butterworms

[Cuz]

I personally know Elliot from Elliotsbutterworms.com. He is the most honest businessman you can deal with. He better be because his real job is being a pastor to a five hundred member church. He just sent me 150 of the biggest tebo fly larvae, (AKA Butter worm) I have fished. They are hand picked in Chile. They mature into a moth.
I use butter worms through the ice for pan fish. Perch, large bluegills and crappies love them. They should work in open water too.
I've kept them in my fridge for six months without a problem. I keep them high in the covered butter shelf on the door. If the stuffing mix gets old just change it with wheat germ.

[gwl2oneida]

My go to has always been 1" tubes on small jig heads. Everything will to a swipe at them.

[crewchief2]

regular worms or crawlers are easy to keep, i have the same situation where i take kids out on a last minute basis. I bought a small plastic tote, filled it with peat moss and i keep crawlers and garden worms in there, i water it about once a week and feed them now and again, and they have lasted for months. I keep the tub in the basement covered. There is a ton of info an the web about how to do it. and really does save time and money, everytime i have bait leftover, it goes in the tub

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/easywormbin.htm

[goodfishin]

I have a seven-year old and have used just about everything when fishing with him. Butterworms have had the highest success rate for panfish (and often trout as well). If they're biting at all, they'll bite butterworms. Worms/crawlers are second.

In terms of convenience, the little jars of "crappie nibbles" are pretty darn handy to have on hand when you can't/don't want to deal with live bait. You just roll up a few of them into a little ball about the size of a pea, put it on a tiny hook and off you go...

There are times when butterworms will catch you fish but artificial baits won't but those times are pretty rare, so if you're aiming for the closest to a sure thing, get butterworms. Throw a jar or two of crappie nibbles in the tackle box for the times when you just want a no-hassle-get-up-and-go solution.

[phil]

thanks a bunch guys!

[njdevils908]

try trout magnets. they come with little hooks that barely have any barbs and its quick and easy to unhook.