Casters

[Bob Brookes]

As I have written about before, I spent some of my early years (1945 to 1961) in a house with a tackle shop in the cellar. Bill (Knocker) Norris not only had a shop, and made some great rods, but also had a maggot farm. I was bought up knowing about the life cycle of various types of flies and so I was used to pinkies, gozzers, squats etc.

I regularly fished with the chrysalis in various ways. To me they were just the 'mowks' that had turned in the bait box. We recognised that the pale ones often produced a better stamp of fish when used on the hook. We also used the dark ones as 'floaters', often for the fast biting dace. We used to apply Mucelin line floatant, with a float fixed double rubber and no weights. Brilliant fast action fun!

What I am getting round to is that at no time did I ever hear the word 'caster'. To my certain knowledge Knocker never produced them commercially for sale. Much later in life, after I had my fishing sabbatical to get married, move house, have kids and rebuild a vintage car, did my fishing start again. I started fishing in earnest in the late 1970's. It is only after that time did I hear the word caster being used and I never knew the meaning.

Does anyone know from where and when did the name originate? When did casters start to become regularly used as bait on the match circuit? I guess there must be a writer or a book who can be attributed to having used the word first.

Or possibly it goes back further than my personal knowledge and I have just forgotten. It happens sometimes!

Bob

[AshbyCut]

In his book "Baits and Groundbaits" (Gilbertson and Page Ltd. 1950) 'Faddist' gives them only a single paragraph in 8 pages on 'Gentles or Maggots.'

He quotes directly from "Baits and Groundbaits for Match Fishing" by Mr. R. E. Fletcher, published at 1 shilling by Bury District Angling Society :-

"The chrysalis or 'casted maggot' is also used as a bait, and at times proves very successful. To prepare them, throw a good handful of casted maggots into a glass jar of water. Those chrysalides that sink are used sparingly for groundbait; the reddest of the 'floaters' are picked out for hook baits. There will be a large proportion of 'floaters,' and these are made to sink by pouring boiling water on them. This will enable you to get more 'sinkers' for groundbait."

[JerryC]

Interesting Ash, I always remember ‘gentles and chrysalis’ from the 50’s and at least the early 60’s – haven’t a clue when they became generally known as maggots and casters, it just seemed to happen.................

[AshbyCut]

'Faddist' begins his chapter with the words :-

"Gentles to the southerner ... maggots to the northerner" ... but then later states that "Mr. A. E. Bryant of Buckingham ... claimed the title of "The Maggot King" ... and that "by the late '30's cows had taken the place of horses (as the 'bait') and his factory was using the carcasses of from 80 to 100 cows every week and was sending out some 300 gallons of gentles weekly."

Perhaps 'Faddist' regarded Buckingham as 'north' !!!

[Kevin]

Bob, Benny Ashurst and Kevin to my knowledge,in the early seventies were the first to take casters down to the trent and won countless matches there and across the north west using them.

[Bob Brookes]

Bob, Benny Ashurst and Kevin to my knowledge,in the early seventies were the first to take casters down to the trent and won countless matches there and across the north west using them.

Thanks Kevin. So they became popular during my angling downtime after all. Did they coin the word caster too?

[Kevin]

I am not sure if they made the name Bob,there is a good chance it was them, being maggot breeders they were the first to offer them to all the northern tackle shops.

[Dave Burr]

I think it was done just to confuse you Bob,

As a kid it was always chrysalids and I well recall a mate catching a pound roach when he put one on 'just to try it'. For a while we used them all the time but caught next to nothing so went back to our 3d worth of maggots.

[AshbyCut]

I am not sure if they made the name Bob,there is a good chance it was them, being maggot breeders they were the first to offer them to all the northern tackle shops.

Can I refer you back to my earlier post ...

""Baits and Groundbaits for Match Fishing" by Mr. R. E. Fletcher, published at 1 shilling by Bury District Angling Society :-

"The chrysalis or 'casted maggot' is also used as a bait, and at times proves very successful."

As this was quoted in a book published in 1950, they must have been available prior to that date ... and presumably 'casters' is derived from 'casted maggots.'

Also in his book 'Freshwater Fishing Baits,' (An Angling Times Book. Published 1964) Bill Howes says :-

"The maggot chrysalid is a hookbait which is very successful at times. Northern Anglers call them casters, and fish them in the same float-fishing style as with maggots," so 'caster' was a term in common usage well before the 1970's.

[Kevin]

Thanks Ashby.