Nightcrawlers and earthworms are one of the best fishing baits for a wide variety of freshwater fish including varieties of panfish. They provide the benefit of a live, active bait on the hook without the hassle that comes with keeping a bait fish alive on the hook. “So how can I get some?” You could just go to the tackle shop and buy a dozen worms for like $3, but where’s the fun in that. Why buy them when you can have fun catching them yourself.
To catch worms you will need a small container half-full of moist soil to put the worms in, a digging tool, some gloves (if you are afraid of getting your hands dirty), and a light source (if you are worm hunting in the dark). Make sure that the light isn’t too bright because the worms are sensitive to it and will retreat from it.
One way to catch the earthworms is to look under rocks, stumps, and logs. These are the perfect places for worms because it is moist, dark, and cool. When you lift the rock, stump, or log, you will need to grab the worms as quickly as you can because they will immediately start burrowing deeper. This is where the digging tool will come in handy.
Another method to catch nightcrawlers and earthworms is to search for them in the dark after a good hard rain. When the ground gets soaked, the worms come to the surface where they can be easily spotted and caught. Since they are sensitive to light, they only come out during the night, hence the name nightcrawler. If you don’t know when it’s going to rain, you can just heavily water your lawn for the same effect.
I’m sure there are other methods for catching worms, but these are the only ones that I have experience in. They have worked great for me, just about every time. Good luck fishing with your freshly caught bait.
No luck catching your bait. Follow these tips to make your own powerbait.
