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[cool][#0000ff]These first good soaking rains of spring are great for gathering your own crawlers without having to lose sleep or get busted for prowling the neighborhood after dark with a flashlight in your hand. If you get out right at daybreak, after there has been a fair amount of rain, there will be nightcrawlers all over the walks and the streets. Parking lots of schools and churches can sometimes produce hundreds. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't wait until it gets too light. I scored several dozen within a few houses of my place on Wednesday. However, I waited a little longer before going out this morning and was almost carried off by seagulls that were cleaning up the morning "spaghetti feed" before I could get them. They wouldn't listen when I told them to go eat some crickets.[/#0000ff]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Our receptionist made fun of me this morning as I went crawler crawling in our parking lot before work today. [/size][/font]
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[cool][#0000ff]Some of us growed up guys get embarassed to get caught catchin' crawlers. Bashful types have been knowed to drive several blocks away from home, so they won't be recognized. Others wear disguises.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It was funny on Wednesday morning. I was working back and forth across the street and as I came to the corner, there was another dude working toward me coming the other direction. We both just turned around and started back the other way, without saying a word. I laughed about that later.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hey, I got no pride. Saves a few trips to Sportsmans and a few dollars that can be applied to other (fishing) vices.[/#0000ff]
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I get up so early to go to work I don't have time to catch crawlers. Besides its still dark out when I leave. Being the frugal type (cheap according to the Mrs.) I made myself a stinger, soak the lawn during the day and snag a few after dark. Ya ought to see them come popping out of the ground.
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Road-
My grandpa used to sting them up all the time. It was fun to watch, but I have a theory that the you can't keep the crawlers alive for as long when you collect them this way. What do you think? Have you noticed this too?
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Hey TD, Here is a trick I learned last year. Take a 5 gallon bucket of water and mix in 1/4 cup of liquid dish detergent like Joy (preferably one that decomposes). Then dump that puppy next to your garden, or on your lawn and watch the crawlers come flying out. It works great. I've kept the worms for 2 weeks after, as well as going back to the same place time and again, so I know it doesn't hurt the crawlers or the lawn/garden. Best of all is that is as fast as running downtown. IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION!! No presoaking, no nighttime jaunts around the lawn with a flashlight. MMMM Time to go for some walleye!!!!!
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[cool][#0000ff]Sounds like a good way to "clean up" on crawlers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Do you have to rinse them and put them in a drying rack? I guess that is easier than coaxing them into the automatic dishwasher. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Definitely time to chase some walleyes. My "downtime" during the lousy weather this weekend will be devoted to making up a big new batch of marabou and bunny jigs. Got some great new "bunny bugger" jigs I am anxious to try.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]I'm wondering if you can get them to blow bubbles, as an extra attraction to the fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I used to put a little piece of Alka Seltzer in a lure to make it fizz and bubble. Gave a few bass some headaches.[/#0000ff]
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I've stung up many a crawler, and they seem to keep as well as any caught any other way.
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I have a dog that will pick them up and puts them in a corner of the driveway, but if you don't get them soon she plays with them when they start to crawl away.
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When I lived in SLC I did this enough to sell the lil buggers. They will keep as long as you take care of them. At least that is my experence. Coffee grinds and egg shells mixed with old newspaper.
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Hey Red-head, I like that idea. Thanks I think I will give that a try. Ya can never have to many nightcrawlers.
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When I was a kid we used a homemade stinger to shock the worms out of the ground, but they are dangerous. Several years ago a kid we knew in Oak City got electrocuted and died shocking worms from the ground. There are safer ways to get the worms than shocking them. Acey
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My Grandkids love going with me to the backyard and covering a flashlight with a hankerchief to difuse the light to catch crawlers.
The excitement that they get from dragging them out of thier holes is almost as good as fishing (not!!). Anyways, catchin is much better than buying when it comes to worms.
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]Weds. morning found me gathering them up from the driveway, street and side walks and then tossing em back on my lawn for safe keeping after hauling the trash cans to the curb. Maybe its true that some folks rear ends squeak when the step over a dime. But my rear will squeak when I step over a free runnin' crawler!