# Bloodworm/early Bird/where



## BAYFISHER (Jul 6, 2001)

Anyone knowing of where to purchase bloodworms on or about mid-month in Februrary?
yes, I am about to re-start my hardcased hard-headed striper seeking again.


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## Genghis (Nov 2, 2004)

BAYFISHER said:


> Anyone knowing of where to purchase bloodworms on or about mid-month in Februrary?
> yes, I am about to re-start my hardcased hard-headed striper seeking again.


I don't think they're even harvesting them in Maine by that point, are they?


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Genghis said:


> I don't think they're even harvesting them in Maine by that point, are they?


Here's a place to get them. I'm looking to get some in the next couple of weeks, maybe we split a bulk order. http://www.mainebait.com/

Also take a look at this as it has good info http://www.mainebait.com/pressreleases.html Don't listen to the local bait shops, tell them you're not buying small worms because it depletes the natural stock.

Thanks for the reminder as I need to refresh my earth worm/night crawler farm soon. 

Anyone have any experience with breeding bloodworms?


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Same thing happened in England with the lug and rag worms. Over harveststed. Stick with baits that grow/live locally...And yes, worms live a lot longer in a tank with an aireator. Take out dead ones, the same as when keeping minnows.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

saltandsand said:


> Here's a place to get them. I'm looking to get some in the next couple of weeks, maybe we split a bulk order. http://www.mainebait.com/
> 
> Also take a look at this as it has good info http://www.mainebait.com/pressreleases.html Don't listen to the local bait shops, tell them you're not buying small worms because it depletes the natural stock.
> 
> ...


Call me crazy but even if you get a large flat (10 dozen), at $120 for 10 dz, that is no bargain. Am I missing something?


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## squalus (Sep 26, 2007)

find out where Tunafish is getting his - cheaper that $12 a dozen...


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Just made a call to a wholesaler and his price is $86 a box, which is 20 dozen, plus s/h of about $25, that's $5.55 per dozen. Not available until beginning of March. Sizes will vary. 

Seems like coordinating a bulk order may be in the cards. May not be able to find them at local bait and tackle shops, I've had some luck in early spring but not always.

Maybe Greg would be interested.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Stick with baits that grow/live locally


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> Stick with baits that grow/live locally


Unfortunately that does not seem to be the case for the Spring Trophy run in the bay especially from land. If you cannot get bloods for the Stripers next best would be fresh herring in small pieces.

If you are after Perch then use use local grass shrimp or lures.


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## Desperado (Mar 12, 2007)

What is it about bloodworms that these stripers like so much? Is it the blood? If so, maybe slice up a piece of steak into worm size pieces. Pound for pound much cheaper than bloodworms. No? Ok I'll shut up.


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

well the theory is that the rock fish are cold and tired and not that hungry so they tend to forage for bloods. And the only good bloods from around here are the ones from the NorthEast, unless you want a blood worm that is the size of your circle hook.

Now, I did see a guy catch a rock fish, and a cow at SPSP tossing a storm shad near the jetty. Yep, I seen it.

Also if you look at the Rockfish report on the DNR website, it shows the sizes of fish kept and released and the numbers caught by bottom fishing, trolling, etc. If fish are taking trolled lures, im sure they would take a piece of cut herring, perch, or bunker. However, I think that report was just for boaters, obviously. It would be nice if all shore fishermen reported their catches of Rock to MD DNR (those eaten or C&R) just like the flounder survey each year.

As far as bloods, I follow the crowd at chow time it it is working, I stick to it. If not I pull something out from my bag o'tricks


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Desperado said:


> What is it about bloodworms that these stripers like so much? Is it the blood? If so, maybe slice up a piece of steak into worm size pieces. Pound for pound much cheaper than bloodworms. No? Ok I'll shut up.


Chicken works too. But in my experience it's only breast meat that works (shheezz, did I just say that?). Only problem is that it also attracts other species and sometimes crabs. I usually bring breast meat with me (sheezz, there I go again...) for backup bait. 

And the clock just started to see how fast someone is going to hi-jack the thread on the topic of breasteses.


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## Tmg (Mar 17, 2006)

*Chicken bait*



saltandsand said:


> Chicken works too. But in my experience it's only breast meat that works (shheezz, did I just say that?). Only problem is that it also attracts other species and sometimes crabs. I usually bring breast meat with me (sheezz, there I go again...) for backup bait.
> 
> And the clock just started to see how fast someone is going to hi-jack the thread on the topic of breasteses.


Don't laugh, I fish the Patuxant out of St Leonard Creek and have enjoyed my fair share of success of catching, but this past year I wasn't gett'n the number of the big hardhead those first couple of weeks that they first show. I noticed a guy that I always see out there a lot outfishing me on a steady basis especially with bigger fish. Finally I spoke to him and he told me he was only catching the good fish on strips of fresh chicken breast. I'm a serious believer in fresh peeler or soft crab and usually don't bottom fish unless I have it, but imho don't feel stupid about throwing out some fresh chicken breast strips. It worked for me too. Ya might even try some dark meat (ya never know !) 
PS - at that time of year it was too early for my go to fresh baits and later on when Fresh peeler and soft crabs were available, that was ticket. So it probably still boils down to the better bait is the freshest.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Tmg said:


> Don't laugh, I fish the Patuxant out of St Leonard Creek and have enjoyed my fair share of success of catching, but this past year I wasn't gett'n the number of the big hardhead those first couple of weeks that they first show. I noticed a guy that I always see out there a lot outfishing me on a steady basis especially with bigger fish. Finally I spoke to him and he told me he was only catching the good fish on strips of fresh chicken breast. I'm a serious believer in fresh peeler or soft crab and usually don't bottom fish unless I have it, but imho don't feel stupid about throwing out some fresh chicken breast strips. It worked for me too. Ya might even try some dark meat (ya never know !)


No laughing here. Seen it first hand myself and have been known to use it at PLO before. I used to take a small boat out to the mouth of the PAX and I was fishing an area next to a couple. They were just pulling in the trout and I would get a hit every now and then and they were doing it chicken breast.

Like you it is hard to get me off of peeler and soft crab. Do you mostly lure fish now? I assume you are using a boat for that?


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Tmg said:


> Don't laugh, I fish the Patuxant out of St Leonard Creek and have enjoyed my fair share of success of catching, but this past year I wasn't gett'n the number of the big hardhead those first couple of weeks that they first show. I noticed a guy that I always see out there a lot outfishing me on a steady basis especially with bigger fish. Finally I spoke to him and he told me he was only catching the good fish on strips of fresh chicken breast. I'm a serious believer in fresh peeler or soft crab and usually don't bottom fish unless I have it, but imho don't feel stupid about throwing out some fresh chicken breast strips. It worked for me too. Ya might even try some dark meat (ya never know !)


I've tried turkey with less success. Guess they prefer Purdue, suppose the fish are accustomed to the scent of chicken blood rolling off from the plants down on the eastern shore.

Livers also work. Again chicken livers work better than beef but need a bait bag or stocking to hold them on the hook well. Been thinking to try deer liver.


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

cygnus-x1 said:


> No laughing here. Seen it first hand myself and have been known to use it at PLO before. I used to take a small boat out to the mouth of the PAX and I was fishing an area next to a couple. They were just pulling in the trout and I would get a hit every now and then and they were doing it chicken breast.
> 
> Like you it is hard to get me off of peeler and soft crab. Do you mostly lure fish now? I assume you are using a boat for that?


Talking about trout fishing with the "other bait", our freezer was left open summer before last and lost a ton of good stuff. Anyway, took one of the beef tenderloins down to the river and tossed it in. The fish were flapping all over it like a bunch of piranha...was an awesome sight.


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## Tmg (Mar 17, 2006)

cygnus-x1 said:


> No laughing here. Seen it first hand myself and have been known to use it at PLO before. I used to take a small boat out to the mouth of the PAX and I was fishing an area next to a couple. They were just pulling in the trout and I would get a hit every now and then and they were doing it chicken breast.
> 
> Like you it is hard to get me off of peeler and soft crab. Do you mostly lure fish now? I assume you are using a boat for that?


I do little bit of it all. I fish St leonards Creek a lot and pretty much only throw beetle spins. Peeler and soft crab when fishing the river mostly, and a combination of everything in the bay, but spend a lot of time on the sand fish'n Hatteras year round.

By the way I really like your dog RIP. I had one years back that looked similar (MY best Buddy).
Only problem is that Leo hated the water.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

If there are no bloodworms this far south, how can bloodworm be a local natural bait? I woulda thought herring, crab, small white perch, you know, the stuff that is available locally.


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## Genghis (Nov 2, 2004)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> If there are no bloodworms this far south, how can bloodworm be a local natural bait? I woulda thought herring, crab, small white perch, you know, the stuff that is available locally.



All well and good, yet wrong. If you fish the mid-Bay there is nothing -- nothing -- nearly as effective as bloodworm during the spring run. I've never understood this fixation with local baits being the best baits; I'm from NYC and I love good NC 'cue. I'm an American and I would crawl across broken glass for a superior Thai green curry. The scent and the flavor is appealing to me, just as the scent and flavor of the bloodworm is appealing to a spawning run striper. It doesn't seem quite that hard to understand.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Or it's because that's what everyone is fishing with. If the majority of people where fishing with a local bait , he majority of fish would be caught on the local bait.
Now a theory which has just sprung to mind is this:the fish are migrating from south to north. They have been eating bunker for the last 3-4 months. Praps they are looking foward to getting back up north where there are bloods, so when they see one they think ahhh, a break from godamn fish, lets's gobble down this lovely red worm that isn't trying to swim away. But if that is true, then why are most stripers caught up north on fish imitating plugs and not bloodworms? Dont ya' love a good conunudrum?


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Been an interesting thread.

The way I understand it... the spawning cows' stomachs are compressed because they're full of roe and can't eat much. A blob of bloodworm is like candy to them. They are also cold, tired and conserving energy for the spawn. They're less likely to chase a lure in other words.

Once they spawn out and start their run back to the ocean, they're more likely to take other bait.

As far as "native" bait? My guess is that the bloodworms taste similar to the bristle and tube worms that "are" native here. 

There are exceptions to the rule, but this is the pattern. Like many others, I've experimented with lots of baits on the spring run. Nothing produces like a good blob of fresh bloodworm.

My 1/50$.
.


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## powerburn (Jun 26, 2007)

so is the trick a whole bloodworm on a 4/0 circle hook. How long will a dozen bloodworms last on an early spring day at SPSP.


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

powerburn said:


> so is the trick a whole bloodworm on a 4/0 circle hook. How long will a dozen bloodworms last on an early spring day at SPSP.


Depends on the size and quality of the bw you are using. Depends if the fish are biting, some times the fish are not intersted and the bloods get bleached out and very straggly looking. Or the WP could be in full force, 

i usually start with half a blood, I feel the bigger the bait the better. and increase or decrease the size from a 1/4 to a full depending on how the pace is

I rarely went through a dozen, If I had 2, I usually gave away 6-7 of the second dozen. 

Keep them cool, not cold, and they will last longer. if you have them in advance, try rotating the container to lightly move the bloods around.


The chicken thing is popular in Delaware, go figure, they call them purdue peelers, crab marinated in crab oil. fish love them. I guess they are use to the chicken run off in the water..


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Sounds like a tube worm and bristle worm hunting spree is in order.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

We've got tons of sand worms here in MD too. Looks just like a short bloodworm, but more tan. Does anyone uses them?


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## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

they take sand worms in jersey, but it always seems to me that they prefer clams (gotta tie em on your hook with elastic thread) --
generally they take whatever bait i don't have that day.:redface:


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

fb. never tried the sand worms, well aside for the gulp and power bait ones. I have had better luck with the regular old blood worms.

but hey, at the fling maybe the fish will be eating everything except bloods


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## tonio (Jan 27, 2008)

I have witnessed the power of chicken livers. The stripers seem like they can not get enough of it. I had cut bait and an older gentleman had chicken livers. The bait did not even get a chance to hit bottom before a hit would come.


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