Rob Wootton explains why all you need is two pints of maggots on your next trip

Matchman Rob Wootton on how maggots can catch you anything

WAITING for a few carp to have a chew in the depths of winter often ends with very little in the net to show for your efforts.

This is why fishing a lake with a good mixed stock of fish gives you the best possible chance of a busy day’s sport.

Every commercial fishery offers much, much more than just carp. It’s almost certain to be home to roach, bream, probably perch and even ide too.

What’s more, all these species are more than willing to feed in the cold. Catching a netful from fisheries like these couldn’t be easier, and as far as bait is concerned it’s a cheap outing into the bargain. A tenner should buy all you need.

Two pints of maggots and a little groundbait is all you require for an exciting and interesting session in which you can never be certain just what’s going to be on the end when the float next goes under.

Why maggots are king

Why take only maggots? Well, they catch everything and are nowhere near as selective as pellets or sweetcorn.

You seem to catch for longer and more consistently with them. Two pints of reds and whites will be enough, and you may even have some left over at the end for another session.

Rotate your lines

Plugging away on one single swim will only end in it slowly dying a death. You need to have other options and rotate between them to get the best out of the day. This isn’t as complicated as it may seem.

My main swim is on the long pole at 11m to 13m. That’s a comfortable distance, but I do try to find any changes in the depth, such as deep hole or bar. These are very attractive to fish, even though they might not sound like much to us!

There will be a second line at short range, perhaps 5m or 6m out, which I’ll save to fish in the last two hours of the day.

I’ll only feed here roughly half an hour before I want to fish this line in order to get the maximum impact of feeding maggots in this new area.

‘Canal’ rigs

Other than the odd carp, most of the fish you’ll catch on maggots will be small enough to land on quite light tackle.

I recommend a size 18 hook to a hooklink of 0.08mm diameter and a mainline of 0.14mm. Provided your pole elastic is soft enough, there’s little danger of it getting broken by a fish. Shotting is also very delicate, using No11 shot. Space these apart all the way across the rig, so the single dead maggot bait falls very slowly.

LINE 4 – BONUS OPTION In still, open water, loosefeed maggots and cast over the long pole line to get a few extra fish. LINE 2 – MOVE HERE LATER IN THE DAY After two hours, this shorter line at 6m often has the knack of producing bigger fish. Feed maggots by hand, but only the same amount as you were introducing on the long pole line.

Maggots will catch everything that swims.

LINE 1 – BEGIN HERE The main catching line on the long pole is where there’s an underwater feature. Trickle the maggots in little and often with a small pot on the end of the pole. LINE 3 – JUST IN CASE Even early in the year the margins can sometimes produce a bonus big fish. Just take the odd look here now and then.

A carp this time, but it could be a roach the next.