The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I've always been a bit of a worm man myself. If I had to choose one bait on my Desert Island it would be a worm.

In the last couple of years I've come across this word 'dendrobaena' without knowing what it means. In fact it was the match men on the Wye who first made me aware of the word; they all seem to carry a white muslin bag. Inside, because I have looked, are what I call red worms. Some might even pass for what I call 'brandlings' so what am I missing here please good TFF members?

Where did this funny word come from and what is the difference? Is it marketing hype to enable them to cost more? Please advise.....

Hi Troydog.
I found this description on the net hope it helps.
The Dendrobaena Worm, full name Dendrobaena veneta (also known as the European night crawler & Eisenia hortensis), is a very tough and particularly wriggly worm, making them ideal as worms for fishing. They are surface feeders who are sensitive to light. The worms' eagerness to escape light is what makes them squirm so much in daylight. To ensure that you don't find your bucket of worms empty, you need to keep the lid on in the dark.The Dendrobaena worm has the ability to consume large amounts of vegetable matter, up to half their body weight a day. A sexually mature Dendrobaena weighs anything from 1 to 2.5+ grams.The temperature range at which the Dendrobaena thrives, that is breeds, is between 12 to 18 degrees Celsius. In warmer temperatures, their metabolism increases so they eat more food in warmer temperatures, up to 25 degrees Celsius. If the temperature raises too much above this they can get very stressed and will die at high temperatures. Therefore if you have a portable wormery it needs to be kept in the shade in the summer months and in the sun in the winter months, or even indoors. Moisture is very important as worms need it to breathe through their skin, although do not drown them.

Dendrobeana

Brandlings are alleged to have a foul taste/smell due to what they eat(?).

Lobs/Dendros/Canadians are the ones I usually use.

Small reds/dendros are exactly that & usually used with another bait on the hook's tip. Worm & caster/worm & corn/etc. Well that's what I use them for! A wiggly enticer!

I do think that Dendrobaena are the same species as brandlings.Brandlings have yellow rings along there whole length and when put on the hook emit a strong smelling yellow liquid.Some people say this attracts the fish whilst others suggest they are not a good bait.I have two old baths full of brandlings with a few lobworms so have a ready supply.This season the better perch I have caught have taken on two/three brandlings on the hook.I have had only one decent sized perch on lobworm.Last season the reverse was true.

Just come across this! :- https://www.opalexplorenature.org/earthwormguide

Just like fish experts there are worm ones!!

I use Dendrobaena worms a lot as Carp,Tench, Bream, Perch and big Roach love them. Although not as juicy as a big old lobworm they are a lot cheaper and do put up with a lot lower or higher temperatures so are a lot easer to use. When I'm Perching I will use Lobworms for hook bait and feed with chopped dendrobaena's and red maggots.

Fred

Well thank you dendrobaena and gentlemen, that is really helpful. Its a great word too. I'm happy with brandlings Olly, they grow well in the same compost where I generate thousands of red worms, but they are often found in a different part of the heap so you may be right about a different diet. And yes, cocktails work really well too.
And I think that you are absolutely right Penninelad, sometimes the perch want reds, sometimes a bunch of brandlings and sometimes lobs, not to mention maggots and that's why I take all these baits with me on a perch fishing trip - to keep ringing the changes.
I'll watch that video now Olly. I was supposed to working today, but the client postponed (smiley face!)

Lovely pictures on that link Olly, I so enjoy catching fish on worms. Especially the ones I have grown, reds and brandlings, or caught at night lobs......I wont be catching many this week, the river is dropping like a stone and so is the water temperature!

From Imperial College London so hopefully accurate. I note that they do other interesting surveys as well.

Thank you Dendrobaena and Olly for your research - lots more for me to learn.....