Caught a fish

What to do if you run out of worms?

We continue our traditional section Tips from experienced fishermen - how to quickly get worms while fishing - tips:

Where to look for worms?

It happens that the worms run out right during fishing. What a shame it is when the fish bites perfectly, but there is no bait! What to do? Don’t rush to reel in your fishing rods - worms can always be found on the shore, you just need to know where to look...

For example, between the hummocks it is always damp - tall sedge grows here and the sun cannot dry the ground because of the tall leaves. The dead sedge falls and worms always crawl under such propped litter.

Also, don’t be lazy to look for worms under fallen leaves near the trees - the worms here are nimble, hold the hook well and attract fish well.

If there is not a tree around, then try turning out the turf - there are pale pink ones in it - not the best the best option, but in this situation it will do.

In a marshy pond, look for trees and bushes. Such places will be a little higher, there is less moss, and the ground is damp. Short, thick worms are found here.

If you are lucky enough to find an aquatic plant called "kuga", then you can provide yourself with worms not only for real fishing, but also to prepare for use. Look for worms among the dead inflorescences of this plant. These red worms are very tenacious.

Worms can also be found under logs or boards lying on the shore, under horse or cow droppings.

If there is a plowed field near a pond, then look for worms in the outer furrow, under layers of earth turned over onto the grass.

As you can see, there is absolutely no need to go home because you run out of worms.

Among the variety of baits, worms for fishing remain a universal option. Predatory and peaceful species of fish bite well on them, they are unpretentious in storage, and the variety of species allows you to choose the best option. Avid fishermen breed worms for fishing on their own; amateurs prefer to dig up the required amount for a single catch.

Types of worms for fishing

This natural bait of natural origin has several advantages - ease of search, ability to quickly attach to the hook. Appearance, behavior and size depend on the species - the crawl, for example, is characterized by medium dimensions and is often found not only in the ground, but also on a hard surface after rain.

All types are suitable for fishing, but the most productive results were shown by the following:

• Large earthen or crawl. It belongs to the category of large ringed ones, the maximum size is up to 25 cm with a thickness of up to 9 mm. The earthworm is active when pressure changes and precipitation occurs. The crawler may not appear completely on the surface; when the soil shakes, it hides back. It does not live long in hot weather; it is necessary to store the crawlies in moist soil. They exhibit prolonged activity on the hook.
• Dung. Habitat: accumulations of organic matter, manure. The best place where you can dig up worms for fishing relatively quickly - farm areas, old sheaves of hay, straw. Smaller in size than the species described above, it prefers to form colonies, which is convenient for quickly collecting bait. Features - the presence of a specific odor; dung worms should be stored in moist soil in an airtight container. They have high mobility.
• For Australian earthworm special living conditions must be created. They are not found in the middle latitudes of Russia; they reproduce only under artificial conditions. If the breeding rules are followed, they quickly gain the desired length and weight and can remain in a sealed container for a long time without reducing activity.

Crawlers are more often chosen - worms are found in any soil and are easy to dig up. They quickly breed at home. There is also an alternative - silicone worms. Unlike living ones, they can be used repeatedly; there is no need to create special storage conditions. Artificial worms are sold in specialized stores or made independently. It is recommended to buy factory-made silicone worms, as they are much more durable than homemade ones and have a specific aroma.

Growing Basics

Before breeding worms at home, you should decide on their type. The least whimsical breed is the crawling breed for fishing. Standard soil is suitable for them; you just need to add a little organic fertilizer and bait. To make a worm box with your own hands, you can use a factory model of a vermicomposter as a base.

This is a plastic box with holes in the walls for draining condensate. The second container is made of a similar shape, but larger in size. The inner drawer is inserted into it at a slight angle to drain water.

How to breed worms at home:

• The soil. The recommended composition is humus and crushed cellulose (cardboard, thick paper). The ratio is 1:1. Humidity – up to 80%.
• Indoor microclimate. The temperature should vary from +17°C to +20°C. The lighting is not intense, about 60 W per 20 m². The ventilation flow speed does not exceed 0.5 m/s.
• Breeding stock. The optimal number of individuals is up to 1500 pieces. To breed 1-2 families you need 1 m³ of soil.
• Proper preparation of worms for colonization. Small depressions are made in the soil into which the worms are placed. Then the holes are filled in, top part the box closes. After 2-3 days you can add bait.
• What to feed earthworms at home. Rotten plants, cabbage leaves, and bread can be used as bait. To stimulate growth, add a small amount of coffee grounds.

Feeding with synthetic fertilizer is strictly prohibited. Also, worms will not reproduce as well when using chlorinated water. It is recommended to install containers to collect rainwater.

Where and how can you dig

The advantage of this type of bait is the variety of production sites. Traditionally, worms are dug up from the garden, but due to the relatively low habitat density, this will take a long time. An alternative is a short hike in the forest or to the nearest farm. You need to choose places where the soil is fertilized with organic matter.

These tips will help you optimize your bait harvesting time:

• The time is early morning. Increased soil moisture encourages worms to move closer to the surface.
• Creating vibration. Small vibrations in the soil give a signal that a mole may be nearby. This is also the reason for rising into the upper layers of the soil.
• Collect and store worms in an airtight jar. First, wet soil is poured into it.

Ways to create earth vibrations are to stick a wooden stick into the ground and rotate it, or put a metal sheet and lightly tap its surface. In 3-5 minutes the first specimens will appear from underground.

Storage methods

In addition to the breeding rules, you need to know how to preserve worms for fishing. If the time of production and the start of fishing is less than 1 day, the bait can be placed in a cloth bag, having previously covered it with fertilized soil. But this method is not suitable for long-term storage, as the soil will dry out quickly.

• a day before, transfer them to a warm place to increase activity;
• add anise or other flavoring to the soil to give it an attractive smell;
• An hour before fishing, place it in dry sawdust - this makes it easier to get the bait.

Place on the hook carefully, the maximum number of punctures is up to 3. B otherwise bait activity will decrease.

For effective fishing The behavior of worms should be as close to natural as possible. This is achieved by following the rules of cultivation, extraction and storage.

If you are a beginner entrepreneur, then at first you can not buy earthworms, but simply dig them up. This is not difficult to do, and if you are a fisherman, then you probably already have experience in this matter and you know how to get worms, but we will offer you a few more good ways emanating from his environment.

But to organize a farm, you may need more individuals than for fishing, so we will give you some tips on where to find worms, which will also be useful if you are just going fishing.

Habitat

So that the search is not in vain, you need to have an idea of ​​what the worms’ favorite habitat is, then its extraction will be much easier.

Let's start with the fact that during the daytime the worms are in the soil and constantly make moves in it. If the soil is soft, then the worm drills through it from the front. When doing this, he first presses the front of the body so that it becomes thin, and tries to push it forward between the lumps of soil. Then the front becomes thicker, pushing the soil apart, and the worm drags up the rest of its body.

If the soil is very dense, then the worm acts in a different way, namely, eats its way through. In this case, the earth passes through his intestines. Earth lumps can be found on the surface of the earth - the worm leaves them at night. They very often emerge from the ground to the surface when there is heavy rain (that’s why they call it an earthworm). IN summer season worms try to stay in the upper layers of the soil, and in winter they dig holes, the depth of which can reach two meters.

Where to look first

Under large objects

It’s good if such a place is constantly shaded and a little damp, in which case the extraction of worms there will definitely be successful.

For example, in our country, car tires are often buried in the ground, as if they were deliberately made not as tires for cars, but for fences. They are available in many yards. If you see a tire lying in the garden, don’t think twice about it in a shaded place, dig, you’ll definitely find it there. Also, if you see ordinary large stones, bricks, fragments of concrete slabs, or a lot of branches, logs, then there is a high probability that worms live there. This is their favorite habitat. Take a metal crowbar with you, otherwise you risk breaking your back.

Manure

In a dung heap, the extraction of worms is always successful; they have always been there and will always be there. This is probably explained by their taste preferences, it is not known for sure, but it is true, there are a lot of worms in the dung heap.

Sewage pit

You have certainly noticed places where puddles do not dry out for a long time; usually, they are in shaded places and often serve to drain water. An important condition is that the hole should not be near the road, as it is unlikely to find a worm there. You need to dig not only directly in the groove itself, but also near it.

Near the sewer

The situation is the same as with manure. The creatures have peculiar taste preferences and they adore it, which is disgusting for us. Apart from this, it is always damp and the extraction of worms in such places is very simple and always effective.

Video “Extraction using current”

This video shows how worms crawl out of the ground after voltage is applied to the area.

Places where there are no worms

• sand;
• dry cracked soil;
• land with many stones.

A few rules for where to find worms

You've probably often seen worms crawling on the ground almost under your feet. They are called "crawlers" and appear after a long period of heavy rainfall. At this time, experienced fishermen collect them and immediately go fishing, since worms called “crawlers” attract exceptionally well big fish. Much better than a regular worm.

An excellent option is to breed worms yourself. The method is not only convenient and versatile, but also environmentally friendly. But it can only be practiced in private farmsteads or in the country. The easiest way is to dig a hole in a shaded area and throw food waste there, i.e. everything that was not eaten, peelings, rotten potatoes, etc.

We believe that these tips will help you and the extraction of the worm will be more fruitful and simpler.

In order to be more successful in worm hunting in the area, you need to be a little more observant and this may seem strange to some, but it is worth watching how the birds behave. And then the problem of where to get worms will not be so difficult. Pay attention to where rooks gather; there are undoubtedly worms in such places.

But if there is no time for such research, then put into practice general knowledge about the habitat of these creatures. It is not difficult. All worms love damp, dark places; they can simply be found if you stir up a layer of last year’s foliage, in various damp holes and ditches, near streams and temporary river beds. Decayed wood and nettles also attract worms. It is very convenient to use an ordinary pitchfork rather than a shovel when searching for and pulling out worms from soil or manure. You can collect worms in the garden even when you are planting something on your plot of land or weed it. This is the easiest way to get worms.

It is very easy to create cozy conditions for worms in a specially designated area that is, first of all, convenient for you. You just need to spread some rags on the compost or manure pile and moisten it from time to time. With a high degree of probability, after a couple of days, worms will begin to gather under the rags, which will only have to be collected.

Worms harvested in the fall can be stored for a long time, for example, for winter fishing. In autumn and winter, they should be kept in a cellar or other place in a large container. For example, in a wooden barrel that needs to be filled about halfway. This is completely enough to store a fairly decent amount of worm. It has been noticed that dung and undergrowth are well preserved in winter, which in such simple conditions can begin to reproduce. Zemlyanoy is more demanding and under the wrong conditions simply dies. You need to add rotted and rotten leaves and remnants of vegetation to the soft soil. It is better and easier to feed the worm with leftover food that is mixed with soil and leaves.

How to get worms in winter and their habitat at this time.

Muckworm

This is the most delicious worm for fish and experienced fishermen prefer to fish with it. Dung worms are short and thick, making them easy to put on a hook. You can distinguish a dung worm by its color and habitat. The dung worm is red, sometimes mixed with yellow. If you crush it, it releases a yellowish liquid with a pronounced odor. These worms are found in rotting manure or under abandoned hay, as well as in old greenhouses. The main thing is that the soil is not too wet or too dry. Fish of the carp family are excellent at biting on this worm.

Earthworm.

It is larger than the dung worm and its color is gray like dust. Sometimes it has a hint of pink. Excellent for bottom fishing. Fish do not bite on it so readily and fishermen do not really like to use it. You can get it in the garden, where you dig up worms for fishing. Very often, when digging up a garden, you can stumble upon these worms. These worms hide in the ground at a depth that depends on the air temperature. The lower it is, the closer to the surface the worm is.

Subleaf.

This worm is bright red in color, sometimes tinged with purple. Such a worm is very easy to get; just go to the forest or other planting and look under the fallen, rotten leaves. They live right underneath it. These worms are quite large in size, but they are rarely used for fishing. This worm stops moving once it is hooked and loses its popularity with the fish.

Crawling out.

This is a very large worm. It can be about a centimeter thick and up to 30 long. It is very difficult to get such a worm, because their burrows go very deep and it is very difficult to dig it out. But you can take it with cunning. You need to go to the well-trodden paths in the garden or park and take a closer look. Seeing piles of earth and moving them, you can see round holes. This is the habitat of the crawl. Now you need to wait until nightfall and come to the place. By shining a flashlight on the “houses” you can see that the worm is lying nearby. You need to carefully grab it with three fingers and pull it out, otherwise it can deftly crawl into the ground. This worm is great for catching big fish.

Green worm.

Found in a specific area. In swamp hummocks, watery meadows, oily soil, near reeds. Digging for such a worm is troublesome, because it is easiest to get it in the spring, when it is not hot. In summer it can burrow into the ground up to three meters. Excellent for fishing medium and large fish. Does not freeze on the hook and is not torn by small fish.

Water underleaf.

Just like an ordinary subleaf, it lives under the foliage. Only in aquatic plants. Can be found on water lilies or lilies. Carp and rudd bite well on it, because it is their natural food and favorite treat.

Zheleznyak.

Great bait for predatory fish. Lives in clay soil, for example, on the banks of rivers. Such a worm needs to be prepared, kept in moss for several days so that it acquires a lighter color and gets rid of the unpleasant odor.

In general, most worms love moisture and coolness, so you need to look for them in places that meet these conditions. It is easier to dig up worms in summer and spring, late autumn and in winter it is more difficult. Therefore, if it was not possible to prepare worms for cold times, then you need to go to compost or manure heaps and . The ground there is moist and warm, which makes it an excellent wintering place for the worm.