By Tom Welch
we get ice. It’s time for me to start preparations
for winter fishing and that means collecting my
favorite bait and preparing it for winter.
I still believe one of the best bait’s a person can
use to catch bluegills, crappies, whitefish, perch
etc. during the winter is the Golden Rod Grub as
they are called around these parts. (Eurosta
solidaginis) It is very common in this part of the
country and serves well to a good harvest of fish.
the plant, Golden Rod and are readily harvested
in open grassy areas near roads that have not
been mowed.
The gall fly lays their eggs in the Golden Rod shaft
after it appears in May and June and soon after a
gall will appear housing the little morsel that is
going to catch a lot of fish for me this winter.
As winter approaches these little critters produce
glycerol which is a close relative to ethylene
glycol , a substance of antifreeze that keeps
them from being destroyed in the cold winter
weather.
November the galls
may be harvested and
stored or hung in a dry
spot, outside, in a place
where mice, birds
squirrels and other
critters can’t get at
them. They are a
favorite of the
chickadee after the
snow hits. Make sure
they are in a cloth bag
such as cheese cloth so
they can breath but
most important, make
sure they stay dry.
they can be stored or moved into your freezer where they will be nice and
cozy until they become the food of the day.
The night before I’m headed for the hard water, I take out about 20 to 30 of
the galls and open them for the following mornings fishing trip. Here is how the
process works. Put the gall on cutting board and take your fillet knife and
carefully sink the edge into the gall about ¼ inch with the knife blade parallel
to the Golden Rod shaft. Now place the gall in the palm of your hand and
gently rock the knife blade sideways and give a little twist to pop the gall
apart. Walla. Now you can see the little rascal in the gall and I then take the
point of my knife and carefully pry him loose from his nice little home. Please
be careful doing this because if your knives are as sharp as mine, you could
very easily cut your hand.
I usually keep a snoose can around to put my grubs in with a little saw dust
in it, or save the little plastic box with the stuff in it that you got your silver
wigglers in last trip. Put the Golden Rod grubs in these containers and
refrigerate until the next morning when you go fishing.
The Grubs are small and have a tendency to dry out so don’t open to many
at one time.
Hope these tips about the little Golden Rod Grub helps you catch a limit of
nice fish.
Have a good and safe fishin trip.