How do you keep your worm bait fresh?

[MikeFishes]

Okay, so I don't bother digging in my yard for worms as bait, I just stop off at a store and buy some. But most of the time, I use only a few of them. I'd like ot keep them so that I can use them again, but I don't know what to use to keep them fresh, and where to keep that. Any suggestions?

[dbaker]

well, I have a second fridge, so I stick the worms in the fridge.

[Kevin K]

I do the same as dbaker, and they seem to stay very lively. However, any dark cool place would be good for a few days. Just don't make the mistake of storing them in the main fridge without getting permission first or at least advising the wife or significant other first (been there, done that, bad idea).

[bpm2000]

you could always make a small worm box too - there are plans for those on the net everywhere - some people use them as "mini-composts" under their sink.

[beerman1981]

yep, the refrigerator trick works great, just like baker suggested. I used to do that, until my wife put the big KABOSH on worms in the fridge:-(

[quickfish12]

I used to harvest and sell worms to a distributor. We used to buy a "worm box" it can be purchased at most large sports stores. You can also buy worm bedding, it has directions for adding water and mixing. Once your worms are in their new home turn their container every few days and they can keep for a long time.

[Bodofish]

Beerman!
You let her get away with that? I keep mine in the fridge right next to the beer! They like it there. When I'm out they're in the cooler next to the beer. If I take any home I just give them a little bit of anything left over and they just eat it up. Feed'em and they last for weeks.

PS twenty years of scary stuff in the fridge. She's broken in now. Take it slow and easy. o:)

[felts_jf]

Take you a 5 or 10 gallon aquarium and feel it half full of good dark dirt and keep it moist and cool and out of the direct sunlight. About once or twice a week dump some used damp coffe growns in there and turn the dirt and they will stay for a while.
'
Jason

[ruthven78]

They make commercial wormboxes too, mostly made of styrofoam. Big R over here has a decent one that comes in two sizes. They also sell the "worm bedding". THe boxes usually open on two sides so that you can flip it over to access the worms that go to the bottom instead of having to dig for them. My wife doesnt mind me keeping worms inthe fridge long as they dont spoil lol.....she just really hates it when I forget about them in the trunk of her car ROFL.

[The Quadfather]

I am all over this thread. I do keep mine if the frige. My wife has been pissed about that for some time, but a long as you keep some of that old condiment stuff that you never use around the container she will forget about it. (You think I'm being funny,, I'm not at all) I mean who wants to buy another fridge?
I think reading this is def. going to be the straw that throws me over to making a worm been. The Fred Meyers and such sell the fattest wormies, but they stop stocking them usually about this time. Worming in a bin is actually pretty fun if you have kids and such. they love the coffee grounds.

[MikeFishes]

I am all over this thread. I do keep mine if the frige. My wife has been pissed about that for some time, but a long as you keep some of that old condiment stuff that you never use around the container she will forget about it. (You think I'm being funny,, I'm not at all) I mean who wants to buy another fridge?
I think reading this is def. going to be the straw that throws me over to making a worm been. The Fred Meyers and such sell the fattest wormies, but they stop stocking them usually about this time. Worming in a bin is actually pretty fun if you have kids and such. they love the coffee grounds.

Yeah, I just might have to get something to turn into a wormory. I don't drink coffee, but that's not much of a problem around here. I know just where to get buckets of coffee grounds. I'll have to try it out. Now just to find one of the above containers.

Should I dig and burry it to keep it cool? I have a spot I think I can do that.

[Gringo Pescador]

I just took an old plastic recycle bin (about 25" wide by 20" long by 15" tall) Threw in mulch till it was about 1/2 full, topped it with wet newspaper and stuck it between my fence and garden shed where there is never any sun. Throw coffee grounds in once in awhile then I can just go out and tip it one way grab em, tip it the other, grab em and off I go. fancy - no, cheap - yes (of course I am on the west side, a little cooler weather over here).

[MikeFishes]

I just took an old plastic recycle bin (about 25" wide by 20" long by 15" tall) Threw in mulch till it was about 1/2 full, topped it with wet newspaper and stuck it between my fence and garden shed where there is never any sun. Throw coffee grounds in once in awhile then I can just go out and tip it one way grab em, tip it the other, grab em and off I go. fancy - no, cheap - yes (of course I am on the west side, a little cooler weather over here).

Now, that's a good idea for those recycle bins that we were left with. I still have my 3, I definately have one of those. Just need to get some good dirt (none around me, all rocks).

[Toni]

I bought a styrofoam container about 3 years ago, dug a hole in my flower bed ( out of the sun and weather) that was big enough to almost bury it. Just left the top available to open easy. I buy the worm bedding that you just add water to and the worms thrive summer and winter. I use to keep them in the fridge but they might freeze and they were nasty. I add more bedding when the night crawlers (bought at Wal-Mart) and worms (I dug up) have turned the bedding into worm castings.
I saw a man on TV who made a worm box in his basement then took the worm castings added water and did some other stuff to it and sells it on the internet. I just put my worms castings in my flowerbeds or container planters.
I am thinking about gettin' another box and keeping the worms separate from the night crawlers.

[YellowBear]

A few years ago I found a Motel that was remodling.
They had those little refer and microwave combos that they were taking out.
I bought the whole unit for $50.00.
The oven went in the camper and the fridge is in the shop.
It holds all my livebait,worms,leeches,crawdads and maggots.

[Paul & Sammi]

I realized we would soon go broke buying night crawlers and worms since it is our favorite bait to use for nearly everything. Then I discovered that my lawn I spend so much time mowing and watering anyway, is a free bait store. I water heavily for a couple hours before dark, then wait an hour or so and crawl around with my flashlight grabbing up night crawlers. Last night I got 75 in an hour.

My worm box is pretty fancy. Its made of 2-30inch scraps of 1x12 for a bottom and top and scrap 1x6's screwed through the bottom forming the sides and ends. Then I attached the top with 2 old hinges and a hook latch to keep it shut. It looks like a 30 inch coffin, lol I buried the whole thing leaving just the lid above ground in our bushes where its moist and gets no sun, and filled it 3/4 full of good black dirt and compost. I made a divider from a scrap of 1x6 and use 25% of the box for regular worms and the rest for night crawlers. They seem pretty happy in there. I made a much smaller version out of cedar scraps for use in the boat. Both work great and cost me nothing.

[gpc]

Yeah all the ladies tend not to like it when you put worms in the fridge. But put a thing of maggots in the fridge and they go absolutely nuts. Then worms in the fridge isn't all that big of a deal.

[MikeFishes]

BTW, just for you guys with the picky ladies who don't like crawlers in their fridge, you can get your own for the garage. Target is having a sale on the Cheifmate 1.37 cuft fridges. $55 + Tax. Not too bad. I have one in my office and it works pretty well. You can adjust the coldness so it's not too cold for your bait.