Maize Getting the Job Done

Maize is a large, tough corn, and is much more durable than sweet corn. For the last two weeks, this is the only bait I have been using.  Pests such as sun turtles and horned pout have a difficult time stealing maize off your hook or hair rig.  Look at the pic at the right. Sweet corn is in a pile on the right side of my hand while maize is on the left side. 

You can purchase maize, mostly in a flavored variety from online bait stores. Fruity or alcohol flavors tend to work well at this time of year. You can also prepare your own very cheaply. To do this you will need to buy a 50 lb. bag of whole corn from an animal feed store such as Agways or Tractor Supply (cost is $12-14). To prepare this dried corn from the bag, fill a large pot about a quarter full with the corn and add water.  Let that sit overnight or for about 4-6 hours.  Next, boil it.  Once the water is boiling, let it cook for exactly 35 minutes.  At that time, take the pot off the heat and let it cool down.  During this cooling process the maize will absorb a lot of water, so you might need to add more water to the pot.
Once finished, I pack the maize I want to chum into plastic containers and refrigerate for later use.  I might also pack some into a container, add some flavoring and use that to fish with.
It's about the best bait to use during the summer months to fish for carp here in RI.