maggots/casters

fishingjack · Sep 13, 2013

Fairly simple question for regular coarse fishermen.

I've never used maggot or casters in my fishing.

What are the costs of maggots or casters? Are casters more expensive as these are what I'd prefer.

What quantity do you buy when you get them. (Is it in half pints, pints?)

I guess most tackle shops sell maggots and casters?

Many many thanks!

-Jack

peter crabtree · Sep 13, 2013

Casters are generally around £4 a pint. Try to find a shop that turn their own, I'm never comfortable buying shrink wrapped. Keep them in a sealed bag in the fridge before use. Once opened they will darken so putting them in a tub with water will slow that down. Half a pint is usually enough for a session unless you are on a river and feeding constantly.

sam vimes · Sep 13, 2013

Casters generally cost a little more than maggots. Prices vary quite wildly in different areas. I'd expect to pay somewhere in the order of £2-3 for a pint of maggots and £3-4 (maybe a smidge more) for casters. Occasionally you'll find a shop using maggots as a loss leader. Where that happens a pint of maggots can be as little as £1.

They are both generally sold in pints and half pints. Usually buying a half is more expensive. If you are buying by the gallon you might expect a bit of discount.

fishingjack · Sep 13, 2013

That's great guys. thank you.

I want to use them as additive to a ground bait. I thought casters would be the better option but maybe not?

With the issue of getting maggots to turn into casters I can understand the added cost.

binka · Sep 13, 2013

If you're adding casters to groundbait try crushing a few too and mixing 'em in, I often chop a cup full with worm scissors and you'll find that the insides tend to float out of the settled groundbait and tend to have a wider pulling appeal.

I even do this on flowing water and it's great for pulling fish upstream and on to your baited area.

fishingjack · Sep 13, 2013

binka said:
If you're adding casters to groundbait try crushing a few too and mixing 'em in, I often chop a cup full with worm scissors and you'll find that the insides tend to float out of the settled groundbait and tend to have a wider pulling appeal.

I even do this on flowing water and it's great for pulling fish upstream and on to your baited area.

Thanks for the tip!

dorsetandchub · Sep 13, 2013

peter crabtree said:
Casters are generally around £4 a pint. Try to find a shop that turn their own, I'm never comfortable buying shrink wrapped. Keep them in a sealed bag in the fridge before use. Once opened they will darken so putting them in a tub with water will slow that down. Half a pint is usually enough for a session unless you are on a river and feeding constantly.

One tip with casters, if you want them uniform then when you take them out of the fridge, dampen a tea towel, lay it flat, pour the casters on it and fold one half over the top so they're covered - leave for a couple of hours.

Come back and hey presto, all your casters are a nice rich red colour.

That said, I know a lot of guys like different coloured and different stage casters but it used to work a treat when matchfishing. Hope it helps.

Then you have to put them in a baitbox, of course.

jacksharp · Sep 13, 2013

Hardly any tackle shops have casters readily available, they have to be ordered a good few days in advance. Some shops have stopped doing them due to customers ordering them and then not turning up to collect them. I prefer the lighter brown ones, two on a hook. Half a worm (head end) tipped off with a caster is deadly. Incidentally the Drennan rubber ones are great on the hook when feeding naturals. Just saves rebaiting after every missed bite.

chefster · Sep 13, 2013

peter crabtree said:
Casters are generally around £4 a pint. Try to find a shop that turn their own, I'm never comfortable buying shrink wrapped. Keep them in a sealed bag in the fridge before use. Once opened they will darken so putting them in a tub with water will slow that down. Half a pint is usually enough for a session unless you are on a river and feeding constantly.

I,ve been using 3-4 pts on matches on commercial,fishing shallow,and throwing casters every couple of seconds,soon get through them! my local shop- maggots @£3.20 pt , and casters @ £3,50 pt...Chef

---------- Post added at 12:37 ---------- Previous post was at 12:34 ----------

fishingjack said:
That's great guys. thank you.

I want to use them as additive to a ground bait. I thought casters would be the better option but maybe not?

With the issue of getting maggots to turn into casters I can understand the added cost.

Use dead maggots ,more economical,plus you can refreeze what you dont use....

barbelboi · Sep 13, 2013

dorsetandchub said:
One tip with casters, if you want them uniform then when you take them out of the fridge, dampen a tea towel, lay it flat, pour the casters on it and fold one half over the top so they're covered - leave for a couple of hours.

Come back and hey presto, all your casters are a nice rich red colour.

That said, I know a lot of guys like different coloured and different stage casters but it used to work a treat when matchfishing. Hope it helps.

Then you have to put them in a baitbox, of course.

That's interesting Phil but during the winter months I've found that the big gravel pit roach can be somewhat finicky. Some days they're going for the dark, buoyant ones - the next day it's a lighter shade of pale, with the 'inbetweenies' sort of take it or leave it. The short version, most of my better pit roach (2lb +) have come at one extreme of the caster spectrum or another.

dorsetandchub · Sep 13, 2013

Jerry,

Totally agree which was why the bag would be split, half would be treated, half not but then, in those days, they were reasonably cheap and buying two lots was quite affordable.

As you say, I found the chub on the canals liked a uniform approach but the roach prefered a mix. The skimmers seemed to like uniform too.

A confidence thing maybe but it was a good tip which did work...

markv · Sep 13, 2013

"... my local shop- maggots @£3.20 pt , and casters @ £3,50 pt...Chef "

Blimey, think i'm right in saying this last couple of weeks prices where i've been for maggots are £2.30 Evesham, £2,60 Warwick, £2.80 Coventry. I must be a tight whotsit to remember that lot lol.

Chef ... - 3-4 pints of casters plus maybe other stuff for a match is quite a bait bill.

chefster · Sep 13, 2013

markv; Chef ... - 3-4 pints of casters plus maybe other stuff for a match is quite a bait bill.[/QUOTE said:
Its only on some venues,usually F1 venues,some venues are just pellet,meat ,corn etc,so they,re quite cheap,some times on matches 6-8 pts of maggots are required,and then theres no guarantee you,re gonna draw well,or even catch on them,you,ve got to weigh up if its worth it -the alternative is to get battered!! Chef

maggots/casters

fishingjack

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peter crabtree

AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)

sam vimes

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fishingjack

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binka

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fishingjack

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dorsetandchub

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jacksharp

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chefster

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barbelboi

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dorsetandchub

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markv

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chefster

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