Ingenious method of collecting polychaete worms for fish bait

Abstract

One often comes across fishermen along the sandy coast of Madras and other places digging for various kinds of fish baits, such as mole crabs and polychaete worms, for hook and line fishing. Among the polychaetes some of the larger eunicids, particularly Marphysa and Onuphis, and a few nereiids constitute the favourite with the fishermen as each worm furnishes excellent bait for several hooks. While digging the sands to obtain them is the usual practice, a remarkable way of collecting Onuphis along the Madras beach is described here.