Where can I get maize meal from.

Deanos · Apr 10, 2010

Hi guys,

Where can you get the maize meal that maggots are kept in.
I do have a good local seed merchant who has the usual brown crumb, hemp etc, should they stock it.

Big thanks Deanos.

r1paul · Apr 10, 2010

They should stock it Deano , my local one does .

Sean Meeghan · Apr 10, 2010

Get to Morrisons mate. They do it in bags in the world foods section.

How's things?

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 10, 2010

What you need is corn flour (not cornflour to mix gravy with although that will work) or maize flour. You might find it in supermarkets under extra fine polenta or extra fine corn meal. Asda do a Natco Fine Corn Meal (Polenta), but it's not as fine as a flour. You could try sticking it in a food blender for a few minutes to see if it cuts down any further.

The Semolina one is too harsh, don't get that.

Dusty old stuff though. Gets everywhere

dezza · Apr 10, 2010

I used to eat lots of it.

Be careful in a kitchen where fine maize meal might get into the air. Don't for goodness sake light a naked flame.

the indifferent crucian · Apr 10, 2010

The same is true of any fine cereal dust Ron. It is now illegal for a freighter to sail with an empty hold after carrying grain, unless the hold has been flushed clean..they had a few go bang !

I have used ordinary flour in an emergency before now....riddled off, it still cleans them up OK.

There's a bit of confusion about maize and corn. We talk about British cornfields, but they are mostly wheatfields. We call what the Americans call corn by the name maize, but they are all the same family....though the starch can vary and there is even a product called waxy maize that is used in pies and the like as the sauce doesn't split when re-heated.

I think you need a flour of some kind that is not too fine and will riddle off easily. Both polenta or semolina as we call it come in various grades.

Tesco often carry such a flour in the foods of the world section, amongst the carribean foods...I think it is made by Dunns River of Jamaica.

I'm told by the old matchmen that sawdust does a far better job than flour anyway...I suppose it might be worth a try if there is a timber yard near you?

dezza · Apr 10, 2010

In the old days, fine sawdust was used a lot for keeping maggots in. It took away the slimy feel to the maggots very well.

You are quite right about the definitions of the various grains. Wheat is wheat, we always did call it wheat, never corn; which is maize.

Sweetcorn is also a variety of maize which is harvested before it ripens and goes hard.

Wheat by the way comes from various types of grasses, it is a totally different plant to maize, which was originally grown and eaten by certain native American tribes.

peter crabtree · Apr 10, 2010

I get small bags of maize meal from the health food shop. sensas used to market magot powder(sic) but I haven't seen any for a while....

Apologies Deanos you probably wouldn' be seen dead in a health food shop................

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 10, 2010

peter crabtree said:
Apologies Deanos you probably wouldn' be seen dead in a health food shop.

That's because they don't make their doors wide enough.

In Castleford it's too far away from the chippie, other end of the street, and he'd need to keep going back for another fish and six to keep his strength up.

ravey · Apr 10, 2010

I used to use the Sensas maize flour, but found it killed many of the maggots. I assumed this was because the fineness of the flour suffocated them, but can't be sure. Has anyone else found this?

The answer I found was to use maize meal, which is much coarser. No problems since the switch. My local seed merchant sold/sells it, but it is a few years since I bought any (no river matches to make the quest for the 'best bait on the bank' worth it). I recall it cost something like £6.50 for 25kg which was cheap enough!

keora · Apr 11, 2010

A good place to look for maize meal is in food shops run by people from Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. In my local market you can buy white maize and yellow maize in various grades of coarseness. I got a 1 kilo bag of finely ground maize for about £1.

Polenta is fairly common in supermarkets, although I think it's too coarse for using it to keep maggots in.

Tee-Cee · Apr 11, 2010

Speaking on behalf of all Beginners or anyone new to fishing where maggots,as likely as not will be the bait they use,is it possible,perhaps,that someone who is really au fait with maggots and the looking after of them could put a bit more info on this Thread??

We have all the info above about various maize meals etc etc but NOT how they are used and how often the maize is changed,or indeed at what temperature the maggots should be kept(say)between trips......I think this would be a big help to younger folk where money is tight......what with maggots being the price they are!!

Good stuff above though-a big help even to an old stager!!

Peter Jacobs · Apr 11, 2010

Tee Cee,

When you get home after fishing:

Take the maggots out of the bait box and place in a large tray (Sensas make 2 sizes, both excellent)

Then, riddle the maggots, twice, to ensure that there is no left over maize meal.

Place the riddled maggots into a second (clean and dry) tray, and add a little fresh maize meal, and place in the fridge. Don't cover the top of the tray.

Every day riddle the maggots off again and add fresh maize meal if necessary.

I try to get mine from the shop on 'delivery day' which in my area is Thursday/Friday.

They should last approx. 900 degree-hours if bought fresh.

So, kept in a fridge at 5 degrees they should last, if riddled and kept clean, for about 7 days, (minus the daytime temperature/hours on the day you used them)

As for caster: I keep mine in ordinary bait boxes with a plastic sheet cut to fit the top plus about 3 inches over. Place the plastic sheet onto the top of the box then fix the lid. Keep in the fridge but give them an hour a day without the plastic sheet.

The above has worked well for me; I used to import a lot of maggot and caster (every second Friday) when I lived in Norway both for sale and for my personal use. These methods never let me down and I always had good fresh bait.

Stealph Viper · Apr 11, 2010

Peter Jacobs said:
As for caster: I keep mine in ordinary bait boxes with a plastic sheet cut to fit the top plus about 3 inches over. Place the plastic sheet onto the top of the box then fix the lid. Keep in the fridge but give them an hour a day without the plastic sheet.

I also do this, however, i also put a piece of Damp Kitchen roll over the top of the Casters, when i take the Plastic sheet off for an hour i also take off the Damp Kitchen Roll.
Replace the Kitchen Roll with a new piece when you re-cover the Casters again.

Merv Harrison · Apr 11, 2010

A good place to start would be your local tackle shop, especially if you've a good relationship, ask if they'll sell you some, or alternatively if you require a larger amount, ask them for the name of their supplier.

There's only so many way's they can tell you to go away, and you've probably heard them all.

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 11, 2010

Right - write!

All of you maggotmania people - I want 300-500 words on your tips on how to keep maggots and I'll put them all into a nartikle for the site that can be referenced by EVERYONE!

So, Mr Jacobs, Mr Frothey, Mr Cakey, Mr Winkle, Mr Mursdimm, and anyone else. Deadline - Friday 16th (so I can get all the best tips for Clattercote then publish it on Monday after I've won.

)

Graham Whatmore · Apr 12, 2010

Tha fust kills a chicken, put it int bucket and leave int dark fout flies to lay eggs on then cover it. Arter a week to 10 days thar will av more maggots than tha can use and tha kills another chicken.........................................is that enuff Mr Woody.

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 12, 2010

Graham Whatmore said:
is that enuff Mr Woody.

Sorry? I don't do translations any more.

slime monster · Apr 12, 2010

I noticed some bags of maize in a 98p shop the other day amongst the assorted fishing rubbish on sale

Please do not ask how much it costs

alan whittington · Apr 12, 2010

Keith2 said:
A good place to look for maize meal is in food shops run by people from Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. In my local market you can buy white maize and yellow maize in various grades of coarseness. I got a 1 kilo bag of finely ground maize for about £1.

Polenta is fairly common in supermarkets, although I think it's too coarse for using it to keep maggots in.

Your right Kieth,99% of asian food shops sell maize meal/flour,especially the slightly bigger ones,just ask in the shop,they are normally only to pleased to help,fine is best for maggot,as for some reason the coarser stuff tends to dampen and form balls,it also must be remembered to use as shallow a depth of bait as possible,so large trays are best,else sweating will take place,even in the fridge.

Where can I get maize meal from.

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