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I've abandoned artificials. Man, nothing puts fish in the freezer like live bait. I haven't been fishing in over a year. I've been doing more gardening. Anyway I started a mealworm bin about four years ago. I decided to go fishing the other day, no need to by bait, lures or tie flies. Grabbed about 50 mealworms and hit the river.
I've had the best luck using a #14 or #16 hook, hooking them wacky-style.
What experiences have you guy had with mealworms?
Actually, not any good enough experiences to warrant using them much. Have always had better luck with nightcrawlers or waxworms (for gills or crackers) ... with the nod to nightcrawlers as the better choice. Nightcrawlers are easily caught (free bait) and relatively inexpensive if bought. One nightcrawler serves as a minimum of 6 "pieces", that can be put on a hook or jig, and capable of catching several fish before replacement is necessary.
I think I've used quite a few different "live bait" offerings ... and the 'ol nightcrawler just seems to always produce, and occasionally produces bigger/better fish.
I've used : nightcrawlers, earthworms, redworms, grey crickets, grasshoppers, potato bug larvae, corn worms, stalk borer worms, waterbug cockroachs, Katydids, waxworms, mealworms, black crickets, and probably a few other critters that I can't recollect. Considering ease of obtaining, multiple catches on one whole or piece of any of these .... the nightcrawler comes out on top. That's not to say that mealworms don't catch fish, as I've actually caught a Crappie or two on them Thumbs Up ... but, for Bluegills, Shellcrackers, and various other Sunfish species (which is what I use "live bait" for, most often), I just can't seem to produce the numbers & size that I can with a piece of nightcrawler.
... cp :cool:
If you think mealworms are good try using the Pupae, they’ll tear them up, I guess they think its a wasp larva .
Catalpa worms work well, trim a small stick to size and turn the worm inside out draws them like a magnet.
I guess it might be worth it to plant a couple catalpa trees.
Been using Butter Worms. You can get 20 at Walmart for $3.96, they work well for us. Also found a green inch worm in the boat, hooked it on ,and caught one of the biggest Bluegills of the day...
Speaking of cost-effective baits, bread and corn are as good as any. You can catch a lot of fish with a few slices of bread or a can of corn.
You might be amazed at the size of various fish that have caught on red worms while bluegill fishing, including 2cnd biggest walleye I ever landed.
Yeah, If you look at our fly-fishing brethren, they're all catching the biggest fish using the smallest hooks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lowellhturner
My personal best catfish was out of a farm pond. 18-20# Caught on 4# line, wire hook, and a cricket. Wore the drag out on that real after about the tenth trip it took across the pond. Glad there is NO brush in there.
Maggots are easy. Just leave the trash can open a little. You'll have all you need in a couple of days. Gills & crappies love them.
Started using meal worms last summer. Worked great for perch been keeping the leftovers in the fridg. They say it slows them down from maturing into beetles. We'll see. They are cheap though.
I raised mealworms for a good 10 years and have good luck with them, I feed banana peels about twice a week and they really go to town on it. what ever I don't use I sell to people that have birds fish etc. 3 cents each , last week I sold $25 worth. raise them in chicken Mash. I have to agree with you guys that use night crawlers they are really good too. I sell on craigslist
Never had any luck using mill worms. Best gill bait is crickets or grasshoppers and close second is waxies. And of course worms are my fail safe Best bait for crappie is obviously minnows/shinners.
As a kid I use to use those white fuzzy caterpillars that make those silk spider webby nest in trees. We'd poke the nest with a stick then collect them off the ground. Made great gill bait. Also used corn worms when me and my brother would have to shuck corn for the freezer. We would have to pick them off the corn so we would save the worms in a mason jar or coffee can. After our chore was done wed head to the ponds. The good old days.
Nate
Meal worms are a great bait, at least for me. Crappie, perch, and the occasional smallie.
meal worm tipping a small fly is dynomite
The meal worms worked good for us, almost as well as crickets on Bream in Al, but as a free-range chicken (home raiser) I wonder how a 3500 ct jug of dried meal worms for not too many bucks as live ones will produce?-Stay tuned-any prior experiences gladly encouraged!
I agree with that,works good in rivers!