How to Keep Worms Alive for Fishing

There’s no reason to throw away any leftover worms from your last fishing trip. Worms are easy to care for and can reproduce quickly when kept in the right environment. If you only have a few worms, store them in the fridge. If you want to save money on buying bait over time, store them in a specialized box outdoors and let them breed on their own.

Consider whether this method is suitable for your worms. This technique works best with small quantities of worms that will be used within a month. For example, if you buy a small cup of worms for a fishing trip and don’t use them all, you can store them in the fridge until your next trip.

• If you have a large box with thousands of worms, instead of storing them in the fridge, you should use a dedicated box for them.

Place worms in a perforated plastic or styrofoam box. If you use a clear plastic box, light will penetrate the soil, causing the worms to become confused. Ensure that the soil or bedding provided with the worms is adequate.

• If you purchase worms in a suitable box, there’s no need to transfer them elsewhere.

Feed worms once a week. Sprinkle two or three tablespoons of damp coffee grounds into the box. Try to spread the grounds evenly throughout the box. You can also feed them powdered food by sprinkling a few teaspoons of it on top of the worms.

• You can purchase worm food at most bait shops.
• Wait until the worms have eaten all the food before giving them more. Overfeeding will cause the worms to die.

Store worms in the fridge. Seal the worm box to maintain moisture and place it in the fridge. Check on the worms every few days to ensure they have enough food and the bedding stays moist. If necessary, add a few drops of water to keep the bedding damp.

Prepare a large plastic bin. Choose a bin large enough to hold all the worms. You’ll need at least 0.1 square meters of space for every 1,000 worms. Drill holes in the sides and bottom of the bin for proper drainage.

• Buy a large plastic bin intended for mixing cement at a local hardware store or purchase a plastic storage bin from a plastic goods shop.
• You can also build a wooden worm container yourself.

Fill the box with soil. You can either buy pre-made bedding material or use regular garden soil. The soil should be moist, but not soggy. If the soil is too wet, the worms will suffocate. To check the moisture, grab a handful of soil and squeeze it. The ideal moisture level is when only a few drops of water come out.

• If too much water comes out, let the soil dry out a little before adding the worms.
• If the soil is too dry, mist it with some water and mix it by hand.

Add the worms to the box. They will instinctively burrow into the soil. This process will take about an hour. If several hours pass and the worms are still on the surface, it may be due to overly wet soil or too many worms being added to the box.

Place the worm box in a cool, shaded area. If possible, bury the box outdoors in a shady spot with the top about 5 cm above the ground. If you can’t keep the box outside, store it under the kitchen sink, in the basement, or in a garage.

Feed the worms about once a week. You can buy worm food in powder form at bait shops or make your own by mixing vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, or eggshells. To feed the worms, sprinkle a thin layer of food on top of the box. Wait until the worms finish eating before offering more.

• Do not mix the food into the soil as it is not good for the worms.
• Avoid feeding the worms sour fruits, spicy foods, meat, dairy products, bread, or cooking oils.

Harvest worms at least once a month. To harvest, simply reach into the box and gently grab a handful of worms. Place them in a covered box, being careful to keep most of the soil in the original box. You can either take the worms fishing immediately or store them in the fridge for up to a week.

• Release any leftover worms after fishing by placing them in a cool spot in the garden.
• Harvest worms before feeding them to avoid mixing food with the soil.

Replace the soil every 3 to 6 months. If you don’t replace the soil, the worms will become sick and die. Transfer all the worms from the box into a bucket, then scoop out all the old soil or bedding and replace it with fresh, moist soil. Once done, return the worms to the box.

• Wait for the worms to burrow back into the soil before feeding them again.
• You can use the old soil as compost for your garden.