Anyone grow their own bait?

[TicTokCroc]

I've got quite the meal worm colony going. I'm up to 5 bussing trays of larva now. Here's a few.


Here's the beetle tray. Every 2 weeks the beetles get sifted out of the egg laden substrate and added to a new tray of substrate to lay more eggs. If you want to maintain your numbers you hold back 5-10% of each tray of larva to pupate and make new beetles.




They eat wheat bran which is 14$ for a 40lb sack. Heat treat or freeze to kill grain mite eggs.

I'm looking forward to using some for panfish in the spring. The majority are going to be chicken/ wild bird and bearded dragon food.

Anyone have any favorite ways or tips to fish these guys?

 

[Wolverine]

I’ve used meal worms, mousies, and corn bores a lot for ice fishing. I’ve kept them in the small garage beer fridge between trips as momma’s not happy if she opens the big fridges and bugs come flying out.

 

[Chadk]

Have never tried them. Let us know how it goes. My kids have a few reptiles, so we grow some other stuff, but not mealworms.

I've tried raising earthworms and nightcrawlers, but despite all the work, just didn't produce like I wanted. Was better off just collecting them at night from the yard or buying them before heading out with the kids.

 

[Matt B]

When I lived in Atlanta I used to fish the ‘Hooch year-round. Trout in cool months, bass and sunnies when warm. One summer I had the thought that the mealworms I fed my pet turtle would make fishing even faster action. Turned out flies drew strikes as well or better as mealworms and with flies I didn’t have to re-bait the hook between fish.

 

[bennysbuddy]

honestly, I'm all about keeping that kind of stuff out of my house , But it looks like a interesting hobby for somebody else.

 

[Ceviche]

I’ve tied flys out of feathers from my own hens. Found that cutthroats liked Rhode Island Red patterns.

 

[TicTokCroc]

I’ve tied flys out of feathers from my own hens. Found that cutthroats liked Rhode Island Red patterns.

My silkworm gut thread is morphing into build a fly with all materials you grew/harvested/made by hand. I harvested some hackle and wing slips from a rooster we had that died a while ago. I'm also getting 6 ducks next week to butcher that someone doesn't want anymore, so white duck wing quills will come in handy maybe some cdc.