Mealworms?

[Jason Preslar]

Bought and tried mealworms yesterday for the first time with high hopes....no luck! Tipped jigs and used them alone with no luck...dunno

[Jason Preslar]

Do i just keep them refrigerated after I get them?

[Kent Partain]

Wax worms will last much longer if you keep refrigerated around 55-60 degrees

[Jason Preslar]

I'm going to look into ordering some waxies after getting back into town. Thanks fellas

[Leo Nguyen]

Definitely dependant on the waters you're at, and the food sources they're accustomed to. For us, mealworms/crickets get crushed by the redears and coppernoses. Waxy get crushed more by bluegills and sunfishes, including trout. Half a nightcrawler get hammered regardless by sunfish species. Full size crawler, you might as well cover the entire lake's species. Redworms will catch all the smaller species.

Of course, our waters are practically littered with insect victims, as well as mussels. Worms, like the tubifex, are quite abundant as well. We're covering a massive array of resources the fishes around here can eat. Then we throw plastics that resembles tiny squids for panfishes..not flying with them, except stock trout. We have to rig the squirter with a plastic worm, and call them the mouse-tail.

So, test what they like, and use it. Experience count for 90% of catches.

[Jason Preslar]

I agree. Various bodies of water=various productive baits. I just figured the meal worms would be a hit because it's something these fish don't see everyday. Guess not.

[carl hendrix]

I generally just use night crawlers;; tip my jigs; and flies with them.  in my area;; I catch  everything ; from bluegills; to bass; catfish stripe;  you name it.  I made my own bait box to keep them cool in the hottest time of the year; as well as the hottest time of the day!!  they work great for me!

[Johnny]

I seen some in a bait cooler last week & nearly bought a box of each, never have fished either before tho, hard to imagine that a blue gill would turn them down, figured either would be murder on panfish.