5 Essential Tips For Carp Fishing With Maggots

Maggots are one of the greatest fishing baits of all time, particularly for carp, both big and small. Whether as Hookbaits or loosefeed, maggots can really transform a carp fishing session, especially in the colder months. But how should you use them? In this article we take a look at the best maggot methods...

When we start our fishing journey, what is the bait we most often begin with? For many, the answer to that question will be maggots, or potentially worms. Maggots really do catch everything, from wild trout in small streams to huge gravel pit carp, even predators like catfish can't seem to resist them. With that said, however, there's certainly a time and place to use them in your carp angling.

COLD WATER FEED

With nuisance species activity lowered, the majority of carp anglers begin adding maggots to the mix as the weather gets colder. This isn't to say they won't work in the warmer months, in fact, they are arguably even better (despite turning quicker). The trouble is, you will draw so much activity to the area of your Hookbait from other species, that your Bobbins won't stay still - not ideal if carp are the target!

Interestingly, underwater footage has shown that in really cold water, one of the most important elements of maggots, their movement, is greatly diminished. They still offer fantastic visual appeal to a passing carp, that triggers their predatory instincts, but the bottom isn't quite as alive and wriggling as many might think. For this reason, they work best as part of a winter mix, rather than entirely on their own. Try adding a healthy amount of fine boilie crumb to your maggots, so they are really dusted, and the attraction of your spot will go up significantly. The NEW B8M8 is the perfect tool for this job.

You can add liquids and Goo to this mix too; maggots take this in really well, which massively boosts their flavour profile. Don't go crazy with it though, you don't want the mix ringing wet, just slightly sticky to the touch, combining with the crumb to make a lovely coating. 

Many anglers wonder about the amount of maggots they should be using, and the answer to this is entirely venue and situation dependent. If the fish are really tuned into maggots and everyone is using them, you may have to introduce up to a gallon to get them interested in your spot. However, there are certainly times when just a Mesh PVA Bag of maggots is enough for several bites. A few pints is a good starting point for a winter day session on most venues. We get ours delivered by Willy Worms.

MAGGOT BAGGING

As we briefly mentioned above, one of the most popular methods for maggots is to stuff them into a large PVA Bag. This is a great searching tactic, as the bag delivers just enough attraction for a single carp or two to investigate - it then takes them no time at all to find your hookbait! PVA Bags can be tied quickly and easily with our ChopStix System, which also features a unique cutting grid for you to add some boilie chops too and generate extra attraction in the swim.

There are two ways to attach these bags to the hook. The first is to simply nick the point of the hook through the bag, being careful not to puncture any maggots in the process. The second method involves threading the hooklink through the entire bag, once again being extra careful not to burst a maggot and melt the PVA. This second tactic is better at preventing tangles and arguably provides a better presentation on the bottom.

It would be wrong to suggest maggots can't be added to Solid Bags either. There's plenty in the OMC Team who have used this tactic to phenomenal effect, including Ali Hamidi, who has some great tips to make this method work wonders.

MAGGOT CARP RIGS 

Whilst there have been rigs designed specifically for maggots, the truth is you can simply add maggots to all your favourite carp rigs and get the same result. Even without maggots in your main bait mix, maggot toppers are a huge edge, and if they aren't permitted, artificial replicants like our Bloodworm Tippers can be just as good - Get Flossing!

When fishing over a mix of maggots, most anglers like to keep their hookbait closer to the bottom. German Rigs, D Rigs, Spinners and Slip D Rigs are all great for this, featuring a wafter hookbait topped with a tantalising ball of maggots - you can use as many or as few as you like, there are no rules.

Perhaps one of the favourite maggot rigs, however, is the classic Blowback Style Hair Rig. Using a longer hair to keep the maggots away from the hook and a small piece of Simply Silicone to hold the hair in the correct place, you can fish a ball of maggots with no other bait needed. If you want a bit of extra buoyancy to counter the weight of the hook, try threading on a small cork ball or piece of flavoured rig foam. This exact rig caught OMC's Roo Abbott his personal best of over 70lb!

PICK THE RIGHT COLOUR

Does it make a difference? Well, we know bait colour choice can certainly generate more bites, so why wouldn't that be the same with maggots? Like all considerations on colour, think about what might best contrast the bottom you're fishing over. Red and white are the two most common maggot colours, so a mix of both is probably the best option. If the bottom is really dark and silty, those whites will stand out like a sore thumb. But on a slightly lighter bottom, the reds will be the one. There's also a well-reasoned argument, however, that reds best represent the carp's natural food - bloodworm!

GET YOUR HOOK BLENDING IN WITH MAGGOTS BY ADDING OUR AWESOME DAZZLERS RANGE TO YOUR RIGS!

KEEP THEM FRESH AND SMELLING NICE! 

One of the biggest downsides with maggots is that you really do have to look after them. That means riddling them to remove any dead maggots or casters. You then need to add a healthy amount of maize to stop them from sweating. The good thing is, this is something the carp find very attractive too. Finally, they need to have air to prevent them excessively sweating, escaping or dying. There's nothing worse than a stinking bucket of rancid maggots, or worse still, finding they have escaped all over the place because the bucket you kept them in got super sticky overnight.

So that's maggots! As you can see, they really aren't that much hassle to use, and boy, you wait till you see what it is like when the carp get on them! 

Journalist Chris Haydon joined the OMC Family in the spring of 2024, after six years working for the UK's number 1 fishing publication, the Angling Times. He is a keen Coarse and Carp Fishing All-rounder, fishing in the South West region, including the famous Cotswold Water Park.