Mealworm...most cost effective bait ever?

[funbun]

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?

[CrappiePappy]

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

[Techno2000]

If you think mealworms are good try using the Pupae, they’ll tear them up, I guess they think its a wasp larva .

[Bobby J]

Catalpa worms work well, trim a small stick to size and turn the worm inside out draws them like a magnet.

[funbun]

I guess it might be worth it to plant a couple catalpa trees.

[Crappie 1]

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...

[deathb4disco]

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.

[Lowellhturner]

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.

[funbun]

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.

[G.Gordon]

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.