The Coarse Fishing Guide

A wide variety of items can be used as hook baits.

Maggots

Maggots are the easiest bait to use, and will catch just about any fish that swims.

Three types of maggots are usually available in fishing tackle shops, described as Maggots, Pinkies and Squatts.

The largest kind, just called Maggots, are good for most fishing situations, both for use on the hook and to throw in as ‘loose feed’ to attract fish into your swim and keep them there.

A smaller variety of maggot called Pinkies are good for canals and lakes and can be used as both hook and loose feed, or just as loose feed in conjunction with larger Maggots on the hook.

Squatts are the smallest maggots available commercially and are very popular as a loose feed with Bream Anglers who introduce them into the swim with groundbait. They can also be a useful hook bait when fish are small or reluctant to take a larger Maggot.

All types of Maggot need to be kept cool and will keep best if stored in a refrigerator. If you do keep them in a refrigerator do not use a lid as this will keep them cooler and prevent them from escaping.

Maggots can also be stored in plastic containers such as the special bait boxes that can be obtained from fishing tackle shops.eep them in a cool place such as a garage or shed.

Casters

Casters are the chrysalis form of the maggot and can be purchased from tackle shops or ‘turned’ from maggots left over from a fishing trip.

Casters will not keep for long periods unless refrigerated as they will float which makes them useless for most types of fishing. They also need to be kept cool while fishing, and Anglers usually keep them in a bait box filled with enough water to just cover them.

Casters will catch most coarse fish, and will sometimes allow you to avoid small fish which may take them less readily than the larger specimens.

Worms

All types of worm will catch fish, and these can be collected yourself or purchased from fishing tackle shops.

Large lob worms can be collected from damp grass at night, and these, together with commercially available Dendrobaenas make good baits for large fish.

Redworms and Brandlings can be found in compost heaps and are a very versatile bait for most species.

Bread Flake

A piece of flake pinched from the middle of a fresh loaf is an excellent bait for Chub and Roach as well as other species.

Bread Crust

A piece of bread crust fished to float on the surface of a river is a popular bait for Chub, and also for Carp on still waters.

Bread Paste

A paste made from bread will catch many species of fish and is a particularly good bait on some waters for Roach and Chub.

To make bread paste, take a few slices from a fresh loaf and either tear it into small pieces, or chop it up in a liquidiser. To this, add sufficient water to make a soft dough, and knead it until it is smooth.

It is not necessary to colour or flavour bread paste, but some Anglers add sugar or honey to give the paste a sweet flavour. It can also be coloured using ordinary food colouring, yellow and red being popular colours.

Cheese and Cheese Paste

Hard cheese, such as cheddar can be kneaded until soft and moulded around a hook. This is a favourite bait with Chub Anglers but will take other species too.

A paste made of bread and cheese is also a good bait.

Luncheon Meat

Luncheon meat is a good bait for Carp, Barbel and Chub. It can be used in cubes or strips or rough chunks. The cheapest brands are best s these are firmer and will stay on the hook better.

Boilies

A wide range of commercial boilies are available and your fishing tackle shop will be able to advise you of local preferences. The larger sizes are used to catch large carp, while the smaller sizes will catch a variety of coarse fish.

Pellets

A wide range of pellets in various sizes, colours and flavours are available from fishing tackle shops, designed to catch most species of coarse fish.

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn, either from a tin or frozen is a good bait for many coarse fish species. You can also obtain coloured or flavoured sweetcorn from fishing tackle shops.

It is sometimes necessary to use dyed sweetcorn on waters where it has been heavily used and the fish are wary of it. You can with buy it coloured, or soak some sweetcorn in food colouring to dye it yourself. Red is a popular colour where fish have become of the natural bait.

Seed and Nut Baits

Hempseed is widely available either in cooked or uncooked form, and is an excellent bait for many species. It is most often used as loose feed to attract fish into a swim and hold them there while fished in conjunction with other hook baits, but a single grain of hemp seed on the hook can be an excellent bait for roach.
There are also a number of other seed and nut baits available from fishing tackle shops where you will be able to get advice on the best baits to use on your local waters.

Dog Biscuits

Dog biscuits are a popular bait with Carp Anglers who use them to catch surface feeding Carp.

Here are some eBay links:

Coarse fishing tackle
Carp fishing tackle
Pike fishing tackle
Float fishing rods
Feeder fishing rods
Carp fishing rods
Pike fishing rods
Barbel and specialist fishing rods
Fixed spool reels