Anybody use nightcrawlers?

[fishingMarshall]

Last year was my first year on the ice.  I only used meal worms and minnow.  ANybody do any good with a piece of crawler?  Thinking about giving it a try this year.

[vancouvercanuck]

One of the best baits for trout. 

[iceintheveins]

For me nightcrawlers, well pieces of them, consistantly outproduce mealworms or waxworms for trout. Almost all the time I get twice as many on crawler pieces. Very small crawler slivers work good for panfish too, but I prefer waxies or better yet, maggots, for panfish. Always though, I carry nightcrawlers.

Try them. They will catch you more trout.

[billditrite]

have used crawlers from time to time and once caught a nice 4# brown on one. i dont use them regularly but every now and then...

[akdg]

We use them quite a bit for everything from smelt and perch to trout and bass.  I buried an old fridge in the backyard and filled it with leaves, coffeegrounds and egg shells, a few good nights of nightcrawling and we have crawlers whenever we want.  They might not be as good as fresh smelt fillets or perch eyes, but it will help you get started.

[Poppa]

I've used crawlers at night to target brown's.
Put a sigle  kernel of corn,then a small crawler,or 1/2 crawler if they are large,leave it just off the bottom! 

[camo_fish]

One of the best baits for trout. 

Me never, not yet. But, if I make it to some of the mountain ponds and lakes with trout in them and no live bait, the crawlers will be in my pocket. 

[jabers69]

We use them for everything and have great luck , we also ues minnows also but the worms work the best

[iceintheveins]

I'm tellin ya they almost always work better for trout than mealies or waxies. They are tougher too and stay on the hook better when fishing for pecker fish like perch and bluegill.

[big big rdg]

I tried them once for bass but didnt get anything on them.....then again i didnt get any that day. So it could have just been a slow biting day.

[dwayne]

big rain bows through the ice = night crawlers   

[iceintheveins]

big rain bows through the ice = night crawlers   

Got that right.

[mullen2525]

how do you guys fish your crawlers through the ice.  Tip up or Jig, any specifics welcome, thanks.

[jacksmelt71]

i put 2 good sized crawlers on a sz4 hook on a lite leader.ball them up on the hook but leave the tails hanging. can do this with small worms too. i usually put 4. trout and salmon love em'! can tip a small swedish pimple with small worms or the tail of a crawler . bounce it of the bottom then raise. trout and panfish love it.

[mullen2525]

thanks jack

[pontiac787]

Speaking of crawlers... Its about time I feed mine.  Anyone else ever try those Magic Brand worm farms?  They work great.  I swear they multiply faster then rabbits, the hardest part is keeping them fed! 

[dwayne]

I put mine on tip ups and suspend them 2 to 3 feet below the ice for rainbows.  Key is to stay away from the tip ups till the flags trip.  The rainbows are very spooky when there is traffic over them.