I grow worms as an experiment to produce fertilizer. My worms are a by-product, so I sell them to fishermen as bait. The worms that I use are called dung-worm or scientifically Eisenia fetida. We are also known as the California Red Worm (CRW). CRW was taken to the Americas for recycling and production of vermicompost. CRW has a drawback; it does not tolerate cold. Usually the worm goes into the depths, but the CRW, on the contrary, hesitates in a heap and freezes all at a temperature below 4C. Therefore, worms were bred specifically for our climate by the professor of the Department of Biology of the Vladimir State Pedagogical Institute (now the University) A. M. Igonin. This is a hybrid of the ordinary northern (Vladimir) worm with the southern, Chuisky, from Kyrgyzstan. New hybrid from Vladimir received the name "Staratel". "Staratel" less whimsical to the heat and calmly endures the winter.
Such worms are omnivorous and recycle any food waste. Young worms even eat cardboard, they especially like it. As a result of their life activities, the worms produce humus. But now is not about that.
Now about the worm, as bait for fish. Firstly, such worms very well absorb any odors, which later do not disappear. Secondly, the worms are very hardy and can show signs of life for several hours.
Experiment. To do this, you need a hook, a silk thread, a sinker - I have solder, tin with lead, and of course the worm itself. As a water tank, to create the appearance of a river, I used a wine tank, ordinary tap water.
I picked up the worm on the hook and lowered it into the water. The worm turned out to be very tenacious and constantly curled all sorts of figures, spinning, straightening. Unnoticed fish, he just will not stay. After a couple of hours, he got a little tired, and I noticed that when he reached the bottom, he leaned on him and did not move. I pulled the thread a little and the worm began to squirm again. And so for 4 hours.
In the end, I decided to test how the worm behaved in seawater and added salt, half a teaspoon. The worm did not approve of my action. He tried to escape a couple of times, then he stopped and stopped moving. So it took 30 minutes. I decided that the experiment should be finished. I took out a worm from salt water and what I see. It can not be held in the fingers. The worm is elastic and has not lost its agility at all. I carefully removed the hook and sent it to his house, in the hope that he would heal the soy holes left by the crochet.
**Conclusion. The worm can live as a bait for 4 hours. I guarantee. As for fishing in sea water is not a fact. Movement is not shown. **
