The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-09-06
WORMS AS BAIT.
NY Dear E

My Dear Buck:
The original bait that has tickled
the palate of all kinds Of fish since
the first open season in the Garden Of
Eden and caused more of him to grace
the frying pan than any other lure,
of the thousands in use, is the COM
mon old worm. Called by some, the
angleworm, by others, the fishworm,
and knighted as the greatest bait ever,
by the happy, bare-legged, knee-pants
angler Of the Order Of the Long Cane
Pole.
AS still-fshing bait for all kinds Of
fish the worm stands at the head Of
the class and he can wiggle into the
affections Of the f1nny tribe when many
other bats don't even get glance.
Whether it is the fascinating wiggle
Of the head and tail Of the worm, which
should be hooked through the body a
couple of times with the ends free,
or the delicious flavor Of this choice
bit Of fish food that makes it so popu-'
lar, is a question that can only be set
tied by the fish, but it is sure enough.
fact that they take to worms like
duck to water.
Four of q Kind.
One big point in favor Of the worm
is that it can be found In good num-
bers almost anywhere. A few turns
of earth with spade gives you enough
bait for an afternoons fishing. -Four
species of worms are probably the
most useful in fishing, the black-head-
ed worm without the band or knott
like ring which is rather dark in color
and the toughest and best hooker Of
the lot, found In garden soil. The
ringed worm with a ring around the
body little above the middle, and a.
tiatter looking worm which is found
under old manure heaps and such,
places. This worm is softer and does
not make as good bait as the black
headed worm. The marsh worm,
which has a whitish ring, and is a
pale blue in color and is found under
stones and among decayed leaves and
under rotted logs.
When worms are taken from the
ground they are full Of earth and un-
til they are cleaned, do not make the
best bait. A fish likes the pink color
OF the cleaned worm, and it is SIM
pie matter to doctor them into first
class fish food. AS soon as they are
dug up out of their home grounds they
should be washed well with water.
Put them in a painful Of water and
stir them around with the finger, but
don't crush them or shake roughly,
then place them in an earthen crock
or jar and put in plenty of moss. And
here is the big point to remember In
the scare of the worm," wiring the
moss thoroughly so that all water is
eliminated. The moss must be kept
Cry in order to extract the moisture
from the body of the worms, and thus
tougher them for the hook.
The ringed worm can be cleaned In
two or three days while the other
three take at least week to put them
in clean pink shape. Every other day
the worms should be examined and the
sick looking brothers taken out, as
well as the moss changed. Slip them
a little food at the same time. slice
OF bread broken into small pieces, and
a spoonful Of milk or cream poured
OF the moss is plenty, and Will keep
'em while getting ready for the hook.
Sounds like a joke to wash and feed
your pet worms, but If you never Of
fered a clean worm to the fish, just
give it a try-out and take 1t from me,
old-timer, you are certainly due for a
surprise at the results. While the con-
ditioning game is going on, keep the
worm crock in cool place.
Small Ones Great Bait.
When digging worms don't overlook
the small ones. 1t is mistaken idea
that only the big worms get the big
fish, often the largest worm will fall
q victim of the smallest fish. A small,
clean, pink worm with lively kick
is more enticing to the big fellows than
the big night crawler that you hunt
with q lantern. When hooking the
worm do not run the hook clear
through the body, but simply hook 1t
through the skin. About one-third
way down the body, run the hook
through the skin, then skip about a
third of the body and run the hook
through again, leaving about a quar-
ter of the entire length Of the worm
wriggling loose at the barb of the
hook. This keeps them lively and
kicking and that attracts the big fell
lows, while a dead worm may get the
smaller fish it don't appeal much to
the kind you are generally after.
When hooking new worm always
take off the small pieces of his prede-
ceSSor.
When you have tried out everything
else and the fish seem to be of the
feed, slip a nice worm on the hook,
and If that don't make them hungry
You can feel certain that you have done
your part in your effort to coax the
big fms out of the water.
DIXIE.