Raising maggots for bait?

[Jeff Soto]

Is there any information from anyone about how to raise maggots for Bluegill bait? I know that I could put a piece of meat outside in a bucket and end up with all kinds of maggots, but I hear about fishermen using "clean" maggots that don't smell... ? Don't they need rotting and decaying biological matter for nourishment?

[Larry Mihalik (Adirondack Pond)]

How about this.
http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/

[robsabloke]

I used to do this in England when I was a lad... so I know a bit about it.

First let me say it's not for the faint of heart. It's messy and smelly and time consuming.

There are many different types of flies. Common house flies, Green Bottles, Blue Bottles etc... The one your after is the Blue Bottle and it only lays its eggs at night. This is the guy you want. Much Bigger juicier maggots.

Get a biscuit/cookie tin and drill small holes 1/2" in the top. Cover the bottom of the tin with half inch of sawdust or corn meal if you can't get the sawdust. Place chicken livers or some other piece of raw meat in the tin. Some people think that fish is best... but it's much more smelly.

Put the tin out late evening... bring it in early the next morning and cover it with a plastic bag or something so no 'DAY' flies can lay their eggs. Put it out again for a second evening and retrieve. Put the covered tin in a warm dark place and let it sit for a few days... (Preferably downwind). When you return there shouldn't be too much left of the meat, and it should be 'Blown' with fly eggs. Remove what is left of the meat. Riddle the maggots (a Riddle is a sieve with holes in it, that are large enough to let the sawdust pass through but contain the maggots). Place the maggots in fresh sawdust and a little real cream. Some people say the cream keeps them feeding a bit longer and makes them whiter and juicier.

The problem for most people is storying them. You must keep them in a dormant stage which requires a refrigerator set to about 38 - 40 degrees. Surprisingly some wives have an issue with this (I've never understood that myself).

You can dye the maggots different colours. This is achieved by dying the meat they are initially exposed to when you put the cookie tin out. Regular food colouring works well, but let it stain the meat for quite a while before putting it outside.

You can save yourself a lot of trouble and order maggots from Vado's Bait Express 866 584 3474. I've used their services several times and they are very obliging and customer service oriented. (I hope I'm not breaking any Forum rules here !)

A 1000 maggots will run you about $9.00 plus S&H but they get cheaper by the thousand. Colours available are : Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue-Green, Creamy White or a mix of all colours.

This is by far the easiest way to get your Maggots... although having said that, if you are prepared to put in the time and experiment a little you can get some really juicy ones (known as Gozzers in England).

Much easier to do this if you are single and live about 2 miles away from anyone else.

When the maggots 'Turn' they become Chrysalis and can also be used as bait... sometimes with more success than the maggots themselves. They are much trickier to hook as Chrysalis though. Use tiny hooks when fishing maggots and hook between the maggots tiny eyes found at the fat end.

Here's a little trick for you guys... If you have a favourite little fishing hole that has an overhanging tree or bush by it... get a tin with holes in it... place some chicken livers in the tin and tie it up into the tree or bush. (Make sure it's not easily visible to other fisherman... camouflage it). Go back a few days later and cast a maggot or wax worm under the tree and hold on. Fish fry time.

Tight Lines
Rob