Digging Worms

What's the best way to go about digging worms? I've seen signs of them, but don't know what to do.

Replies:

1. "Try the sneak attack from the side - dig a monster trench next to the "signs", by which I assume you mean the sand cast, or what passes as turds in the worm world. Then collapse the side of the trench and hey presto, one (or many) bemused worms at the bottom.

Fat soft ones with sand filled tails are lugworms, frilly ones are ragworms, long hard flat ones are razorshells and anything else are Muckworms.

All will work in the local area because that is what the local fish are probably eating.

Some worms are fast diggers so don't try the top down approach, they will get to Oz before you.

Two obvious things - fill in the holes after or you'll upset people and the environment, and check local bylaws, some areas and especially nature reserves prohibit digging. Happy hunting!"

2. "For blow lug.. find the cast and usually about a foot away is the blow hole, the further apart, the shallower the worm will be.

I place my spade about two inches behind the cast..push in to the hilt, not 45 degrees,.. straight down..waggle it around gently take the spit out, then place the spade two inches behind the blow hole and do the same again.

You might have to take three or four spits out, believe me, with practice, you can dig 50 to a 100 no bother, don't forget the more you put on the hook the more juices flow.

I find using a pump excellent.

Ragworm are usually found under gritty broken shelled ground but some places I have dug in Scotland have come from sand (Ardentinny)a fork is the best for rag."

3. "For lug (and all worms really) try dig at low tide on the extreme springs, sorry if that's really obvious. The worms tend to be bigger and there's generally more of them.

If there are a lot of casts I find a trench is the most productive. Keep digging along the trench rather than down as it's easier on the body and you'll get the next worm."