Tired of paying for worms? I have some info on raising worms yourself, but I'd like to know if there's any interest in the subject before going to the trouble to post it all. I'm not talking about dinky red worms that you have to string multiples on the hook, or gigantic worms that are longer than the fish you're catching, but good sized bait worms for trout, panfish, bass, catfish, ect.

I'm not sure if there's a big need. Guess will have to wait and see on the posts. But growing up, my next door neighbor in Fife had a worm farm in his back yard. He was known locally for selling his worm compost. Not sure if any of you remember him. But stuff worked really well, you could probably sell that compost off after the worms have dug around in in. LOL.

I don't see why not though. A lot of guys have to either dig, or hope to get what they want at local bait shop (usually a little quickie mart nowadays). I wish I knew if he still lived at that location, he could give you all the ins and outs of doing it. Can give you name and location is you want to email me. He did it successfully for quite along time.

Worm farming is very easy and is more popular that you think.The master gardeners in this erea would actually come out to your house and help you get started.I would contact your master gardeners and ask them what they know.

Esentially you build a box,we will say three feef sqare 16" deep and fill it with dirt and shreeded newspaper and scraps fromm your kitchen and of course some worms of your choice.it is important to drill drain holes on the bottom and cover them with some fine screen.Keep it moist and cut a piece of plastic to cover the top of the soil.You also need a wooden cover or something that to keep the predetors out.Stand back and wait beforwe long you will have all the worms you need.

I use red worms for composting. Used to be they had to worry when whitefish season rolled around but I havent been out after them for a while.

But... the worms still do my composting for me.

I'd love to hear what you have to say about raising the worms.

I have a young son and daughter who are really into "bugs" right now,they can't keep their hands off of worms and insects.

They would love to take part in raising worms for fishing.

Thanks, JACK

Night crawlers reproduce (multiply) so slowly it is not economical to grow them for selling purposes. Most night crawlers are hand picked in orchards or fields after flooding the ground with a chemical mixed in water to starve the worms of oxygen. Your local library will have many resources on red worms. Also a quick search on the net will give you good results.

I raise worms out of my garden with a shovel

Nightcrawlers are easy.Dont use the chemicals or soap or shockers it kills them.

Either wait for a rain,or water your lawn.Best when grass is cut short.
Get a flashlight with week batteries or tape a red tailight lens to it.
Wait till an hour or so after dark.Walk slow and softly while watching the ground.Then when you see them test your reflexes.They are fast as lightning sometimes.
If youy fertilize you wont do as good.It kills the worms.Also why there arent as many moles.

I use to store mine in an old wooden box filled with damp moss.Keep in a cool place.Feed them coffee grounds and eggshells,Other kitchen scraps work well also.

They will last a long time like this.Just add to the ones there when you start running low.Doesnt hurt to change the moss once in awhile.

I made a lot of pocket money selling nightcrawlers,when I was a kid.

Be careful where you put the worm box and what it's made of. I collected nightcrawlers one spring/summer and kept them in a large styrofoam cooler in my backyard. They had actually started to reproduce and I had a couple hundred in there. I went out to get a few one day and found a mole or something similar had chewed through the styrofoam and eaten every last one! It felt so wrong, but I went Big5 and bought a dozen.

--Bank Angler

This post brings back memories...

My neighbor growning up had a major compost pile separate in threee section... the one with the most worms always had the egg shells, coffee grounds and table scrapes... One scoop of the pitch fork produced hundreds of worms..

When I got a little older, my friends and I tried the battery operated method- jury-rigged jumper cables with steel rods hooked up to my dad's truck battery. Man did those N'crawlers shoot out of the ground!