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Thread: The definitive guide on raising 4 different kinds of bait worms

  1. #1
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    Default The definitive guide on raising 4 different kinds of bait worms


    This is my first posting on this site, so I thought i'd bolt out the gate and be helpful to you guys. I've been raising my own bait for 4 years, made some mistakes along the way, and learned alot in the process. Now i've got too many worms! Not a bad problem to have if you love brim and perch fishing like I do.
    Supplies needed:


    Bedding: Peat moss, black kow composted manure, and shredded newspaper. Will explain the ratios needed for each worm type

    Before using peat moss in any mix, soak with water for several days. Before mixing, make sure it has the moisture level of a wrung out sponge.

    Feed: Chicken egg layer crumbles, mixed with rabbit pellets, 50/50. I get the best size and the most worm reproduction with this mix. Can be had at tractor supply for cheap, and will last you many years.

    Lightly sprinkle the surface of the bed with feed and water it. Only feed what the worms can eat in several days, so the food does not get moldy. This applies to all worm species.

    Containers to raise worms: Ziploc weathershield tote and any other kind of tote, depending on species

    Pitchfork to aerate worm beds. Turn your compost once a month to prevent compaction.

    Dolomite lime to add grit to worm bed every month(dont use any other kind of lime, it can kill your worms!!!!!)

    Add this once per month to add grit for the worms and balance the PH

    Plastic garbage bags, cut in half

    Put this over your bed after you feed, worms like to eat in moist conditions.

    Cheap LED lamp, keeps your worms from running away at night

    Agriculture plant mister, to water your worms 1x per week at feeding time.


    Types of worms that can be raised in bulk(note, standard garden worms cannot be raised this way. They are soil dwellers. What you need are worms that can live in compost. These breeds are all composting worms)

    Note: It's best to just raise each species individually. If you mix them, one might outcompete the other due to different reproductive rates.

    African Nightcrawlers- A tropical worm, extremely prolific, but also escape artists. Have to kept at 60 degrees and above to ensure that they will continue breeding. Great bait worm for catfish or bass. The smaller ones make good perch or bluegill bait. The skin is kind of soft on these, though. The only way to raise them is in a ziploc weathershield tote. This tote has a foam gasket in the lid, that keeps them from crawling out. These guys love to escape, so the weathershield tote is mandatory. I drill air holes in the middle of the lid, so when they try to crawl across the top of the lid, they fall down before they can reach these air holes.

    Best bedding mix: Peatmoss and black kow 50/50

    Red wigglers: Can tolerate temperatures down to 40 degrees or so, but breed best at 60 degrees and above. Extremely prolific. Amazing bait for bream, perch, and trout. Can be raised in any tote, as long as a light is on at night to prevent escapes.

    Best bedding mix: Peatmoss and black kow 50/50

    Louisiana Swamp Worm: My favorite bait worm. This is a variation of a red wiggler, is more yellow in color as an adult. It's also the fastest breeding worm i've ever seen. It has an extremely strong odor that white perch can't get enough of. Every where I go, it's a cooler full of perch with swamp worms. Also a killer bream bait.

    European nightcrawlers:

    A tough skinned worm, but slow breeder. Only produces four offspring per month. Best all around bait for most species of fish. It's bigger than red wigglers and swamp worms, but smaller than african nightcrawlers.

    Likes most breeds, 60 and above is the best temperature for reproduction.

    Best bedding mix: Peat moss and shredded newspaper. 75/25


    Best place to keep your worm farms in a controlled environment, such as a spare room or outbuilding. None of these species can handle freezing temps or temps over 90 degrees.


    Bin maintanence: Feed/water worms once per week. Rotate soil and add dolomite lime once per month.


    Every 6 months, you will have to take some of the bedding out as it is converted to castings. This is a rich, black soil that is the best compost around. Your garden will be the envy of the neighborhood. I just put the feed on once side, most of the worms will migrate there. Then i remove the mostly empty side and put it in the garden. Then you can add some fresh bedding.


    Population management: If you find you have a bunch of really small worms, then its time to take those worms and start a new bin. Keep in growing and dividing, the sky is the limit on most composting worms. Just don't let it grow to a million

    When you get your starter stock, its best to not fish with them for a month. That way they have a chance to lay eggs and populate your bin.


    Please see below for pictures of my setups.

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    Last edited by ThePerchKiller; 01-24-2019 at 04:35 PM.
    Commercial worm farmer, but presently sold out until further notice.
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  2. #2
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    Great post and info. Always wanted to raise my own worms for bream fishing. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

    Sent from my SM-G935V using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
    It's not the numbers or the size, it's the time spent on the water!

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Herewego View Post
    Great post and info. Always wanted to raise my own worms for bream fishing. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

    Sent from my SM-G935V using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
    Feel free to reply to any questions you may have about raising worms. Thanks for appreciating the info I put out there.

    Jesse
    Commercial worm farmer, but presently sold out until further notice.
    Likes Herewego LIKED above post

  4. #4
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    im starting a worm farm now i just ordered 100 european night crawlers i planned to get one of those big 55 gallon drums and add about 3 bags of soil from walmart to it put a insect screen over the top so they dont crawl out and feed them egg shells cornmeal and rotten lettuce ect if i throw in a 100 in 4 months how many do you think ill have with that set up? is that ok?

    also when u say white perch do you mean crappie

  5. #5
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    Don't use regular dirt, it gets compacted and makes it hard for composting worms to get oxygen. Use peat moss mixed with shredded newspaper for european nightcrawlers. You will need a higher population than 100 if you want a population that you can use quickly for fishing. You should start with at least two pounds with that kind of worm, because they are very slow breeders. They only have one baby per week, but in four months the population should at least double in weight.
    Red wigglers breed at 3-9 per week, as do louisiana swamp worms.
    It's easier to just put a cheap led light above the worm bed to keep them from crawling out.

    White perch are a different fish than crappie. White perch are called in scientific terms morone americana, although I know you MS, LA, and TX call crappie white perch.
    Commercial worm farmer, but presently sold out until further notice.

  6. #6
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    yyeah i call them crpapie but a lot of southenr people call them white perch sow a curious lol


    idk how ill shredd newspaper but i can easily get 3 bags of the soil at walmart your talking about its pretty cheap 2 dollars a bag iv already ordered a 100worms so cant cancel the order it was only 8 bucks for 100 i dont do awhole lot of fishing tbh usually ill do 2 trips every 4 months or so and ill use about 6 worms so even if they reproduce slow in 6 months they will have plenty for me id think

    im curious as to what type of worms do we have here in the south arnt they european nightcrawlers? they look the same id use my own worms native t here but where i live i cant find any right now if i could find my own here id just sue them

  7. #7
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    Most standard soil worms cannot be raised like composting worms. It has to be european nightcrawlers, african nightcrawlers, red wiggler, and louisiana swamp worms. There are so many species out there, but if you know someone that has a pile of manure or compost pile then you can find a bunch for free and raise them. More times than not those worms you find in the pile will be red wigglers.

    Yeah if you are fishing that little you might be able to get by with 100 euro nightcrawlers.
    Commercial worm farmer, but presently sold out until further notice.

  8. #8
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    Great post the perch killer!!!
    Thanks for sharing your knowledge on how to get started. Good tips. Keep up the good work.

    Sent from my Z958 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

  9. #9
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    Thanks Halibut4me, glad you found this useful.

    FYI for anyone else- I will be starting a commercial worm farm once I get moved into a bigger facility.

    My goal is to become a sponsor on this site, and offer a low cost starter starter supply for anyone that wants to raise their own bait.

    I'll be signifigantly cheaper than uncle jims worm farm and offer a superior quality product.
    Commercial worm farmer, but presently sold out until further notice.
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  10. #10
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    Hmmm, might try compost worms again then. Was doing really well with them but every rain they climbed out of my farm. Could probably get some out of my yard.....lol. Don’t have anywhere to bring them inside or shelter.

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