How to preserve bloodworms? Practical preservation methods shared
Do you know how to preserve bloodworms? Bloodworms are the larvae of chironomid midges, and in many regions of our country, especially in the north, they are one of the main baits for fishing in natural waters during the cold winter. Below, the editor will introduce how to preserve bloodworms!
From early November each year until before April of the following year, over a period of half a year, any fish that still opens its mouth to feed is especially fond of these tiny creatures that grow in sewage ditches and stagnant pools as well as pits, ponds and small rivers, and they are particularly excellent bait for winter fishing. There is a fishing proverb that says: "Use earthworms in spring and dough in summer, bloodworms are the first choice for winter fishing." These two words "first choice" illustrate the important position of bloodworms in winter fishing. The winter fishing referred to here includes surface fishing after the onset of winter, ice fishing after the water freezes, and surface fishing after the ice melts in early spring, that is, fishing in the low-temperature season mentioned earlier. In Northeast China, from late October each year until before "May 1st" of the following year, bloodworms are used when fishing for crucian carp, carp and other fish. It is only in early May, when temperatures rise and small fish become more active and start nibbling at the hook and causing trouble, that anglers switch to commercial bait.
Types and selection
1. Types of bloodworms
According to research and verification by zoologists, there are many types of bloodworms worldwide, distributed very widely, from tropical swamps to the polar regions, and from plains to glaciers above 5600 m. At present, more than 5000 species of chironomid insects are known worldwide, and about 500 species are known in our country. The bloodworms we see in ornamental fish markets and fishing tackle shops are only a few of these species.
Bloodworms vary in size and differ in thickness and length. Anglers habitually divide bloodworms into "male worms" and "female worms." "Male worms" are 20-30 mm long, with a diameter (thickness) of 1-1.2 mm, a short, thick and firm body, a blue-black head, and tough skin that resists tearing and biting. These are the large bloodworms used as bait. "Female worms" have a body length of 25-30 mm and a diameter of less than 1 mm, 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 small bloodworm with a body length of only 1 cm, 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.
2. Selection of bloodworms
Although bloodworms can be used as fishing bait, there are good and poor ones. Therefore, when purchasing and collecting them yourself, you should make a selection. The so-called "male worms," commonly known for their blue-black forehead and thick bodies, 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 it easy for fish to find and swallow them. Those so-called "female worms" with green or black foreheads, light red bodies, long segments, and soft, slender bodies are not only difficult to keep and prone to dying, but also not easy to use when fishing. Tied to the hook, they are half-dead and lifeless, unable to twist forcefully, and their fish-attracting effect is far inferior to that of "male worms." Also, because they are soft and dangle below the hook and trail very long, when fish (especially small crucian carp) take the bait, they often only nibble the part of the worm extending beyond the hook, and before the hook is drawn into the mouth they already raise their heads and lift the float, resulting in a high rate of empty hooks. At the same time, if small miscellaneous fish are nibbling at the hook, after just a few pecks by the small fish, only a thin layer of white skin remains, completely losing its fish-attracting effect. Because "male worms" are selected 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 less than that of "female worms." "Male worms" can be hung 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).
How to preserve bloodworms?
If you have collected or purchased a lot of bloodworms and cannot use them all in one fishing trip, or if there are leftovers from each trip, they need to be kept alive. There are many methods for keeping bloodworms alive; several commonly used methods are introduced below.
1. Simple keeping method: Place them in tea brine or wrap them in a wet cloth to keep them, and they can be kept for 2-3 days.
2. Soil keeping method: Place the bloodworms in a basin with water and mud and sand to keep them. The bloodworms can survive for a long time, but when using them you have to use a specially made small sieve to sift out the mud and sand to separate the mud from the worms, which is rather troublesome.
3. Short-term plastic bag keeping method in the refrigerator: Bloodworms are afraid of heat but not of cold. For temporary storage, you can put the bloodworms in a plastic bag and place them in the refrigerator's refrigerating compartment, where they can be preserved for 10-15 days.
4. Long-term keeping method in a container in the refrigerator: Put the bloodworms into a large enamel bowl or glass container, stainless steel lunch box, or small porcelain basin filled with clean water, and keep them in the refrigerator's refrigerating compartment, or place them outdoors in winter without letting them freeze. Change the clean water once every 1-2 days, and promptly pick out the dead bloodworms that have turned black. With this keeping method, the bloodworms survive for a long time, and it is also convenient and easy when using them. But note: do not use plastic products or aluminum products to keep bloodworms, otherwise the preservation time will be shortened. "Female worms" are very difficult to preserve, so they should be bought and used immediately.
5. Method for keeping bundled bloodworms: First moisten the bundled bloodworms with some water, divide them according to each day's usage and place them separately in small plastic bags used for wrapping fruit, then squeeze out the air and tie the openings tightly to prevent water evaporation. Then put them in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator to freeze, and take them out when setting off. If the journey is long and you are afraid that after the ice melts they will spoil, you can keep them in a thermos cup. The bundles of worms left over after each fishing trip can also be preserved this way, but because some bloodworms in the leftover bundles have already died and their color has changed somewhat, the fishing effect will be slightly poorer.
6. Carrying and preserving worm bundles when going out: To avoid bundling bloodworms in the very cold outdoor environment, and to start fishing in the shortest possible time, you should bundle the bloodworms at home before fishing. The bundled worm bundles should be placed in a fish hook box, with all the line ends left outside the box, and then the box should be kept in the refrigerator's refrigerating compartment; it must not be placed in a warm room, otherwise the bloodworms are prone to dying and spoiling. Because live worms have a higher hooking rate than dead worms, use live worms as much as possible when temperature conditions permit. When using them outdoors, note that the storage temperature must not be below zero degrees; frozen bloodworms break at a touch, and bloodworms that have been frozen and then thawed can continue to be used. When the temperature is below zero degrees, you can put the bloodworms in a pocket inside your coat. When the temperature is above zero, you can place them on the ice to cool them and cover them with a sunshade. When using them, hold one bundle of worms and pull out the line. Do not pull the line to drag the worms, as this easily breaks the worms.
7. Method for carrying and preserving live bloodworms in the field: If you are afraid there will not be enough bloodworms, you can spread several layers of wet cloth or newspaper in a small box, put in the bloodworms, then cover them with newspaper, and keep and carry them in a place above 0°C and below 5°C. After returning from fishing, store them in a container for keeping live bloodworms.