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MFF US Northeast => New York => Topic started by: bbfrogger on Mar 25, 2021, 08:16 PM

Title: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 25, 2021, 08:16 PM
75 in 35-40 minutes ..... not too bad.....  hands wanted to keep picking, feet thought it was a great idea, my eyes said look over there - back said "are you talking to me" ??   ;D
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: greensider on Mar 26, 2021, 04:57 AM
Back always wins
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: rgfixit on Mar 26, 2021, 04:58 AM
Just got back from my walk at the park. Picked a good pound of crawlers from the road and parking lot. I’m set for a while.

Rg
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: iceman260 on Mar 26, 2021, 05:31 AM
Didn't pick any but my hound dog wanted to roll on each one we saw.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 26, 2021, 08:06 AM
Didn't pick any but my hound dog wanted to roll on each one we saw.

My buddy has a golden like that - haha
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: TomFish on Mar 26, 2021, 08:27 AM
Last year my 12yo daughter and I picked a huge coffee can full that she sold to the local hardware store.  I'll have to see if shes interested this year if they are buying again.

In terms of  $/hour its probably not a great investment of our time, but she had a blast doing it while stuck at home 24/7 last spring.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: Flukeman on Mar 26, 2021, 09:45 AM
What substrate are you folks keeping your worms in these days? Thinking about keeping a box going this year.

thanks
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: westernmas on Mar 26, 2021, 09:47 AM
Got a few last night too  ;D

(https://i.postimg.cc/4mhq5qtp/BF9-A24-A9-96-D9-47-EF-A365-F4-ED3-F26-D610.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4mhq5qtp)
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: filetandrelease on Mar 26, 2021, 09:55 AM

 Haven’t used a crawler in years
 After this rain crawler picking will be made very easy
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: trapper2000 on Mar 26, 2021, 11:56 AM
worm pickng ...ain't that why grand kids  were invented  ????  if i have to pick  by myself  i go to wal mart the  18 for 3 bucks  seems   ok
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 26, 2021, 02:03 PM
What substrate are you folks keeping your worms in these days? Thinking about keeping a box going this year.

thanks

I have a couple of bigger styrofoam boxes - like from Omaha steaks.  I put a couple inch deep layer of compost in the bottom then fill the rest with wet leaves and cover it with wet paper. I feed them my wife's coffee grounds daily.  I keep about 150-200 per box...... I found that I need to cut a couple inch  hole in the top to give them air or the stuff gets moldy..... I cover the hole with a mesh screen so they don't escape.....
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 26, 2021, 02:05 PM
worm pickng ...ain't that why grand kids  were invented  ????  if i have to pick  by myself  i go to wal mart the  18 for 3 bucks  seems   ok

I'm not ready for grand kids yet - I'd rather have a sore back - hahaha
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 26, 2021, 02:07 PM
Haven’t used a crawler in years
 After this rain crawler picking will be made very easy

I usually just use them for bullhead in spring and trolling for walleye and trout in the summer......
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: rgfixit on Mar 26, 2021, 02:50 PM
What substrate are you folks keeping your worms in these days? Thinking about keeping a box going this year.

thanks

I use news paper torn into strips and dampened with water layered with leaves from last years leaf pile. They get a little corn meal every now and then they last from now well into July. Keep them in a plastic tote with a cover on the basement floor. Holes drilled in the top for air.

Check them every so often and remove any weak ones.

Rg
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 26, 2021, 05:19 PM
Yeah I keep them on our cellar floor too .....nice and cool there all summer
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: youngster on Mar 27, 2021, 10:53 AM
gotta quick 100 3 days ago myself,,    they were out good   AND i didnt want to stop lol,,,  took a few days to recoup but glad i did  , now i just go out as i use them and alot easier on the ole bod.  and lot less pressure....   i use buss beding ( chopped papper) coffee grounds) in ole fridge  worked good for many years.   goodluck stay safe
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: trapper2000 on Mar 27, 2021, 11:46 AM
i just picked up another doz and a half at wal mart
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 27, 2021, 01:14 PM
i just picked up another doz and a half at wal mart

What happened to the grand kids ?  hahaha
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: trapper2000 on Mar 27, 2021, 05:20 PM
they went fishing without me  :rotflol:
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: taxid on Mar 27, 2021, 05:38 PM
Have you guys ever put them ice water just before you use them? Makes them really firm and wiggly.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 27, 2021, 06:09 PM
Have you guys ever put them ice water just before you use them? Makes them really firm and wiggly.

Ice water has the opposite affect on me  :-)
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: rgfixit on Mar 27, 2021, 06:13 PM
Like a frightened turtle...
my crawlers are pretty much always cold when I take them fishing. I use a cooler and ice packs.

Gotta respect the worm.

Rg
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: Old Timer on Mar 27, 2021, 07:14 PM
I have a couple of bigger styrofoam boxes - like from Omaha steaks.  I put a couple inch deep layer of compost in the bottom then fill the rest with wet leaves and cover it with wet paper. I feed them my wife's coffee grounds daily.  I keep about 150-200 per box...... I found that I need to cut a couple inch  hole in the top to give them air or the stuff gets moldy..... I cover the hole with a mesh screen so they don't escape.....
Corn meal will make them white. Oat meal will too but it gets sticky. 
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: rgfixit on Mar 27, 2021, 07:22 PM
Interesting..... just bedded mine down in a tote with lots of damp newspaper. I guess I don’t care what they look like. As long as they don’t have that deep dark dirt. Hate worm dirt.

Rg
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: youngster on Mar 28, 2021, 08:36 AM
yes that deep dark worm dirt  is uggly stuff never again, pontoon boat looked like the grandkids finger painted all over the place     not good
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: taxid on Mar 28, 2021, 09:12 AM
yes that deep dark worm dirt  is uggly stuff never again, pontoon boat looked like the grandkids finger painted all over the place     not good

Yeah I hated that stuff they came in too. Would get under my nails and hard to wash off my rough hands. I also had a bad habit of wiping it off on my pants.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: rgfixit on Mar 28, 2021, 09:23 AM
When I buy worms first think I do I’d dump all the dirt and rinse them off. Then they go into the newspaper. Within a week they deposit all the black dirt they ingested.

Rg
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: taxid on Mar 28, 2021, 09:29 AM
Ice water has the opposite affect on me  :-)

I guess you're not a crawler then.  ;D
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: taxid on Mar 28, 2021, 09:30 AM
When I buy worms first think I do I’d dump all the dirt and rinse them off. Then they go into the newspaper. Within a week they deposit all the black dirt they ingested.

Rg

Makes sense. I used to use the shredded bedding they sell.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: fishfetcher71 on Mar 28, 2021, 09:51 AM
keep them in icewater while fishing, make sure water stays cold. another trick is pack them in container with wet  news paper  over fill container and put lid on making a pressure pack.   again  keep them cold.  they will  bulk up and be very lively.  not for long term storage.  been doing  it for years   idea came from old book called nightcrawler secrets, from the 70s. no longer in print.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 28, 2021, 08:24 PM
Thought they would be thick tonight after the hard rain but just too windy by me - the ones that were out were super jumpy - only got 37 in about 20 minutes before I decided there would be better nights ......
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: taxid on Mar 28, 2021, 08:25 PM
keep them in icewater while fishing, make sure water stays cold. another trick is pack them in container with wet  news paper  over fill container and put lid on making a pressure pack.   again  keep them cold.  they will  bulk up and be very lively.  not for long term storage.  been doing  it for years   idea came from old book called nightcrawler secrets, from the 70s. no longer in print.

Was that the Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers sold by Fishing Facts Magazine?
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: Mac Attack on Mar 28, 2021, 10:19 PM

(https://i.postimg.cc/wRXx9S1f/s-l300.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wRXx9S1f)
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: hunts2long on Mar 29, 2021, 05:49 AM
I think every "good" walleye fisherman has a copy of that...h2l
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: filetandrelease on Mar 29, 2021, 06:15 AM
 Hunts your right they do , these days I just troll spoons and sticks and no spinners and I haven’t  tipped hair jigs in a very long time
 These are my personal choices
 When I did keep worms I tried the news paper , but I have a bud that’s a rep for buss bedding , works great , kept cold , and coffee grounds , the caffeine makes gives them jumpy ,
 Once some body spilled that brown crap in the boat what a mess that was
 Keeping worms in a ziplock bag in the cooler in the boat works fine
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: Doubles Shooter on Mar 29, 2021, 07:42 AM
keep them in icewater while fishing, make sure water stays cold. another trick is pack them in container with wet  news paper  over fill container and put lid on making a pressure pack.   again  keep them cold.  they will  bulk up and be very lively.  not for long term storage.  been doing  it for years   idea came from old book called nightcrawler secrets, from the 70s. no longer in print.

I remember the first time I tried the newspaper trick. I did a few dozen for the harnesses and Lindy rigs. I couldn't believe how much they changed. Bigger and defiantly more lively. Almost had to step on them to calm them down. It does work, but as Fishfetcher said, Keep them cold.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: wallyworld on Mar 29, 2021, 07:49 AM
The ice water bath is a must  :thumbup_smilie:  Not only are they plumper and livelier, they're also squeaky clean  ;)
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Mar 29, 2021, 08:37 AM
Won't be any picking by me today - got an inch of snow on the ground with 50 mph gusts ....  :o
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: taxid on Mar 29, 2021, 09:44 AM
(https://i.postimg.cc/wRXx9S1f/s-l300.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wRXx9S1f)

Yep that's it! I remember as a teenager and even later looking forward to reading my monthly copy of Fishing Facts magazine! Ah those were the days when I thought every lake had 10 pound bass. Ignorance was bliss!

How about Buck Perry's spoonplugging book? Anybody try spoonplugging?
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: reeleyz on Apr 10, 2021, 07:22 AM
I took the kids picking worms last night. That was worth the price of admission.   ;D

They got into the swing of it after a while.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Apr 10, 2021, 08:18 AM
hahaha - I bet there was a lot of enthusiasm !!  I had my step son and some neighborhood kids "help" me dig potatoes from the garden when they were little - there was too much enthusiasm - they wanted to dig up the whole yard to look, not just where I planted them - hahaha
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: reeleyz on Apr 10, 2021, 08:25 AM
There was definitely plenty of enthusiasm! I had to about drag them back to the truck.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: fishinjohn on Apr 10, 2021, 09:46 AM
There was definitely plenty of enthusiasm! I had to about drag them back to the truck.
As soon as we get a little rain I'm gonna get my little man out there... he loves to make a competition out of it.. he thinks he can out pick me
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: reeleyz on Apr 10, 2021, 11:41 AM
 :thumbup_smilie:
As soon as we get a little rain I'm gonna get my little man out there... he loves to make a competition out of it.. he thinks he can out pick me
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: trapper2000 on Apr 10, 2021, 01:34 PM
i picked up 3 doz ...right at wal mart
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Apr 11, 2021, 07:44 AM
i picked up 3 doz ...right at wal mart

Those are canadian worms - the fish don't seem to mind but all that "eh" ing drive me crazy .... "cast over there eh" ..... "good day to be out eh", "thats a good one eh" ......  chatty little things  :D :D :D
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: fishinjohn on Apr 11, 2021, 08:06 AM
Those are canadian worms - the fish don't seem to mind but all that "eh" ing drive me crazy .... "cast over there eh" ..... "good day to be out eh", "thats a good one eh" ......  chatty little things  :D :D :D
Lmao eh!!!
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Apr 11, 2021, 08:18 AM
hahahaha
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: rgfixit on Apr 11, 2021, 01:58 PM
I’ll pick mine up tomorrow morning on my walk. About 5 AM the park road will be thick with them. A real back saver for an old guy.

Rg
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: trapper2000 on Apr 11, 2021, 05:47 PM
wal mart is out of worms!!!!thank God it's raining
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Apr 11, 2021, 06:38 PM
wal mart is out of worms!!!!thank God it's raining

Barely got a drop of rain here - part of the driveway is still dry. Good luck !
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: trapper2000 on Apr 11, 2021, 08:53 PM
i picked a half coffee can up i don't think i went 50 feet
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Apr 12, 2021, 07:09 AM
Nice - I talked a good game and never got up off the couch - maybe tonight.  Been busy sawing up some downed tree's and hauling compost for the garden - had nothing left by the end of the day - haha
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: rgfixit on Apr 12, 2021, 08:39 AM
Filled my worm box this morning. Just picked them up on the park road while I walked. Don’t like those foreign worms Walmart sells. They’re full of that black dirt. Gets all over everything.

I bed the big box with leaves from the compost pile. They seem to like it. I keep some in shredded newspaper too. Those are the ones I take fishing. I move them from the big box to the newspaper as I use them up.

Rg
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: trapper2000 on Apr 12, 2021, 11:03 AM
i got  some worm bedding they should be happy till i put a hook to them
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: Doubles Shooter on Apr 12, 2021, 02:18 PM
I was going to try last night, but my back and knees were mad at me. Got the bedding ready. I'm going to give it a few minutes tonight. From the looks of the castings on my lawn, the  picking should be good.
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Apr 12, 2021, 03:28 PM
I've been waiting for a little more rain but still nothing - I might try tonight too
Title: Re: Picked my first crawlers of the year
Post by: bbfrogger on Apr 12, 2021, 08:43 PM
Little drizzle out there for a while and the worms were just partly out .... after that stopped they were thick ... got about 115 in 50 minutes ..... could have picked 1,000 I think but my back said "maybe, but not tonight"  hahaha