# Whiting on earth worms?



## madkeensam (Jul 27, 2008)

Just wondering if whiting will take an ordinary earthworm from the ground and eat it, as i'm chasing some whiting along Margate beach ( Redcliffe). I just don't want to go and fork out $6 for a few worms when I can get them for free out of my backyard. Just not sure if they work or not. :?


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## grinner (May 15, 2008)

sam i would be doubtful, they are a bit fussy soemtimes, though someone posted here saying earthworms are good for tilapia
good fresh squid is pretty good for whiting as are little soldier crabs and yabbies. some people use a bit of red tubing on the leader.
mate i would fish as light as you possibly can, prob on a run in tide.
i found they often go around in groups of 1/2 a dozen , so if you get one get the bait straight back in the water
best of luck mate

pete


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## madkeensam (Jul 27, 2008)

Hey thanks alot Pete, now i gotta go down to morgans and get some fresh squid, only because i don't have a dam
yabby pump :twisted: Oh well if thats what I have to do to catch good fish thats what i'll do


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## TROJAN (Jan 2, 2009)

Gday mad keen Sam

I don't think garden worms will work.

You could look at doing some homework and learn how to catch your own beach worms or get an "old salt" older fisho to teach you. You will have fun learning how to catch them. It's easy once you learn, that's if you have the time.

Or you can find a muddy spot up the river, dig a hole and put old mince and scrap fish frames in it, cover it over and mark your spot with a big rock. Go back there 3 or 4 days later and if it's a good spot you will get squirt worms.

I don't know how to get the blood worms, but Whiting love them as well.

Cheers Ged


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## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

You will get whiting on earthy's (and bream and even luderick - I fluked one on an earthy two years ago ;-) ), but the main problem I found with them is that they seem to perish much quicker in the briney than the fresh water.
Smeg


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## yakfly (Jun 8, 2006)

Sam
as Greg said you will get whiting on worms but you will have to keep the saltwater off them when not
using them.


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## madkeensam (Jul 27, 2008)

Thanks to everyone for thier advice and suggestions  
One last question; How would you keep the worms alive? :?


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## Anzacpride (Jan 9, 2009)

Ive caught plenty of Bream on earth worms down here in Warrnambool, mainly after a good rain near the local storm water outlet, as for Whiting not sure but I have caught plenty using Gulp Camo Worms in the Moyne, they might be a good alternative if you cant get your hands on the real thing.

Cheers Dan


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

madkeensam said:


> Thanks to everyone for thier advice and suggestions
> One last question; How would you keep the worms alive? :?


don't put them in the saltwater...... :lol:


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## Anzacpride (Jan 9, 2009)

Just stick em an ice cream container with either a bit of damp soil or shreded news paper, 
keep cool and enjoy responsibly

OH yeah, wack a few holes in the lid of the ice cream container


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## Nativeman (Sep 6, 2005)

My brother in law swears by heart or liver cut in to strips, drifting on the usual whiting rig.

He catches plenty so it must be good ;-)

Cheers


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

the old guys used to keep their worms and maggots alive and active by holding them in their mouth :shock: :shock: :lol:

john


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## BillyConnolly (Nov 9, 2008)

john316 said:


> the old guys used to keep their worms and maggots alive and active by holding them in their mouth :shock: :shock: :lol:
> 
> john


If that's the case, i sure hope i never get old


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Maggots in the mouth!

I must admit, back in the old country, very very many years ago, we used to buy "gents" (maggots) at our local lolly shop. They would be sold in the same sort of paper bag that we would buy lollies in, but we were not actually aware what precicsely "gents" were, apart from being good bait.

I confess, and SWMBOAAT must never find out, that I have held live "gents" in my mouth, whilst baiting up. Once maggots are away from their preferred environtment (ie corpse/roadkill) and have been in breadcrumbs/pollard bran, or something like that, they are not unpleasant to handle. They are a good natural bait.

Cheers all Andybear


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

andybear said:


> Maggots in the mouth!
> 
> I confess, and SWMBOAAT must never find out, that I have held live "gents" in my mouth, whilst baiting up.


EEK :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol:


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## Tim (Nov 11, 2005)

Yeah, gents rock as a bait, trout love 'em, and the bran they're kept in works well a s a berley too.


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## Rose (Jan 30, 2006)

xxxxxxxxx


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

yep I've caught plenty of whiting on earthworms. as long as they're wriggling the whiting will eat them.

cast out and use a slow retrieve across the bottom, ideally in only a couple of feet of water - if the bait's moving then you'll usually get a bite.

small long shank hooks are the go with a small splitshot sinker about 20-30cm above the hook to aid with casting distance


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

maggots in the mouth , EEEWWWWWWWWW, might be a nice surprise for your dentist if one decided to stay :shock: :shock: :shock:


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## craig51063 (May 30, 2008)

They work on bream and whiting doe s love a moveing bait and love worms ????? earth worms wrigle when on the hook so i think it would defanatly be worth giving it a go :lol:

let us know how u go

craig


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## ELM (Jul 14, 2008)

Earth worms work well in saltwater as a bait. Have caught mullet, whiting, travelly and flathead on them when traditional bait has been scarce. 


Davey G said:


> yep I've caught plenty of whiting on earthworms. as long as they're wriggling the whiting will eat them.
> 
> cast out and use a slow retrieve across the bottom, ideally in only a couple of feet of water - if the bait's moving then you'll usually get a bite.
> 
> small long shank hooks are the go with a small splitshot sinker about 20-30cm above the hook to aid with casting distance


Same rig as Davey G but with a tiny bait keeper hook above the long shank will help increase hookups if holding/striking rod, I would use 3 worms, first one hook through middle and slide up the shank then hook on keeper, second hook through twice about one third from each end the top end also on the keeper, final worm once through middle then get one end of the first worm and put on the bottom of the long shank. key point is to have lots of wriggling end spread across the long shank. A single circle hook if leaving in the rod holder and let them hook them selves. You will have to change bait often as the salt does them in fairly quick. A red soft tube on the leader as well will also help.
Whiting will also take mussel, so if you are near any pylons, breakwaters on a low tide or (don't tell any one) even check mooring line's (mooring lines are a bit harder and messy, be careful not to tip over).


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## Anzacpride (Jan 9, 2009)

Dont know if it's true but my old man(a mad pom and gent user himself) told me a tale of two old blokes who used to keep gents warm an wiggly in their mouths.
In the UK it was a common to dye the gents yellow for increased visability, Unfortunatly for the two fellas concerned the dye used was carcinogenic and they both contracted throat cancer.

Moral of the story, if youre going to suck on gents make sure they are au natural!


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Probably with a bit of red food colouring, you could turn your maggots pinkish, I imagine that would interest the fish a little more!

Cheers all Andybear


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## ELM (Jul 14, 2008)

Maybe throw them in with some beetroot, let em chew on that.


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## squidlips (Nov 24, 2008)

When I grew up around Wynnum Manly (Brisbane) I never used anything but earthworms for bait and caught 1000s of whiting on them up to 42cm. I used to dig them from the yard and they are usually a whole lot fatter and juicier than those lame little nightcrawler worms they peddle at the stores. Ialso connected with quite a few flathead and the odd bream as well. I usually just used a carolina rig with a 30cm trace and drifted to keep them moving across a sandy bottom. My best was 300 whiting in one 2 hr session (all but 10 released). So, they certainly worked for me back then and I imagine they still do )although I haven't targeted whiting for a lot of years now)....


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## chris58 (Nov 25, 2007)

hey try something no one has tried you never know? maybe soak the earth worms in some sent may help?

over the years there have been some "strange" baits that have worked. 
remember when there was no such thing as chicken gut? fishing with poppers for whiting! omg!
i have heard that other strange baits that have worked over the years that have been good like,
OX heart or corn kernnels for bream, no one used squid cut thin like a white worm for whiting!! 
and now for a time S.P ! could fool a fish!!! yes plastic bait who would of thought!! 
even bright colours that dont even look like any bait fish i know of eg: Nitro Chicken.

I have also wonderd how 2 inch long pasta tubes, from the shops soaked in a prawn sent would work? it would be soft like a worm and move freely in the water. I just might give it a try ;-) 
an old fisherman told me once that mashed up sea erchens (there purple with long spines) are a great burley for bream, so i gave it a go and the bream went insane to get some..


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## WattaReelDrag (Apr 19, 2009)

Earthworms will catch you all those species that Beach & Blood worms will catch.
Only problem is that the Earthy will die prematurely in saltwater. Set yourself up a little worm farm.
You will be grateful when you are making great plant fertiliser, recycling food scraps & getting great fresh/saltwater bait all at the same time...


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