Lugworm are possibly the most popular and widely used of all baits. In South Devon the species which is most usually available is the common or ‘blow’ lugworm due to the fact that it can be dug from many of the sandy beaches and in the estuaries. They can also be brought from the tackle shops providing the bait diggers have been able to get to the lugworm ‘beds’. If you are digging your own worms then look for the casts left by the worm on the surface of the sand at low water, this indicates where there is a lugworm burrow. Blow lugworm live in a U-shaped burrow and a blow hole will be somewhere close to the cast, this will give you an idea of roughly where to dig. If you are using them very soon after collection then keep them in a bucket or wrapped in newspaper. If you wish to keep them for a longer period it is advisable to store them in a fridge in trays, not too many worms per tray, lightly covered in sea water. The water must be changed on a regular basis and any dead or dying worms must be removed as soon as possible. Due to the fact that they are mostly composed of water blow lugworm do not freeze well.

There are not many species of fish that will turn their nose up at a lugworm from bass and cod to wrasse and flatfish. They are easy to put onto a hook by passing the hook into the head or tail of the worm and pass the hook through the body and out of the other end. A single worm is good for many species such as whiting and flatfish. Multiple worms passed onto the hooklength create a bigger, juicy bait to attract larger fish such as cod and bass.