Dead Maggot trend?

[adz1189]

I’ve been reading match write ups at local commercials, plus some posts on here and see that dead maggs are a big deal now? I might have had blinkers on but I’m just learning about this method. Going to give it a try this weekend maybe on the method and on the margin line. Just a couple of questions -

- Does a colour make a difference? Best to use just reds or whites or a mix?
- if fishing the method feeder would it be best to fish a straight plane groundbait mix on the feeder and a couple of maggots on the hook or mix some maggots into the feeder mix also?
- feed a large volume of solely maggots in the margin or a few maggots and mainly Groundbait? Or half and half?

 

[Dusty]

I’ve been reading match write ups at local commercials, plus some posts on here and see that dead maggs are a big deal now? I might have had blinkers on but I’m just learning about this method. Going to give it a try this weekend maybe on the method and on the margin line. Just a couple of questions -

- Does a colour make a difference? Best to use just reds or whites or a mix?
- if fishing the method feeder would it be best to fish a straight plane groundbait mix on the feeder and a couple of maggots on the hook or mix some maggots into the feeder mix also?
- feed a large volume of solely maggots in the margin or a few maggots and mainly Groundbait? Or half and half?

Usually fish groundbait in the margins and maggot over the top.
Dead or not I’ve never noticed much difference to be honest.

 

[adz1189]

Usually fish groundbait in the margins and maggot over the top.
Dead or not I’ve never noticed much difference to be honest.

Is there a reason why dead’s are used over live?

 

[Dusty]

Is there a reason why dead’s are used over live?

Not a clue. I’ve heard people say it stops them burrowing into the silt but I’ve never found this to be an issue.

 

[adz1189]

Not a clue. I’ve heard people say it stops them burrowing into the silt but I’ve never found this to be an issue.

Ahh right i see! I might get half dead half live and give them both a bash then!! Thanks!

 

[Gwillim]

Don't know how true this is but I have heard that its because the fish are used to anglers tossing unwanted bait into their swims at the end of a session and so when they are dead associating this with a safe meal (how true any of that is I have no clue)

Also as Dusty says that it stops them sodding off!

 

[Silver fan 82]

Ive used them on the method feeder to good effect. Bream love them! I used a fishmeal based groundbait, mixed a few dead maggots into the groundbait with two or three on the hook. Ive also used them float fishing for roach and rudd with good results.

 

[Trogg]

I love using dead maggots, just drop a baited hook into the margins about where an angler would chuck the left over maggots at the end of a session and chuck a few in for freebies...... the big fish know they will find food in that area and come in hunting for it, i've been doing it for years!

 

[Silverfisher]

Never really found an advantage of them being dead tbh. I freeze maggots I have left over from normal sessions to use on short trips where it's not really worth a trip to the tackle shop and I've never found them quite as effective as live ones. Seems to me that the wriggle is a pretty important part of a maggots attraction.

 

[ukzero1]

I sometimes mix a few dead maggots into the groundbait and live maggot on the hook when fishing an open end feeder. The dead maggots can't wiggle through the holes in feeder or loosen the groundbait causing it to fall out.

 

[160642fishing]

I usually put a live one in between the dead ones and when I think of the gallons of maggots I threw away in the past before I had a bait fridge in the sixties and seventies.

 

[ukzero1]

I have to laugh when doing my rounds on the clubs lakes. There's a couple of members that put live maggots in the groundbait, then use a method feeder. The times I've seen all the feed drop off the method before they cast and they still do it.

 

[mickthestick]

Dead pinkie are good for holding a shoal of Bream , I find it hard to get hold of Squatt these days , 2 or 3 dead reds are a great bait for Bream

 

[John Step]

Dead maggots have one great advantage if you live about 40 miles plus round trip to the nearest bait supplier/tackle shop. You can buy bulk when you do visit a tackle shop and freeze them in batches.
I use them on rivers as well as lakes and they catch OK.
If I want a bit of wriggle on the hook I add a segment of red worm with the dead 'un.

When you think about it, fish love casters and they don't wriggle.

 

[adz1189]

Dead maggots have one great advantage if you live about 40 miles plus round trip to the nearest bait supplier/tackle shop. You can buy bulk when you do visit a tackle shop and freeze them in batches.
I use them on rivers as well as lakes and they catch OK.
If I want a bit of wriggle on the hook I add a segment of red worm with the dead 'un.

When you think about it, fish love casters and they don't wriggle.

Good idea! Could have a good few pints frozen ready in the garage freezer! Would keeping them froze for a long time make much difference to the quality once thawed out?

 

[Markywhizz]

Good idea! Could have a good few pints frozen ready in the garage freezer! Would keeping them froze for a long time make much difference to the quality once thawed out?

I’ve used maggots that have been frozen for a year and they are just as good as ones which have only been frozen for a few days. I live an hour from my nearest decent tackle shop so I bulk buy them live by mail order, use alive for a few days and then freeze the rest.

 

[RedRidingHood]

Dead maggots have one great advantage if you live about 40 miles plus round trip to the nearest bait supplier/tackle shop. You can buy bulk when you do visit a tackle shop and freeze them in batches.
I use them on rivers as well as lakes and they catch OK.
If I want a bit of wriggle on the hook I add a segment of red worm with the dead 'un.

When you think about it, fish love casters and they don't wriggle.

This.
I don't live far from my tackle shop but another thing to mention is that I don't use maggots all that much, A pint of maggot would last me months, The problem is they turn into casters after a few days to a week so instead I buy a pint or two, bag them up then freeze them and they last me yonks and I don't have to keep shelling out cash for fresh ones.
They're also great for mixing with groundbait,
They don't burrow in the silt, as stated above.
Easier to hook
They don't wriggle off the hook
They deter smaller fish.
And I think they just look better on the bottom.

 

[smiffy]

Several years ago,before commercials had taken off,we used to use dead maggots on a lot of Bream waters. The logic being that during the day the larger Bream would avoid a live maggot as they associated it with danger. Anglers would chuck their bait in at the end of the match and overnight the Bream would feed on them feeling safe. Assuming that a lot of the discarded bait was dead people started scolding their maggots with their tea and using it on the hook. It seemed to work for many.
As commercials came in and before the days of pellets and paste dead maggot was an obvious choice as it stopped Carp sticking their heads in the mud looking for buried maggots. I use it regularly but always as part of a cocktail.

 

[PJG]

Now I only use dead maggots, they are better. I buy several pints of live maggots at a time, half fill several clippy lid boxes with flavoured filtered water, then nearly fill the clippy boxes with live maggots and then immediately put the boxes in my bait freezer.

You have to remember to take them out the evening before going fishing so that they can thaw.

They can be legered, trotted and put in groundbait. They are very attractive to fish and don't disappear in silt or gravel. In hot weather keep cool and don't refreeze more than once. They go discoloured when left out too long.

A very convenient good bait!

 

[Zerkalo]

I've heard of them being used on the hook up in the water as they're less likely to burst/be smashed so you can reuse them without having to put new maggots on the hook as often. Not sure how much truth there is to that as I've never tried it. That's when people just stun a few by rolling them around around their leg.