OK I live in the low grounds next to Lycoming Creek (Old Lycoming Township)And in late spring early summer when the sun just goes down and the dew settles in the yard I can usually collect a good pound if not more of Nightcrawlers with in an hour..Now my question is how can i collect them and keep them alive say for a week or two??So when it gets warmer out and the NC get scarce I still have a good supply on hand..Thanks in advance everyone!!
S. A. Coup Jr.Fishin North central Pa since '88 NAFC member since April '07 Newbie Lifer since Feb. '09

Try an old foam cooler/recycled box. Keep in dark/cool place protected from moles & ants. Use rich garden soil or potting soil, add NC, keep moist. Add very thin layer (1/16") layer corn meal for food. Warning: too thick a layer will "heat-up, not what you need. Add used coffee grounds/tea leaves, this will toughen up the NC...they love it. Protect from critters, people & temp. Good luck   Chuck 

thanks harrington I'll try that this year
NAFC member since April '07 Newbie Lifer since Feb. '09

Yep, What Harrington said. When my dirt starts to dry out I add a few ice cubes to keep em moist and cool
NW Fla.

    Havn't picked worms in many years. But when I was a kid I would pick all spring. Kept them in wash tubs with commerial worm bedding in the cool dark part of the basement. Would keep them till July when it was hot, dry, and everyone else was out. Doubled my price and sold everything fast. I even threw in the bedding and washtubs. Wife thinks I'm nuts now if I try to save a few bucks by picking my own.
Jim USArmy 1986-Present Life Member NAFC Member Western Fishers Member Full Moon Fishers A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone. Henry David Thoreau

 Hellbilly-- Da Info dat Harrington gav ya iz gud info-- However, I wud add one lil teensey bit ta dat. Wen ya tuks um in dar lil ol beddies at nite ya gives dem a big hug an kiss an tell um how much ya luv dem so dat dey will grow big an strong soz dey can go fishin wid ya> HeeHeeHee HoHoHo!! Jus Funnin wid ya Hb. Da devil made me do dat!! Good Luck, good fishin an God Bless>    

Bill J        

Thanks guys!! I don't know if it's cause i'm close to the crick or maybe past floods put alot of nutrients in the soil but the NC down here are like small snakes and i can get hundreds of them in a short period of time,just til it gets hot and dry out!!!so anything to keep my buddies and me from having to spend more time wormin then fishin the better!!!

NAFC member since April '07 Newbie Lifer since Feb. '09

Another tip for ya I do this during the summer when I dont want to buy commercial crawlers, I will run my hose in my back yard for about 2 hours before sundown not full blast but enough to wash your car, just leave it lay in the yard, after the sun goes down turn off your water wait about another hour then go out and have your picking most the time even better then spring, Last summer myself and my brother in-law filled 2 5 gal buckets worth of crawlers in 3 hours, was very well worth our time, we had enough crawlers to fish for bigger bait all that summer and enough to give to a few Doz. to the the kids down at the park so they could have haydays cathing some gills, I actually prefer getting the crawlers the night before I know im going oout for cats on the river for some reason they are a lot more lively, and the river Chubs and bull heads beat em up, if they are more then a week old it takes a few in between bites, which is why I dont like commercial worms they have already been handled so much they could care less if your holding them or even sticking a hook through them for that matter. same with your shiners and chubs wild is better.
Its easier to Judge then be Judged, Its better to be Judged and Learn from it. Holdrege, Nebraska

Also reference the above, put sheets  of newspaper interspaced with your soil along w/ used coffee grounds, this always worked for me when I was a kid. Lou

 

Retired-psg /Infantry,Purple Heart and a Few others, VietNam Vet, Ex Deputy Sheriff SCCSD, and all around good Guy! Living in Wisconsin

I've kept store bought worms alive for 6 months in the fridge.
Fishing and baseball are alot alike. Everybody has their good days and everybody has their bad days. Only the best learn from both.

Great advice guys, im gonna have to try some of these in the near future.