Wood Grubs for Panfish!

[ReggieT]

Hey Studs!

 

Been a while since I've been on deck, dealing with a host of family health issues & lots of traveling.

Nevertheless, looks like some of last yrs firewood that I neglected to burn/split has become a "Grub Factory!"

 

Found these lil fellers snoozing as was putting some logs through my splitter.

Got probably over a dozen and counting.

 

I recall in my youth, me & baby bro would

 

fish these beneath a float or tight line off the bottom and the channel cats, drum, and big shell crackers would FLAT wear them out!!

 

Does anybody have any pics and or memories of fishing with "real grubs?" 

What's a good rig or tips on fishing with grubs...I'm older and rustier!😌🤓

 

[Eric 26]

@ReggieT Unfortunately no pictures but wax worms were my gateway back into fishing years ago. I used to rig them on a 1/32 ounce jig head 1 threaded on the hook then 1 pierced about an 1/8 of the way down from either end on a slip bobber, caught everything that swam in the retention ponds 😃

[Jig Man]

Those are wood borer larvae.

[TnRiver46]

Shew. I’d rather use a night crawler 

[T-Billy]

Dunno about fish, but they'll catch woodpeckers for sure!!! 

                                                                           

 

[Junger]

I used to dig up grubs in the playground mulch near my house and put them under a bobber as a kid....I never caught anything with them unfortunately. I just don't think they wiggle as much as a nightcrawler to attract fish, or they were just too big for the sunfish that were around.

[casts_by_fly]

Never got into those grubs but used to fish wax worms and meal worms all the time. Wax worms for trout, meal worms for gills. For gills, a 3x long shank #10 or 12 with the grub threaded up the hook is a good way to ensure they get the hook point and not just suck the worm off the end of your hook. Too big a hook and they will suck the worm right off without getting the point. 
 

we also used to pick ‘water worms’ in the spring before trout season. They were cranefly larvae and the trout would eat them well. 

[ReggieT]

9 hours ago, Jig Man said:

Those are wood borer larvae.

Yes sir, sure are. 

It looks like the infamous Powderpost Beetle offspring!

[Fishin Dad]

I would assume they would work.  We fish goldenrod grubs around here as well as wax worms, spikes, meal worms, etc.  I would for sure bring them with you to try but have an alternative in case they don’t work.  Nice to have a comparison bait as well to test how they are working.  

[RipzLipz]

We’d use bee moth larvae for bluegills, either slip bobber rigs or casting bobbers if they were shallow enough, splitshot weight & Eagle Claw #4 or #6 gold Aberdeen hook. Crickets were usually better but not as durable - they like to bite just the heads off.

 

ETA: no split shot on the casting bobber unless bait refuses to sink, happens more frequently with crickets.

[scaleface]

 Those little "bag worms" that you see in their cocoons chewing on evergreen trees and shrubs. I used those as a kid and caught sunfish. catfish and carp . They  loved them . A pair of manicure scissors are needed to snip them out.

[greentrout]

 

Catalpa Worms for Bull Bluegill on 4 or 6 pound test is fun to catch.

 

[ReggieT]

15 hours ago, greentrout said:

 

Catalpa Worms for Bull Bluegill on 4 or 6 pound test is fun to catch.

 

I've heard many success stories surrounding these dudes for sure!

On 1/13/2024 at 3:27 PM, Fishin Dad said:

I would assume they would work.  We fish goldenrod grubs around here as well as wax worms, spikes, meal worms, etc.  I would for sure bring them with you to try but have an alternative in case they don’t work.  Nice to have a comparison bait as well to test how they are working.  

Yes they will. Just been a long time since I tossed any. These will be thawed out from their current "Arctic State", alive and wiggling would be my preference. Probably will have some minnows, crickets, red wigglers along for the ride.