by Thom W. Conroy

Created on: July 26, 2009

As most people that fish already know, if the hobby is undertaken frequently the price of bait can become a costly expense over the long-haul. In fact, it is quite possible to spend in excess of $500 annually on bait alone, and when added to the price of licensing fees, equipment costs and other assorted fishing tackle the notion of fishing as a cheap hobby goes out the window. A financially prudent fisherman, however, has realized this point long ago and has made adjustments to obtain bait at a reduced cost through common sense and a little extra effort. Saving money on fishing bait can be done painlessly, and it should not negatively affect the outcome of productive fishing endeavors.

Since worms are a cornerstone of every fisherman's bait arsenal, it is the best place to begin saving money. Worms are readily available in good numbers for free in nature, so it is foolish to spend $3.00 a dozen at a bait shop needlessly. All that is required is a small patch of grass or dirt, a garden hose and a piece of plastic. Soak the ground thoroughly with water until the water is no longer absorbed quickly, then lay down a piece of plastic over the wet grass or dirt. Wait 8 hours or so and lift the plastic and you will soon discover that the worms have risen to the surface. Dependent upon luck, you may find as many as two dozen nice worms in an area 6 feet by 6 feet.

A good way to save money on fishing bait is to start your own "Worm Farm" in a large Styrofoam cooler. All that is necessary is some good light soil, and kitchen scraps for worm food and you're in business. Every time that you gather worms or have some left over from a fishing trip that are still healthy, return them to the farm. This is very simple to accomplish and will ensure that you will always have more worms than are necessary for bait.

Another great place to begin saving money on fishing bait is right there inside of your refrigerator at home. Especially for people who like to go for catfish, there is usually more than enough bait left over from their regular meals. Corn, hot dogs, liver, bacon, and cheese are all pretty decent bait for catfish, and a small amount of each taken fishing presents a diverse selection. Similarly, dough ball for catfish can be made cheaply from flour or cornmeal, and is an excellent bait. Simply add some outdated and smelly ingredients to the dough ball mixture and you'll have as good a catfish bait as you could ever purchase in a bait shop. If you experiment enough, you'll eventually hit the right mixture, and you'll have a cheap fishing bait that works great for life.

Learn more about this author, Thom W. Conroy.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.