catching nightcrawlers ?

[willy05]

was doing a search, when I was a youngster I remember catching crawlers with my grandfather. he had some kind of electrical device with two rods he would stick in the ground. Anyone no where to find one or anyinfo on how to make one. Did a couple searches and did not find anything.

[zfubar20]

I made one a few years back with an old extension cord. I cut off the end then I hooked a couple of metal rods to the wires. That is all I did and the worms started coming out. Hopefully this can help you out a lil.....

[just ducky]

Forget all the fancy electronics...just put the sprinkler on any good piece of lawn a couple hours before dark, then take a flashlight out and pick 'em. Takes a bit of time to get the knack of it, and the timing down...those suckers are quick. But if you give them plenty of time...well into darkness, they'll often be completely out laying on the lawn...doesn't get much easier picking. Did this regularly for years in my younger days. In fact, we even snuck onto a local golf course after hours and picked dozens...had a business of selling them back in my early college years.

[jpollman]

Forget all the fancy electronics...just put the sprinkler on any good piece of lawn a couple hours before dark, then take a flashlight out and pick 'em. Takes a bit of time to get the knack of it, and the timing down...those suckers are quick. But if you give them plenty of time...well into darkness, they'll often be completely out laying on the lawn...doesn't get much easier picking. Did this regularly for years in my younger days. In fact, we even snuck onto a local golf course after hours and picked dozens...had a business of selling them back in my early college years.

:yeahthat:

That's the way I always did it when I was a kid. But I'll add one thing. I used to use a big flashlight with a 6v battery. They throw a nice large beam and worked better than a small D cell light. But what I did was take a white kleenex and put it over the lens and hold it on with a rubber band. It softens the beam and spread it out a bit and gets rid of the hot spot. Without it the crawlers would sense the light and disappear. With it you could get up very close and they wouldn't move. We used to get all we ever needed without having to shock them out.

John

[just ducky]

:yeahthat:

That's the way I always did it when I was a kid. But I'll add one thing. I used to use a big flashlight with a 6v battery. They throw a nice large beam and worked better than a small D cell light. But what I did was take a white kleenex and put it over the lens and hold it on with a rubber band. It softens the beam and spread it out a bit and gets rid of the hot spot. Without it the crawlers would sense the light and disappear. With it you could get up very close and they wouldn't move. We used to get all we ever needed without having to shock them out.

John

Great tip John. Never tried that, but I can see how it would help. Also, I have a headlamp now...they didn't even exist :lol: when I was doing this a lot back when...this would allow both hands free, instead of having to hold a #$%@ flashlight with one.

[Wall-llard Willie]

Did the same thing, in fact my Dad had the proclaimed best crawler lawn in the neighborhood.

I'm guessing you won't find a manufactured electrical probe for crawlers due to safety/leagal issues with people zapping themselves.

[roger23]

A red lens cover works great,I use my GI one ,,

[William H Bonney]

The extension cord deal works great if you're in a pinch for time... just make sure and have the rods "kinda" close together. If they're to far apart it just doesn't work the same. And the red lense on the flashlight works awesome too...

[TOMKAT]

A red light works even better, will not spook the little guys

[huntingmaniac45]

Just make sure you unplug it before going after the crawlers, in wet grass you can get a pretty good jolt or worse if your not careful.;)

[alex-v]

Just make sure you unplug it before going after the crawlers, in wet grass you can get a pretty good jolt or worse if your not careful.
So, like what happens to the crawlers??

This method was popular in the late 40s and into the 50s and 60s but from what I have heard the crawlers tended to die shortly after. Set it up right and crawlers will last for months in a refrigerator so get them at the bait shop and bring back the un-used ones.

[Lund Lubber]

I remember my dad tellin me years ago about a guy who used the rods hooked to a 12 v truck battery. Also remember him saying that the crawlers were half dead the next day.

[Laid Back 57]

I remember my dad tellin me years ago about a guy who used the rods hooked to a 12 v truck battery. Also remember him saying that the crawlers were half dead the next day.

I can vouch for this.Crawlers don't last very long using this method.Plus it is somewhat dangerous.I use a cheap-o 6 volt lantern with white plastic(a garbage bag piece)rubber banded around the lens.

[T-Bone0717]

Just wait for the crawler migration to catch them ;)

[willy05]

Thanks guys, I was checking for my cousin, but my grandpa did catch some crawlers fast and during the day no mosquitos. I have a really good lawn, can catch four doz in about 20 mins or less with light at night. Couple of my fishing buds did not believe me so I had them over after I watered the grass. Bad thing is now every once in awhile I can see lights in my yard when I'm watching tv with the wife.

[on-the-hunt]

i used the night time method a lot. talk about a sore back. i also used the electric method, works good for little worms and some nightcrawlers. steel rod, hooked to wire, with a lot of electric tape around it, with the wire connected to wall plug, and mounted to wood handle. worms lived for a long time in a nice bedding and a cool area. this method attracted the birds, mainly robins. becarful not to neel down on wet grass or let the pets near you.:yikes:

[Mark Sylvester]

I have always had great success without any electric assist. And I also difuse the light but I feel that the worms not feeling the warnth of a bright beam had as much to do with it at the intensity of the light. Just my .02!
mark

[TimEye]

use to use the single rod method (black wire only on rod) when i was a kid, water lawn, wait an hour, then shove the rod in till you see worms crawling out, then unplug and grab worms. never had a problem with them dieing, kept them in bedding for weeks, maybe cause i did not leave prob in for long.