Like a recipe I found this method consistent when breeding gents, known here in South Australia, a very successful bait for garfish, tommies or herring and many other species as well.

8 or so live gents on a size 7 limerick hook will catch multiple fish before rebating therefore a rapid way to catch your quota.

In SA there is a blow fly called a greenback. They produce good size gents. A smelly process and for the faint hearted a process to avoid, so buy them instead.

To reduce the smell place fish and only fish, in a small bucket. Heads are ideal, the least gut the better. Crunch up some news paper to cover the heads and hang in a shady spot on a hot day or out in the sun on a cool day.

Keep off the ground away from ants. Accumulate enough eggs, can't spell larvae to cover a 10 cent piece and you will have plenty to start breeding.

If you can't get enough, swat a few greenbacks and with tweezers squeeze.. You know what I mean!

You have controlled the quality of the end product.

Have bran, from fodder stores on hand, an old pillow case, Australian size news papers, ball of string and a pair of scissors.

Lay out the first layer of paper on a bench. Tip heads with blow and add more to pile, I find about 12 or 15 heads enough or fillet frames without gut another option.

Wrap tightly into a parcel at least 6 thicknesses of paper, tie up with string.

Place some bran in the cotton pillow case and place parcel inside. Tie the neck very tightly to stop ants and hang inside your toolshed close to the ceiling where it is hottest.

Bury if you don't like this but needs to be in very dry sandy soil impossible to get wet though.

In the shed in about 4 days you will hear the gents working their way out of the layers of paper and into the bran cleaning themselves while you wait. Say on the fifth day snip off the corner of the pillowcase and run the gents into a bucket. Should have plenty so avoiding the unwrapping and a smell some can't handle. Yes the smell is strong but now you can dispose quickly and your neighbours generally unaware.

When the gents appear clean place in Nescafe jars three quarters full and plenty of bran between the individual gents to prevent them touching too many around them. They can die when in the fridge as they sweat also when fishing keep shaded and before returning to fridge air them a little. They can last for weeks if refrigerated, not too cold and with your wife's permission kept In the door,,,, thank you darling!

Hope you find this interesting, a great bait especially in our gulfs as gents are a natural feed for mullet and garfish in particular as the fermenting sea grass on the waters edge at high tide, flies have laid their larvae and the process follows.

Graham