Once I've riddled my maggots and they're nice and clean, I put in a one or two heaped desert spoons _(Dependant on how many maggots you've got!)_ of good old *custard powder* before putting them in the fridge. It does nothing to the maggots for flavour, but it keeps the maggots really well and is a really, really cheap method.
Ive just starting doing this rather than tubs and im up to 3 weeks. I was wondering if they are on the way out the maggots can I crush or blend and mix with breadcrumbs and worms and make a stored ground bait rather than just throw them. Just wondering can make a groundbait that smells maggot and worm. Sometimes Ive forgotten my worms and maggots.
Hi, I suggest you freeze them, that way you can add them to a groundbait or Spod mix. Also Sonubaits has just launched a groundbait with worm extract that looks interesting
Great tips for keeping maggots fresh. My only concern was the sealed bag and the maggots suffocating. I was always told to open the door of my bait fridge to prevent this. Should I therefore be opening the sealed bag every day to do the same?
@@alirashid490 Hello, we are suffocating the maggots as the sealed bags put them into a state of hibernation due to the lack of oxygen. For short sessions while tench fishing, I don’t bother opening the bag, but if they’ve been in the fridge for a week or more then I open the bag occasionally. I hope this helps.
Thank you for sharing this - I mainly fly fish but have access to some good winter grayling fishing and enjoy stick float / centre pin for a change - I still have a bait fridge from when I used to do a lot of coarse fishing - I will give this a try to keep small (half pint) bags fresh between sessions - Cheers - Steve
This video is a year ago and I understand that you may not come back to these comments. I haven't use maggots for 30 years. Back then bait boxes always had air holes in the lids. (In fact I still have one from all that time ago...box not a maggot lol). Point is, you seem to be saying to keep the air away from the maggots whilst in the fridge? Your videos are always short and sweet and I enjoy them, thanks.
Thanks, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my videos. I’ve found that I can keep maggots fresh for longer by starving them of oxygen, they’ll soon recover when left in a bait box for a few hours.
Hi Rich, maggots float when they have too much air inside them. If you’ve followed my method for storing them, try taking them out of the zip seal bag the day before you use them and keep them in a maggot box. Sometimes they need longer to recover after being stored in an oxygen free environment. Best of luck, Chris
Hi Richie, it’s important to make sure the maggots are really clean before you zip seal them, I use maize flour. This also removes the moisture, just riddle the maize flour off before zip sealing and putting in the fridge. Then put them in clean maize flour once you’ve taken them out and they are ready to use. They’ll take a while to start wriggling again one there’s oxygen again
Hi there nice little video. I tend to just keep them in a large bait tub and just keep them in a cold fridge around 2c- 3c and they last quite awhile but not as long as your method.
Thanks Martin, I'm glad you found it useful. It's a good method if you're using maggots over a 48 hour fishing session and away from home, just open the bags a few hours before you need them.
No problem, I suggest you pack them in smaller bags, so they are fresh for every day. The maggots can take a while to recover and start wriggling - it takes longer in the colder months. Best of luck 🐟🐟
Hi Euryon, Tumeric also works well to as a flavour. Freezing maggots will kill them, but dead maggots work well, particularly in silty waters. Best of luck
Hi Leah, if kept in the fridge you don’t need to open the bag very often, but I check on them once a week, sometimes adding a bit of maize flour if they are moist
Yes, they’ll still be alive, but you’ll need to put them into a bait box the day before you use them for them to recover. I’ve also found that dead maggots work just as well, and sometimes better, than live ones. 🐟
@@tight.lines.chris.miller yes I've heard the same that dead ones are very good at catching big fish, I just wondered if they would live that long, thank you so much
The wife has just given me the beating of a lifetime. She thought the black box at the back of the fridge had leftovers.....
I’ve had the same conversation too 😀 At least the maggots didn’t get out though - that happened to me once, before I started bagging them.
They could have been...... leftovers from the last sesh! 🙄
Once I've riddled my maggots and they're nice and clean, I put in a one or two heaped desert spoons _(Dependant on how many maggots you've got!)_ of good old *custard powder* before putting them in the fridge. It does nothing to the maggots for flavour, but it keeps the maggots really well and is a really, really cheap method.
That’s a good idea - I’ll try that myself in future - thanks for sharing 🐟🐟
Thanks for that tip, I was spending a fortune in discarding maggots
Glad I could help
very educative video
Ive just starting doing this rather than tubs and im up to 3 weeks. I was wondering if they are on the way out the maggots can I crush or blend and mix with breadcrumbs and worms and make a stored ground bait rather than just throw them. Just wondering can make a groundbait that smells maggot and worm. Sometimes Ive forgotten my worms and maggots.
Hi, I suggest you freeze them, that way you can add them to a groundbait or Spod mix. Also Sonubaits has just launched a groundbait with worm extract that looks interesting
Great tips for keeping maggots fresh. My only concern was the sealed bag and the maggots suffocating. I was always told to open the door of my bait fridge to prevent this. Should I therefore be opening the sealed bag every day to do the same?
@@alirashid490 Hello, we are suffocating the maggots as the sealed bags put them into a state of hibernation due to the lack of oxygen. For short sessions while tench fishing, I don’t bother opening the bag, but if they’ve been in the fridge for a week or more then I open the bag occasionally. I hope this helps.
Excellent.Few words, much said.
Brilliant 👍
Thank you for sharing this - I mainly fly fish but have access to some good winter grayling fishing and enjoy stick float / centre pin for a change - I still have a bait fridge from when I used to do a lot of coarse fishing - I will give this a try to keep small (half pint) bags fresh between sessions - Cheers - Steve
It’s a great method for grayling Steve, just keep the maggots trickling through the swim - tight lines 🐟
@@tight.lines.chris.miller It's a lovely mobile way to fish Chris - keep the loose feed sparse and keep on the move is the way to go.
I shall be trying this Chris, thank you for the film.
I’m glad you found it useful Mark, tight lines
Brilliant , ill try these techniques ; ) , many thanks
Did the 5 spice work . ?
This video is a year ago and I understand that you may not come back to these comments. I haven't use maggots for 30 years. Back then bait boxes always had air holes in the lids. (In fact I still have one from all that time ago...box not a maggot lol). Point is, you seem to be saying to keep the air away from the maggots whilst in the fridge? Your videos are always short and sweet and I enjoy them, thanks.
Thanks, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my videos. I’ve found that I can keep maggots fresh for longer by starving them of oxygen, they’ll soon recover when left in a bait box for a few hours.
Thanks for some great tips.
Hi Chris
Have you any tips on making sure that your maggots sink when fired out, I had some today that were alive but 90% were floating
Rich
Hi Rich, maggots float when they have too much air inside them. If you’ve followed my method for storing them, try taking them out of the zip seal bag the day before you use them and keep them in a maggot box. Sometimes they need longer to recover after being stored in an oxygen free environment. Best of luck, Chris
Hi if you`re not going to flavour the Maggots do you not put anything on them at all to absorb any moisture .many thanks Richie.
Hi Richie, it’s important to make sure the maggots are really clean before you zip seal them, I use maize flour. This also removes the moisture, just riddle the maize flour off before zip sealing and putting in the fridge. Then put them in clean maize flour once you’ve taken them out and they are ready to use. They’ll take a while to start wriggling again one there’s oxygen again
Hi there nice little video. I tend to just keep them in a large bait tub and just keep them in a cold fridge around 2c- 3c and they last quite awhile but not as long as your method.
Thanks Martin, I'm glad you found it useful. It's a good method if you're using maggots over a 48 hour fishing session and away from home, just open the bags a few hours before you need them.
Fantastic. Im going away for a week and i want my maggots to be usable right up to the last day. Now i know how to make that happen. Cheers mate.
No problem, I suggest you pack them in smaller bags, so they are fresh for every day. The maggots can take a while to recover and start wriggling - it takes longer in the colder months. Best of luck 🐟🐟
Chinese five spice.. really.??? Can anyone back this up ? Thankyou.
Try it Tony, it works well, but I prefer garam masala or curry powder
A chap I used to work with, regularly bagged up on Carp, by frying meat baits in oil flavoured with Chinese Five Spice.
Hello, nice method , i will try to use spices next time. What do you think about freezing them ?is that a good way to keep them?
Hi Euryon, Tumeric also works well to as a flavour. Freezing maggots will kill them, but dead maggots work well, particularly in silty waters. Best of luck
@@tight.lines.chris.miller Thanks for the answer, i will try tumernic .Keep it up,Cheers!
Hi have you got to keep opening the bag to help them breath
Hi Leah, if kept in the fridge you don’t need to open the bag very often, but I check on them once a week, sometimes adding a bit of maize flour if they are moist
great video full of information
I’m glad you found it useful John 🐟🐟
Are you saying that when it is time to fish they are still alive?
Yes, they’ll still be alive, but you’ll need to put them into a bait box the day before you use them for them to recover. I’ve also found that dead maggots work just as well, and sometimes better, than live ones. 🐟
@@tight.lines.chris.miller yes I've heard the same that dead ones are very good at catching big fish, I just wondered if they would live that long, thank you so much
Great video, thanks
Thanks Allen, I’m glad you found it useful 🐟🐟
Thanks for sharing this Chris 👍
I hope you found it helpful John, tight lines