no night crawler shortage

[The General]

 just finished picking up about 3 dozen in about 10 minutes. 

[Lee Borgersen]

Every Spring I manage to gather up tons of crawlers. Not this year though. With all the torrential rain & floods we had this April It forced the crawlers out of the ground and flushed them down all the sewers. We've had little rain since and the ground is starting to dry and crack.

Looks like the cost of fishing has gone up for me this year. I always purchase my crawlers by the flat (500 per flat). On a busy day guide day we will go through 17 or 18 doz with 3 clients. I always bring 20 doz each trip and I pack all in bedding, never dirt. I keep a special fridge in the garage just for bait.


****My crawlers are guaranteed to catch fish or die trying.

[Bobby Bass]

Snow just came off the ground here and if you travel north a little ways there is still snow on the ground. Have not seen a worm and no rain to drive any of them out. Robins here have turned in to vegetarians.

[The General]

 Yeah i searched for bedding and must have used it all last year.  Will be picking some up today.

[dew2]

Yeah i searched for bedding and must have used it all last year.  Will be picking some up today.

Hey a neighbor just last year got me started on cardboard.We used to buy the bedding and we keep crawlers all summer for the last 14 years.It was check them weekly and try to keep the bad ones out of the good strong.Then the cardboard just barely moistened,Man we had crawlers  in better condition than when we picked them all summer! We do have a bait fridge.But I'd recommend the cardboard over any bedding.I'm on dogfish bay if you want to stop and check it out.I'm going out tonight picking and probably the following nights till we hit 15-20 dozen at least.The ole girl picked 16 crawlers last night,I normally do 5 dozen a night when they start comming out.

[The General]

 Do you get the cardboard wet and then tear it up into little pieces?  Can you use empty beer cases our just regular brown box.

[Lee Borgersen]

Do you get the cardboard wet and then tear it up into little pieces?  Can you use empty beer cases our just regular brown box.

As with news paper don't use anything with colored ink print. It's bad for the worms. If and when I use news paper I use only the black and white pages. I'll run it through the home shredder and let it soak in cold water.

I'm a big fan of magic worm food also.

[dew2]

Do you get the cardboard wet and then tear it up into little pieces?  Can you use empty beer cases our just regular brown box.

Any cardboard without printing,Pieces from a inch square to 3 inches just barely damp,The crawlers slime will get it to wet after a month or so then it gets changed out.I use Icecreme buckets with small holes in the lid.and put 6 doz in each to avoid over crowding.I'm guessing here but I guess about 1 oz of water in a icecreme pail filled with cardboard.Its not much water and barely damp board.
 I picked 7 doz last night in 1/2 hour,The rain helped I will yet water to keep the ground from drying till I have my 20-30 doz.

[Lee Borgersen]

                   "Let it rain ...Let it rain....Let it rain"
 
 
Well we got a nice steady rain last night about 1/2" worth. Went over to my favorite hunting spot at 6:30 am and the rain had just turned to a fine mist. What a bonanza was waiting for me there. Crawlers were all over the pavement after them trying to escape the flooded grasses. Over all I wound up with 325 decent crawlers just waiting to be transplanted to Lee's crawler condos.
 
Fresh bedding, nice cool air conditioning, and all the magic worm food one could eat. You can't beat that! I could have stayed and collected more but I'll get another chance with the next heavy rain I hope. The best part is they are all from on the pavement and I never had to bend over or even touch one worm. Ya Ya I know sounds far fetched but it's true. A while back I posted my system for gathering crawlers without bending over or touching the crawlers. (if they are on pavement).


Here you go if your interested.  Lee's crawler picker upper:

    ...more...
http://mnoutdoorsman.com/forums/index.php?topic=26771.0

[whiteoakbuck]

 

[beeker]

nightcrawlers are an invasive species and all boats are subject to search.. all night crawlers are subject to inspection and must be neatly dressed and in a suit and tie.. cumberbun optional. they must swear allegiance to not mess with the red angler worms that are native to minnesota.

brown grocery bags were always good too.. we used em on my uncles bait farm growning up.

[dew2]

                  "Let it rain ...Let it rain....Let it rain"
 
 
Well we got a nice steady rain last night about 1/2" worth. Went over to my favorite hunting spot at 6:30 am and the rain had just turned to a fine mist. What a bonanza was waiting for me there. Crawlers were all over the pavement after them trying to escape the flooded grasses. Over all I wound up with 325 decent crawlers just waiting to be transplanted to Lee's crawler condos.
 
Fresh bedding, nice cool air conditioning, and all the magic worm food one could eat. You can't beat that! I could have stayed and collected more but I'll get another chance with the next heavy rain I hope. The best part is they are all from on the pavement and I never had to bend over or even touch one worm. Ya Ya I know sounds far fetched but it's true. A while back I posted my system for gathering crawlers without bending over or touching the crawlers. (if they are on pavement).


Here you go if your interested.  Lee's crawler picker upper:

    ...more...
http://mnoutdoorsman.com/forums/index.php?topic=26771.0

Dog gone I wish I had those conditions!! No pavement or concrete near!! I have a neighbor who lives in BirdIsland,MN he does what your speaking of! He uses a plastic fork to pick em up avoiding the slime and says with the fork they are easy!! right off thepavement.Iam about ready to go out for my next 5-6 dozen at 9:25PM man its hard work!!

[Lee Borgersen]

                   Good hunting to ya dew2 

Don't get caught in the worm stampede

[dew2]

                   Good hunting to ya dew2 

Don't get caught in the worm stampede

Oh how I wish that would happen.Theseold bones cant do it nightly anymore!Didnt get 2 doz last night windy and kinda cool.Got to get the sprinkler goin again! Got enough to do our annual catfish trip up on the chain this week.Once it warms!
 Few boats on any lakes around here little breezy.