The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Apparently the first known use of corn as a hook bait was with the Dresden anglers before the war.

Just as a matter of interest, how do you prepare the hook - a single kernel or a number pierced to cover the whole hook?

Sometimes a single kernal, sometimes the smallest I can find. sometimes the biggest I can find sometimes 2 sometimes 3. Just depends. I always have a tin of sweetcorn inthe basket and I think there is a couple in the car too. Sometimes I use flavoured, sometimes red. For such a little basic bait theres lots of presentation ways

All sorts of people have made claims about the use of "Sweetcorn".
Without wishing to get involved in the claims and arguments I will detail the first mention and what is known in print.
Leslie P Thompson, in his book "Fishing in New England", 1200 copies, printed by the Chiswick Press 1955 but only sold in the USA makes reference that he first heard of Niblets Sweetcorn from a Polish angler.
His diary for 7th September 1935 makes the first [US] reference catching a carp of 11 1/2lbs from the Charles River at Dedham on corn and continues throughout his diaries.
He further went on to describe [and sketch] "The Hatch-Thompson corn carrier or ground baiter" which you would recognise today as a 'spod'.
As an aside he also made a baiting spoon [and used floating crust for carp fishing May 26th 1945].
This was published in the UK in the "Fishing Gazette" 30th March 1946.

Mike

Mike Wilson wrote:All sorts of people have made claims about the use of "Sweetcorn".
Without wishing to get involved in the claims and arguments I will detail the first mention and what is known in print.
Leslie P Thompson, in his book "Fishing in New England", 1200 copies, printed by the Chiswick Press 1955 but only sold in the USA makes reference that he first heard of Niblets Sweetcorn from a Polish angler.
His diary for 7th September 1935 makes the first [US] reference catching a carp of 11 1/2lbs from the Charles River at Dedham on corn and continues throughout his diaries.
He further went on to describe [and sketch] "The Hatch-Thompson corn carrier or ground baiter" which you would recognise today as a 'spod'.
As an aside he also made a baiting spoon [and used floating crust for carp fishing May 26th 1945].
This was published in the UK in the "Fishing Gazette" 30th March 1946.

Mike

Seems whatever someone thinks of as new in angling its been done before - usually a long time before

Mike, I can confirm that the carp in the Charles River are still very partial to sweetcorn!

Garry

I know you are correct as i have a few ex pat friends in the US of A who also find the same on the St Laurence [spelling?]. They pop on this site from time to time and might post.
Currently trying to convince some States the economic benefit of Catch and Return of carp which hitherto are known as trash fish. It will be an unhill struggle as they have to overcome years of history.
We will win in the end as money talks.

Mike

Mike - I worked in Cambridge Massachusetts from 2000-2006. Before we moved there I sold up most of my UK-style specialist tackle, anticipating a totally different type of fishing. Only to find the locals I befriended were mad about carp fishing! Apart from one or two they were pretty new 'converts' and so woudn't hear of doing anything else. Of course they craved boilies, but they were hard to come by then and sweetcorn and maize were better anyhow. The carping was good fun, but I did so much of it that since returning to the UK I find myself completely 'carped out'.

ive used sweetcorn since i started fishing and have just starting ,or tring to cook Maize for hair rigs,not sure if cooking it right..im soaking it for 24 hours and then boiling for ten minutes...........any advice fellow Anglers :-)

Not used maize for ages, but I used to soak it for about 2 days, and then boil it for about 20-30 minutes. I kept fishing out a few grains to test their softness. I liked it so you could 'squish' the grains, but not too soft.