Live Bait
For many anglers, live worms or maggots are the first bait they ever fished with as children. As fishing has developed over the years many more baits have been introduced into fishing, such as pellets, boilies and groundbaits. However more and more anglers are now coming back to the old trusted method of using maggots and worms for fishing.
Fishing worms
The most common worm used for fishing is the Dendrobaena worm closely followed by the Lob worm depending on what type of fish you are trying to attract.
Fishing Dendrobaenas
Dendrobaenas are used in both natural and commercial venues, to attract Tench, Chub, perch Roach and Carp. Most anglers will hook dendrobaenas straight on the hook. A good hook to use is the PR412 from Preston. Some will chop them up and mix them into groundbaits to create a choppie mix. This will then either be balled in or used in method feeders. Willy Worms supply many method feeders, from top brands such as Preston, Guru, Korum and Sensas.
Fishing Caster Maggots
Casters are created when natural white maggots are left to turn into pupa (basically the cocoon before it turns into a fly). To create the best casters, Willy Worms leave their caster maggots on the feed beds for longer, almost to the point of turn. This insures the maggots are nice and plump, creating nice fat casters. All our casters are turned on site on a daily basis. This insures our customers get the freshest casters every time.
Fishing casters
Casters are a great bait in the winter months on natural venues like rivers and canals. However casters really come into their own in the spring and summer months, where they are a fantastic bait for Carp and Chub on commercial fisheries.
Again casters can be used in a similar way to maggots, either directly on the hook or hair rigged, again commonly done with a bait band. Casters are also great in spod mixes and used in feeder fishing.
Willy Worms supply the freshest casters in 1 pint and half gallon bags.
Fishing Pinkies
Pinkies are the small pupae of small green bottle flies. Pinkies like maggots come in different colours. These being: Red Pinkies, White Pinkies, Fluro Pinkies and Mixed Pinkies. Pinkies are smaller than maggots and are therefore used to attract smaller fish. Pinkies will most likely be used in the winter months when fish are not feeding. Pinkies are most likely used on rivers and canals. Fluro pinkies are a great bait in brackish and darker waters.
Use a fine wired hook like a size 20 to 24 .
Fishing Squats
Squats are the larvae of the small house fly. Squats are used almost entirely in groundbait. They are a great holding bait for Bream and other fish. All fish like squats, and unlike maggots they will stay put and not crawl away or bury in mud or sand. The squat is not often used as a hookbait, however during hard winter months when bites are hard to come by, some match anglers have saved the day by using a Squat as a hookbait. If using as a hookbait, very fine fishing tackle needs to be used, with a very small hook of size 22 or less.
Fishing Lob Worms
Also known as the Canadian Night Crawlers, are another great live bait for fishing. These are more favoured on natural fishing venues and are great for attracting large Perch, Chub, Bream, Eels, Tench, Pike and even Catfish! However they are most popular for fishing Sea Trout and Salmon.
Fishing Maggots;
Traditionally natural white maggots would have been used for fishing, however, now maggots come in many colours. Most common colours, Red Maggots, White Maggots, Fluro Maggots, Disco Maggots, Bronze Maggots and Mixed Maggots. Each coloured maggot are said to work best in different venues for different fish, depending on the season and temperatures.
For example, Red Maggots are used more frequently on commercial fisheries to attract: Carp, Bream and Roach. Red maggots mixed with Bronze maggots are a favourite on rivers.
Maggots can be used straight on the hook or again mixed into spod mixes and used in feeders and bombs. Some anglers will use a technique called ‘double maggot’ where 2 or maggots will be put on the hook at the same time. This tends to attract large carp. Maggots can also be hair rigged with a bait band.
Chub like big bunches of maggots, the best technique for this would be using a standard blockend swim feeder. The preston clip cap feeder would be ideal for this.
Maggots can also be dispersed on the lakebed by using PVA bags. This would be ideal for carp fishing. The Korda funnel web system would be good for this along with the funnel web PVA refills also by Korda.
Willy Worms supply the freshest maggots on a next day delivery along with a huge choice of hooks, rigs and terminal tack to work along side them.