Catalpa Worms in Ohio

[Spencer_Blanton]

I saw a post from Salmonid that mentioned Catalpa Worms on a tree in Ohio. Is anyone else seeing them? Is this the time of year to look?

Spencer

[tspergin]

I was out Saturday morning checking my trees and as of now they havnt started to come on yet,I am in central Ohio

[dinkbuster1]

this is about the time they start coming out. remember though, not many catalpa tree's will have 'em so if you find a good tree keep it to yourself.

[Bigones]

I went out today and found some. They are out now. I don't know how I am going to get them the tree is huge and has no lower limbs. Guess I am going to have to get a ladder or something.

[H2O Mellon]

I'm going to have to check our cabin. We have a couple thousand acres of wooded land in Southeast Ohio (Hocking County) so chances are we have them. Dink/Salmonid man if your up for a road trip let me know, we could hit the river w/ Flathunter during the night.

[Jammer]

I've been watching my secret tree, On a back road on the way home from work, I haven't seen any yet. Some leaves look chewed on but I didn't see any worms. The tree is great, It blew over in a storm but still alive and is covered in worms every year. Just walk under it and pick them off. Lots of Catulpas all around it, but the others don't have worms. Must be a genetic thing. ??

[Spencer_Blanton]

Tim (Bigones) and I went harvesting yesterday. I think I sweat off a good 15 lbs. The tree he had found was indeed thick with horms. The branches were very high up though. We started with laying a tarp out, throwing a weighted line into the branches, and giving the tree a very good shake. What we discovered was that the little buggers ability to hold on was very impressive. This is where my 24' fiberglass extension ladder and tree trimming pole came into play. I'm not sure how the largest person (me @ 260lbs) ended up at the top of the ladder, but we basically used the pole to pick individual leaves or small branches.

We checked several other catalpa trees, 10 or so, and found the worms on 2 more. I'm not sure why some have them while their neighbors do not. Salmonid mentioned some folk lore about the gender of the tree making a difference, but I can't find any research to back that. It sounds the best to date though. I will try transferring a dozen or so to the trees near me that are more convenient to get to. If they spread, my neighbors are in for a surprise!

In the end, we ended up with about 6 dozen worms ranging from the size of my pinky to red worms. Several had wasp eggs on them which we removed. I'm not sure it will save the worm though. Our intention is to burn up the channel cats this Friday. Wish us luck. It may be the last decent fishing trip for Tim and me before he moves to Virginia.

Spencer

[HRCats]

Been checking here in SE Ohio and we don't have em yet.

[BGRUMBLES]

I was out Saturday morning checking my trees and as of now they havnt started to come on yet,I am in central Ohio

I just checked four trees in columbus area...none are in there either. Cant wait to find some.

[duxsrus]

My buddy has a tree in his yard and I checked it yesterday and a lot of the leaves were eaten but I only saw a half dozen or so worms but they were all 3-4". Two had eggs on them. I didn't know those were wasp eggs. Oddly though, the tree was swarming with wasps. I couldn't get any of them worms right now if I wanted to because the wasps were so thick.

[ryang]

What do these worms look like?

[tspergin]

Gary they get 3 to 6 inches long and are black and yellow striped, they are on some of the catalpa trees and eat the leaves ,one of the best fish baits there is channael cats love them

[Spencer_Blanton]

What do these worms look like?

Here's a site that has some info and pictures on it.

http://www.catalpaworms.com/

Interestingly, there's a cross link back to the BOC!

[dinkbuster1]

man, all this talk about catalpa's is makin me want to go load up on some........AND HIT THE PAY-POND! (for farm channels of course:big_smile: )

[ryang]

How big do you usually catch with these is it just eaters or do you all get bigguns with these worms?

[Spencer_Blanton]

I just got a call from Tim (Bigones). The worms we caught and refrigerated on Monday are now dead gelatinous masses. 6 dozen dead worms. :sad2: Daggone it! My plan was to work a pay pond for farm raised channels and a big fish fry for Sunday. My choices are to now try and get some Thursday night or buy chicken at Krogers...

Where did we go wrong? The book I have, "Fishing with Live Bait", said they'd live a couple weeks in the fridge. :angry: Any thoughts?

Spencer

[BGRUMBLES]

I just got a call from Tim (Bigones). The worms we caught and refrigerated on Monday are now dead gelatinous masses. 6 dozen dead worms. :sad2: Daggone it! My plan was to work a pay pond for farm raised channels and a big fish fry for Sunday. My choices are to now try and get some Thursday night or buy chicken at Krogers...

Where did we go wrong? The book I have, "Fishing with Live Bait", said they'd live a couple weeks in the fridge. :angry: Any thoughts?

Spencer

my thought would be to use a 5 gal. bucket and poke holes in a lid. put some branches off the catalpa in there with leaves and stick them in the shade. Night crawlers live down for coolness and dampness. Catalpas chill in the open so chilling them killed them

[Jammer]

I've kept them for a couple weeks in an aquarium with a screen on the top. I put in some leaves to eat but, they really stink. If they start looking bad, I put them in a baggie and freeze them. They still catch cats but they seem to prefer fresh.
Dinkbuster1... Don't worry, I bet turtles like them too...:lol: :lol:

[chris45601]

What do these worms look like?

Ever see that silky looking stuff up in trees those are these worms and i've herd from a lot of people that these worms for some reason are the poop. They are basicly catfish nip...

[Pastor E]

Hey guys on the catalpa trees you that don`t have worms you might want to invest in some worms and plant them they will grow on mail or female tree s ( with or with beans most trees just has to be startedI ) IrI read a thread a couple weeks ago on cutting a branch and rooting it works I rooted 3 one has sprouted leaves in spite of 100 degree weather:lol:

[tspergin]

Gary catalpa worms dont have a silky substance like the bagworms have they are on the leaves and when full-grown burro into the ground and emerge as a spinx=moth which in turn lays the eggs and starts the cycle over again,as I told you they are on catalpa trees only the tree has big heart shaped leaves and some have long bean looking things hanging from the trees,they are mature and get to be 3 to 5 inches long they are black ans yellow and some are a light grey with black spots but only on catalpa trees

[tspergin]

Gary I am trying to post a pic for you if it will size up

[ryang]

Thanks Tony Ill have to look around I know Ive seen those things before

[milla62]

I have seen in wally world they have a tube with a paste called Catalpa paste! Don't know if it is as good as the real thing! I was suprised to see it thought!!

Good luck werm hunting!!!
Todd

[milla62]

They froze need to insulate them or turn down fridg and put beer in cooler full of ice!!
Todd
I just got a call from Tim (Bigones). The worms we caught and refrigerated on Monday are now dead gelatinous masses. 6 dozen dead worms. :sad2: Daggone it! My plan was to work a pay pond for farm raised channels and a big fish fry for Sunday. My choices are to now try and get some Thursday night or buy chicken at Krogers...

Where did we go wrong? The book I have, "Fishing with Live Bait", said they'd live a couple weeks in the fridge. :angry: Any thoughts?

Spencer

[Jammer]

I have seen in wally world they have a tube with a paste called Catalpa paste! Don't know if it is as good as the real thing! I was suprised to see it thought!!

Good luck werm hunting!!!
Todd
I bought some of that paste a couple years ago. I wasn't impressed, but I have never done any good with dips or pastes. It sure stunk up my tackle box though.:crazy:

[Salmonid]

Yesterday on my mature Catalpa tree, nothing, nada, zip, I had just given up hope when today, there all over the place, not like millions but hundreds within reach with a step lader so after church tonight, Ill be plucking a bunch and trying to keep them in a 5 gallon bucket with leaves in it.
Dink, a bunch have your name on them for wiring up the smurf boat !!:tounge_out: Just let me know when you want them so you can sell them to that infamous pay ponder that formerly went by the name Mellon, but now goes by the new name, " The Skunk Whisperer" ( after todays beating on the GMR)

Salmonid

[tspergin]

went out to check the catalpa trees yesterday and they are starting to come on,I got over 100 mature adult worms and the trees are full of small ones

[BGRUMBLES]

went out to check the catalpa trees yesterday and they are starting to come on,I got over 100 mature adult worms and the trees are full of small ones

Man if you wanna cut a deal on some of those worms let me know. I will make it right some how with you. I just really wanna try those as bait. Anyway I am hoping you and I can get a few guys out and do a two boat night trip some time.

Ben

[tspergin]

Hey Ben PM sent, get ahold of me

[JReed]

I got a buddy that has a huge one in his yard. Never bothered to look for worms on it though. Well I got to go. He only lives about a mile away. :big_smile:

[SilverCross]

ridgerunner and myself went out on the Vermilion river and seen dozens of Catalpa trees, but didn't see any worms yet. Will have to keep lookn though.

[Bengalfan79]

East Fork Lake ranger station has some nice catalpa trees around it but haven't been over that way this year to see if they are out yet. I would imagine they are by now.