Fishing Michigan

Its Monday night, and there is thunder in the background.  Ever get tired of paying two sometimes three dollars a dozen for night crawlers?  Here is a simple solution for the young at heart,  go pick your own!

Nights like tonight are the perfect weather conditions, hard rain, ground soaking with expected let up around midnight. All you need is a flashlight and coffee can.  Ok, so that is just to get started, but you really wont need much more than that.  And with what you spend in one year to get started, will last you years and years to come.

Here’s what you need to get started,  one or several bait containers, worm food and bedding.  Also doesnt hurt to have an understanding mom, girlfriend or wife.  An extra fridge helps too.

Its good to have the bedding wetted and in the container before you actually go out picking on a rainey night.  Not too wet, just follow the directions on the bedding bag.  Frabill and Magic make a good paper product.  Same companies make the containers and the food, too.  You can choose from several varieties, including these old style Bait Canteens, which are still in productions.  Styrofoam ranch models are also available,  all in different sizes to match your needs and ambition.

Once you have your catch, place in the paper material, and then into the fridge to keep cool.  Once a week check for wetness, sprinkle food on top of mixture and then turn box upside down and shake.  Not exactly sure on the how and why, but a weekly shake up of the material has produced the best results since I was in ol’ Ida High, some 22 yrs ago.

With proper care, you should be able to sustain your crawlers or even leaf worms well into the fall.  You may need to change the bedding once or twice as needed.  The crawlers I had from last year went into the compost pile last November, and the leaf worms just went in last month.  Way back when, it wasnt uncommon to get 30 to 50 dozen in one night.  A couple of nights like that should last you a whole season.

*Hint, if you spray for dandilions, forget about it.  You’ll be buying your crawlers for that year.  If you can hold off until you have some in the fridge, do it.  The spray either kills them off or drives them from the area.