This beach off Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in George Town, not far from Gurney Drive, is known to have plenty of sand worms.
ALMOST all fish love sandworms, making them the go-to natural bait for anglers, particularly when fishing by the beach.
Sandworms (Perinereis sp) are easy to bait on a hook and their effectiveness is unmatched.
To use sandworms, snip off a piece from the tail that fits the length of your hook. Then, thread the piece through the hook until the barb is exposed. Your bait is not going to come loose even when cast into the turbulent surf.
Despite their soft feel, sandworms have a surprisingly elastic texture, which makes it difficult for fish to nibble them away, unlike shrimp bait.
Sandworms wriggling in a container of seawater.
A small piece of sandworm, less than 2cm long, can attract fish within minutes. There’s something about their faint scent that draws fish in rapidly.
Years ago, in Penang, elderly men would spend hours collecting sandworms by the beach, selling them in plastic bags hung from their bicycles at popular angler spots.
These old-timers are no longer seen, so if you want to get sandworms in Penang, you’ll likely need to collect them yourself.
Shovel deeply into sand where the waves are a few inches deep and you might find sandworms in there.
One common method involves coaxing the worms to the surface.
Some people mix finely mashed bread, biscuit crumbs or fish pellets with water and sprinkle the solution on the beach where the waves meet the shore.
This creates a scent that entices sandworms to stick their heads out by a few millimetres.
Snip off lengths of a sandworm from the tail onwards and the rest of the worm will stay alive and fresh for subsequent use.
Alternatively, you can soak an old sock filled with bread or fish pellets in seawater, squeezing it to release the attractant.
Once the worms appear, pinch them quickly between your thumb and forefinger, and pull them out.
However, this method requires squatting or stooping for 30 to 60 minutes, which can be uncomfortable, especially for older anglers.
The head of a sandworm looks like this, so start snipping the sandworm to use as bait from the other end to keep the worm alive longer.
For a less strenuous approach, use a large shovel.
Dig a scoop of sand where the waves are a few inches deep and bring it to the foreshore to sift through for worms.
On good days, you might find 10 to 20 worms per scoop, especially during an incoming high tide. Even if some worms break in the process, they remain usable as bait.
Umpun nipah kept in a container of mud from a mangrove forest.
Once collected, store the worms in a container of moist sand from the foreshore, about a few centimetres below the surface. This helps them stay alive for up to two days.
Avoid using drenched sand from the beach edge, as it causes the worms to die quickly.
Not all beaches have sandworms, but in Penang, you can find them along the beaches off Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in George Town.
Sixteen delicious halfbeaks, caught entirely using sandworm bait within less than an hour.
Other popular spots, like Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah, seem to lack sandworms, despite repeated efforts to find them there.
There are different types of sandworms. The type commonly found on beaches, known as “umpun pasir” in Malay, grows up to 20cm long.
Another species, “umpun nipah”, is larger and even better as bait, but collecting them is a messy task, as they live in the muddy shores of mangrove forests.
Stacks of umpun nipah for sale at RM7 each at the TCE Tackle fishing gear outlet in Jelutong, Penang.
When using umpun nipah, expect to get covered in mud since they need to be stored in their native mud to stay alive.
Along roads in rural, coastal areas, you may come across small roadside stands with signs stating “Umpun-umpun” or “Perumpun”. These are umpun nipah collectors selling such worms.
These worms are packed in mud, keeping them alive for up to a week. Some tackle shops also sell them in plastic containers filled with thick mud.
Wherever you fish by the seaside, using sandworms as bait can yield excellent results. Their natural scent and texture make them irresistible to fish, ensuring a successful catch.
