Beach Worming: The Ultimate Guide

The ultimate beach worming guide

Beach worms are marine worms that live buried beneath the sand along surf beaches. They are prime bait for catching a large range of fish including bream, whiting, fathead and even mulloway. Beach worms might be the best bait for catching a feed along our aussie beaches. This detailed guide will explain how to catch your own beach worms including ideal worming conditions, technique and storage. Whether you have never tried worming before or are wanting to refine your skills, this guide will help you catch more bait more efficiently.


Best conditions for beach worming

Beach worms are found on open surf beaches with clean moving water.

  • The best areas usually include:
  •           Gently sloping sand flats
  •          Clean wash zones
  •          Sand flats between deeper gutters

A good worming beach is not always the same from week to week. Sand movement, swell, storms and long periods of flat surf can all change the structure of a beach. A beach that worms well one month may be poor the next, while another nearby beach may suddenly become productive. This is why experienced wormers spend time reading the beach before they start. So get in and give it a go!  

Beach worming is heavily influenced by tide, swell, sand formation and water movement. Many experienced wormers prefer the period around low tide, often from roughly two hours before low tide through to about one hour after low tide. This gives better access to sand flats and gutter edges where worms are often easier to spot and work.

Contrary to most information available to the public, we believe low tide is NOT the best time for worming. We prefer the run in about 1-2 hours after low tide. However, there is no single perfect formula. Some beaches perform better at the lower tide. The key is finding clean water moving across the right sand.

After over a decade of investigating worming patterns and ideal conditions, there is a clear pattern with worms on the east coast. The thick, short worms (king worms / Stumpies) are located higher up the beach and are more commonly caught around the mid-tide. The long, skinny worms (slimies) are more commonly found towards the bottom of the tide. King worms are premium bait and perfect for learning as they are generally less sensitive.

 

How Beach Worming Works

Beach worming usually involves two types of bait:

  • A hand bait 
  • A stick bait 

The stink bait is used to create scent in the water and bring worms up through the sand. This is often made from fish frames, mullet or other oily fish. 

HOT TIP: String ray stinks and makes excellent worming bait 

The hand bait is a smaller, firmer piece of bait used to tempt the worm to bite and stretch further out of the sand. Fish belly strip is a popular option because it is firm, oily and holds together well. At Pelagic pro, our preferred hand bait is salted pipi. 

The basic process is:

  1. Find a suitable flat or gutter edge
  2. Wash the stink bait through the receding water
  3. Look for small worm heads or V shapes in the sand
  4. Present the hand bait close to the worm
  5. Let the worm grab the bait while setting your fingers in the sand (this is the tricky part)
  6. Grip firmly at the right moment
  7. Pull smoothly without breaking the worm

The biggest mistake people make when trying to catch their first worm is rushing the strike phase. Striking the worm is, in fact, the easy part if your fingers are set correctly and you time the strike correctly. You should ALWAYS be able to feel the worm before you strike.

THE SECRETE PROS WON’T TELL YOU – MUST READ

With the right guidance, beach worming is actually very easy in the right conditions. The key is learning how to properly “play” with the worm. This takes practice and the right guidance to get you on the right track. When a worm grabs your finger bait, its goal is to pull the food back down to safety. To do this, the worm arches its body upward before dragging the bait deeper into the sand. Once the worm pulls down, the opportunity to strike is usually gone… unless you apply the key technique. Before striking, push the sand upward as the worm arches. By doing this, you stop the worm from fully arching its body out of the sand and create the illusion that the surface level is higher than it actually is. This encourages the worm to extend further from the sand before it realises how exposed it is. Using this technique correctly often allows the worm to come several extra inches out before you even attempt the strike. Worms also have very little sensitivity below the head region, making the striking phase surprisingly easy if you have done the work properly beforehand.

 

Caring for beach worms

Beach worms can be kept in good condition a few different ways depending on how long you want to store them.

1. Live Bait  

Worms can be kept alive by 2 common methods.

  • They can be kept alive for 2-3 days in dry sand (usually 5-6 worms wrapped in newspaper)
  • Worms can be kept alive in saltwater for over a week if the water is oxygenated and changed daily.

2. Dead Bait 

For long term preservation 2 common methods are used. Preserved worms are still great bait.

  • SALT (Fridge): Our preferred method is salting the worms. This involves adding a large amount of salt to worms and storing them refrigerated. This is our preferred method of storage. They will last about 6 months but are best used within 3 months.
  • METHO (Freezer): The other popular method is freezing with methylated spirits. This method involves adding enough metho to lightly coat the worms and freezing. This method will keep bait preserved for years for long term storage. 

Professional Beach worming lessons

Pelagic Pro offer private beach worming lessons on the Gold Coast. If you would like to catch beach worms like the pros with real time feedback, book a lesson. We look forward to helping you catch your first beachworm!