mikench
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These are banned on most of the waters i fish! As they appear a natural fish food albeit small, why are they banned!
Bloodworm and joker
- Thread starter mikench
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rich66
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I’ve always believed that they where banned because they are so good & thought it was just a match fishing thing.
thecrow
Well-known member
Very strange rule, might be worth asking a bailiff why.
sam vimes
Well-known member
There are two reasons I've encountered. The first revolves around match fishing. Many believe that its use is unfair, down to cost or availability. The high price, or hard work involved getting it, means that many simply can't use it. Banning its use in matches is mainly down to trying to maintain a level playing field.
When it's a fishery where matches aren't held, it comes down to the belief that fish can become rather obsessed with it. It's similar to the attitude that sees some fisheries ban boilies and hemp. They don't want fish preoccupied with baits that aren't on the menu for many normal anglers.
When it's a fishery where matches aren't held, it comes down to the belief that fish can become rather obsessed with it. It's similar to the attitude that sees some fisheries ban boilies and hemp. They don't want fish preoccupied with baits that aren't on the menu for many normal anglers.
B
binka
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I was under the impression that it was the relatively high cost and that they gave an unfair advantage in matches, could be wrong though.
Back in my pole days I often fished bloodworm & joker in the winter and I was taught by an older fella who was very handy... His son fished for England juniors at the time and this was in what would normally be seen as dire conditions, and I bagged up with small Roach and the occasional good 'un on every occasion.
You can actually do it with chopped worm and fish it the same style with really finely chopped feed and a tiny nip end on a small hook an inch off the bottom, something which I carried forward from those days and which has stood me in good stead on many an occasion.
There was an article in one of the publications back in, iirc, the 80's where one well known and predominantly canal matchman (****ie Carr, Billy Makin?) actually hired a helicopter and pilot in order that they could survey areas where tiny, unknown waters could be identified with a view to scraping their own, plentiful bloodworm from.
Back in my pole days I often fished bloodworm & joker in the winter and I was taught by an older fella who was very handy... His son fished for England juniors at the time and this was in what would normally be seen as dire conditions, and I bagged up with small Roach and the occasional good 'un on every occasion.
You can actually do it with chopped worm and fish it the same style with really finely chopped feed and a tiny nip end on a small hook an inch off the bottom, something which I carried forward from those days and which has stood me in good stead on many an occasion.
There was an article in one of the publications back in, iirc, the 80's where one well known and predominantly canal matchman (****ie Carr, Billy Makin?) actually hired a helicopter and pilot in order that they could survey areas where tiny, unknown waters could be identified with a view to scraping their own, plentiful bloodworm from.
sam vimes
Well-known member
Wasp grub is in a similar boat. It's sometimes banned in river matches because it can be devastatingly effective, but many people just can't get their hands on it.
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binka
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It would be convenient if it was commercially available but I bet you'd get stung on the price! :roll:
S-Kippy
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My understanding re bloodworm & joker is as Chris said...but I cant help but think its fallen out of favour since the rise of the commercial. Likewise wasp grub.
And frankly, laziness has a lot to do with it too I suspect. Who can be bothered nowadays to scrape bloodworm let alone hunt down wasp nests ? I've never used either and never will.
And frankly, laziness has a lot to do with it too I suspect. Who can be bothered nowadays to scrape bloodworm let alone hunt down wasp nests ? I've never used either and never will.
mikench
Well-known member
Thanks Gents! I was curious as I have never seen these baits anywhere save for bloodworm boilies and wondered why they were banned when they are so scarce/unobtainable!
B
binka
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Very true, I wouldn't go to that bother myself.
Back in the day there was a tackle shop in the nearby village of Warsop, it was sparsely stocked but he supplied bloodworm & joker and at a very reasonable price too and so I jumped on the bandwagon.
The shop is sadly no more and long gone, I feel I would still be visiting if they were still available.
S-Kippy
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Back in the days when I fished the canals round here to the exclusion of almost everywhere else it was quite apparent that once the matchmen started balling in joker and fishing bloodworm you couldn't catch on any other bait. I think that's why some clubs banned their use and that ban is still in force today. Then commercials took off and canals where you had to arrive before dawn in winter to get a decent spot became deserted. The sport has changed so much.
I am seriously allergic to wasps which is why I'd never go near a wasp nest. One of the bar$tards nearly killed me just after my boy was born. Got me in the jugular and the next thing I knew I was in A&E suffering from anaphylactic shock. I should really carry an epipen but dont.
I am seriously allergic to wasps which is why I'd never go near a wasp nest. One of the bar$tards nearly killed me just after my boy was born. Got me in the jugular and the next thing I knew I was in A&E suffering from anaphylactic shock. I should really carry an epipen but dont.
thecrow
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In the days before the EA I caught a Severn Trent bailiff scraping bloodworm on a water I bailiffed, he thought that by flashing his bailiff card at me he would be ok until I informed him that it was theft of estate property he put back what he had scraped and i never saw him again, I have to admit to enjoying chucking him off the water.
The above post is pretty well correct,as well as this jokers are often prolific in semi-polluted water,so creating health issues in healthy waters.
Another Dave
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What exactly are jokers, and why are they called jokers?
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binka
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I've used 'em and I still don't know!
They look a bit like shorter bloodworm though...
S-Kippy
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Boodworm are midge larvae and I thought jokers were mosquito larvae. Why they are called jokers though I've no idea.
maggot_dangler
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markcw
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