How much do bloodworms cost? Latest market price analysis
Bloodworms are one of the main baits used for fishing in natural waters in many regions of China, especially in the north, during the colder spring, late autumn and winter. From early November each year to April of the following year, over a period of half a year, any fish that is still feeding particularly loves bloodworms, and they are especially an excellent bait for winter fishing. Let's take a look below at how much bloodworms cost!
How much do bloodworms cost
The price of bloodworms is very unstable, and it can differ from season to season and from day to day. They are generally sold in fishing tackle shops, and there is no way to fix the price. In addition, the worms vary in size from small to large and are divided into several grades; the larger the worm, the higher the price. They are also divided into male worms and female worms. Male worms are generally suitable for fishing; female worms are not easy to keep, have a high water content, and are generally suitable for keeping ornamental fish after freezing or for selling to fish bait manufacturers as raw material. The retail price of male worms ranges from several tens to over one hundred, while female worms are generally relatively cheap, with retail prices of a dozen or so yuan up to twenty or thirty yuan all being possible.
What kinds of bloodworms are there
According to research and verification by zoologists, there are many kinds of bloodworms worldwide, and they are very widely distributed, from tropical swamps to the polar regions, and from plains to glaciers above 5600 m. At present, there are more than 5000 known species of Chironomidae insects worldwide, and about 500 known species in China. The bloodworms we see in ornamental fish markets and fishing tackle shops are only a few of these species. Bloodworms vary in size and in thickness and length. Anglers habitually divide bloodworms into "male worms" and "female worms". "Male worms" are 20-30 mm long, 1-1.2 mm in diameter, with a short, thick, sturdy body, a blue-black head, and tough skin that resists tearing and biting. These are the large bloodworms used as bait. "Female worms" are 25-30 mm long and less than 1 mm in diameter, but their bodies are slender, thin and soft, with a black or green head, and they are mostly used as attractant bait. There is also a kind of small bloodworm, only 1 cm long, mainly used to feed ornamental fish, and it can also be mashed and mixed into dough bait as fishing bait. The "male worms" and "female worms" mentioned here are actually different species of bloodworms; they are simply names that anglers have become accustomed to using.
How to choose good bloodworms
1. Although bloodworms can be used as fishing bait, there are good and bad ones. Therefore, when buying them and collecting them yourself, you should choose carefully. The so-called "male worms" with a blue-black head and a thick, strong body are easy to keep and durable, and are most favored by anglers. Tied to the hook, they look like a blooming red chrysanthemum, and when they sink to the bottom they keep twisting, which is extremely attractive to fish and makes them easy for fish to find and swallow.
2. The so-called "female worms" with a green or black head, a light red body, long segments, and a soft, slender form are not only hard to keep and easy to kill, but also not good to use when fishing. Tied to the hook, they are half-dead and barely alive, unable to twist strongly, and their fish-attracting effect is far inferior to that of "male worms". Also, because they are soft and limp and dangle below the hook, dragging out very long, when fish (especially small crucian carp) take the bait they often only grab the part of the worm extending beyond the hook, and before the hook has been sucked into the mouth they already lift their heads and send the float up, resulting in a high rate of empty hooks. At the same time, if small miscellaneous fish come to disturb the hook, after just a few pecks from them only a thin layer of white skin is left, completely losing its fish-attracting effect.
3. Because "male worms" are picked out one by one from artificially collected bloodworms, they are more expensive, 5-10 times the price of "female worms". When using "male worms" for fishing, the amount used is far smaller than that of "female worms". "Male worms" can be hooked singly on the fish hook like earthworms, and their strength is far higher than that of "female worms", so when fishing, most anglers use "male worms" as bait. "Female worms" are cheap, and are mostly used to chum the water as attractant bait and for bloodworm pull bait (mixed together with commercial bait).