BOTH FISH AND ANGLERS LOVE NIGHTCRAWLERS, SO STOCK UP NOW

Lincoln, Neb. – There are few absolutes in fishing, but one is that most game fish absolutely love nightcrawlers. Anglers love them, too, because they are easy to find and can be absolutely free for the taking.

A little time spent out in the lawn at night after a light rain or a few hours of watering with the sprinkler can provide enough bait to last for several fishing trips. Its a good idea to have the kids help collect the crawlers. They enjoy the hunt and their hands are quick enough that they make excellent grabbers.

The only gear needed to get into the nightcrawler-collecting business is a regular two-cell flashlight and a bucket. Because the flashlight beam is very bright in the darkness, tape a couple of folds of paper towel or a piece of red cellophane over the lens to soften the light. Nightcrawlers stretch out on top of the ground at night, though they leave their tail in their underground tunnel so they can make a hasty retreat if needed. Shine a bright light on an exposed crawler and it will dart back into the tunnel before you can grab him.

Its a good idea to keep your hands dry when grabbing crawlers because its easier to hold onto them without causing injury. Sawdust or dry worm bedding works fine to keep your hands dry.

Use the flashlight sparingly, just to locate the crawler, then turn it aside to avoid alerting the crawler. When you can reach the crawler, put one hand on top to pin it to the ground, then grasp it near the tunnel with the other hand. It will try to contract and pull away, but hold on for a few seconds and it will relax and can be gently lifted from the tunnel.

When you have collected all of the crawlers youll need, put them in a container of worm bedding. Both the shallow Styrofoam or wood fiber boxes made especially for keeping crawlers alive and the bedding can be purchased at most bait or tackle shops. If it will be several days before you use the bait, add a small amount of commercial worm food or bits of cracker crumbs or cornmeal to the container. If you use another type of container, be sure air can get into and out of the container and that it has a secure lid.

An old refrigerator is an excellent place to store crawlers. Keep the temperature set between 45-50 degrees. The crawlers are comfortable at that temperature and will be sluggish enough that they wont try to crawl out of the container.

Many old-timers keep their crawlers in a worm box they sink in the ground in a shady spot behind their garage. The size of the boxes varies, but a box about two-feet wide, three-feet deep and two-feet high will hold more than 500 crawlers. To use this box, leave about two inches of the box above the ground but put some straw on top of the soil or bedding in the box, and cover it with damp burlap bags to keep the crawlers cool. Either remove the bags, moisten them, and return them to the box every day or so depending on the temperature, or spread a couple of handfuls of ice cubes on the straw and cover with the bags.

Catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie, walleye, bullheads, yellow perch, carp and trout are among the species often taken on nightcrawlers, and all are waiting for a free meal at a pond, lake or stream near you.

Before heading to the lake, you can purchase a 2004 Nebraska fishing permit and Aquatic Habitat Stamp online from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commissions web site at www.outdoornebraska.org, from a Game and Parks office, or any of some 900 permit vendors across the state. With a few exceptions, any angler 16 years old or older is required to have a Nebraska fishing permit to fish in Nebraska. The resident annual fishing permit costs $15, a nonresident annual fishing permit is $45, and the Aquatic Habitat Stamp, required by all residents and non residents, 18 years and older, is $5. Also, pick up a free copy of the 2004 Nebraska Fishing Guide, which has information about fishing regulations and public waters across the state. A vehicle park entry permit is required to enter state recreation areas.

 

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