If you know where and how to look for worms, you can easily meet all of your summer needs from the abundant worm beds that exist in nature. Worms are a favorite bait of many fishermen, and searching for worm beds is an activity that demands many of the skills of a prospector. Even modern techniques of worm production have difficulty matching the natural supply produced in good worm country.
River beds and moist areas along the banks of creeks are potential locations for worm colonies. Try places where dry and moist soil merge. Although large bodies of standing water are not conducive to worm beds, occasional pockets of water near these larger areas often produce large quantities of worms.
Look for ditches that carry spring water to a creek or river. A slightly deeper depression along this course acts as a pocket and holds water as the banks and main channel dry up. Insects come to the moist area under their own power or are swept in with rotten leaves and topsoil. There are a large number of insects in these pockets.
Blue-nose or duck worms can be seen just below the surface of the water or around the edges of dirt. No special equipment is required to dig up worms. A bucket can be filled with a few scoops from a shovel or by hand.
The time to look for insects is after spring flows have subsided. They can be found in large quantities until hot weather drives them into marshy lands, where they spread over a large area, making them difficult to find in quantity.
The two to five inch worms prove hardy when kept in cool, moist and dark conditions. Gather your summer supplies and prepare a washtub by filling it with some dirt, worm bedding (it’s much like moss and you buy it in dried form), and rotten leaves. Place the insects on a soaked piece of burlap placed over bedding material. After a day you will find that the healthy worms have entered the sack and the weak or injured worms remain on top. These should be picked up and thrown away.
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A dark corner of the basement is a good place for tub storage. If your family objects, dig a hole in a shady area of your yard. Keep the insects cool and moist with extra wet sacking, and place a wooden cover over the tub to trap excess water. Frequent spraying during hot weather is necessary if you expect the insects to remain in top shape.
Insects kept for any long period of time require food. Buy some powdered molasses from a feed or grain store and sprinkle a few handfuls of molasses on the worm bed each week to keep your bait healthy.
This story was originally published in the June 1968 issue of Outdoor Life.
