| King Rag is killer bait for most species of UK fish, | | | | foot. This is the worm burrowing deeper into its |
| most tackle shops sell King Rag by the quarter. | | | | lair! |
| King Rag is a marine Ragworm member of the | | | | Start digging as deep as you can and quickly right |
| Polychaete family. It is found in a greenish or | | | | over the hole, then slowly widen the digging circle |
| reddish colour and has a set of pincers called | | | | with each fork full around the hole until you |
| Chitinous jaws that could open a tin of beans! The | | | | discover the worm. Check through the |
| average worm length is between 6 and 9" long. | | | | overturned piles a you go. Rag tend to live from |
| Much larger worms to 18" are not uncommon, | | | | about mid tide zone to below the lowest spring |
| and specimens to 24" can be found in North | | | | tide water line. Due to areas that are heavily dug |
| Wales and occasionally elsewhere. Along the sides | | | | it makes sense to try to work the ground that |
| of the rag worm's body are locomotory feet that | | | | uncovers infrequently only on the bigger tides |
| look very similar to a centipedes that aid its | | | | where the worm beds have been least disturbed. |
| swimming abilty.They are also used to circulate | | | | Weather plays a role in digging the worm as cold |
| water to retain fresh supply of saltwater, and to | | | | frosty weather puts the worms deeper into their |
| bring food to the worm via the water drawn into | | | | burrow making it harder work for you, night time |
| its burrow. | | | | can be a good time to collect, as the worms are |
| King rag favour an almost estuarine environment | | | | far more active at this time and nearer the |
| with a near passing source of well diluted | | | | surface. |
| freshwater mixed with tidal saltwater such as | | | | Correct storage starts at the digging stage. As |
| estuary mouths and along the near seaward | | | | you dig, separate to use first or discard any |
| banks of major ones. Worms seek out areas of | | | | damaged worms from the whole ones. Their |
| mud and sandy silt lying over and amongst | | | | blood is toxic and will quickly kill off the intact |
| broken rocky ground and are sometimes found | | | | worms. |
| near mussel beds too. | | | | Dry sand collected from the area and placed in a |
| Collecting King Ragworm is a messy business and | | | | plastic container such as a Rag and Tub with air |
| very hard work which is why a lot of anglers buy | | | | holes in the lid is good. For longer term storage, |
| their bait. However digging your own bait is a part | | | | place your worms in their tub with Vermiculite |
| of fishing in my eyes and having a go at collecting | | | | chips from a builder's supplier in a bait fridge |
| your own can be very rewarding. | | | | around 40 Degrees Fahrenheit make sure they |
| Tools I recommend are a bucket or tub for | | | | don't dry out, spray with collected seawater as |
| collection and a strong fork, with a good handle as | | | | they need it. They should keep for about a week |
| wet silt and mud weighs a ton. | | | | or so like this. You can also wrap the worms in |
| Look for a small, circular hole up to 1.5cm in | | | | several sheets of newspaper and then into the |
| diameter in the mud's surface that suddenly | | | | fridge, but you'll need to change the paper daily. |
| floods and overflows with water by its self or | | | | All you have to do now is fish! |
| when you place pressure near the hole with your | | | | |