How to Catch Night Crawlers

Save on bait and catch your own night crawlers.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• You will need a damp grassy area at dusk, a flashlight, and a container such as a coffee can.

1. Did it rain today? If not, you need to turn on your yard sprinkler an hour or so before dusk. The ground needs to be fairly moist to lure the big juicy night crawlers up for harvesting.

2. While the ground is being moistened, get a coffee can or similar container that will hold enough night crawlers for the fishing adventure you have planned. It needs to have crawler bedding in it. This consists of a combination of shredded paper, loose soil, dry cornmeal, and dried grass. This is the best bedding to keep those night crawlers fresh and lively.

3. Just before dusk turn off the sprinkler. You can carry your container with you, but I have found it is better to set it in a central location. That way you have one hand for your flashlight and one to catch night crawlers with.

4. Now you are ready to catch some night crawlers! They can be fast and they sense ground vibration, so be sure to walk softly to your first spot. Stop and stand still for about 30 seconds. Lean over so you are close enough to reach them when you turn on your light. Have you free hand close to the ground and turn on the flashlight.

5. When the night crawlers are laying on top of the ground all you have to do is pick them up. Sometimes though, they will only be about half way out of their hole. Just remember to be gentle and go slow when pulling them out of the ground. If you do break any in half, leave both halves behind. If they survive, there will be two next time. If not, there will be bird food in the morning. Either way you will not have half of a night crawler threatening the survival of your bait.

Tips & Warnings

• If you smoke cigarettes, use insect repellant, spill gasoline, or get any other unnatural scent on your hands you need to have a way to get it off before touching your bait. I carry a can of plain dirt with me if I am out in a boat fishing. It is easy to remedy the situation on shore, but when in a boat the dirt is handy to rub your hands in to keep the natural scent. If you are using artificial bait, you may want to add coffee grounds to the dirt. It works to attract most fish.

[krankit8]

on 5/24/2009 "Either way you will not have half of a night crawler threatening the survival of your bait." How will nightcrawlers that have been ripped in half threaten the survival of the rest of them? I've never heard that before and would really like to know a little more about that.