Keeping Wax Worms

[Got_Ice]

Looking for a little help in keeping Wax worms for the season. I'm also looking at keeping some "spikes" or maggots. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.

[jphersh22]

My understanding is that you want to keep wax worms at room temp or a little cooler, like a cool basement or a cool closet next to an outside wall. Spikes and maggots should be kept refrigerated.

[BradB]

I've read that the optimum temperature for waxworm storage is 45-50 degrees. How to maintain that temperature range, I am not sure. But if they freeze they die, obviously, and if they get too warm they turn into moths.

[cubbies11]

There is a whole article on keeping and choosing live bait in the In-fisherman Ice Guide. If you don't wanna buy I can dig it out for you.

Cubbies

[The Grebe]

Waxies are pretty much my primary winter bait for sunnies, trout, and some times Crappies and Tullibees and Perch.

I have not had much of a problem just keeping them in the crisper of the fridge. Like stated above, if they freeze, they die and if they are left where it is warmer, they switch stages and turn into moths.

The crisper works for me...I get one that goes dark on me once in a while, but nothing to get worked up about. The waxies go dormant when they are cool and perk up when they get warmer in your coat pocket.

I usually start out with a tub of 250 and if I need more, I buy more, which usually always happens.

[Sportland_Bait]

The best temps are around 50 degrees for wax worms. We usually keep them in the basement against an exterior wall. Usually in the winter they keep real well. Summer is a little tougher. Maggots, we keep in a small fridge. They keep best in 34-36 degrees. I've found that dry sawdust keeps them better. The longer you keep maggots in a container the wetter the sawdust gets. I recommend you check periodically and change the sawdust and clean out the dead ones.

Jason Erlandson

[Duffer]

how do u tell maggots from wax worms from previous experience i thought they looked alike is there a way of telling them apart?

[Stratosman]

maggots are generally smaller than waxworms and firmer to the touch, waxies are larger and softer and you can see the head of the waxie, maggots are called spike also because they are shaped like one.

I seem to have better luck keeping maggots alive than waxies, just in a container with sawdust, usaully stay good till I run out.

[Sportland_Bait]

Now days maggots come in a variety of colors. There are still white ones that look similar to a waxie. Maggots are about 1/3 the size of a wax worm. Maggots are also much more active.

Jason Erlandson

[Ed Carlson]

What do you folks think of the new Lindy Grub keeper thingy?

I like the looks of it, a handy gadget for tot'n and sift'n them wigglers. I picked one up and will try to manage to break it soon.

Do larva have any preference in what type of sawdust the live in?

[Sportland_Bait]

The grub getters are awesome they are going to be huge sellers and very functional. I like that it will fit in the coat pocket. No more broken containers with sawdust and worms crawling everywhere.

Any sawdust will work for bedding, just make sure it's dry. I just use leftover sawdust from tubs of wax worms. Talk to your local bait shop. They should have leftovers after they sort wax worms.

Jason Erlandson

[jltimm]

Ya,the grub getters are a great idea,but I got a little angry after I paid $5 for one at the Ice Fishin show and seen them at Gander Mountain 2 days later for $3!!

[bklimek]

The grub getters are nice and by far was the hottest selling item at the ice expo. For their main selling point which is to sift the dust from the grubs I would give it a C. It works best with wax warms versus maggies. Be sure not to over fill your grub getter either otherwise it doesn't work as well. You can't beat it just to hold your bait. It is wide open which makes it easy for those with fat fingers or fingerless gloves to choose bait and it has a seal on the edge to prevent moisture from getting in. It is worth the $4. Now why couldn't I have thought of that?

[30 inch eyes]

just a little tip for keeping wax worms longer and fresher, put a little piece of apple in the container with them, it will out fish the ones without the apple in their container

[Ed Carlson]

Ya the apple deal is kinda why I asked what type of saw dust to use.

Why..well..One oL Timer told me Apple Wood chips/dust was the best to use. So I was waiting for somebody to toss that out.