Worms have long been a staple bait for anglers, and for good reason. They are readily available, easy to use, and highly effective in catching a variety of fish species. Let's delve into the world of worms and consider the different types you can use for your next fishing session.
Preparing your worms
Before using worms as bait, it's essential to prepare them correctly. Here are a few tips to effectively prepare worms.
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Rinse: Rinsing your worms in a maggot riddle can help remove excess soil and make them easier to handle and cut.
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Chop: Using a pair of sharp scissors, chop your worms into bite-sized pieces. This can be especially effective for attracting smaller fish.
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Bind: To prevent chopped worms from dispersing quickly, consider binding them with a small amount of soil or groundbait.
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The different types of worms
There are a handful of worm species available for purchase or personal collection, and can be effectively used as bait. Lobworms have been favoured by anglers for centuries, while dendrobaenas are relatively more recent choice and readily available from bait shops or easily cultivated in the garden or compost heap. Finally a redworm, its life cycle includes developing in horses digestive system means gathering these worms can be dirty work.
Lobworms
When you gather worms from a damp lawn or while gardening, you are likely collecting lobworms. These native earthworms can grow up to 25cm in length and are considered one of the best hookbaits. I typically reserve lobworms for the hooks and prefer other readily available baits like dendrobaenas or maggots for feeding. Many fish, especially perch and chub, find lobworms particularly appealing.
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Dendrobaenas
Dendrobaenas are smaller than lobworms, rarely exceeding 12cm, but they are still a highly effective bait. Their size makes them suitable for attracting smaller species, and they can be combined with maggot, caster, or corn to create effective cocktail baits. Readily available in quantity from bait shops are great for chopping rough or fine as feed and whole worm or sections will catch every fish that swims.
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Redworms
Redworms, often found in well-rotted horse manure, are another small worm species known for their effectiveness. They are particularly favoured by tench and bream anglers, with a single redworm or one paired with corn having been responsible for catching many fine fish over the years. These worms are increasingly difficult to find as conscientious owners of equine treat for worms so the horses doesn’t suffer from this parasite. But a good bait supplier will be able to help and then cultivating your own in a compost heap should keep you with healthy stocks.
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