Fishing Worms
A Beginner’s Guide To Fishing Worms
Fishing worms are one of the most popular types of bait and can be used with all types of fish. They are generally used in freshwater fishing and are a cheap and easy bait that does a good job snagging a wide assortment of different fish. Many an experienced fisherman swears by worms as their bait of choice and uses nothing else.
The two most common types of fishing worms are earthworms and night crawlers. An earthworm is smaller than a night crawler, and they can both be purchased at any bait shop or, even better, caught by hand right in the backyard. To catch worms for fishing, simply dig up some nice rich soil and the worms will be under the surface, plump for the plucking. This is best done after nightfall or before first light in the morning.
Pretty much all fish will eat a worm that is used as bait, but the fish in small ponds and rivers seem to like worms better than their lake-living cousins. The biggest trick with fishing worms is proper presentation of the worm. Some fishermen take their hook, puncture the worm and basically wrap it around a few times until they have a worm ball. Others get great results from using a set of gang hooks where most of the worm is left hanging. In general, the gang hook seems to present the worm in a more natural state so the fish are more likely to bite.
No matter which hook you choose, you can continue fishing with the same worm until a fish is caught. It is not necessary to change the worm unless it starts looking torn up and ragged. Always keep your fish in a cool spot while fishing. On particularly hot days a cooler with ice works just fine. Some fishermen even recommend putting an ice pack or plastic bag with some ice in it in their bait box to keep the worms fresh. A bucket full of soil and a bag of ice will also work, but be sure not to let the soil get too wet.
Don’t fret when an abundance of worms are caught or purchased and some are leftover after a fishing outing. You do not have to throw your excess worms away, because they can easily be stored in a container at home for several weeks or more. Just put them in a bucket or similar container with a couple scoops of rich soil or some peat and keep them out of the sunlight. Exposure to light will kill a worm in just about an hour, so it is important to store your worms in a fairly dark location.
Many fishermen successfully store their bait worms in a sealed container with a little dirt in the refrigerator. This keeps worms for at least another 3 or 4 weeks until the next fishing opportunity comes around.