How to relax / 13.07.2023

In winter, fishing with worms. How to preserve worms in winter Dung worms storage in winter feeding

Both experienced fishermen and amateurs know that earthworms are a universal bait that catches fish regardless of the season. But it is not always possible to obtain them in the required quantity, so many fishermen are wondering how to store worms for a long time, so that they can go fishing in winter and boast of a significant catch. This is not at all difficult to do if you adhere to some points, which I will tell you about today.

In order to preserve worms for winter fishing, you should first of all understand that not all species of these individuals live long enough in specially organized conditions.

Dung worms, as well as underleaf worms, have the longest life expectancy at home. If you provide them with suitable conditions, you can even ensure that they reproduce. But earthworms require the organization of specific conditions, and will quickly die if handled ineptly.
Another important point is that you cannot store different types of worms in the same container. For example, dung worms secrete a toxic liquid that affects individuals of another species, poisoning them. At the same time, the dung worms themselves can also die within 10 days, poisoned by the remains of their rotting brethren.
Adequate space is another important part of effectively storing worms during the winter.
Humidity and temperature are extremely important for worms, which should be preserved for a long time. The soil should not be allowed to dry out; at the same time, excessive watering will also lead to the death of pets.

Your own pit of worms

If you live in a private house or have a small garden, then the issue of storing a large number of worms for a long time is very easy to solve.

To begin with, a hole measuring 1.5 * 2 meters and about half a meter deep is dug. Two hundred worms in such a pit will feel quite comfortable. If the desired number of worms is greater, then the pit should be made wider.

After the pit is ready, its bottom is covered with a mesh with small cells. This is done to prevent the worms from spreading. In addition, such a mesh allows water to pass through itself, leaving the necessary humidity in the habitat of the future bait.

Next, the hole is filled with earth, preferably from the same place where the worms were taken. The worms themselves are placed in the hole parallel to the ground. You can also place tea leaves or coffee grounds there, or lightly pour water in which the attractant is diluted.

If it is hot outside, which very often happens in the summer, it is necessary to periodically water the storage so that the soil does not dry out.

After filling the hole, its surface is covered with a mesh and sprinkled with earth. The worm habitat is ready. They can “live” in such a den for one month or more, depending on the size of the pit and the number of inhabitants.

However, you should not forget that it is advisable to change the soil at least once a month.

We store worms in boxes

In winter, the previous storage method is not suitable, but there is an equally simple, but at the same time effective. For it you need to stock up on wooden boxes without gaps. Moss is placed in them in several layers, after which worms are launched there. Every few days, the moss should be carefully inspected and a few drops of milk with honey or unsalted broth should be added to it.

It is also important to pay attention to the condition of the worms: sick and dead individuals should be promptly removed from the box. It is advisable to replace the moss at least once a week, but if this is not possible, it can be thoroughly washed in water.

You can store such boxes of worms on an open loggia or in a cellar.

Another option for storing worms in winter is to use wooden barrels or boxes placed in the basement. They are filled with soft soil, rotted leaves and plant remains. Food scraps can also be mixed with soil mixture to feed the worms.

The soil in the storage container should be sufficiently moist, but it should not be allowed to become moldy. It is advisable to regularly inspect the worms and remove any damaged or dead ones.

Breeding worms in the apartment

If you don’t have your own basement, but you really want to store worms for the winter, you don’t need to worry - this can be done in an apartment. The first step is to choose a container in which earthworms or dung worms will live. These can be enamel or plastic buckets, containers or jars filled with active medium. As a filler, you can use earth, hay or straw, as well as a peat mixture.

A liter bucket half filled with soil is enough to contain hundreds of not very large worms.

Leaving a container with worms open risks the possibility of them spreading throughout the apartment. At the same time, a tight lid will lead to the death of pets. Therefore, the most optimal material for covering the container is gauze or other breathable fabric.

It is necessary to store worms in an apartment in a dark, cool place, preferably in the fresh air. This could be a loggia or, in extreme cases, a refrigerator.

A canvas bag can also help with storing your fishing bait. The worms, along with the soil in which they lived, are placed in a small bag, into which moistened sheets of newspaper are added. A tightly tied container is placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, not forgetting to periodically inspect and wet it. This method allows you to store worms for up to six months.

Another original way to store worms at home is with a porous loofah sponge. It is cut lengthwise not to the very end, rolled in grated red brick and slightly moistened. Worms placed on such a washcloth quickly crawl through its pores. The loofah is wrapped in damp burlap or cotton fabric. You can store it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in another cool place. The worms need to be periodically fed with tea leaves or ground sunflower seeds.

Breeding and storing tubifex in an aquarium on a washcloth or sponge (photo source - akvariumnyerybki.ru)

Those who have an empty aquarium should think about adapting it to house marine or other worms. A container filled with soil and fertilizing will allow the inhabitants not only to live well in it, but also to reproduce both in summer and winter.

Your little brownie

Residents of rural areas always know how to preserve worms for fishing in winter. There is nothing surprising in this, since even in the cold season they can be found in the same manure, which is more than enough in a cowshed or pigsty. Another thing is city residents. It is impossible to find worms under the snow, so you need to stock up on them in advance, and then somehow be able to save them before fishing.

Every fisherman understands that the bait must be elastic and always alive for the fish to pay attention to it. Otherwise, there will be no catch. Some people might think that storing worms for fishing is difficult, but it is not. You can keep the bait in good condition even in a warm apartment. The most important thing is to know some important points.

Many anglers prefer fishing in the summer. Of course, on the one hand, this is very comfortable for humans, but on the other hand, it creates a problem regarding how to preserve earthworms. When exposed to the sun, fertilizer can deteriorate in just a couple of hours, and it is not always possible to get a new one.

First of all, it must be said that dung worms and earthworms cannot be placed in the same box, because they will die. Dung species produce mucus, which negatively affects their rain “brothers”; they, in turn, decompose and kill dung worms.

Therefore, to keep worms for a long time in hot weather, you can use several methods.

Method one (using a canvas mitten)

First, the fisherman must find a mitten, and then pour bait into it along with the earth. The product closes tightly at the top to avoid any unpleasant surprises. Afterwards you will need to place the mitten in the shade of trees or in thick grass. As soon as the air temperature starts to rise, you should lower the glove for a couple of seconds and then return it to its original place. This manipulation allows the top layer to get wet. At the same time, the soil inside the mitten remains dry. When the product begins to dry, the evaporated moisture cools everything inside the glove. Thus, earthen or dung inhabitants continue to be kept in comfortable conditions.

In hot weather, the above manipulation is performed as often as possible.

Second method (using plastic containers)

Surely finding a small bucket made of plastic will not be difficult. As in the previous case, you will need to fill the container with soil (moist, but not wet), and the worms are sent there too. And dry leaves and grass are laid on top. After this, you will need to close the jar with a lid, having previously made holes in it for air, and wrap the container with a damp cloth. By placing the container in the shade, you don’t have to worry that you won’t be able to keep the worms in good condition for a long time.

Third method (using pits)

If a fisherman goes fishing for more than one day, perhaps goes on vacation, but doesn’t want to dig for worms on the spot, then it will be useful for him to learn about one interesting manipulation.

First of all, you need to take a linen bag or handbag (many people use ordinary women's tights). Next, you will need to pour soil, dry leaves and moss into the product, and then moisten it all a little and send the prepared worms there. When going fishing, a person will have to dig a small hole in the shade where this bag will be placed. The top of the product is covered with leaves or branches. If it is very hot outside, you can lightly water the hole. Experienced fishermen note that in this way you can keep the bait for a single week, and nothing will happen to it.

There is another way, but it only works with dung worms. In this case, a bag made of canvas is taken, filled with wet manure, and then a “fish delicacy” is placed there. Having tied the product, it can be tied to any tree branch that can be easily reached while fishing. When the sun begins to shine on the bag, it is sprayed with water. It turns out that, firstly, the bag is well ventilated, secondly, it remains wet, and thirdly, the fisherman does not need to go far for bait.

Storing worms at home: how to do it

Not every fish is caught in bad weather, so if everything was collected, but the trip didn’t work out, then you need to take care to keep worms for fishing at home.

In this case, it all starts with the container. Ideally, if you can find a small plastic or metal basin. Be sure to drill small holes at the bottom. They can range from 0.3 to 0.6 cm. Next, you will need to start filling this basin. For these purposes, you can take 50% household waste, and 50% small straw or hay, as well as some dry leaves.

You might think that at this point the preparations are completed and earthworms for fishing can be stored for as long as possible. This is not so; you should also take care of the “filling”. To do this, the fisherman will need to take crushed eggshells and chalk. After mixing this oxidizing agent, add water at the rate of 1 glass of water per 8 kg of mixture. Afterwards, you need to wait until all the excess water drains through the holes in the basin.

This manipulation of watering is carried out within 7 days.

How to feed "house" worms

Simply creating conditions where worms can be stored well is not enough. It is necessary to take care of their nutrition, otherwise they will die. Such specimens can recycle almost anything. Some people may not know, but worms love paper very much, ideal option There will be wet wipes. If you don’t have them on hand, peels from various vegetables or finely chopped seeds, as well as coffee and tea leaves will do.

Important! In cases where it is necessary for the worms to be stored longer, shells or chalk should be added twice a month. Without an oxidizing agent, the “fish delicacy” will not live long.

Don’t forget to add water once a week, which can serve as a soil moisturizer. Humidity should be at least 70%. It is very simple to determine: taking a little soil in your palm and trying to squeeze water out of it, one drop should appear. This is an ideal indicator that everything is fine with moisture.

You should not worry that the worms will remain hungry, so there is no need to pour large quantities of food into the basin. All products poured at one time must be processed during the day. If they were found for tomorrow, it means there are too many of them and the number needs to be reduced.

It should be understood that worms grow quite quickly, so if you plan to keep them in a basin for a long time, then after a while you will most likely have to look for another container where you can plant all the individuals.

We describe the most popular methods for catching various types of fish.

How to keep worms in winter

You can’t get worms in winter - all fishermen know this, so you should take care of feeding in the summer. To do this, just before the frost (they are different in different regions, so everyone should adapt to their own climate) dig up worms and put them aside. At the same moment you will need to build a wooden box. You need to understand that it should include about 20 kg of earth. Having dealt with this, you can go collect fallen leaves, with which you will need to cover a third of the box. Everything else is covered with soil. Next, they place the worms in a box and sprinkle them with soil.

Important! There should not be too many worms in the box, otherwise they will soon no longer fit in the box.

Next, you need to wrap the container with a damp cloth and send it to some cool place. It can be anything: a garage, a balcony, an attic, etc. The most important thing is to maintain positive temperatures. Earthworms for fishing should be fed once a day.

When going fishing, you can put the bait along with the ground in a special mitten. To prevent the bait from freezing, it is better to hide it under outer clothing and take it out as needed.

Worms are one of the best baits for fishing. The fish are excellently caught with a worm in the summer, and in the winter they bite well on the first and the last ice. Even in the middle of winter, the nimble worm is in demand by predatory and white fish. Chopped worms are added to winter fishing baits. For fishing, worms can be kept at home and bred even in winter. It is better to keep ordinary earthworms; Californian and dung animals are too delicate and capricious.

At home, ordinary earthworms and the “Prospector”, which is sold for fishing, are perfectly preserved + reproduced. Prospector differs from other worms in having slightly flattened tails with a yellowish tint. Best temperature for home preservation of worms, not lower than + 6, not higher than +20 degrees.

In a city apartment, in winter it is better to keep it in a dark room (warm basement, pantry). Preserving worms in winter is not difficult, care is simple, feed and keep the soil moist (70%). At home, it is advisable to shake up the soil once every two months and remove those dying with a swollen transverse belt. Please note that the worms huddle together in a tight ball with very little moisture!

In winter, at home, you can keep it in a wooden or plastic box, a plastic bucket... Holes are made at the bottom to drain excess moisture, it is better to cover the top of the vessel with a mosquito net or gauze. It is advisable to cover the ground with a thick, damp cloth; this protects the soil from drying out and creates comfortable conditions for the pets. The earth is covered with layers of fallen leaves; foliage is a familiar food for the worms and will help them get used to new conditions.

At home, feeding worms for fishing is simple, the main thing is to grind the food and give it slightly moist. You can feed them vegetable and fruit peelings, used tea leaves, egg and onion peels. The worms like banana skins and apple cores, but you should not give them salty, strong-smelling foods; they will run away from such tastes and aromas. At home, it is better not to water the soil with milk and broth; there will be a bad smell and small flies at home.

How much food to give to pets depends on the number of animals and the temperature of keeping them. The higher the temperature, the more actively the worms feed and reproduce. Usually it is enough to apply fertilizer on the ground once every two weeks and any addition should not be large. Preserving earthworms for winter fishing is not difficult at all and you always have first-class bait at hand.

Add a comment Cancel reply

How to preserve worms in winter

Avid fishermen cannot do without fishing even in the cold season. And everything would be fine, but there is one problem - bait. In summer it can be obtained in the garden or in the forest, in winter only in the store and at a high price. But you can stock up on worms in the fall, and start using them up in the winter.

Posting sponsor P&G Articles on the topic “How to preserve worms in winter” How to fish in winter without bloodworms How to sharpen knives for a Swedish ice drill How to catch perch in winter

Make a wooden box to hold about 25 kg of soil. In principle, an ordinary large-volume enamel bucket will do, but a wooden container is still preferable.

How to store worms?

The shelf life of worms for fishing depends on their proper maintenance. As practice shows, under no circumstances should worms be stored in tin cans, which is what novice fishermen most often do. In such a container, the worms quickly heat up, curl into a ball, become motionless and soon die. Therefore, they must be kept in a canvas bag or wooden box along with the soil of the area where they are dug.

On summer fishing This bait should be stored away from the sun, in a cool place. If you have to go fishing for many days, then it is advisable to bury a bag or box with the main supply of worms in damp coastal sand or damp soil, preferably in a shaded place. In such a “cellar” this bait can be stored for several days. And for morning or evening fishing, you can take the required number of worms from the “stash”. In this way, you can significantly extend the shelf life of bloodworms.

When fishing in winter, worms must be protected from frost. In the cold, they quickly lose their vitality and become inactive. Therefore, it is better to keep a box of worms in the pockets of warm winter trousers or hide it in the bosom of a jacket or sheepskin coat.

To preserve worms throughout the winter, you need to get a wooden tub or box with a capacity of about two buckets. Fill this container one third with dry fallen leaves. These leaves need to be covered with soft, loose soil from the area where the worms were taken. An important point - make sure that there is a thin layer of leaves along the sides and inner walls.

After all the manipulations have been done, you can launch worms into the “dwelling” (in the amount of about two glasses). Don’t worry, after a while there will be a huge number of them in your nursery. Stock up on one type of worm, either dung or earthworm, as different types do not tolerate each other well.

The prepared box of worms, covered with a damp cloth, should be kept in a cool, dark place: in the garage, basement, cellar. Make sure that the temperature near the container does not fall below zero degrees. A city fisherman who has neither a cellar nor a shed can store worms in an ordinary enamel household bucket.

You need to keep an eye on the worms periodically, and most importantly, don’t forget to feed them. When it comes to food, they love unsalted table scraps, grated raw potatoes, and sour milk. Also suitable for them is the swollen tea leaves left after drinking tea. It must first be rinsed under water to remove the bitter taste. The food is poured on top of the ground and covered with a rag or a piece of thick cardboard. To prevent the soil from drying out, periodically water it evenly over the entire surface with a small amount of water. About one glass of water for two to three days is enough for your bait to successfully overwinter and even increase its population.

Almost all fishermen, even those who prepare extremely scrupulously for fishing and have extensive experience in this matter, rarely think about such an important issue as preparing worms, but pay more attention to the choice of gear, bait and fishing location. And this is often the reason for unsuccessful fishing.

At first glance, worms are a ready-made bait and it seems that nothing can be done here, but if you know some methods, then any bait, including a worm, can be made much more effective.

How to store worms in winter

Regular worms remain the best bait for fishing even in winter. And when fishing for predatory species, it is generally irreplaceable. Chopped worms are often added to winter fishing baits. You can successfully store and even breed them even in normal home conditions. You need to know that the most ordinary raincoats are stored better; Californians and dungcoats are very sensitive, one might even say capricious. Also undemanding in maintenance is the “Prospector”, so beloved by many fishermen, which does not live in natural conditions, but is sold very often in stores. The Prospector is distinguished from other species by its slightly flattened tail with a yellow tint. The most suitable temperature for storage at home is from + 6 to + 20C.

In urban conditions, in winter, it is better to keep worms in a dark place (basement, pantry). It is not difficult to store worms in winter; they are unpretentious in care. They need to be fed periodically, and the soil moisture should be about 70 percent.

When storing at home, you need to shake the ground at least once a month, remove dying ones and those who have swelling of the transverse girdle. If you notice that the worms have begun to bunch up in a tight ball, this may mean that the soil is too dry for them. In this case, you need to carefully pull the ball apart and water the soil.

For winter maintenance at home, it is advisable to knock down a wooden box, but an ordinary plastic bucket will do.

It is necessary to make holes in the bottom through which excess moisture will drain.

The container needs to be covered with some kind of net or gauze. The surface of the soil should also be covered with a cloth; this will not allow the soil to dry out, but will help create the most suitable conditions for the worms. The ground should be covered with layers of fallen leaves, which all types of worms readily eat.

At home, feeding worms for fishing is not difficult, the main thing is that the food should be crushed and moistened. A variety of kitchen scraps and even banana peels work well as fertilizing. Never feed salty foods or those that have too strong a smell. Watering with milk or broth is not recommended, as this can lead to flies.

The amount of feeding depends on how many worms you are raising, as well as the temperature. The warmer it is, the better the worms eat. Feeding a couple of times a month is enough, but it is important to remember that the layer of feed should not be very thick.

Video “Preparing a worm for winter fishing”

This video shows how to store worms in the winter.

If in the summer you can dig up worms directly before going fishing, then few people know how to preserve the worms in the winter so that they are mobile and attractive to fish.

We will give some simple but quite effective recommendations, the application of which in practice will increase the catch several times, even when other fishermen return home empty-handed.

An energetically wriggling worm on the hook is a guaranteed bite. But how to make it move?

The worm is best preserved in winter in a wooden or plastic container. If you store it for a short time, tea leaves and grated potatoes are enough to feed it.
Place fresh worms in some container. Then tear open the tea bag containing the used tea and add it to the container with the worms. Sprinkle black soil (necessarily wet) or rotted manure on top. After a few hours you won’t recognize your worms; they will become stronger and more mobile.
Add some grated beets to the jar in which the worms are located. In ten minutes the worms will come to life and will be mobile on the hook, attracting the attention of even the most passive fish.
Freshly dug worms need to be given a little time to cleanse. This is done as follows: we place the worms in some container with moistened sand or grass. Pour one spoonful of milk or aromatic sunflower oil on top. After a few days, the worms will noticeably get stronger, clean up and become attractive to fish.
If you notice that the worms are sluggish and constantly fly off the hook, you need to make them a little stronger. Just add the most common mint, which you need to rub in your hands until the juice appears. After a couple of days, the worms will smell like mint, get stronger and become elastic.
When preparing to go fishing, it is advisable to flavor the worms a little; this is done simply. Brewed dill, garlic and grated mint are added to the jar in which they are located. This will give your charges a fairly attractive aroma that will attract all types of fish well.
The container in which the worms are stored should not be airtight; in such a container they can simply suffocate. The lid must have small ventilation holes, but only such that the worm cannot get out through them. Instead of a lid, it is better to put an ordinary stocking or gauze over the jar. Just don't forget to secure it with an elastic band.
Before fishing begins, the jar should be stored in a cool, shaded place. And when fishing, never forget it in the rain or in the open sun. It is better to leave it in the shade and covered with something.

Compliance with these simple rules, will make it possible to store worms for a long time, and they can even begin to mate and reproduce.

This will help make fishing more efficient

There are also little tricks that will make worm fishing more successful.

Almost all fishermen simply dig up worms (or buy them in a store) and immediately go fishing. However, this is not entirely correct. A fresh worm is, of course, good, but if you devote a little time to it, your fishing will be much more effective.
The purchased worms must be made a little more lively, made stronger and placed in a large container, because in stores they are sold in very small plastic boxes. Many experienced fishermen store this bait in canvas bags filled with soil. But a wooden box will also work. These materials practically do not emit foreign odors that repel fish.
For some time, if there is no basement, worms can be stored at home in the refrigerator, in the compartment where vegetables are stored, usually the bottom shelf.
The soil in which the worms are stored should be slightly moistened (but in moderation), and the lid must have ventilation holes.
In order for the worms to acquire the required color and aroma, the following products must be added to the container in which they are stored several days before fishing: chicken egg yolk, flour, birch and oak sawdust, sunflower oil, macadamia, flavorings.

If you store worms for more than a few days, you may need to feed them. You can give them regular kitchen waste with the exception of milk porridge.
About six hours before fishing, it is advisable to move the worms to a warmer place and add natural aromatic substances to the soil; this can be anise or vegetable oil.
In order for the aroma to last longer, place cotton wool at the bottom of the box in which you store the worms, after soaking it with the necessary solution, or tear it up and mix it with the ground.
If necessary, before fishing, place the worms in a box with sawdust (kept in air for about a week so that the smell disappears), then it will be easier to pick them up with your hands.
Take worm fishing not only different types(rain, manure...), but also treated with different types. In this case, being on the spot, you yourself will determine which ones are more catchy on a given body of water on that day.
It is better to string the worm not through its entire body, but only by making a puncture in its front part and approximately in the middle. With this method, the worm lives longer on the hook.

This video describes in detail and very competently how to handle worms so that fish bite on them all year round.

This was about five years ago. In winter. One day I come to a hole on the river that I have known for a long time, where you can always grab plenty of perch. However, that hole is well known not only to me. Many people wander there from time to time to take their fishing spirits. And what’s interesting is that the striped robbers are not translated. Both fingerlings and quite significant humpback whales. So you can amuse yourself with a nodding dance and test the strength of the fishing line.

Worms in the middle of winter - unreal! Or?..

It seems that I didn’t really delay the release, but there are also earlier “birds” among us, “penguins”. I look - a colleague is already sitting, drilled a couple of holes and is catching sailors. And well, I tell you, it catches! While I was drilling about seven meters from him, while I was setting up the gear and alerting him, he already sent the robbers into his box right off the bat. Yes, not some small thing, but serious robbers - grammers, from the looks of it, 300-400 each.

Yeah! Catches with a large jig. With a booster. Only this is some kind of large bloodworm. Yes, very smart. Or not a bloodworm... It can’t be! Where does a fisherman get worms in December? Half a decade ago, selling worms was unheard of. And even today, in the midst of winter, giving up a hundred rubles for a dozen and a half skinny ones is, to put it mildly, overkill. And here - just like in the picture: cheerful, active! Where does this luxury come from?!.

Actually, I approached Pyotr Nikolaevich with this question. However, I already learned during the conversation that he was Peter, and even Nikolaevich. And he turned out to be a sociable little man and not at all greedy for practical advice, as well as for worms - he generously poured them into the hastily emptied blood-tray, so my fishing that time was still a success.

And I give his advice below. Perhaps it will be useful to someone.

Three recipes

My grandfather and father prepared worms for the winter. True, it was easier for them. At that time, the city had more private houses than high-rise buildings. And around the house, sheds and compost pits are a common occurrence.

I. Recipe of grandfather Pyotr Nikolaevich

Grandfather didn’t think much at all: he put together a box one meter by one meter, with the walls about forty centimeters high. He covered the box itself with felt - he let a couple of old greatcoats into tatters, God knows from when, lying around the barns. The bottom of that box was covered with a layer of sawdust. Not particularly thick - about five centimeters. True, pine ones are not suitable here - they contain too much resin. Deciduous trees are needed - birch, aspen, or perhaps apple trees. On top is a 10-centimeter layer of rotted manure or humus from a compost pit - whoever has what on hand. Then - a little trick: several thin boards are scattered over this layer. Broken sides from boxes will do. But in our times, you can get by with pieces of thin plywood. Then - humus again, and so on - until the box is full.

The structure itself is dug in next to or directly in the compost heap.

That's it, you can move in. Fortunately, you don’t need to go far - shake up the humus that’s nearby and visit your neighbors. Before the onset of cold weather, you can feed the creeping brethren several times: pour in whey, add cottage cheese or some meat broth (necessarily not salted), you can also add tops and peelings. It’s good that we cook every day, but otherwise it looks like garbage, but it’s useful.

Well, as soon as the frosts begin, to prevent the worms from freezing, you need to cover the “incubator” with cellophane film and cover it with tops, hay, and even humus again. In such a box, even in severe frosts, the temperature will remain above zero, so the worms will not only not die, but will also reproduce. When I got ready to go fishing, I removed the snow, moved the straw and took out as much as I needed from under the film. The main thing is not to forget to cover everything again as it should be. Under the snow “blanket” the worms feel very good until spring.

What?.. Won't they crawl?.. Why do worms need this? The box is both warm and satisfying.

II. Recipe from Father Peter Nikolaevich

My father was already more of a city dweller. Although he lived in his own house, he already had a garden-vegetable garden like this - according to the residual principle: a couple of apple trees, a pear and a cherry. In general, my dad was not keen on creating compost heaps and manure pits.

But he loved fishing. And I used my grandfather’s method, but simplified it a little. Bring it, so to speak, into line with the realities of the time.

Once he brought a wooden barrel, two buckets - no less - in volume and said that it would now be a “worm hostel”.

In the fall, my father and I, as usual, walked around the plot with rakes, collected leaves from under the fruit and berry plantings and partially placed them in a barrel. About a third of the way, after compacting it a little, we fell asleep. Then they brought in the soil, straight from the garden. The main thing is that it is loose enough. And at the same time they picked up worms. About the size of a half-liter jar. To prevent the barrel from rotting too much, a layer of leaves was made between its sides and the ground and the container was filled with earth, periodically adding worms. At the same time, they were given a medical examination. The crippled and crippled - in a box for evening fishing, the smart and healthy - in a barrel. Who needs a few dead specimens to start a general “epidemic” in this micro-city?! The barrel itself went to the cellar, and we went fishing. Oh, and it was biting that October!..

The main thing you need to pay attention to is not to house worms of different types together. Well, there are crawlings and rain and dung. I don’t know why, but the “pale” relatives don’t get along with the dung ones: both of them die. My father was more drawn to dung worms. They bite better.

For the first time, however, our worms decided to escape. Maybe a lot was spent, maybe a little - I don’t know. Moreover, what was left was enough for us throughout the winter. And worms reproduce normally even at slightly positive temperatures.

How was the problem solved? It's simple! They placed a damp rag right on top of the ground, so the worms escaped and threw it away. When you need to get ready for the river, you just pick up a rag and pick up as much as you need. The main thing is to pour some kind of deliciousness on the rags the day before - the same meat broth or whey. You can also use vegetable broth. Worms like everything. The main thing is not to overdo it: the worms don’t like a too humid environment, no matter what all the smart guys say.

Yes, and one more thing: once every couple of weeks you should carefully stir the soil so that it does not stagnate. And the worms, I don’t know why, after a few days they begin to bunch up closer to the bottom. And in the ball there is not enough oxygen and nutrients for them, while the mucus secreted by the worms completely soaks everything around, and in the end it may no longer turn out to be an incubator, but a mass grave. Do we need it?.. That’s what I’m talking about!

III. Worms in an apartment building, or Pyotr Nikolaevich's Recipe

Yes... Needless to say: it was easier for both my grandfather and my father. A private house is still power! But I live in a “birdhouse”. Yeah, that five-story one over there. And I don’t have a basement, much less a compost heap. And I love fishing so much!..

So I had to invent my own way. I’ve been experimenting for, like, fifteen years. At first I decided to use a simple bucket. Well, this one is enameled. I don’t trust plastic somehow, but galvanized... No, it’s not good! It oxidizes and begins to rust quickly. And here - a nice thing!..

So, I followed the same principle as my father: I collected leaves, brought soil... I went specifically to the poultry farm to get worms. You can pick up a lot behind the fence there. At the same time, he grabbed some humus from there and mixed it with the soil. You don’t need too many worms - in volume, forgive the comparison - about the size of a 200-gram glass. Why are you laughing? Well, yes, normal Russian volume!.. And so that these fishing companions would not go on the run, I covered the ground with the same damp rag.

And you know - they took root! At first I kept them in the apartment, but my grandmother began to grumble: they say, it smells like earth, and I see fugitives in the corners. In general, I took it out onto the site. There are pockets like that on the floors - so I adapted them there. Our neighbors are good, so the bucket stood quietly all winter. However, in such a small incubator the worms need to be fed more often. I gave them some tasty treats once a week: either grated potatoes, or tea, or tea leaves, that is. I rinse it under water, dry it, and lay it right on top of the turf under a rag. The same meat broth... What I noticed: when I feed it with cottage cheese, they reproduce better. Just don't overdo it. Fermented milk products quickly turn the earth sour.

Well, and ventilation. Without this there is no way. Once every couple of weeks, I carefully loosened the earth with my hands and sorted out the balls of worms. And at the same time he looked through - filtered out the sick and crippled.

The soil needs to be watered once every 2-3 days. The same glass of water - evenly over the entire surface. More and more often is not needed, otherwise the water in the lower part of the bucket will rise, and good luck: the soil will turn sour, and where can I get a new one in the middle of winter to save the worms?..

What? No... Now I breed worms differently. In aquarium. No - not with fish! At one time my son was interested in all sorts of veil-tailed barbs, and then he switched to technology: he spends time on the computer. And I inherited the aquarium. This is a good one - 50 liters. Here I started a new farm for myself.

I poured sawdust into the bottom. Not much, about two centimeters. They perform a drainage function for me (Oh, as I said!). Yes, if I suddenly overfill the excess water, it collects in them and slowly evaporates. And above is the earth. Regular. Brought it from the flowerbed over there.

And the worms are all from the same place. From a poultry farm.

Still the same rag on top and regular meals: everyone is alive, and everyone wants to eat alive. True, now - on the advice of another “worm catcher” of my acquaintance - I smell oatmeal more often than my crawlies. I solve two questions at once: the worms are full, and these flakes take away excess moisture from the ground. About 5 handfuls in one hand is enough for my pets for a week. Well, sometimes I spoil myself with cottage cheese and broths...

To moisten the soil, I used a half-liter plastic bottle. I drilled holes in the lid with a hot needle and watered them every 2-3 days.

Well, mixing the soil is a must. A couple of times a month is needed. Otherwise - trouble!..

And the aquarium has taken root well in the dark room. There are built-in cabinets in Khrushchev-era buildings that the wife can’t climb into. She is not interested in my tools or fishing rods, but the worms are quite comfortable there: it’s dark and warm.

So now from my “hacienda” I not only take worms myself, but also supply my friends and acquaintances with fishermen.

P.S

Pyotr Nikolaevich and I—fortunately, we are almost neighbors—we began to cross paths often while fishing.

I’ll say right away that I also started a worm farm for myself. True, the sizes are more modest. It was the case - I myself used to fish with fish, and a 35-liter aquarium at home stood idle for a long time... Now there are no problems with bait. As, indeed, with catches. In the winter, the nimble worm is very much to the taste of perch, rotan, ruff, and all kinds of leucorrhoea. And in the middle of nowhere, it’s the only way to tempt both a respectable pike and a pike-perch.

And these worms are a profitable business. In a week, from my “hacienda” in the dark, you can take a “harvest” the size of a liter jar. Moreover, without damage to the broodstock. I have a lot of it myself, so I rent some of it to the nearest fishing stores.

In general, here you will have both fun fishing and some kind of profit.

Arseny Mavrin, Kazan

The history of Niagara Falls

Vienna Airport Wien-Schwechat

In winter, fishing with worms. How to preserve worms in winter Dung worms storage in winter feeding