# diggin' wigglers??



## wannabeup (Aug 16, 2006)

Ok, I've done a bit of googling and haven't found exactly what I'm looking for. I'd like to try my hand at digging a few wigglers for my own personal use gill fishing. I've found some info on the multi-person team approach but I've heard of one person net digging. Does anyone have a picture of what these one guy set-ups look like? I'm thinking something like a deep fryer basket with much smaller holes, on a long handle. Scrape it six inches down in the mud and see what comes up. Does that sound right? Anybody doing this? Show me what works for you please.


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## detroitjim (May 9, 2016)

If you want gills you can get loads of them by diggin through the dumpster of the fish market down the street. If you time it just right you'll hit a gold mine of gills the evening after they get their shipment of trout from the trout farm.


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## JAA (Oct 6, 2004)

Sounds Like my kind of Fishing Right Their Just watch for the delivery truck.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Years ago I saw them digging them on a lake I use to fish in the spring. This lake had a sand bottom but along the south side it was a marl bottom. They would take there boat up in shallow water and they had a net that looked like a smelt net but I am sur it had finer mesh in it. They would make sweeps thru the marl and then shake the net t clear out the mud. They must have not went very deep because the bottom looked untouched a few days later. Another group had a square mesh box the mesh was appox 1/8 holes in it and they would scoop this thru the marl in about the same place. This box only had 3 sides and I saw this one up close once. I would check with the DNR as you may need a lic to do this now. I always just bought them from the bait shop


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## wannabeup (Aug 16, 2006)

I have some stainless steel mesh with just smaller than 1/8 holes (3mm). Too small for crayfish traps but it might be just right for getting wigglers. Scout 2, do you remember about how big the 3 side scoop was? I'm thinking maybe 12 inches square by 6 inches deep?? As far as legalities, if I understand it correctly, NON-commercial can use them anywhere except a trout stream. In a trout stream you have to use them where you took them. Thanks for the info and the before work chuckle guys.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

If I remember right I think the sq one was 18 to 24 inches and they had it on a long handle. I think it could piviot on this handle. If it was me I would pit the handle just off center so the back would hang lower when you pick it up. I would double check with the DNR to make sure you don't need any type of lic to net them for your own use. I would bet not but I would hate to get fined for it


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## chasing em (Feb 6, 2014)

We use to make them out of 1/4" hardware wire. Made them like a small scoop shovel size with about 3" sides on them. Reinforce as needed. We used to double the cloth (wire). Attached to a shovel handle or pole. We dipped out of the backwaters of the Ausable in mukky bottom areas. Scoop in the muck and weeds rinse to see how many you have dump in your bucket....repeat. Be aware of rules where they can be used. Same body of water they are dipped in I believe. Good luck dippin


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Ammonia and water, I forget the concentration so start at 50/50 and reduce it as you experiment to save money on the ammonia.

Find a wormy place and use a bucket like you'd use for watering flowers and spread the mixture around. Let it soak in and grab your worm box. The ammonia irritates them and they'll come right to the top. Pick them up and rinse them off in fresh water to stop the worm burn and you'll have plenty.

The electric shock works fine but I'd hate to hear about someone getting killed doing that trick.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

6Speed said:


> Ammonia and water, I forget the concentration so start at 50/50 and reduce it as you experiment to save money on the ammonia.
> 
> Find a wormy place and use a bucket like you'd use for watering flowers and spread the mixture around. Let it soak in and grab your worm box. The ammonia irritates them and they'll come right to the top. Pick them up and rinse them off in fresh water to stop the worm burn and you'll have plenty.
> 
> The electric shock works fine but I'd hate to hear about someone getting killed doing that trick.



Thought they're digging wigglers?


I remember some guys making floating boxes with graduating screens. Add shovels of marl and the wigglers would collect in the bottom


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Oh boy, a Shoeman poke, dig away boys. Id rather be lazy and skip the digging BS since I was an infantryman. I think I've dug enuff in my life and I'll just throw a few bucks at my local bait shop.

You can buy bulk worms and waxies on line too...


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## wannabeup (Aug 16, 2006)

Some great ideas. I think the floating box is cool but more in depth than I need...for now! A floating live well for those I find might be a help though. I live a hundred yards or so from one of the bayous on Spring Lake near Fruitport. Looking to have a set-up to nab a few on the way home from work or after supper. I might find some time for a "government job" tomorrow and start on my scoop net.


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## on a call (Jan 16, 2010)

6Speed said:


> Ammonia and water, I forget the concentration so start at 50/50 and reduce it as you experiment to save money on the ammonia.
> 
> Find a wormy place and use a bucket like you'd use for watering flowers and spread the mixture around. Let it soak in and grab your worm box. The ammonia irritates them and they'll come right to the top. Pick them up and rinse them off in fresh water to stop the worm burn and you'll have plenty.
> 
> The electric shock works fine but I'd hate to hear about someone getting killed doing that trick.


Yep and nope
He after wigglers an aquatic bug that looks like a stone fly might be a stone fly ??
oh yeah....mayfly nymphs


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Wanna catch a pile of Bluegills? Take a dead animal (roadkill works great) and hang it out over the water off a dock or raft, where Bluegills live. Let it sit for a couple days. Then use waxworm under a bobber under it. Bluegills will feed on the maggots that fall off the carcass. They get pretty used to eating them, and are easy prey.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Fishndude said:


> Wanna catch a pile of Bluegills? Take a dead animal (roadkill works great) and hang it out over the water off a dock or raft, where Bluegills live. Let it sit for a couple days. Then use waxworm under a bobber under it. Bluegills will feed on the maggots that fall off the carcass. They get pretty used to eating them, and are easy prey.


I was thinking of the same thing when I first read this thread. I watched a TV program once about them doing this down south


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

This is a lot easier than digging for Wigglers.


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

Sounds like a good way to clean up some of the roadkill.


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Martin Looker said:


> Sounds like a good way to clean up some of the roadkill.


And it'll help keep the neighbors off your dock too!


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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

Dogs, *****, possums, skunks, stink.. Fly rod and a sunny day for me and gills.


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## Old Whaler (Sep 11, 2010)

A can of dog food with holes punched in it hung on a wire will accomplish the same thing, and it will be a lot easier to fish near! PEW!


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## on a call (Jan 16, 2010)

bobberbill said:


> Dogs, *****, possums, skunks, stink.. Fly rod and a sunny day for me and gills.


I should let you guys in on how I learned to catch Titty Bream.

In Florida we would wade and cast poppers up again buggy whips. Allow it to sit for a bit....the slurp you have a gill the size of a pie plate...so large you cannot hold them...so you cup it in your hand and hold it against your tit. Yeppers...nothin like catching titty bream and most all are that size !!!

Wish I still had the pictures of my dad and fishing them .... it was magic !!!

Try it !!!!


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