Bait apron or bait smock

flightliner · Oct 18, 2015

My old bait apron looks decidedly worn and I've been thinking of getting a new one.
Anyone on here have a preferance between the smock and the apron?.

tigger · Oct 18, 2015

I don't use either, I prefer a neck bag as it's usually to high up on the body to dangle in the water when wading in normal conditions...unlike an apron etc. If I do/did wear anything round my waist it's the drennan/esp bait bag. I was a bit jacked off with this though as I thought it was water proof but after having frozen sweetcorn in the near side pocket it left me looking like i'd p!$$ed me pant's !

trotter2 · Oct 18, 2015

maggot bag

bracket · Oct 18, 2015

flightliner said:
My old bait apron looks decidedly worn and I've been thinking of getting a new one.
Anyone on here have a preferance between the smock and the apron?.

Living in Dorset I should opt for a smock and a straw hat. However I always use an apron. I have not found many suitable ones available of late, the last I bought was by Dawia and that was very poor quality. The net result is that I now make my own aprons, quite easy to do and economical. Pete.

binka · Oct 18, 2015

Apron for me too.

My trusty old one finally gave up the ghost recently and I found a cracker listed on ebay, real old school thick quality pvc type material not nylon and if I had seen it in a shop I would happily have parted with a fair few quid.

I got it for less than four quid

sam vimes · Oct 18, 2015

I still have my old Shimano Ultegra bait apron kicking about somewhere. However, it hasn't seen a vast amount of action over the years. I doubt I'd be able to replace it with anything like as good these days. The number of bait aprons available now is minimal.

What I tend to use on the rivers are maggot bags. I currently have two, both from Lone Angler. I started out with the Small Bait Pouch and now have the Deluxe Bait Pouch. Both are good, but I only use the cotton lined original in warmer weather when maggots are liable to sweat. The cotton lining is excellent to prevent sweating but I found that maggots do manage to work their way through the inner cotton. That leaves them stuck between the Cordura outer and cotton inner. Squished maggots or casters trapped and festering isn't much fun. In that respect, the Deluxe version is far better with its removeable liner. I wish they'd make a cotton one for it.

kenpm · Oct 18, 2015

If you like to take a lot out into the river with you the smock is better,if its just a few maggots or some bread and a disgorger an apron is fine.

greenie62 · Oct 18, 2015

flightliner said:
...Anyone on here have a preferance between the smock and the apron?.

Neither - I'm sticking with a ghillie!

trotter2 · Oct 19, 2015

Sam I took one look at your link, That bait pouch look more like something you would put a camera in not a pint off maggots Lol
The River Match lads would have a field day if you turned up with one of those round neck

All you need is something like this preferably made from denim old school.

Sensas Maggot Bags Baiting Tools | BobCo Fishing Tackle, Leeds

sam vimes · Oct 19, 2015

trotter2 said:
Sam I took one look at your link, That bait pouch look more like something you would put a camera in not a pint off maggots Lol
The River Match lads would have a field day if you turned up with one of those round neck

All you need is something like this preferably made from denim old school.

Sensas Maggot Bags Baiting Tools | BobCo Fishing Tackle, Leeds

You have the wrong impression, they are nothing like a camera bag. They are basically a fancy version of the old style maggot bag like the one you've linked to. As far as anyone laughing at me goes, I couldn't care less. Although I have one, and they have their uses, I feel far more ridiculous in a bait apron.

itsfishingnotcatching · Oct 19, 2015

Korum Bait and Tackle pouch for me (until Aldi or Lidl come up with a cheaper alternative

)

S-Kippy · Oct 19, 2015

I dont like either very much but apron for me. Smocks are far too much like old girls' pinnies.

---------- Post added at 16:41 ---------- Previous post was at 16:40 ----------

sam vimes said:
As far as anyone laughing at me goes, I couldn't care less. Although I have one, and they have their uses, I feel far more ridiculous in a bait apron.

My thoughts precisely ! Its never been a good look.

trotter2 · Oct 19, 2015

Trouble is with the smock or apron if your wading in deep water, your bait gets wet and your maggots either crawl out of the pocket or float when your feeding.
With an old traditional maggot bag they are much high up around your neck so they don't get wet unless you fall in LOL.

With one of those pouches which Sam recommends you need to carry them in a bait box and transfer them to your bait pouch once your fishing.
The maggot bag is safe to carry your maggots you just wrap the neck cord around the top of the bag multiple times and knot the end tight, when you arrive you just untie the knot and place the bag over your neck. No bait box to carry.

That's he reason why I like the maggot bag in preference to the apron, smock or pouch

sam vimes · Oct 19, 2015

trotter2 said:
With one of those pouches which Sam recommends you need to carry them in a bait box and transfer them to your bait pouch once your fishing. The maggot bag is safe to carry your maggots you just wrap the neck cord around the top of the bag multiple times and knot the end tight, when you arrive you just untie the knot and place the bag over your neck. No bait box to carry.

Can't really argue with that, but the old cotton maggot bags aren't without issues. I certainly wouldn't risk transporting maggots in the car in just a maggot bag. The little blighters will find a way through the seams given time. Realistically, I'm taking a bait box either way.
You've also got a problem when it rains. Any wet non-waterproof fabric and maggots is a recipe for disaster. Been there, done that!

trotter2 · Oct 19, 2015

You must have been using some inferior bags Sam, decent ones are denim treble stitched not cotton.

No probs mate

sumtime · Oct 19, 2015

For trotting on the river I use an old market traders leather money pocket, belong to my mam who was a barra woman and flower seller. Ideal for storing loads of maggots.

I do own an apron but never wear it, it does have a nice small towel attached to it which has come in handy.

trotter2 · Oct 19, 2015

sumtime said:
For trotting on the river I use an old market traders leather money pocket, belong to my mam who was a barra woman and flower seller. Ideal for storing loads of maggots.

I do own an apron but never wear it, it does have a nice small towel attached to it which has come in handy.

Sounds good

tigger · Oct 19, 2015

I have afew different ones, even goetex ones ! I do like the ones in trotters link. They're cotton but if they do get dunked in the river they dry out very quickly as do the maggots inside. They also have a cord attatched at the top enabling you to tie the bag off if you want to put it down or in the car etc. I've been using them for years.

trotter2 · Oct 20, 2015

Same here Tigger

I started using them in the early 70s, we never had bait boxes in those days as kids all we had was maggot bags.
When we visited the tackle shop on a Friday night for a 1/4 pint of maggots 25pence worth if I remember correctly. The tackle shop lad filled your bag with maggots and knotted the cord around the bag and off you went. The maggots stopped in the bag until Saturday morning. Providing you wrapped the cord tight around the bag and knotted the end they never got out.

Cant speak for everywhere in the UK, but at least around here " Durham" the Maggot bags have remained popular ever since.:thumbs:

My local tackle shop still sells them PM me if your in desperate need anyone.

tigger · Oct 20, 2015

trotter2 said:
Same here Tigger

I started using them in the early 70s, we never had bait boxes in those days as kids all we had was maggot bags.
When we visited the tackle shop on a Friday night for a 1/4 pint of maggots 25pence worth if I remember correctly. The tackle shop lad filled your bag with maggots and knotted the cord around the bag and off you went. The maggots stopped in the bag until Saturday morning. Providing you wrapped the cord tight around the bag and knotted the end they never got out.

Cant speak for everywhere in the UK, but at least around here " Durham" the Maggot bags have remained popular ever since.:thumbs:

My local tackle shop still sells them PM me if your in desperate need anyone.

Very kind offer there Trotter, your a gent !
What kind does your tackle shop supply Trotter...is there a pic anywhere?

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