Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Gareth Gibbons
Dyed maggots to the rescue
THE dream session is all about getting bites from the word go and keeping them coming for the duration of the outing. Sadly, a day on the bank rarely goes so smoothly. There’s often an initial wait for the first bite, with further lulls in activity at intervals throughout the day as the fish back off or weather conditions change.
The ability to keep these barren spells to a minimum is often what seperates the sport’s best match anglers from us mere mortals. So when Gareth Gibbons told us he had devised a strategy that triggers an immediate reaction and then keeps the fish occupied for hours on end we were all ears.
“There are ways to make sure periods of inactivity aren’t a regular occurence,” said the Spotted Fin- backed angler.
“One key element is to make sure that your tactics appeal to a wide range of species. That way, if one species takes a break in feeding for whatever reason, you are then in prime position to attract other fish that may have been bullied out for a period.
“Secondly, your approach needs to be centred around keeping fish occupied for long periods, even if all the loosefeed has been hoovered up.
“I’ve tried several styles over the years, but I’ve finally settled on something that works wonders for day- long sport – dyed maggots.
“Since I started using them I’ve noticed an increase in the number of bites I get. I’m never without them now,” added Gareth.
Trigger a response
Your local fishery is likely to stock a wide range of species. Carp, F1s, bream, tench, barbel, ide and chub are common at many venues now.
These species are all maggots lovers but their reasonably high appetite means they will quickly eat any in the swim within minutes of arriving.
Should the peg be devoid of loosefeed for a period, there needs to be a trigger to con the shoal into staying put. This is where the dye comes into play.
“It forms a cloud and the scent and additional colour tricks fish into thinking there is still plenty of food in the area. They continue to grub around and remain where you want them for longer,” explained Gareth.
“Regular top- ups are still important to keep food going in but the dye buys you extra time.”
Gareth uses Spotted Fin Red Bait Dye to get the desired result. Much of his fishing is on snake lakes and when targeting them he feeds in different styles.
“I take two pints of maggots and give each a different treatment. The first is given a medium Guru pole cup of dye and this is for fishing down the track. It creates less of a slick in the upper layers but the maggots still retain some of the dye. If you had a large slick it could draw fish up in the water and away from where the hookbait is sat. When fish start attacking the loosefeed, the dye washes off and creates a cloud close to the bottom of the lake,” he said.
“The second pint is boosted with a large Guru pole cup. These maggots will be fed in shallow water tight to the far bank and down the margins. The aim is to create more of a slick as it is less likely fish will come off the deck and away from the hookbait because of the depth.”
Prime your lines
How often you feed and the way you do it will also dictate how successful the end result is.
The far bank is Gareth’s starting point and a careful attack is undertaken.
“I tap in 10- 15 maggots every five minutes. Once the fish are present, I dunk the pot under the water, so that the cloud spreads further down the water column.
“This keeps the fish on the deck which reduces lines bites and foul- hookers.”
The track line is fed three times every 15 minutes for an hour using a large Guru Pole Pot clipped to the end of the top kit. This is filled with dyed maggots and they are then despatched with the pot submerged.
“It takes a little time for this line to kick into action and I’ll wait at least an hour before I lay a rig over the top,” advised Gareth.
The margins are fed in the same manner as the track although they aren’t given any consideration until the second half of the session.
Although Gareth knows he could pick off a few fish from down the edge early on, he believes the commotion caused can have a negative impact later in the day.
“It’s best to start feeding the margins when you’ve got two hours to go and then fish it for the last hour. Do that and it can be a bite every chuck from big fish of all species.”
Pick the winning rigs
When fish are at the far bank or in the margins, they’re likely to show up in decent numbers. The trouble with this is that the commotion they cause can lead to the float being dragged under by a rogue tail and, when you strike, a foulhooker is likely.
To make sure he only hits proper bites, Gareth uses a fairly heavy 0.4g float on both lines, with a bulk of No. 8 Preston Innovations Stotz just above the hooklength knot. This anchors the bait and keeps the rig stable.
It’s a different ball game down the track, though, because fewer fish are likely to migrate from the shallow water.
This enables you to use a lighter rig with more sensitivity, giving the hookbait a slower fall. Gareth favours a 4x12 Warren Peaty Pukka and a strung bulk of No. 10 shot for depths up to 5ft.
Follow Gareth’s advice and you can say goodbye to those biteless spells next time you next hit the bank.
“Since I started using dyed maggots, I’ve noticed a big increase in the number of bites I get. I’m never without them now.”