by Russell Roper

Created on: November 30, 2008

Night Crawlers have been a primary fish bait for numerous species for as long as people have fished. While you can always stop by your local bait shop and pick up a tub or two there are several good ways to to catch your own. This will not only save some money, but you can have a little fun too.

One of the easiest ways to gather night crawlers is after a good rain or soaking down an area with the garden hose. It does have to rain fairly well so the ground is well saturated. When the rain stops its time to grab your coffee can and start gathering your prize. The worms will come to the surface since their underground home has been overly flooded. But don't restrict yourself to your yard, you will also find them on the sidewalks, driveway, etc., trying to escape the water. This is not the only way to fill your bait supply though, give them a "shock".

This has always been my favorite method of gathering large numbers of night crawlers. The "Shock System" consists of two metal rods, an old electrical light cord, and rolls of electrical and duct tape. Take the "cut" end of the electrical cord and separate it up the middle until you have two single strands approximately 13 inches long. Leave the rest of the cord in tact. Strip enough of the plastic protective covering off of each of the single strands to expose about 3 inches of bare wire.

Now, using two pieces of 1/4 inch round bars approximately 18 inches long, wrap one wire tightly around the top of each bar. Be sure you have enough wire to go around the bar a minimum of five times. This is where the tape comes in. Take a section of duct tape about 8 inches long and split it length wise so you end up with two separate pieces. Use one piece and and wrap it around the the wire, insure there is no slippage. Now, take the second length of tape and go over the top of the bar and continue wrapping over the first piece of tape. Using the roll of electrical tape, I usually use two inch, completely wrap the entire top of the bar and the duct tape. You're ready to go!

When the sun goes down, go out into your garden or yard where you want to place the probes. Insert one bar about eight inches into the ground. Take your other probe and insert it the same depth as the first and about ten inches away. Now, plug your probes cord into an outlet or extension cord and watch for the night crawlers to come to the surface between and around the probes. Unplug your probes!

(Warning Note: Safety Matters Here! Do Not reach between the probes when they are plugged in. Especially if the ground is wet. Always unplug the probes before attempting to gather any of the worms.)

Move your probes to several other good areas and repeat until you have gathered enough night crawlers to serve your needs. Then if all else fails, grab your shovel and head for your garden, because there will always be a few good night crawlers there.

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