How To Krill Maggots

A lot of people use live maggots for fishing and while this does have its advantages, it is often a good idea to use them dead. But simply killing the maggots and popping them in your bait box is never going to end well.

However, krilling your maggots gives you the advantage of being able to keep them in the freezer until you need them and is a great way of mass-producing bait, leaving you with more time to get on with the more important things; like fishing!

In this article, we are going to be looking at how to krill maggots as well as giving you some other handy tips on using this incredibly popular type of bait.

What Are Krilled Maggots?

You can buy krilled maggots that have been pre-prepared and can simply be defrosted when you need to use them. But where’s the fun in that? Part of what makes angling such an interesting sport is the experimentation of creating baits and seeing what works best for you.

If you are looking to attract an abundance of fish species then krilled maggots are one of the best options out there. This is because the pungent aroma of these maggots spreads great distances and brings in an incredible array of fish.

What Are Krill?

Krilled maggots are essentially dead maggots that have been infused with krill and frozen. Krill are tiny crustaceans that are found in almost all oceanic areas of the world. They are a favourite food for sea fish and as such, make the perfect attractor for those who love sea fishing.

However, it is unlikely that you are going to have access to a bucket load of krill for dusting over your bait. Fortunately, many angling suppliers have a range of krill powders that can be just as effective, if not more so than their fresh counterparts.

Why Are Krilled Maggots So Effective

As we have discussed, when you krill maggots, you are coating them in an extremely strong-smelling powder and this does wonders for attracting fish. However, there are many more benefits to using this type of bait and if you have been struggling with getting a decent net full, then it is no secret that the problem may lie in your bait.

The Advantage Of Dead Maggots

If you have considered every other possible angle; the weather, breeding season, the water conditions, your equipment, and everything else, it is possible that trying krilled maggots might help you to up your game.

The maggots are dead, and that is a massive advantage. Yes, live bait will serve to attract the fish through movement but the fish need to be a little closer, whereas smell travels a lot further. What’s more, these maggots will not have any chance of wriggling away from your swim.

They are also extremely diverse. Not only can you use krilled maggots directly on the hook for fishing but you might also consider mixing them into ground baits or spod mixes. Your options are pretty much endless.

A rudd caught on krilled maggots — A nice rudd caught on Krilled maggots

One of the most notable things about krilled maggots is that they make excellent bait for fishing in the winter. That being said, many anglers find that they are just as effective in warmer weather making them incredibly diverse.

Fortunately, pretty much anyone can get started with krilling maggots and you don’t need any specialist equipment; apart from your krill powder but this is certainly not difficult to come by. Most good tackle shops will sell this and there are lots of products that can be purchased online.

The first thing you will need to do is to source your maggots; your usual supplier will be fine.

Step 1 – Clean Your Maggots

Before you begin the process, it is vital that you ensure your maggots are clean. You can do this by rinsing them and straining them in a maggot riddler. After this, and to make things more humane, you can place the maggots into the fridge for around two days. This process will stun them.

Step 2 – Add Krill Powder

Now that you have got your maggots prepared, it is time to add the krill powder. It is important to invest in a good quality krill powder. Things to look out for to determine this are that it has a strong smell, it is buoyant and it is made from premium quality krill.

For half a pint of maggots, you should use between one and two spoonfuls of krill powder, but this largely depends on personal preference. Some people like to add more and others less.

Step 3 – Leave Overnight

If you plan to use the maggots fresh, then we would suggest leaving them overnight to allow the krill powder to soak in and really infuse that potency into the grub. Some anglers believe that the maggots will actually eat the krill powder, and this can make them all the more attractive to fish.

However, a lot of anglers will want to freeze their krilled maggots and this is also a good way to infuse the krill flavour and preserve the maggots until you are ready to use them. What’s more, freezing them will kill the maggots and that is one of the major draws of using this type of bait.

How To Freeze Maggots

Once your krill powder is on, you can prepare the maggots for freezing. The good news is that even if you do not want to krill the maggots, you can still freeze them by using the following method.

Be sure to put your maggots into an airtight container. The best thing to use here is a polythene bag from which you can remove all of the air.
Tie the bag up securely making sure that no air can get into the bag. This is important as if there is air present in the bag when freezing, this could cause the maggots to go black.
Place the bag of maggots in the freezer and allow it to freeze entirely.
You can remove the bag of krilled maggots three to five days after and defrost them when ready to use.

When To Defrost Maggots

When it comes to defrosting the maggots, some people like to take them out of the freezer and simply pop them into the bait box, allowing them to defrost on route to their favourite fishing spot. However, there are others who find that defrosting them first is a better option.

If you are going to do this, we would advise leaving them in the bag and placing this into a bowl of lukewarm water.

Do not place the maggots directly into the water as there is a risk that some of the krill powder will wash away making the bait less effective.

Conclusion On Krilling Maggots

Maggots are one of the first baits that many people learn to fish with but you don’t always have to use them as they are.

Krilling maggots is a great way to make them more attractive to fish and this type of bait is excellent for colder months. When we look at how to krill maggots, we see how easy this process is and how effective it can be. All you need are some maggots, krill powder, and a freezer.