggots (small parcels) because they too are useless after defrosting and fishing for a few hours especially in warm weather.

slb · Jun 11, 2010

Probably too late now, but you could try freezing them in small balls with a stone inside each one. Then you can feed them without thawing and they will defrost in the action zone.

If they go in cold enough, perhaps you will catch barbel by their lips sticking to a well below zero hook? Now I'm thinking outside the box, perhaps you should freeze them in liquid nitrogen with the rig already tied and a bunch of casters hair-rigged in the middle. You can feed them by throwing in while wearing your chain mail pike gloves. Shades of Heston, could be a good theme for my next film...

On second thoughts, this sounds a bit silly. Better test my theories out by getting Jim to mouth one of the nitrogen frozen baits before you chuck them in the Teme.
Bet that will make him pout more than he does when demonstrating the Tango on an Indian river bank!

Sean Meeghan · Jun 13, 2010

The best way to freeze casters is to put them in a freezer bag, glug them with a flavour like The Source, give them a good shake, squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible, seal it and put them in the freezer. The coating of flavour seems to make the casters a lot less fragile when they thaw out so they are easier to put on the hook. I use this method all the time and it works well.

Andrew Macfarlane · Jun 13, 2010

v2v_steve said:
If they go in cold enough, perhaps you will catch barbel by their lips sticking to a well below zero hook? Now I'm thinking outside the box

Thinking out of YOUR box more like...LOL...:wh

Leave the wacky baccy alone mate.

Freezing Casters??

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)

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Mark Wintle

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slime monster

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peter crabtree

AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)

alan whittington

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Paul C

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Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)

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Skoda

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Graham Whatmore

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slb

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Sean Meeghan

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Andrew Macfarlane

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