Find Your Hunting Ground

• Find an area where there is leaves, yard debris or compost. Worms like wet or damp areas, and when they aren't burrowed deep in the dirt, they still like to stay hidden under a layer of leaves or compost material. They also like to hide under large rocks such as cobblestones.
  
  

If You Dig it, They Will Come

• A shovel will be your main tool, but a wheelbarrow and hand dirt sifter are also great to have on hand. Use a large shovel for deep digging if the conditions are drier, or you can use a hand trowel for spot digging in wetter areas with more worms near the surface. Typically, the best time to search for worms is after or during a rainy spell. Sometimes the worms will float up to the top of the ground and wiggle out onto pavement areas for quick gathering. When you see fresh worms on the pavement, you know it's a good time to gather nightcrawlers.
  
  

Hunting or Farming

• If you don't live in a rainy climate, dig for worms at night. The ground will be cooler if it isn't as wet as most worms like. Use a flashlight or the outdoor lights in your yard to help you see and place worms in a bucket with some dirt and coffee grounds for nourishment.
  
  If you choose the right areas to dig, you won't have to go down too far. Three or four shallow holes in a good area can unearth at least a dozen worms at a time. Use the sifter to make finding worms more efficient in deeper digging conditions where you will have to go through more soil.
  
  Your conditions for hunting will vary depending on where you live. Some areas might not provide the right climate for the kinds of worms ideal for fishing, though. In that case, you can grow your own worms with kits or store-bought bait worms you can farm by creating an ideal environment for them to survive, thrive and multiply. Mealworms and waxworms can be raised with pre-packaged starter kits that even come in different colors that can aid the fishing process. Other traditional fishing worms can usually be found at bait shops in small tubs like those that hold butter or cream cheese. Place a bunch of the worms in a big bucket full of dirt, rotting leaves and yard compost, and other organic feed.
  
  A byproduct of worm farming is that the soil the worms make their habitat in will be ideal for planting and gardening purposes. Worm castings are extremely rich in nutrients and will aid healthy plant growth if you use soil the worms are kept in for planting.