Natural baits

[Joshluke]

Now, I like to do things as cheap as possible, while keeping it as simple as possible. With this in mind, harvesting/collecting my own bait is preferable to buying it. There's a whole range of free bait for sea anglers, such as ragworm, lugworm, sand eel etc. What is there for coarse fishing? I can only think of worm, and elder berries for roach. I'm also choosing not to include maggots as it's more efficient to buy a pint for a couple of quid rather than get a meagre amount off a carcass.

[Barbelseeker]

Caddis, blackberry - even caught on mushroom (floating it like bread)

One of the cheaper baits, could be heart - finely minced with a sliver on the hook. There were great catches on the Trent about 20-30 years ago using steak and mince. I have fished on brown shrimp and caught well - Ken Clower - selling us and others his non-perfect shrimps he couldn't use for his salmon bait business. Alas - that source has now dried up. Have you a shrimp net?

[Harry H]

I've caught someone nice chub using slugs

[Aitch]

Many years ago I went fishing.. walked from Debden to Abridge and when I got to the stretch of the Roding I was goin to fish I found I'd left me bread behind... so miles from home what was a lad to do... go s**t kicking of course...!!! I wandered from cow pat to cow pat kicking them over, & finding all sorts of creatures to impale on my hook... leather jackets, slugs, brandlings, the odd lobworm on the pasture... all sorts... I ended up having a good day with some chub and dace, all caught on the "Fare o' the Field"

[Reedling]

I used to breed certain British native birds that used used insects to feed their young. To collect these I went out with a kind of upturned umbrella and beat bushes and branches with a stick from which insects fell into the device held underneath. I tried using various insects for fishing especially caterpillars as bait but it was rather hit and miss. Chub were the main taker on my local river Darent of the time. Of all the natural baits worm is head and shoulders above the rest in my eyes.

[Joshluke]

I never know what I'm looking for when after Caddis. I can't believe I forgot about slugs though, some beautiful big black ones on the banks of my local river. Think I'll stick to these rather than dog through the end product of a cow though lol.
Also forgot about Crayfish, although I understand it's a grey area legally - I wouldn't think twice about using a big signal for Perch. Supposedly quite tasty as well if you gather too many, with a licenced trap that is.

[Aitch]

I've been told that crayfish is banned as a bait as the native crayfish is protected and the signal isn't and someone could inadvertently use a native crayfish as bait... Shame really as I think Crayfish tails from the supermarket would make a superb bait

[Olly]

It is illegal to use Crayfish - of any sort.

EA Byelaw: -
You may not use crayfish of any species, whether alive or dead, (including any part of a
crayfish) when fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in any waters. This is a
national byelaw

[Joshluke]

Thought it was a slight dodgy to use them as bait, I wouldn't have done so anyway without checking the law. Of course, you do need a license to trap them. However, it is my understanding that if you inadvertently caught one while fishing, it is illegal to return an invasive crayfish back to the water. If that is true, I don't suppose it would hurt to keep it for the pot.

[Reedling]

It is illegal to use Crayfish - of any sort.

EA Byelaw: -
You may not use crayfish of any species, whether alive or dead, (including any part of a
crayfish) when fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in any waters. This is a
national byelaw

Am I right in saying that any pest species like this that is caught cannot be returned to the water and must be destroyed, the same goes for grey squirrels on land. If returned an offence is committed.