Every angler has a favorite bait and every angler has a million reasons why their favorite is better than everyone else’s. But when it comes down to the number of fish landed and the number of species that will take one, nothing beats the common earthworm.

But what makes the worm such great bait? Lets count the ways.

Easy to get

One of my favorite baits for striped bass is eels. My biggest fish were all caught on eels and I have never been skunked when using them. But they are hard to find and, when I can find them, they are expensive.

Not the case with worms.

Anyone with a yard, garden or patch of grass available can pick worms. Even the parking lot at my old office would be covered with them after a rainstorm. Or you can pick some up at any gas station, bait store or Walmart for only a couple of bucks.

Versatility

Whether you want to soak one under a bobber, bounce it on a jig or even troll a few behind the boat, a worm will work in almost any situation. Plus they will attract almost any freshwater species you can chase. On the river, the lake or farm pond, the worm is king.

Regardless of how you rig it, the worm lasts a long time, stays on the hook with few issues, and requires no special tools to prepare.

Just pull one out of the container, rig as you wish and you are fishing. You rarely need to refresh a worm, but you will need to replace it plenty after your catch eats it.

Easy to Manage

Plenty of baits catch fish, but many of them are also very hard to care for. Air pumps, large tanks and precise temperatures are not something you want to worry about when your main concern should be catching fish.

Fortunately, worms require none of that. A small container of moist soil and the ability to store it out of direct sunlight is all you need. If you have some leftovers, just pop that same container into the refrigerator until next weekend.

Natural Choice

The number one reason to use a worm is that it is what fish want. The wiggling, scent and shape all help attract fish, get them to bite and make them hold on. It is something that lure manufacturers have imitated since the beginning, whether it be the San Juan in your fly wallet or a pack of plastics in the bass bag.

The idea is to imitate a worm because the makers know that worms work.

Nature also knows that fish want worms.

The alligator snapping turtle wags a bright pink tongue to attract fish, then snaps its jaws shut for a tasty meal. Anglerfish use a similar technique, except their worm is part of the dorsal spine.

Finally, there are freshwater mussels that inflate and wiggle a piece of their own flesh to attach fish, onto which they deposit baby mussel larvae.

Next time you are wandering the fishing tackle aisles, perplexed by what you should buy, just do what your father and grandfather did. Head to the backyard, dig a few worms and go fishing.