Beginner's Guide to Lugworm Pumping: Simple Tips

In this beginners guide to pumping for lug we head to the beach to discuss all matters lugworm and how to pump them.
Ive taken advantage of some great input from local diggers. \It really is a great way to get your own bait and get out and enjoy the coastal environment.
You can buy my catch report diary from amazon here Its a great way to record your sea fishing catches.
www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-Fishing-...
Lugworms, also known as "blow lug" or "black lug," are marine worms commonly found in the intertidal zones of sandy and muddy shores around the UK. They play a significant role in the marine ecosystem and are particularly valued by sea anglers as bait. Here's a detailed overview of the different types of lugworms and their importance to sea anglers.
Types of Lugworms
1. Blow Lug (Arenicola marina):
* Appearance: Blow lug are usually reddish-brown in colour and can grow up to 25 cm in length. They have a segmented body with noticeable ridges.
* Habitat: Found in sandy or muddy substrates in the intertidal zone. They live in U-shaped burrows and are identified by the casts they leave on the surface of the sand.
* Distribution: Common around the coasts of the UK, particularly in estuaries and sheltered bays.
2. Black Lug (Arenicola defodiens):
* Appearance: Black lug are darker in colour, often black or dark brown, and can grow larger than blow lug, reaching lengths of up to 30 cm or more.
* Habitat: Prefer deeper, more stable sand environments and are typically found lower down the shore compared to blow lug. They create longer, J-shaped burrows.
* Distribution: Found in similar regions to blow lug but are generally less abundant and require different digging techniques.
Relation to Sea Anglers
Lugworms are a crucial bait for sea anglers targeting a variety of fish species, including cod, bass, flounder, and whiting. Their high availability and attractiveness to fish make them a preferred choice. Here’s how sea anglers interact with and utilize lugworms:
1. Digging for Lugworms:
* Equipment: Anglers use a garden fork, spade, or specialized bait diggers to extract lugworms from their burrows.
* Techniques:
* Blow Lug: Anglers identify blow lug burrows by the distinctive casts on the sand surface. They dig beside these casts to uncover the U-shaped burrow and extract the worm.
* Black Lug: Digging for black lug is more challenging due to their deeper burrows. Anglers often dig trenches parallel to the shoreline, searching for the worms in the lower parts of the shore during low tide.
* Conservation: Sustainable digging practices are encouraged to preserve lugworm populations and the broader ecosystem. This includes refilling holes and minimizing disturbance.
2. Using Lugworms as Bait:
* Preparation: Lugworms can be used fresh or preserved. Fresh lugworms are preferred, but they can also be frozen or salted for later use.
* Hooking: Anglers thread the lugworm onto the hook, often using multiple worms to create a more substantial bait presentation, enhancing its appeal to fish.
* Effectiveness: Lugworms emit a strong scent that attracts fish, making them particularly effective for beach and shore fishing.
3. Ecological Importance:
* Sediment Mixing: Lugworms play a key role in the marine environment by mixing and aerating the sediment, which benefits other marine organisms.
* Food Source: They serve as a food source for various birds and fish, contributing to the overall health of the coastal ecosystem.
Conservation and Management
With the high demand for lugworms, there are concerns about over digging and its impact on local populations. To ensure sustainability, the following measures are recommended:
* Regulations: Some areas may have restrictions on the amount of bait that can be collected and specific times or zones where digging is allowed.
* Education: Anglers are encouraged to learn about sustainable practices and the ecological impact of over harvesting.
* Research: Ongoing studies on lugworm populations and their habitats help in creating effective conservation strategies.
By understanding the different types of lugworms and their role in angling and the ecosystem, anglers can contribute to sustainable fishing practices while continuing to enjoy successful fishing experiences.
As always thanks for watching I hope you get out and pump some worms
Amendments ,mistakes and revisions to the video go here **
Looking in to washing up liquid -this really can cause problems so i,m not using it-lots of studies in to its detrimental effects

[@SaltwaterAngler]

A small amendment on washing up liquid, thanks to your comments on its use- Ive looked in to the environmental impact of using this and wont be using it as a lubricant for the pump. Will check out some alternatives for this. The lug you see here are probably Black lug (Arenicola defodiens) These produce the tight cast of neat curls! The diagram shows the U shaped burrow more applicable for Blow lug. Black lug are best thought of of going straight down from the burrow. Worth remembering when pumping to them .My 40 plus fishing years have mostly obsessed over lure fishing for Bass here in Sussex so this really is a new area of discovery for me with my only previous lug digging an occasional dig here and over on the west coast of Ireland decades ago. I hope this Video starts you off on a bait collecting journey and we can learn together, i have to admit its a lot more fun than i thought when that lug worm comes up!

[@hastingsangler]

hI MATTi use just sea water but some veg oil

[@jamiesmart9016]

This is handy information more people should be made aware of this, there are lots of people who recommend fairy liquid for pumps 👍

[@BYF1]

Many of the casts and worms look like blacks, and live in vertical burrows with the tight coils with small hole visible in the middle sometimes. The blows have a larger diameter sloppy cast with a blow hole a few inches away from the cast. One tip is take a bucket with holes drilled in bottom so it self drains, can put inside a normal bucket so you can wash them off if needed with it, but leave a small gap between the buckets so worms aren't in there own blood, a stone will keep a gap. Every now and then lift out the holey bucket and empty the good one of juices, can then collect sea water with it and wash off the worms in the holey bucket. Another tip, low air pressure better than high pressure and obviously big tides so the lug beds fully uncover. I'm lucky enough to have an all stainless pump, it's been great and will likely last forever.

[@brianpask8955]

Really liked the slo mo on the worm moving and the graphic of the work tunnel - this will be shown to the youth group soon. Also really enjoyed the very short dig for worm - brought back memories

[@hastingsangler]

Hi Matt good video mate cheers for the mention hope your enjoying the pump happy pumping👍👍👍

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Thanks @hastingsangler. The more i learn the more i realise i don't know! That said hopefully this video will start people off getting enough for bait.

[@hastingsangler]

@@SaltwaterAngler we;; your doing a grand job getting your own bait think of the money you save and as you said in your video it feels good getting your own bait i love no better place to be when the tides out and the suns out lol

[@jc301-OTECH]

Hey Matt Good vid nice closeups n slow mo.. Just quick shout to Hastings Angler channel.. He shows in a vid how to make your own silicone washer for the pump.. FANTASTIC.. no washing up liquid required, just the ground water is enough and its a really good seal and very light smooth pumping action.. Cheers Mt.. Jealous of your bass lol.. Haven't caught one yet... Still waiting for mackerel to hit Hastings shoreline..

[@richweston6202]

Brilliant, I have been looking for some tips on this! Thank you for the upload 😊

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Thanks for watching hope theres at least one thing in here that helps you "catch"

[@johngale309]

Great video ,,, just a note ,it took me 4 attempts before I got the knack ,,,nothing on the first 3 outings but day 4 , loads, never looked back. That was during the pandemic when the beaches were quiet. I haven't been since , but you've got me interested again . I used to pump at Pett Level . Beautiful down there. Im sure my pump will need checking over first though , so your tips are handy. Cheers

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Good input thank you

[@BF4pawntard]

Been thinking of buying a pump but absolutely no idea how to use it so this video helps a lot

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Great, hope you give it a go

[@tonycamplin8607]

Never seen one before. It looks a great way to get lug but it must take a lot of practice before you get it right. Would be nice to do a how to make one video.

[@davidparker-qf4ln]

I have just finished making 3 pumps 2 with copper tube 1x22mm 1x28mm and one 28mm stainless steel and ive used brass and stainless steel rods of 8mm and 10mm and threaded them myself. I sourced all parts via ebay and it only took a couple of days for delivery and only about £40 to make the stainless steel one. The hardest part was putting a M10 x 1.5 thread on the 10mm stainless steel rod but found that it was easier to put a M10 x 1.25 thread on it this being a finer thread and sorced some stainless nuts of the same M10 x 1.25 on ebay 👍 👌

[@secretsix6]

i used to dig worms for beer money back in my early thirties the black lug with a 2 inch alvey pump 300 400 a tide regular can still feel the pain in my elbow now its get enough for a fishing session lol

[@davetaylor526]

Nice instructional video matt, practice makes perfect I feel and Dave (Hastings angler) is a god send to would be bait pampers. I bought one of those ebay pumps after costing the materials from the DIY it was only a couple quid dearer, and they're not bad except those multiple tap washers, I've put one of Dave's silicone washers in and it's so much better and the need for the fairy liquid is removed.

[@ChazaExplores]

Black/yellow tails live in straight burrows which are the lug that you are pumping. Blow lug are the ones which live in u shaped burrows what was in your diagram and are best dug with a fork.

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Great thanks for clarifying- I think pumping as if I’m to a straight hole from the cast was getting the best results so that does all fit. Some people think yellow tails are a different species but I have always considered them as just small black lug.

[@davetevens5080]

Nice video Matt. Much easier than digging lol 😊

[@SaltwaterAngler]

You got that right!

[@RoundOneBoxing]

You can also use a garden fork and dig between the hole and the cast

[@kdrbaitpumps5648]

Cracking vid pal 👌

[@ManicFishing]

Look out Dave you’re the man😎

[@hastingsangler]

hi mark👍👍

[@nicholascavie2464]

Awesome again Matt didn't have them in my day only the good old spade use pumps for yabbies ( look like a hermit crab without shell ) top bait 4 king George whiting & bream, I believe a Aussie fishing program showing pumping bait started pumping 4 lug ( could be wrong ) .Happy catching from Australia Nick

[@AndrewVine-oz1ox]

I know exactly where you are because i used to go shrimping with a push net as a kid all along that beach

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Happy memories

[@cucinawithlove]

great tips thanks Matt , come and film a video in shoreham plenty of bass around !

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Ok 👍

[@Onlyfins100]

Nothing beats free fresh bait

[@johnkay7354]

not sure how its free, for me its cheaper to buy off a digger or shop on the way to the fishing spot

[@andrewbunn775]

If you get a stone stuck before trying to ram it out with the plunger or taking apart the pump suck some water up the pump and try to use the water pressure to push the stone out works quite well

[@samb8218]

Definitely black lug...and another good tip for when the pump gets gritty is have a bottle of washing up liquid with you tip a bit in the pipe every now and then to keep it lubricated

[@samb8218]

Just continued watching and you mentioned washing up liquid so scrap my last comment lol

[@simonyoung908]

No need to have the washers on the top of your T section, just use a 22mm compression blanking end cap and drill a hole in the centre to take the rod, B & Q do steel rod length enought to make 2 pumps from.

[@ebrassy]

When I attract yellowtails, I also go fishing there because the pieces that are left behind are the ones that the sea bass prey on and they are attracted to the smell of the sand that has been brought up from the bottom.

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Good plan

[@Steven-Sea_gull]

I just use M8 threaded bar sold quite a few easy to find and replace Screwfix

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Good tip thank you

[@lesliecrowther7004]

High Matt, nice video mate, surprised you haven't made yourself a little sled with a lite rope,tie it around your waste 😀 ?? I was told by and old digger many years ago who told me to keep my back to the water when digging, would you not do the same when pumping ?? Happy pumping mate. Cheers Les.

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Interesting input as always mate, I was also told to face the sun ☀️ and away from the wind ?

[@boatfishingscottyano]

Put the liquid In through the handle tube much easier 👍

[@SaltwaterAngler]

I show that in the video also

[@boatfishingscottyano]

@@SaltwaterAngler I didn’t get that far lol had to go back to work

[@stephenboreham9056]

Good video personally I would not use tap washers.better making silicone ones makes it easier bro😊

[@SaltwaterAngler]

I use silicone ones 👍

[@Bigtbuilder]

10 mm threaded stud from Wickes etc in 1 meter lengths plus all nuts and washers

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Good one

[@kenmonk8262]

what size bait pump did you use 22mm or a 28mm

[@SaltwaterAngler]

Both ! Second one 28mm

[@dangerranger9492]

28 is better if you are just getting started 👍

[@pacman4568]

Good video but it is a bit hit-and-miss, don't rush it you will damage more worms that you keep. LOL lug worms are not that fast.

[@MarcosAquino-lg5gv]

I hear that earth worm is like a viagra is it true

[@cumbrianred]

the lug you are pumping are yellow tail not blow lug

[@stinkymuppet9207]

Nice video mr saltwater thank you for all you effort and time for this and of course sharing . As for the washing up liquid debate 🤷🤔 well many years ago I was heavily criticised ( and more unrepeatable) for suggesting that using such a product such as fairy etc might be detrimental to the bait. I did a little digging ( pardon the pun) and it was very evident that phosphates ( in washing up liquid and other cleaning products) were definitely detrimental to the aquatic environment and health. I’m certainly not telling anybody what to do I only questioned it because when purchasing pumped blacks I was getting very mixed results depending on where they came from and couldn’t understand why … hence the investigation into what could be the reason, I am by no means a very competent angler but even an amateur like me knew that something was amiss . To this day I have the same problem with blacks and have learnt to avoid the supplier I was sourcing and look elsewhere. Going off a little on a tangent many years ago I was fishing a match and as usual doing very badly whilst all around me were regularly catching … a great bunch they were around me and offered advice👍 and they suggested that I possibly smelt too nice 🫢 “ what do you mean I asked?” Well the answer lay with my wife and her cleaning habits… after my ventures into this fishy world ( she can’t stand the smell of fish you understand 🫢) and on my return to the marital home my clothes,coat etc ( probably me as well if I fitted) were straight in the washing machine… triple dose tablets I might add !! and a double shot of the old fabric conditioner to boot 😵‍💫 consequently on my next adventure I smelt lovely and fresh etc 😮 so what I’m trying to say is my colleagues where suggesting that my bait was possibly being affected by the phosphates from my clothing and the clean cloth I was wiping my hands with . Might all be hogwash 🙄 but you just never know 😉

[@SaltwaterAngler]

What great thoughtful input as usual ! I know that serin? On steering wheels is meant to be off-putting to fish too. Much appreciated I enjoyed reading that

[@dangerranger9492]

Please don't use washing up liquid, think of the enviroment just pump closer to the waters edge. I've pumping for 20years and never needed anything else but water.

[@ChazaExplores]

A little washing up liquid isn't going to do anything to the environment, look at the size of that beach and vast amount of water. I've always used good old green fairy liquid and so do many other commercial bait diggers I know

[@Bigtbuilder]

Silicone grease!!!

[@dangerranger9492]

Thats why most of the decent lug beds have disappeared over the last 30 years.

[@dangerranger9492]

@@Bigtbuilderjust wash your pump out in the water 💧

[@SaltwaterAngler]

What because of fairy liquid ? I must admit to thinking more about the worm being effected in the tube. Thanks will look in to this a bit more