How to catch night crawlers (Fishing Worms)

Worms have always been popular bait for bobber, hook and line fishing. Before all the fancy store bought baits there have always been worms.

One fun and free way of getting fishing worms without going to the store and buying them is by going hunting for night crawlers.

Night crawlers are large worms that live deep in the earth during the day and come to the surface after heavy rain storms and at night. Hunting night crawlers can be fun and productive.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flashlight
• coffee can or worm box
• moist grass, shredded newspaper or dirt

1. 
   Night Crawler coming out of the ground

   Night crawlers are large earthworms known for coming to the surface of your yard at night and after heavy rains. They are great for bobber, hook and line fishing. If you do not have a yard that has been treated with pesticides or weed killers you probably have lots of night crawlers to catch. You can also search for them in your vegetable garden, parks and mowed fields.
   
   Watering your yard heavily just before dark helps in hunting for night crawlers because it forces the worms to the top surface of your lawn. Cutting the grass makes them easier to see and catch.

2. 
   earthworm coming out of its hole

   To catch a night crawler you need an hand held flashlight and a container for keeping the worms in. Turn off the exterior lights to your yard before it gets dark. Once again watering your yard prior to hunting helps bring the worms to the surface.
   
   Now take the flashlight in your left hand (if right handed) and bending over shine the light into the grass. Walk slowly stopping and looking for night crawlers all or part way out of their holes.

3. 

   Grabbing a night crawler. you want to grab your night crawler with your thumb and forefinger where the worm is coming out of the ground. Once you have a good hold on it, pull evenly and slowly to get the worm out of the hole. If you pull too hard you will tear the worm in half (still alive and useable for bait). If you let go the worm will disappear down the hole and be gone for that night anyway.
   
   Continue working up and down the yard, going quietly and slowly. Many of the worms will go in their holes as soon as you shine a light on them so you must be quick. You will get better with practice. It is easier and more fun if you have two people hunting night crawlers, having one hold the container and the other catch the worms then switch. Catching a dozen or so worms should be about right for bobber, hook and line fishing.

4. 
   Night Crawler Fishing

   Keeping Night Crawlers alive: Night crawlers can be kept in a plastic coffee "can", Styrofoam drink cup with a lid, or a worm box. Make certain they are covered, they will escape. The container should be filled with damp grass, peat moss or loose dirt (potting soil works). They must be kept damp and cool. To wet and they drown and too dry or hot and they shrivel up and die.
   
   Night crawlers can be kept alive in a covered Styrofoam cup in your refrigerator for about a week.
   
   Use them for fishing. Any left can be kept for the next day or released into your yard, garden or on the lake or river bank. Good luck hunting and fishing!

Tips & Warnings

• Water your lawn in the evening before hunting.
• Turn off your porch lights prior to hunting.
• Pull slowly and steady to pull worms from the ground.
• Keep night crawlers cool and damp.
• keep covered or night crawlers will escape from their container.

[macusersguide]

on 7/12/2009 Right on. I used to do this as a kid. I was going to write this article but you've covered everything. One tip: if you go for a "double" don't try to grab them where they're attached or you won't get a good grip and will likely lose both. Instead grab as close to where they come out of the ground as possible. If you're lucky you'll get both but it's hard to master the double grab technique. By the way, to those who've never tried this before: it's actually a lot of fun!