In Britain there are some 25 types of earthworm, but out of these only 6 are of any real use to the angler. The lobworm (Lumbricus terrestris), the Redworm (Bimastrus foetida), the Brandling (Eisenia rosea, Eisenia foetida andrei, Eisenia foetida foetida, Eisenia sp.),Dendrabaenas (dendrabaena veneta), the Bloodworm (Chironomous sp.) and the Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) although the last two are not worms but they are grubs. The bloodworm is the grub of the adult midge, and the mealworm the grub of the darkling beetle also known as the Flour Beetle, so I will not be reviewing these in any great detail.
Lobworms ==========
Lobworms, also known as dew worms, are the largest and easiest worm to find. They may be collected from lawns, cricket pitches or even football pitches. The best time to harvest these worms is just after a heavy shower, or failing that go out after dark armed with a torch. If you tread lightly you will be able to creep up on your intended prey, now you should be able to see the worm lying on the surface of the grass. The worm must be caught quickly, you can do it by placing one of your fingers over the worm where it enters the ground and press firmly. With your other hand take hold of the worms head and gently pull.If you find the worm is a little slippy you should dip your fingers in some sand, this will allow you to hold it
easily. You have to be very gentle when you tease worms out because it's very easy to snap the worm in two, and a worm that is broken is a dead worm. Do not believe the stories about it turning into two worms, it simply isn't true. There are some kinds of worm that will regenerate after being broken, but the ones mentioned in this review do not. If you don't want to collect your own you can purchase them but expect to pay in the region of £30 for 200 large or £15 for 100 small lobworms.
Redworms ==========
This is quite a small species and usually grows to about 4in long. They live in compost heaps, under rotting logs or under any large object in your garden. This makes it really easy to collect these as your bait. These too can be purchased, £10 for 75g
Brandlings ==========
The brandling is similar in size to the redworm, however it is easy to distinguish between the two since the brandling has yellowish rings around its shiny red body. This worm can be collected from compost heaps, or for the more adventurous from manure piles. If you want to purchase these expect to pay in the region of; £28 for 100 Eisenia foetida andrei £28 for 100 Eisenia foetida foetida £6 for 30 Eisenia sp. (smaller alternative to Lumbricus)
Dendrabaenas =============
These are a tough and lively worm that survive longer than any other worm in cold conditions. They can be found quite readily in compost heaps, and are the anglers preferred choice of bait. They can be kept, in a container with air holes and moist bedding, in a cool spot and they will survive for several weeks. You can purchase these worms too; £25 for 1kg large worms (appoox 600 worms) £35 for 1kg small worms (approx 2000 worms)
Bloodworms ===========
As I said earlier these are not worms, but since a lot of anglers use these as bait I thought I should give them a mention. The midge larva is often found in the silt of many stagnant waters since they can tollerate very low levels of oxygen. They grow to 15mm and are quite hard to collect, so I suggest that you spend a few pounds at a local dealer if you intend on using them. The cost of these varies greatly so I can not state any price guide.
Mealworms ==========
This is another grub, and NOT a worm. The grub has 6 small legs which are jointed, and grow to 1in long. These mealworms are readily available from many pet stores since they are used for feeding birds by many bird-watchers. Mealworms cost in the region of £12 for half a kilo.
Cleaning your worms ==================
The best way to clean and toughen your worms is to put them in a container with damp sphagnum moss. They will readily burrow through this medium, taking off all the soil and polishing their skins as they go. The moss can be purchased from any good flower shop, if you don't have any growing in your lawn. If you see a dead or dying worm in your container at any time you should remove it immediately because one dead worm tends to increase the mortality of the rest.
Hooking a worm ==============
It is very important to hook a worm in the correct way as this makes sure that it stays on the hook and will look natural. If you use a whole worm it can be hooked absolutely anywhere along its length, however if it is very long you should hook it in a couple of places feeding the first part up the shank of the hook. If you intend on using only a part of a worm, the head, you should hook it through the cut end since this is where all of the juices will leech out into the water making it more inviting to any feeding fish. Under no circumstances should you cover all of the hook. It is better to have a natural looking worm that wriggles freely than one that looks knotted.
Worm Soup ==========
Many pole anglers these days use chopped worms as a soup to attract fish. This is made by chopping the worms until they turn into a liquid. This soup is then cupped into the swim with the use of a pole cup. The juices then attract many different species of fish......but there is no food for them to eat so they readily take your baited hook. This is one of the best uses of worms in my opinion, and it leads to great action.
Lets make a Wormery ==================
Compost Bin Some wood Some Gravel A Tap An Old Gro-bag
First you should fit a tap to your compost bin about 2in up from the base. Now you should put enough gravel into the container so that the tap is below the surface of the gravel. This is done to ensure that any excess moisture can be drained off without the tap becoming clogged, since too much water kills your worms. Now you should place several pieces of wood over the top of the gravel to stop any soil/compost from gathering in the base. With that done an old gro-bag's contents should be tipped in and gently forked. This is to put a little air into the soil so the worms will be able to burrow through this medium. And finally you can add some worms, try and use dendrabaenas, brandlings or redworms since this is their natural habitat. Under no circumstances should you put any lobworms in your wormery as they will die and in doing so will kill off all of your healthy worms.
To feed your worms is quite simple, first dig several small holes into the surface of your compost, now introduce small amounts of worm food into each of these holes and cover them over with a little soil. The holes where you put the food should be checked every few days, if they have eaten it all then put some more in but if it's still there, and going mouldy, it should be removed and fresh food placed in.
Good Worm Food ===============
Coffee grounds Tea bags Fruit (chopped) Veg peelings Cereals Anual weeds (not seed heads) Bread Green leaves Cow/Horse manure
Bad Worm Food ==============
Meat Fish Baked beans Rice Pasta Cooked potatoes Grass (lawn mowings) Diseased plants Dog/Cat poo (may contain parasites)
Well I hope you have found this information of use, I thought I should tell you how to make a productive wormery so that you will be able to save a few pounds or even make a few if you know a few anglers.
Many thanks for taking the time to read this review
Pictures of Worms
Redworm
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
(+) Cheap to do when done correctly, good results. (-) FEAR FACTOR - You will look silly if you do it without results. Difficult to carry a large amount.
Advantages: Can be used to catch virtually any freshwater fish, cheap to obtain Disadvantages: Sticky fingers after handling them, can be awkward to get on the hook when they start wriggling.
duck1979 05.02.2005 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Worms
Advantages: A economical bait that WILL catch you fish whatever the season and weather. Disadvantages: Lugworms are hard to come buy, try digging where you find 'casts' at low-water. And mind the PINCERS!
WallyD321 08.05.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Worms
Advantages: Cheap (From fishmongers) Useful ingredient in bait 'cocktails' Disadvantages: Expensive (From Fishmongers and supermarkets) no real use as a stand-alone bait.
WallyD321 10.05.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Squid
Advantages: cheaper and more effective than commercial groundbaits. Disadvantages: The only disadvantage I find, is that you have to make it your self.
casterman 10.03.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Groundbaits
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