# Keeping Nightcrawlers



## AnglinMueller (May 16, 2008)

Hey guys i was wondering since most stores stop selling crawlers as the winter months get closer what is the best way to keep them? I would like to buy a bunch to save them up for the winter but i'm not sure about the best way to keep them alive for a long period of time.
Thanks!
Chris


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

You can buy a shoebox sized worm box, wormbedding and food at a good sporting goods dealer or on online. Keep them cool and fed and they will last indefinitely.It's worth the investment, if you fish a lot.Good luck! --Tim


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## CincyFisher (Nov 12, 2010)

Add damp topsoil to a coffee can (a lid with vent holes help it from drying out too quickly), occassionally throw a piece or two of lettuce and put them in the refrigerator ant they'll keep several months.


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## LUCIUS (Nov 22, 2007)

they also like used coffee grounds !


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Don't use coffee grounds, they have too much acid in them. I've been in the bait business the past 6+ years, but have kept crawlers on hand for personal use the past 40 years. The best way to keep crawlers for any length of time is by using Michigan Peat. It has no sand and is the richest dirt you can give your crawlers. This will keep them big, fat and juicy. Depending on the amount of crawlers you have, you will want to replace the peat once it has been eaten through by the crawlers. I get 500 crawlers to a flat and will replace the peat once a month.I will dampen a section of newspaper and place it on top so the peat stays moist. Keep in a fridge or cold place preferably around 40 degrees.The colder the better, without freezing them. The warmer you keep them the more active they'll be which means they will be eating alll the time. The cooler temps will keep them dormant and healthier until they're used......Mark


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

I use, and keep, a lot of crawlers in the fridge all season (rotating stock, of course). Best way I've found is to use plastic coffee containers with holes punched in the lid (use something larger if your fridge space allows, mine doesn't). I use Buss Bedding, and find it to work very well. Moisten it per directions with distilled water (tap water will kill the crawlers in a few days). I put no more than 100 crawlers per container, and feed them a few tablespoons of corn meal every four to five days. When the Buss bedding starts getting slimy, maybe every four to five weeks, change it.


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

Mark, How do you control mold and mildew growth? Do you mix or change the bedding? How often do you change the newspaper? Thanks --Tim


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

The only mold and mildew you'll get is from dead crawlers. You'll know when the peat needs changing, it'll be balled up in little clumps the size of marbles. I'll change the dirt of a full 500ct flat every 4 to 6 weeks.If you notice the crawlers getting thin with a brownish color, it's because they have processed all the good peat and are basically in their own waste which is full of acid. If this happens, rinse off the crawlers and place them in another container with nothing but damp newspaper. I would not put more than 100 per container because the crawlers cannot move about as easily as they can in dirt. The weight of the crawlers will not allow the ones on bottom to move and they will die.In less than 2 weeks the crawlers will be big fat and juicy again. Then place back in a new container of clean peat...........Mark


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