Do Red Wigglers Make Good Bait?

Many anglers make a mistake when assuming that bigger worms like nightcrawlers make better worms for bait. The reality is that fish often prefer a smaller bait that has a stronger odor than nightcrawlers. True red wigglers (eisenia fetida) have a liquid they emit that contains a strong odor. This odor when released into the water, attracts fish from long distances. Red Wigglers constantly outperform other worms for us when fishing for perch, sunfish, trout and catfish. As far as size, red wigglers are the smallest bait worm. If the wiggler can cover a size 6 cricket hook, then it's good enough to catch lots of fish. Do not confuse true red wigglers with the "red worms" sold at most bait shops and walmart that are cupped and refrigerated. Although these worms do work, they do not contain the same strong odor that real red wigglers have. Back in the old days, red wigglers were popular in bait shops, but they fell out of favor due to the fact they cannot be refrigerated and therefore have a shorter shelf life in a retail environment. For you as angler, this is irrelevant as a red wiggler can live for several years in a well-managed worm bin and also create lots of offspring in the process, giving you a perpetual supply of free bait after the initial stocking of your worm bin. You can take whatever worms you need for the day in a bait cup, and then dump the remainder back in your worm bed to make more worms for future fishing trips. It's hard to beat that! As lifelong anglers with over a decade of experience raising worms, you can trust our expertise to provide you healthy worms that will give you amazing days on the water.