Going to a reservoir, many fishermen do not forget to bring maggots with them. With this bait, a good bite is provided even on a fishless day. And it is not surprising, since maggots for the inhabitants of the ichthyofauna are a kind of delicacy. Due to the fact that there is a great demand for these products, this, in turn, affects its cost. For this reason, fishing enthusiasts have doubts: is it not better to abandon ready-made lures and do independent breeding of maggot?
Fishing with such bait is not a cheap pleasure that not everyone can afford. To prevent fishing from becoming too costly, experts recommend using feed insects grown at home. Information on how to breed maggots at home is presented in this article.
Getting to know the bait
The maggot is the larva of a meat fly, the length of which can reach 1.2 cm. Under natural conditions, it feeds mainly on rotten meat, as well as products that have undergone fermentation, and in artificial conditions, it is a sweet paste made from sugar and starch solution. If the conditions are favorable, then after two weeks a fly is obtained from the larva. It happens that a larva in anabiotic state lives for three years and can easily withstand minus temperatures of up to -30 degrees.
Maggot, due to its high mobility and specific smell, is considered a universal bait that can interest both peaceful fish and some small predators. Fishing lovers give their preference to this particular type of bait. Maggots are bred both in an industrial and artisanal way.
What larvae are used?
According to experienced anglers, not every maggot will fit as bait. Mostly fish bite well on larvae that lay blue meat, green and house flies.
The latter, judging by the reviews, are less popular. This is due to the fact that the maggots that hatch from the housefly larvae are small. Due to the small size of the fisherman, difficulties may arise while putting the bait on the hook. Read about how to breed maggot yourself.
First way
So, we breed maggot at home. Due to the fact that the larvae like to eat flesh, this can be done in the liver of cattle. Those who do not know how maggots are bred with the help of the liver, experts recommend adhering to the following sequence of actions.
The first thing you need to get a small piece of cow liver. It can be of any freshness. The meat can be brought to the desired condition by holding it for some time on the street. Then it is placed in a container, which is pre-filled with sawdust. After the container is tightly covered with a lid. Soon maggot eggs are formed there, from which the larvae will hatch. When this happens, you should wait until the maggot has grown to 0.8 cm. Now the rotten meat can already be kept in an unopened container.
Judging by the reviews, the whole process will last no more than a week. After this period, the bait is considered ready and can be taken to a reservoir. If anyone is interested in how maggots are bred, experts recommend using this method. It is simple enough and it does not require special knowledge and skills.
How are maggots bred in fish?
Technically, the process of growing in this way is very similar to the previous one. The difference is that the larva does not feed on cow's liver, but on fish. Flies need to have access to the product, which lay their eggs there. After the fish is wrapped in a newspaper and left for 5 days. During this time, maggots will already grow enough. To make it easier to collect, experienced fishermen advise the product to be wrapped in several layers. You can breed bait without using sawdust.
About growing in an egg. First option
If you don’t have a piece of meat or fish at hand, you can use a chicken egg. This method is quite common, especially among amateurs.
The fact is that in this embodiment, large volumes of larvae are not provided. The resulting maggots for a professional fisherman will not be enough, but an amateur will be enough for the rest of the season. Grow larvae as follows.
A hole is made in the raw egg and left on the street in some dark place. Judging by the reviews, it will deteriorate very quickly, and the flies will begin to lay their eggs. After a week, maggots will appear inside, which will not be able to get out of the shell out.
Second option
Despite the fact that a small number of maggots is obtained from an egg, many fishermen prefer this particular breeding method. The fact is that a rotten egg does not stink as much as a piece of meat or fish. In connection with this fact, the breeder will not cause problems for others if he decides to grow bait at home. Using an egg, another method has been developed.
Before you begin, you should prepare an egg, a glass with a lid and two pieces of toilet paper. It is important that the container is tightly closed by a lid. The breeding process is as follows. You need to break a raw egg and pour into a glass. One piece of paper 50 cm long should be put there. Using a stick, mix the contents thoroughly. Then you need to arrange the second piece of paper in a glass so that you get a small tubercle. This is necessary so that the fly has the opportunity to lay eggs on it. Next, an open glass is put in the shade. After two to three days, it is tightly closed. It is important that the container is always in the shade, since in the sun the contents of the glass will dry out and the larvae will die.
Judging by the reviews, this process should last no more than a week. After this period, it will be possible to remove the lid and remove maggots.
How to grow in a bottle?
Many fishing enthusiasts breed maggots in plastic bottles. For this purpose, cut off the upper part. Then it is turned upside down and inserted back. You should get a small hole in which they put some stale product. Mostly the container is filled with rotten meat. You can also use fish. Next, the bottle is placed in the open air.
According to experienced anglers, the fly will lay eggs in a few hours. After the egg has been found, the plastic container can be put in the shade. The principle of this design is that the hatched larvae after four days begin to actively crawl and crawl deep into, namely, the bottom of the bottle, from which they can no longer get out. When this happens, they are simply poured into another container and fed with sawdust for several more days. When the maggots have reached the desired size, they are washed and sprinkled with fresh sawdust. After that, the bait can be taken to the pond.
About bone breeding
Another way fishing enthusiasts have resorted to. For breeding you need a large and hollow bone. It is better if there is a crack on one side of it. The essence of this method is that in the inner part left in the fresh air of the bone, the flies will lay eggs. Next, the bone is placed in a separate container. It feeds the larvae until they grow up.
Where else are maggots used?
According to experts, the cultivation of these larvae is considered a fairly profitable business. The fact is that maggots are in demand not only in fishing, but also in medicine. From larvae ground into flour, preparations are made for the treatment of cancer and the manufacture of cosmetics. In many European and American medical centers with the help of maggots, dead tissue and suppuration are removed from wounds. It is enough to put a live larva on the damaged area of the skin and after a few hours it will be clean. In addition, the larvae are used to make top dressing for domestic fish.
Judging by the reviews, many stores are buying for the sale of maggots bred at home. In this regard, many who want to earn extra money are interested in how to breed maggots for sale. In this business, you can not be afraid of competition. The reason for this is a very unpleasant smell, which not everyone can withstand. You can grow all year long.
How to breed maggot in winter?
To grow a feed larva, it is not at all necessary to wait for the summer. The process will take place without interruption if there is a specially equipped room with not very bright internal lighting. It is important that the temperature in it varies between 23-25 degrees, and the humidity level is from 50 to 70%. Consideration should also be given to ventilation. It is better to grow maggots in a place remote from residence. For example, in a country suburban area.
Those who decide to go in for this business need to purchase several plastic containers and a mosquito net. It is necessary in order to protect rotten meat from other insects. There should be no drafts in the room.