arpie Posted December 25, 2010 Posted December 25, 2010 (edited) BEACH WORMING & how I do it!!! I've sent a modified version of this to quite a few FRs who have asked me to help put them onto beachworms ...... hopefully it has helped them! This version is even more updated & I will add pics in the next week or so, covering all aspects of worming. Grab a cuppa, take notes, then get out there & give it a go!! Cheers Roberta On Xmas Eve, I taught one of my 'older' neighbours how to pull Beach worms - previously, he had been able to 'raise them' but had never been able to catch one! So it just goes to show that you can teach old dogs new tricks & you are never too old to learn! You just gotta put in the time and effort. Most folk I have shown have caught their own worm on their first outing, unassisted. Kevin pulled 3 beach worms on his 'first lesson', yesterday!! Personally, I find that it is as much fun catching the worms as it is catching fish! More so, sometimes, as you really do become a bit smug, as you know that not all folk can do it! The east coast of Australia has some of the best worming beaches , especially up here at Forster! Even some of our smaller beaches (eg Main Beach behind the caravan park on the breakwall) has some nice worms (not always big, tho) - Personally, I reckon some of the best worms are on Seven Mile Beach - a few kms out of town on the Lakesway - just 10 mins out of town, on the road to Bulladelah (tho many of other beaches up & down the coast have great worms as well.) Seven Mile Beach at Forster is also a top bream, whiting, blackfish, jewie & tailor beach too. FRESH WORMS WILL CATCH ALL THESE FISH! Gently sloping beaches are best, with no gravel in the wash. There is nothing mystical about it - it is just timing, patience & persistence/practise. I ALWAYS FACE THE OCEAN, SO THAT I CAN REGULARLY CHECK ON THE FORMATION OF THE WAVES, EVERY FEW SECONDS OR SO! This is ESSENTIAL for your own safety and CANNOT be understated! Persistence is the one thing that most eventually give up on first! It took me the best part of 18 months of trying before I got my first WORM on my own and I haven't stopped since. I've been catching Beach Worms now for about 7 years! Once you have actually pulled your first worm, I reckon you'll be just fine, as you rarely forget what you did on your first worm. Just remember, gently, gently - no sudden movements! And, Practise, Practise, Practise! The biggest mistake that most make is 'diving' into the sand with the pliers or fingers at the last moment to try & grab the worm. I don't touch the sand at any time (with my method!) Only the pippie touches the sand, ever so lightly. If using your hands only, it is a totally different story. Then, you actually make contact with the worm under the sand before tighening up & pulling him out, before it arches it's back. The way I look at it is, if I want to spend hours missing worms, I will try & only use my fingers. If I want to get worms & go fishing, I use my worming pliers! These simple pliers will assist you in learning how to catch beach worms! Any sudden movement (such as stabbing the pliers into the sand) is 'broadcast' a thousand times to the worm. The worms are so sensitive to any movement or change in pressure on the sand, they know that you are on the way before you have moved a cm & they have disappeared already. You have to be in position, with no part of your hand resting on the sand, with the worm's neck actually within the open pliers as he is reaching for the pippie, but the pliers not actually touching the worm to be successful! Tricky, I know, but once you get the knack, it is simple. I usually use a single mullet as the 'stink', with a slit in its guts - I tie it onto the end of a thin string & tie that to the worming pliers, so that the whole setup is in 'one piece'! Timing is essential ...... I only EVER go beach worming in the final 2-3hrs of the FALLING TIDE! More worms are active at this time & it is the safest time to go beach worming! If you try on a rising tide, there is the good chance of being KNOCKED OVER by the rising tide, resulting in great personal discomfort or worse! As the wave washes UP the beach, wave the 'mullet on a string' across the top of each 'wave' as it crests the beach. The wash 'returning to the water' will carry the smell of the 'stink' across the sand in front of you & any Beach Worm should stick it's head out of the sand 'momentarily' and disappear again! This will look like a 'V' in the sand! The worm's head will cause the wash to 'split' around it, causing the 'V' in the sand. There may be one 'V' or there may be up to 20 'V's' in the sand!! The BIGGER the 'V', usually, the BIGGER the worm!!! These worms are usually more aggressive, so, tho 'harder to pull', are actually easier to grab! DON'T BOTHER WAVING THE 'STINK' AROUND UNLESS THERE IS WATER RUNNING FROM IT TO THE WATER'S EDGE. When you spot a worm that you want to target, it is ESSENTIAL to 'place it' in a spot where you can easily have a go at catching it! It is important to be WELL BALANCED, as you approach the worm. When I spot one that I want to have a 'go', I try to stand just above it (beach side) so that the worm is about 30-40cm ahead of my feet, immediately between them, so that my 2 feet & the worm create a 'triangle'! You should be well balanced, not REACHING for the worm. It should be within easy reach of you, as you 'take the stance' (ie squat down) to prepare for pulling the worm. Initially, after 'raising the worm' with the 'stink/mullet', I use a pippie (a frozen one makes it 'floppier' & easier to use) it is essential that the worm actually BITE the pippie BEFORE you move the pippie (using your thumb) just enough to 'encourage' the worm out of it's hole ..... just a bit more, to enable you to get the pliers around its neck, unhindered! Open the pliers as far as they will ........ and put it 'either side' of where you expect the worm to pop up. DON'T LET THE PLIERS TOUCH THE WORM OR IT WILL DISAPPEAR IMMEDIATELY, NEVER TO RETURN! This is the most important thing that I can tell you (apart from NOT RUSHING IT!) As the worm begins to arch his back, without moving your hand or pliers (other than to close them) close them swiftly around the NECK of the worm & don't let go or release the pressure. With each worm you 'go' for, you must assume you have got them in the pliers every time - if you have one, they will start pulling away immediately, but if you have released the pressure on the pliers even the slightest bit, they will slip their heads out & be gone - even with those vicious teeth on the pliers! The downside is that you will give some worms a severe headache & even crush the heads of a few, but (if you DON'T RELEASE THE PRESSURE you will at least get the worm!!) When the worm starts to retreat (with their neck in your pliers) don't physically resist too much, even if they draw your hand & plier tip towards the wet sand, but Don't Ease The Pressure On The Pliers - at this point, you don't want to apply any upward/lifting pressure on them until you have your other hand in place (about 4" below the neck), to assist in retrieving them from the sand. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE STRENGTH OF THE WORM AS IT TRIES TO RETREAT BACK INTO THE SAND! When you reach down with your spare hand, to grab the worm (below the pliers) it will feel as taut as piece of rope held under pressure! You must pull the worm up in a straight line, using both hands, (pliers & the spare hand.) If you pull the worm up 'crooked', it will most likely break & you will only be holding the first few inches of the worm, instead of the whole worm! At best, this is a waste of a 'good' worm. If you miss the 'arched neck' on the first 'rise', don't worry - just let him go back into the sand - he'll come up again on the next wave (so long as you haven't actually spooked him by touching him with the pippie or the pliers!) It is worth doing this a few times anyway, for practise, just to study the way they arch their necks just prior to retreating (after biting the pippi.) It gives you an idea on how long you will have to close those pliers! before it retreats back into it's hole! Never panic. Panicking or RUSHING is what loses the worm more than anything so DON'T RUSH! Sometimes it can take the worm coming & going up to 6 times (or more) before you actuallly get him! it is what I call a 'shy worm'! Sometimes they only put their little mouth 'only just' out of the sand, sometimes they rear out like a cobra to grab the pippie, arching their necks so that it should be easy to grab them. Sometimes, you can actually only see his two little black eyes (same size as a grain of sand) but easily recognisable the more you see them! They also sometimes leave a tiny dint or dimple in the wet sand when they have retreated, so you know where they are for the next wave. This is where the patience and persistence comes in! If you have nearly caught some, then you are 3/4 of the way there! It is obvious that you can already identify the worm as the water recedes & can get their heads out of the sand, even biting on your pippie. It is essential that they actually bite the pippie. You will immediately feel that resistance as you draw the pippie away from them, to encourage them to literally, stick their necks out! As I say, FROZEN pippies work better for me. When they thaw out, the 'muscle/tongue' has totally relaxed, making it 2 - 3 times longer than when it is fresh & alive. Much easier to hold. Personally, I find them the best hand bait to use for worming. Some folk prefer to use a strip of fish and tie it onto their wrist, so they can 'drop it' when they go for the worm and not lose it. After the pippie is frozen, just grab one (or two if you tend to drop them in the excitement of getting the worm - try tying one onto your wrist!) and take it to the beach with you. The pliers have a hole at the end of each handle. I tie the stink bag onto one of them, with about a 5-6ft (approx) parachute-type cord attached to a mullet that has had its gut cavity opened. The 'stink' doesn't have to be big or OLD! If you have a flattie or mullet carcass, you can just tie the string directly thru their mouth & out the gills & it works just as well. I always take a plastic bag with me. When I have finished worming, I just put the whole lot (pliers, string & 'stink') into the plastic bag, take it home & put it in the freezer ready for the next trip. I used to have a 'fish bits only freezer' in the garage ..... but have emptied it just recently!! A single Pilchard, tied to the end of a string, will do, if required! Worms will even rise to a pillie on a hook as you retrieve your rig from the water, dragging it along the sand! If you need more bait, leave your rod in the rod holder with the pillie in the wash zone, grab a fresh pippie & give it a go! If they are hungry, they will bite on any stage of the tide. Just be VERY CAREFUL on a rising tide, as it can be VERY DANGEROUS!! If the cord is a bit long, I tie a loop in the cord & put my hand thru it so as I walk it is wafting in the 'in & out' wave. When there is no wave movement on the sand, there is no point waving the bag around. It is the receding wave that sends the scent down the beach to the worms hidden below. Stand at the top of the wave wash with your stink bag, swishing it from left to right in the water, and 'scan' the whole area in front of the bag in about a 45 degree angle. Be prepared to move back up the beach as a higher wave comes in. If the next wave is further forward, go down to it, or retreat to the top of the next wave if it is further up the beach. The worms can be anywhere from the top of the wave wash, to in the water. If you only work the water's edge, you will get very wet and have a good chance of being washed off your feet! Sometimes you will see hundreds of heads pop up - sometimes one or two. If you see two little dimples that stay there, creating Vs', chances are, they are pippies or a broken bit of shell. If you see a 'V' that quickly disappears, it is most likely a worm. When I spot the worm 'v' in the sand, I approach it from behind, and stand with my legs about shoulder width apart & the 'suspect' worm is in the middle, between my feet and ever so slightly (matter of inches) ahead of the end of my foot , and I am facing the sea. At this point, I place the 'stink bag' under my right foot, down where it attaches to the rope, anchoring it. That way, as I wait for the worm to show again, the water is still 'wafting' the scent over the area I want to prospect anyway! I hold the defrosted pippie between my left hand thumb & forefinger and 'wave it' around the area to encourage the worm to come up. I don't put my hand on the sand at all - just a mm above it. As the worm comes out to grab the pippie, I allow it to bite it & just draw the thumb back a bit, but not moving my hand. This makes the pippie come upwards & towards me, forcing his head up & out a bit further to get the bait. (Otherwise his head and neck will be sliding out along the sand and you can't put the head between the open pliers.) You want his head 'standing up' not 'sliding' on the sand. This way he has to reach out & up to get the pippie, enabling you to get the fully opened pliers around his neck (NOT THE HEAD) of the worm. It is essential that the no part of the pliers touch any part of the worm until you scrunch him! The slightest touch of the pliers at this stage (even if not closing) will cause the worm to bolt. So I hope you haven't got the shakes, cos that will increase the degree of difficulty! If you are not quick enough & he slowly withdraws his head into the sand, stay calm & wait for the next wave & try again. If it bolts due to being touched, move onto the next worm - it will be at least 1/2 hr before he is game to stick his head out again. If they are few & far between & you have just 'scared' one - take a note of where you are on the beach (check out the tree line behind you for a distinctive feature, or make a big arrow above the wave line) and return to it later on. He may come up again. If you like, you can practise by standing with a bit of thin cord about a pencil thickness. Put your foot on the rope & hold it with your left hand. See how carefully you can place the pliers around the rope without touching it, then swiftly, close the pliers onto the rope without moving your 'plier hand' yo th left, right or sideways - the swift closing motion & keep the pressure on is ESSENTIAL. When you get the actual worm on, I then hold the pippie in my left hand (under my little finger), whilst using the thumb & fore finger of my left hand also to dig down to the worm (below the pliers) to get another grip, as they are usually big worms here & pull like hell, in a straight line, towards my nose. With some of the really big ones, you may have to dig down about 1 ft to get the 2nd hold! They really do feel like a taut rope when you get your other hand down there to help bring it up. When you start to pull it up, do it smoothly, dont Jerk. I tell folk to 'pull it up towards their nose without pulling it sideways, forwards or backwards'. They will break almost immediately if pulled at an any sideways angle - you should only pull them up in a straight line. NEVER TRY TO PULL A WORM UP WITH THE PLIERS ONLY. ALWAYS USE BOTH HANDS. At best, if using the pliers only (unless it is really tiny) it will break in half, at worst you'll only get a part of the head, which is a total waste of effort! Time & practise will allow you to use the correct pressure on the pliers, depending on the size of the worm, so that the head is not damaged. Mind you, they are going to end up dead anyway, when on the end of a hook ....... ! And fresh is best - so only ever take as many as you need for that fishing session. They really don't keep all that well, no matter how you preserve them. I cannot mention often enough that Balance is essential - as is the requirement to be able to see what the waves are doing at all times. With your feet shoulder width apart & the worm just in front of your feet, you should be able to bend over (without having to crouch or kneel) and should also be very stable. If you have to lean forward towards the worm, you are unbalanced & should move closer to the worm, till it is only just ahead of your feet. I can't stress enough about watching the waves - you can be bowled over by a wave at any time. and if you are on your own, this can be very dangerous. Whilst waiting for the worm to reappear, keep glancing up constantly at the waves to check their status. Everyone gets knocked over at least once. It is not a matter of 'if', just 'when'. After that, you are always more careful. Sometimes the sand just gives way under you & you topple over or one bigger wave can catch you unawares. You really should let someone know where you are heading before you leave home to go wormin - or even if just fishing, when on your own. Personally, I prefer gently sloping beaches with no pebbles or gravel, and at least a half out tide. It is just more difficult and dangerous on a rising tide, so the last hour or three of the out tide really IS the best. As you get better at it, you will be able to try it any time of tide, tho still being very careful. You can count on one hand the number of times I have not been able to get any worms at all! Usually about 6 worms or so are more than enough for a session, unless there is more than one person fishing. If you can't find any in one area, just keep working along the beach till you find a patch. When returning to where you started, keep wafting the bag in the wash - they often come on the chew after you have gone past them the first time. Keep in mind that the daily allowance is 20 per licenced angler- and the rules, I believe, indicate that if the worm has broken, it is then counted as 2 worms or more! A bit ludicrous to me, but that is what I have been told! When I arrive at the beach of choice, I survey left & right & look for a gently sloping 'groin'. These are the little 'bulges' between the troughs along the water's edge and they usually extend out into the water a bit. Sometimes, they can be about 20ft in length and are often just in front of a gutter running along the beach. Because they are slightly raised, the water runs off them a bit slower, making them prime real estate for worms. I reckon they are more productive than the dead flat areas or the hollows, where the water runs off quicker because of the slope. The bigger worms are usually closest to the water or in the water! It just depends on how wet you want to get. Always wear board shorts or something that dries out quickly - never trousers or jeans. Slip, slop slap - broad rimmed hat, too, as the back of your neck cops the sun. Make sure you put Suntan lotion on the back of your knees, too - it is very painful if you get sunburnt there! I have made a bait bucket out of an old detergent container, about 6 x 8" that I tie around my wasit (it will take whole pillies, too) and I usually put a plastic bag in it, with nice dry sand to put the worms in, as I catch them. I pull the sides of the bag around, to cover the worms with sand as I put them in & mix them in the sand as I go. After finishing, I go up to a nice, cool dry patch of sand on the beach & tip them all out. Holding each by the head, I 'de-slime' them by running my fingers down their sides, then roll them in fresh, cool, dry sand again and put them back into the plastic bag and re-cover them with new fresh, cool sand as well. They will produce more slime later, so if keeping them longer than a day or so, take a bucket of dry sand home & do that once a day. If you want to try to preserve them, try putting some metho in a jar & drop the worms in for about 10-15 seconds each, before taking them out & bagging them up. It 'pickles' them & stops them being slimey! It works better if you get rid of the 'gut' end first. Sounds wasteful, I know, but that bit just turns into slush anyway! Basically, it is more efficient if you only take as many as you need for the one outing! It just gives you an excuse for going out again the next day, if you need some more!! No Hassles!!! Sometimes I put a bit of salt in the sand to 'toughen them up' a bit - but don't put too much in! They go like leather. I have tried storing them alive in a tub of fresh salt water with an aerator and it works moderately well, but some aerators get gummed up with worm slime & bits & stops working. You need to replace the water daily. Sometimes, they just don't want to bite - if there is a lot of red weed on the beach, they gorge themselves on it & even if you can catch them, their bodies 'fall apart' readily - where you had 3 worms to start off with, they will become a bloody, slimey mess of about 12 bits! Sometimes, as I get them, I break off the lower part (the gut and tail - usually the darker bit which is also softer) & toss it back into the sea. It is the top half that is the 'gun bait'. Also it is good burley - so it would make sense to then fish that area as well, before you leave! I find worms also can 'migrate' along the beach a bit - an area that was very productive in Summer (or yesterday) may be less so in Winter (or today!) Also, one area may have been well & truly 'worked over' by professional wormers! Try another area of the beach, concentrating on what I call the 'groins'. When approaching the beach from the dunes, scan the whole area for the slight 'bumps' that extend out to the water, in betweeen the flat expansive areas. Most folk concentrate on the flat bits - I go for the bumps & am rarely disappointed. Or just go to where there are others already worming, just don't walk in front of them, or worm right next to them! Give them some space. Good luck - and remember that patience is a virtue, that will help you get the worm. Sometimes they are on the chew, sometimes not! Just Accept it! Beach worms are pretty well available all year, only the quantity, (I find) and the time taken to catch them, changes. Sometimes (not often, luckily) I can be worming for 1/2hr before spotting one - but once you find one, there are usually heaps around. If they are slow to come to hand, hang in for another 10 mins or so & they could well come on the chew. There have been some real stump pullers (as thick as your little finger) on Seven Mile, Forster, and can be a challenge to pull. Even a pillie on your hook will bring them up (as you retrieve your line from the surf!) For this reason, I always have my worm pliers with me (arthritis in the hands doesn't allow me to do them manually! Darn it.) So long as the beach is gently sloping & the incoming tide not too rough, you should be able to get them at any time, really - just always be aware of incoming waves. As I said earlier in the piece, the out tide is usually the better and easier time to catch beach worms. Make sure you are sweeping your stink up at the top of the wave on the beach and scan the whole area in front, right down to the water. This means you will be going forward & backward as some waves come up the beach further. It is surprising how many worms may pop their heads up behind you if you are down in the water with the wave behind you! If pippies aren't available, a good 'hand bait' is either using a bit of mullet flesh (with skin on) or putting some fish in a bit of stocking - make sure no bits are sticking out of the stocking, as it can be very effective in 'snaring' their pincers, making it easier to pull them, as they can get stuck in the stocking! It seems that the Pinchers of the worm actually gets stuck in the stocking mesh, giving you more time to grab them, with either hands or pliers! If well attached, you could actually 'pull' their head out/up a bit further to get a better length of neck to aim at with your pliers!! You could also tie it to your wrist so that when pulling the worm, you can just drop it & concentrate fully on the worm, not dropping the 'bait'! If you are a guy - just nick a stocking from your better half, or just don't get embarrassed asking for stockings at the supermarket!! Once again, I have probably written a bit of a book on how I catch Beach Worms, and I have probably repeated myself a bit here & there - but don't give up! It is the attention to detail that will get you the worm! Beach worms are still one of the most effective baits for BIG BREAM and JEW FISH from a beach, EVER!! You are almost there. You just have to be a bit 'feral' about it. 'Cos everyone that gives up that little bit too early now pays about $2 per worm!! So I hope that you won't give up! I hope to hear from you soon, with a big smile on your dial, telling me of your own success in catching beach worms!!! Cheerio for now & the best of luck in your pursuit of worming excellence!!! Roberta Anyone travelling to Forster ....... give me a PM ...... i love putting people onto their first worm!!! THis bloke does a good vid of catching worms - tho I prefer to face the water!! Check this old codger out! VERY good at doing it - single handed! Now, THAT's amazing! Edited February 8, 2012 by Roberta 1 4
Catchin Jack Posted December 25, 2010 Posted December 25, 2010 Excellent read Roberta, thanks heaps for taking the time to post this info. 1
james7 Posted December 25, 2010 Posted December 25, 2010 Excellent read Roberta, thanks heaps for taking the time to post this info. I'll second that!!! That is a very comprehensive explanation Roberta. (I can't think of anything to add.) Brilliant! One thing I did learn while beach fishing over the years is that live beach worms are a brilliant bait! I've caught bream, tarwhine, flathead, tailor, salmon, whiting, trevally ... the list goes on and on! Thanks Roberta. Now we just need to add a few photos! Cheers Peter 1
arpie Posted December 25, 2010 Author Posted December 25, 2010 Thanks guys - I'll go thru my photo library & see what I can find! Better still, if I get Slinky into some worms in the next day or 3, I'll take pics then or maybe even try for some video!! Just thought of one important thing I forgot to mention ........ keep dunking your pliers & hand bait into the wash to make sure there is no sand on them. Nothing worse than closing the pliers onto sand, instead of the worm's neck!! Cheerio Roberta
Dusky Posted December 25, 2010 Posted December 25, 2010 thank you for this Roberta. You are truly wonderful. love your work
hamerz84 Posted December 25, 2010 Posted December 25, 2010 wow what a read thats was excellent roberta thanks for taking the time to put that up. surely this post must become a sticky so we can use it as reference later down the track. cheers hamerz.
spaners Posted December 26, 2010 Posted December 26, 2010 I'll second that!!! That is a very comprehensive explanation Roberta. (I can't think of anything to add.) Brilliant! One thing I did learn while beach fishing over the years is that live beach worms are a brilliant bait! I've caught bream, tarwhine, flathead, tailor, salmon, whiting, trevally ... the list goes on and on! Thanks Roberta. Now we just need to add a few photos! Cheers Peter Top report on worms,thank you.Im heading up to Forster tomorrow for 10 days so I will give it a go.I will also look out for "a top sort "out on her Yak! All the best Stuart.
Koalaboi Posted December 26, 2010 Posted December 26, 2010 Thanks Roberta. I always thought that here would be a knack to worming...like there is to pussyfooting. Your tips made all the difference. Especially: 1. Tease the worm to reach out a little further by withdrawing the bait and 2. keeping the pliers clean of sand I went down to my local beach about 2 and a half hours before the low and pulled up nearly every worm i tried to get...got heaps in a pretty short time. Thanks, Koalaboi
arpie Posted December 26, 2010 Author Posted December 26, 2010 (edited) Woohoo, that is terrific, Koalaboi! The 'confidence' factor helps, too!! You have picked 2 of the 3 most important tips ...... it is essential to draw the worm out of the beach (up rather than across the sand as this gives a clear go for the pliers) ...... keep the pliers clean of sand - they won't shut properly otherwise & you'll miss the worm ..... Most important of all, I think, is DON'T RUSH! Hope you were able to convert the worms into a meal! Roberta Edited December 27, 2010 by Roberta
Koalaboi Posted December 27, 2010 Posted December 27, 2010 Hi Roberta, The worms became a breakfast of whiting fillets rolled in seasoned flour and quickly deep fried...Pretty good feed as the sons like them too. Will now photograph those floats for your article. Thanks, Koalaboi.
myocard Posted December 27, 2010 Posted December 27, 2010 Thanks Roberta. I have never tried for these - but I will be using your advice over the next few weeks.
tevoro Posted December 28, 2010 Posted December 28, 2010 Great reading Roberta! Thanks for all that info! Really appreciate the knowledge that youre so willing to share. This thread should be made a "sticky" and placed right under your Blackfishing tips one!
Crazyblue Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Thanks for the info Roberta, I have tried a few times before and could get the worm head up but could never get the worm on the pliers Am heading out tommorrow morning to try again now that I have read your informative post! wish me luck
wannabefisho Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 WOW! Thats a great read Roberta . I remember my grandfather telling me those things @ the ripe old age of 9yo... It took me a few goes and luckily we went everyday so by the end of the week I was pretty good @ it It took me till I was 12yo till I was able to manage the bag all by myself. He used to put me onto worms with heads as "big as yours" - as he'd say. Ah them were the days... I think I'll give them a bash I havent been since I was 18yo. Ive been chomping to bits to try it again, Ive got most stuff required... just to locate that special beach, after all this isnt the mid-nth coast like in my younger days, lol Tight lines to everyone always Anthony
blueys Posted January 13, 2011 Posted January 13, 2011 Thanks Roberta! Have always wanted to try worming, with your informative post I am definitely going to give it a try. Will be heading up to Blueys in February so will try Seven Mile Beach for sure. A couple of years ago I was beach fishing at Boomerang and a elderly man was worming and kindly gave me a few worms which I converted into a Salmon! Great Fun! Might see you around on the beach!
arpie Posted January 14, 2011 Author Posted January 14, 2011 Thanks for the kind words, guys! I hope you were able to land a couple of the little suckers!! Hey Blueys - send me a PM when you come up!! All going well, I could help you get onto some!! I haven't been out again to get the pics yet - so who knows, you may become a part of the post!!! Roberta
blueys Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 Thanks for the kind words, guys! I hope you were able to land a couple of the little suckers!! Hey Blueys - send me a PM when you come up!! All going well, I could help you get onto some!! I haven't been out again to get the pics yet - so who knows, you may become a part of the post!!! Roberta Will Do!
Basil D Posted January 19, 2011 Posted January 19, 2011 Hi Roberta, I got my first beach worm and it wasnt long before I got a dozen, I cant do it without the pliers though, Tough little buggers to keep a hold on to.
nosquid Posted August 10, 2011 Posted August 10, 2011 can anyone tell me....Can one catch beach worms in the night??? or better yet are they sensitive to light as I have access to a part of the beach that is lit at night ...great for squiding but this worming might be an answer for me if I want to catch some decent fish. also do black fish eat beach worms? thanks Squid_jig
supsucc Posted September 2, 2011 Posted September 2, 2011 What a great read, thank you so much. After read your post, I am very confident to catch my first worm. Ta, Scott
arpie Posted September 2, 2011 Author Posted September 2, 2011 ........can anyone tell me....Can one catch beach worms in the night??? ..... From a safety point of view, I wouldn't recommend it. A rogue wave could knock you over - easy enough to happen during the day, let alone at night! Get your worms during the day & then go back & fish them that night, whilst they are still alive & fresh. .....or better yet are they sensitive to light as I have access to a part of the beach that is lit at night ...great for squiding but this worming might be an answer for me if I want to catch some decent fish. ...... Most fish like worms - the fresher the better. The idea is to catch your worms on the last of the out tide, then fish the incoming tide, when the fish are coming back in over the worm beds. If you break off the 'tail end' of the worm into little bits & chuck them back into the wash as burley, then toss a line in with a good length of worm on it........ you should get fish. .....also do black fish eat beach worms?...... hmmmmm Not real sure about that! It wouldn't surprise me tho. THey LOVE nippers at night, especially at the 'rocky' end of the beach. Also around jetties at night. Good luck, Scott - hope you get some!! If you ever visit Forster, give me a yahoo & we can hit the beach together! I don't often fish the beach any more, but I still love worming! Cheers Roberta
Ironimports Posted September 29, 2011 Posted September 29, 2011 Hi roberta .. Ian new to the area. Diamond beach.. I have been getting worming everyday but have big problems with the big ones!! Can seem to get them up before snapping them.. Any ideas?
Mossy050 Posted December 17, 2011 Posted December 17, 2011 (edited) Hi, That has to be the best report on catching worms ever ,thank you so much ,i am going to give it a go now Edited December 17, 2011 by Mossy050
Bashful Posted December 17, 2011 Posted December 17, 2011 Thanks Roberta! Its great to pick up knowledge like this. I'll put it into practice and see how it works out.
arpie Posted December 21, 2011 Author Posted December 21, 2011 ..Can seem to get them up before snapping them.. Any ideas? .... WHen the big worms dig their toes in, you have to just dig down with one hand whilst the other hand maintains pressure on the worm, WITHOUT actually pulling it (or, as you discovered ..... they break!) Sometimes, you will be pulled down INTO the sand up to your elbow with the hand holding the worm, as you try & dig further down to get past it's head & grab it's neck, to pull STRAIGHT UP (otherwise it will also break!) Just patience & don't try & rush it. ...That has to be the best report on catching worms ever ,thank you so much ,i am going to give it a go now.... Good one, mate - I hope you get some - it says a lot of $$$!! ...Its great to pick up knowledge like this. I'll put it into practice and see how it works out.... Glad to be of assistance! I hope you get into some! You have as much catching them as you do targetting fish! MORE fun, sometimes! Merry Xmas Roberta
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