Go to bait?

I like to use waxworms or butter worms fished under a slip bobber. Big bluegill love butter worms, they can't help themselves. Attachment 136489

I've never seen them not bite crickets, but if I went artificial I'd stay with a beetle spin, grub, or hair jig tipped with a crappie nibble. Stay small 1/32 or even 1/64 oz. lure!

...also, my father in law used to do really well with meal worms:)

The best bait I have ever found for gills was called English Maggots at the marina at Lake Fork where I bought them. They were just regular maggots that had been kept in a dye solution to make them red, blue and green.

Gills could not resist them and you would catch two-three gills on each one before you had to re-bait. We used to fill a large ice chest using this bait every time we went to Lake Fork. Our elderly neighbor loved them and would ask us to bring back a chest full every time she saw us taking the boat out.

I now use pieces of uncooked hot dogs since I no longer trailer my boat since I am elderly myself now. So I don't go to Lake Fork any more and the local marina has never heard of English Maggots. (nor much of anything else other than night crawlers and minnows. )

The action is not as fast with pieces of hot dogs as it were with the English Maggots, as hot dogs don't have the wiggle that attracted the gills. :) But it is still fast enough to provide the action when the crappies are not cooperating. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ezgoing

The best bait I have ever found for gills was called English Maggots at the marina at Lake Fork where I bought them. They were just regular maggots that had been kept in a dye solution to make them red, blue and green.

Gills could not resist them and you would catch two-three gills on each one before you had to re-bait.... So I don't go to Lake Fork any more and the local marina has never heard of English Maggots. (nor much of anything else other than night crawlers and minnows. )

---

One of the great mysteries of my fishing life is why maggots are not more popular. They are by far the best bait I have ever used. Like you say, though, most bait shops have never heard of them. I have to order mine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by deathb4disco

One of the great mysteries of my fishing life is why maggots are not more popular. They are by far the best bait I have ever used. Like you say, though, most bait shops have never heard of them. I have to order mine.

---

Where do you order them?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ezgoing

Where do you order them?

---

Vados Bait Express: Maggots - Live Bait Store - A Local Minnesota Live Bait Delivery Service Offering you live Leeches, Night Crawlers, Wax & Meal Worms, Mousees & Maggots

Grubco :: Grubco :: Fly Larvae

I'm gonna have to try shrimp pieces!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by no luck

Now that gills have sen crickets and worms of 3 months what bait do you use?

---

I have been doing real good with my Mealworm Pupa.

1/64 oz hair jigs under a bobber have been working for us lately.