Keeping Crawlers alive

[AaronM]

What are the best ways to keep freshly caught crawlers alive? What kind of beding should you use? If you dont have access to a fridge where is the best place to keep them? Thanks much and happy fishing!

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"Power? Fame? Prestige? Nah, I'd rather be fishing"

[Fisher Dave]

The fridge is the best place to keep them. If you have a cool basement you might get by.

There are several worm beddings on the market. Majic and Buss's have worked well for me in the past. Be sure to keep the proper amount of moisture in any bedding. Dont go overboard. Also dont use tap water for wetting the bedding. Use well water or spring water.

If you have crawlers so long feeding is a concern .. just sprinkle a little corn meal on the top once in a while.

When you add crawlers to the bedding, just put them on the top and let them go down by themselves. Any crawlers that are dead be sure to get out immediately.

[Rainman]

I usually keep 1000-1500 crawlers in Buss bedding The whole summer without ever feeding them anything. If you do feed them corn meal DO NOT put a lot in there, You can kill them by giving them to much. If you put a lot on top of the bedding it will turn sour and kill the whole batch if not eaten soon! You can use tap water if it sits outside in a bucket for a day or two! Just my 2 cents!!

[This message has been edited by Rainman (edited 06-08-2003).]

[Dusty]

I use newspaper that I tear up and soak in rainwater or water from the dehumidifier. After soaking the newspaper I wring it out until its just damp. Add the crawlers and store in a refrig. They will keep all summer with out feeding.

[lumpy]

Do you have any minimums for the amount of bedding / crawler ratio?

[merc]

I like to find a pile of old wet leaves, place them in a five gallon pail and add crawlers. I keep them in the basement where it is cool and I can keep them all summer long. I usually catch three to four hundred at a time. I just make sure the leaves stay damp and have to add leaves a few times as they must like eating them because the leaves disappear and the crawlers get fatter as the summer goes on. Sure works for me. Good luck!!!

[Guest]

I use Magic worm bedding which has the work to bedding ratio on the package. For the container I use Tidy Cat litter box with a lid that opens halfway. I also add just a little Magic work food as well. My work farm is then kept in the basement next to the air conditioner/furnace which is always cool.

To keep worms cool in the boat I use a portable cooler with an outside pouch that is large enough to keep a large Blue Ice in. When I am out for a long time I will put a frozen 1/2 gallen milk jug on the bottom of the cooler and add my bedding and night crawlers. I have another cooler that is like the work container that has two drink holder cups. I push the drink holders up for my aerator to fit into and use this cooler for minnows and leaches.