beach worms ???

[kind_cir]

Can anyone give aus a clue of when to get some beach worm. Things like, phase of tide and beach structure eg low tide, sand spit

[Noelm]

don't know where you are, but when I go I prefer a nearly low tide (still a bit of run out) and a flat stretch of beach with fine sand not grit, just have a fish frame in a mesh bag, if on your own a long stick to peg it to the sand when you see a worm is handy, but if you have a helper, this is not needed, for the "finger bait" I like squid or something tough, so they cannot grab a bit and buzz off, also find using fingers better than pliers, but either way, it will take a lot of practice to get some.

[KGW3]

Alvey make pliers out of cardon fibre (plastic) which work well if you are no good with your fingers. The jaws are serrated and don't cut the head off when you pull them out.

[Nowhere Bob]

Pliers are out in Qld anyway. Remember Bag limit applies 30 including parts of a worm.

I'm about a million miles from being the Gun wormer some of my mates are, but some thoughts.
I cant see the difference between the rest of Teewah Beach and the last 2 K before DI, but the worm population seems to be able to, as there are literally 00's of the little buggers in that last stretch from Freshwater on.
As said above, get their attention with a good stink bait. You'll see the "bow wave" in the run out wash as they poke their heads up. Approach very slowly & flat footed as they can sense any vibration through the sand.
Give him a good bite on a finger bait - mullet flesh / Pippy / or squid.
Slide your thumb & forefingertips into sand slowly & gently behind his head.
When he latches on to finger-bait he'll arch up to tear off a chunk. At this stage pinch & draw up.

Tips:
1 Take beer. It's frustrating as hell, so you'll need to keep you fluids up.
2 Zinc up, reflection off water will nail you.
3 Pegging out stink bait works, but Pros tether it to ankle.
4 Different people swear by different baits, some say Mulet & shark due to stink, others say super fresh Dart is best. I personally like Burleying with stinky mushy Pillies for 10 minutes first - really gets them going.
Expect to take a while to get your first, then twice as long to get your second.

[Flex]

I usualy worn eitherside of a small sand spit at lowtide. just pick a section where there is fine sand or pippies about and your on the mark.

Biggest tip I can give is stick yourfingers down the back of the worm very slowly- as he arches up to take your handbait- very very slowly clamp your fingers down on him(this is the most important bit). If you snatch at the worm quickly you'll miss it. so remember a slow and steady closing of your fingers is best.

And put sunscreen on otherwise you'll regret it.


PS:- after spending hours learning how to worm, I found beachworms to be a rather sub par bait anyhow. pippies,yabbies etc always seemed to work alot better for me

[Pistol_P]

Biggest tip I can give is stick yourfingers down the back of the worm very slowly- as he arches up to take your handbait- very very slowly clamp your fingers down on him(this is the most important bit). If you snatch at the worm quickly you'll miss it. so remember a slow and steady closing of your fingers is best.

Flex is on the money.....
When I have taught people how to catch worms I have always told them to slide their fingers under the belly and back of the worm....This way you can feel the worm beween your fingers as he rises/arches to tear at your handbait....when you go in squeeze the worm hard and pull out rather than a fast snap.
Alot of people put their fingers on the sides of the worm rather than the belly and back.....but the worms can move forward slightly when arching and you lose the direct feel you have compared to the belly and back.

I have always found about an hour before low tide is good when there is still some water movement.

P.S dont waste your time with worming pliers.....once you get the feel with your fingers you will be surprised how easy it becomes.

Pete

[Noelm]

yep, I agree, pliers are useless, and I disagree about the quality of Worms for bait, I reckon that on a Beach there would be few baits that will equal a live Worm as a bait for everything from a tiddler Whiting to a monster Jewfish.

[alleycat]

I find the best way is to use finger in front and thunmb at back, belly and back method, as the water is go back from wave bury your finger in front of worm and work thumb down into sand behind his head while giving him the bait, never squeeze when he is pulling down, wait till he arches, in other words grab him on the up and up he will come.

[bballfisho]

don't even bother wasting money on the pliers unless you simply cant catch them with your hands. The pliers give you no feel for the worm and most of the time you will either break the heads off or not get a grip at all.

Pistol_P has stated the best method- and if its one of the bigger ones that take a bit of pulling out, try pulling him along the sand instead of straight up. this will make the worm relax so he should come out a whole lot easier.

once u get the first few it becomes surprisingly good fun.

[KGW3]

Pliers ARE usless if you don't know how to use them. Very effective if you do.
Pliers ARE legal in Queensland, the statement in the regulations stating "worms captured by hand" doesn't mean "by hand and not pliers" it means not by an automated or bulk method such as excavation.

[Nowhere Bob]

Dont mean to split hairs, but I dont see pliers listed anywhere as permitted fishing apparatus.
Same sort of legislative BS as a crab pot can be used to catch crabs, but not fish - because then its a fish trap, and Fish may be speared - Crabs are fish - so crabs can be speared if U/S & Jennys are returned immediately & unharmed to water.
It all depends how bad you upset the Fisho I guess.

[Juzo]

I have to vouch for the pliers, they work for me. Took me 3 days practice at the beach house last xmas to get the technique down. After that found it was pretty straight forward. I would add to the above techniques, pounce when he arches/rises, I'de then hold tight with the pliers, and dig my other hand into the sand and grab him round the belly and pull out with both hands.
Found this way I didn't rip his head off so often.

This year I'll be working on the 'ol natural hand method, cant go upsetting all you purist's with my high tech devices

Juzo

[Pistol_P]

To be honest afetr worming for many years I cant understand why anyone uses pliers.....

If you squeeze a worm at the right time when he arches to rip at your hand bait and then pull them out they come out very easily......why do you need pliers to pull them out...???

Pete

[jtpython]

I can say i learnt when i was about 14 and took me a whole day to master it but after that fingers were the go.
Now this is no lie
One of the Lorraways from great keppel island off Central Queenslanduse to catch them between her toes and pull them out and that is no S$%^
If anyone from here know's the locals from Great Keppel will back me up on that one
And cheese also works, i myself just use's a large mullet from the local bait shop and cut a small piece of skin off and use it to let them try and pull it while slipping my fingers around there head this stops the from tearing piece's off.
JT

[rockfisho]

I have most success at low tide on the flat banks. Saying that though, there have
been times when I have pulled 20 or so at the top of the tide in reasonable swell.
I always pull the worms along the sand aswell, i can pull the really big ones out more easily then.

My technique is similar to pete's, i get my index finger unter the worm, and press down on the head firmly. It works really well for me

cheers

rockfisho