A reader recently sent us this question, “Are catawba worms good to fish with?” We are happy to provide some information to our reader, and anyone else who might be reading this, about Catawba worms and their potential as fishing bait!

Catawba worms, or Catalpa worms (the names are interchangeable), are caterpillars. They are the larvae of the catalpa sphinx moth, which is a hawk moth native to southeastern North America. These yellow caterpillars have a dark stripe down their back and dark spots on their sides and grow to be about 5 centimeters long. Catawba worms feed on the foliage of Catawba trees. Like most caterpillars, they can be quite destructive in large numbers and can be considered pests by some. However, other people have the exact opposite opinion about these larvae. Some people, fishermen especially, actually plant Catawba trees specifically to attract and raise Catawba worms. This is because Catawba worms are extremley popular fishing bait! So, to answer our reader’s question: Yes! Catawba worms are good for fishing!

According to the All Outdoors website, the best way to collect Catawba worms to use as fishing bait is to pluck the caterpillars from the leaves of low hanging branches while standing on the ground or on a steady step ladder. Some prefer to spread tarps or blankets beneath the tree and to shake the caterpillars out onto the tarp. Of course, in order collect and use the worms in any of these ways, our reader will need to first locate a Catawba tree that is infested with Catawba worms!

In summary, a reader asked us how Catawba worms perform as fishing bait. Catawba worms, or catalpa sphinx larvae, make excellent fishing bait!

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