Trout Bait Old School

[Billfish715]

So, for those of you who have been raised to only know about things like Power Baits or Mealworms or Salmon Eggs for trout fishing, you may have to go old school if you're thinking about trout fishing this spring. There is on-line shopping I guess, but don't be afraid to look elsewhere.

The bait shops are closed so things like prepackaged mealworms and redworms and crawlers won't be available for you. What do you do if you are a bait fisherman and you run out Power Bait? You use worms. That's right.......worms.
Here's the big question for you. Where do worms come from? No, not the store.

Make a night or day of it. Gather your own. Have you ever picked nightcrawlers from the lawn? How about using a pitchfork in the garden. After one of those soaking rains, try finding them on the sidewalks and pavements. If you really want something to talk about, find a farm or stable that has a manure pile. You can have all of the free red worms you could ever want. While you are digging in the garden, you may also discover some white grubs from the Japanese Beetles.

There's one more worm that can be collected. Those are the slimy, wigglers that are very soft and full of "stuff". You can find them under the leaves in many composted areas of local parks especially in shady areas with lots of undergrowth. Just move the leaves around so the dirt is visible. If they are there, they will be all over the surface.

No Power Bait? Have you ever used a Velveeta Fly? It comes in yellow or white and is usually prepackaged and can be found in any grocery store. You can also buy a container of chicken livers if you can find some. It works for trout and is excellent for catfish. Have you ever used pieces of hot dogs for catfish? Try it.

Minnows and shiners are also great live baits. They are a little more difficult to catch but I've seen kids using large, one gallon jars baited and submerged in a brook or pond. Sometimes they use a two liter soda bottle with holes punched in them to keep them on the bottom and attached to string so they can be retrieved. Innovative for sure, but done out of necessity by some if you don't have a seine or makeshift net.

I've come a long way since I was kid with no money to buy lures or jars of salmon eggs. Most of my friends were in the same situation but we made the best of it. Picking nightcrawlers with flashlights and digging in gardens was a spring time ritual if you wanted to go fishing Today, money can get you whatever bait you want.........until the stores are closed!