Maggot Fishing At Rookery Waters

We hope you enjoyed our Match Masterclass video; Maggot Fishing At Rookery Waters where Steve Crowe talks you through maggot fishing and how to give your maggots an extra boost.

To help you follow Steve’s tactics and tips from Rookery Waters, we have broken down the fishing tackle that Steve used in this Match Masterclass video and the reasons behind why they were effective in the session.

Pole Floats: Advanta X5 Carp Pencil Float & Advanta X5 Carp Slim Float

Having the correct pole float is critical to presenting your bait in the desired way. When fishing through the water Steve chooses a carbon stem float as it allows him to easily identify bite indication as his bait is falling. Alternatively, when fishing a positive stable rig, Steve opts for a wire stem float to anchor his bait into position.

Rig Line: Advanta X5 Rig Line

Although your choice of rig line varies for each venue and target fish, a strong reliable line will give you the confidence you need. For this session at Rookery, Steve used 0.18 mainline with a 0.16 hooklink.

 Elastic: Matrix Slik Elastics

Since Steve changed to Matrix Slik elastic he has never looked back. The Slik elastic acts like the perfect hybrid elastic as you can get the stretch of hollow elastic but after a few pulls on the puller bung you notice the power of a solid elastic. With the fish averaging 1-5lb during Steve’s session, he used the sized 12-14 orange Slik elastic.

Toss Pots: Matrix Flexible Toss Pots

For Steve, most of his fishing relies on accuracy, so he finds that utilising a toss pot allows you to feed in exactly the same spot every time. Steve uses the Matrix Flexible pots as they can be adjusted in size and come supplied with a variety of lid options.   

Fishing Hooks: Matrix MXC-1 Medium Spade End Barbless Hooks

As anglers, we can be a bit fussy with hooks as there is always the challenge of trying to find the best shape and pattern for each occasion. However, Steve finally settled on the MXC range from Matrix for his fishing session. Within this range of fishing hooks you will find a hook to suit all your angling needs, the fact they are also PTFE coated is another big plus.   

Shot: Guru Micro Shot

It is important to have a shot that doesn’t damage your line as the last thing you need is to lose that match-winning fish due to your shot creating a weak point in your rig. For all of Steve’s pole rigs he uses the Guru Micro Shot as these are nice and easy to apply and don’t damage your line.

Seat Box: Matrix S36 Super Box Lime inc Shallow Trays

When fishing with long poles, especially in windy conditions its important you sit comfortably. The Matrix S36 is certainly at the higher end of the range, but it does offers extreme comfort and can easily be adjusted to suit your needs. 

 Pole Rollers: Matrix Freeflow Quad Roller

Pole rollers are often over-looked and something anglers spend very little money on compared to the fishing pole itself, however, having a pole roller that is firstly friendly on the delicate carbon, and secondly fully adjustable to suit uneven banks will ensure you can fish effectively and protect your pole from damage.

Fishing Nets: Matrix Carp Landing Net & Matrix Carp Keepnet

Fish care is the most important part of fishing so using a fish-friendly mesh on both your landing net and keepnet will ensure all the fish are returned safely. Steve uses a 55 x 45cm landing net from Matrix as it is extremely light and easy to scoop fish at your first opportunity.  

Fishing Bait: Mainline Match Pellet Colourant Additive 100ml

It is hard to find a better bait than maggots as almost all species of fish eats them. However, if you are looking for a way to boost your maggots to the next level, try adding a few drops of the Mainline flavoured liquid. This bait liquid has proven very successful for Steve over the last few years.

TOP TIP: Be careful not to add to much liquid as this will cause your maggots to float, a few drops is all you need!

For anyone that is yet to watch Steve’s Match Masterclass video on maggot fishing, watch the video below.