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Fishing baits series
Do you know your pinkies from your squatts? This series looks at the different types of angling baits, their history and how to use them successfully.
Maggots
Pinkies
Smaller than the standard large maggot, pinkies are the larva of the common greenbottle fly
Casters
Casters are the pupa stage of the common bluebottle fly that produce the large hook maggot
Maggots
Three are three types of maggot you can buy from your local tackle shop
Squatts
Squatts are the smallest type of maggot used by anglers
Live and dead baits
Hints and tips on what bait to serve up
Hemp and tares
Hemp seed has proved itself as probably the best of the particle baits for attracting and holding fish
Worms
Bloodworms and jokers
The larva of the midge, bloodworms are small, bright red, segmented larva with dark green heads
Chopped worm
Get it right and chopped worm fishing can be a very successful method on our waterways
Last Edited: 27 March 2026
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