I've yet to catch a bass on a nightcrawler, but not giving up. 18 DMF crawlers are right at $5 at walmart, a 7 pack of Senko's is $5. I'm using a slip float rig with a snelled circle hook, should I hook once through the middle like a wacky rig, or hook through the head? Any tips on using nightcrawlers for bass is appreciated

Tail or nose hook a night crawler and fly line with or without the split shot with or without the slip bobber.

Every game fish eats night crawlers!

Tom

PS, like the circle hook!

 

I caught my PB on a #6 Eagle Claw snelled baitkeeper hook with a bobber on a Cabela’s UL graphite rod and a 50 YO Shakespeare spinning reel. With only half a nightcrawler on the hook. 
 

tbf, that wasn’t my intention lol. But it worked out that way. 

My nephew caught his PB at just over 5lbs on a part of a nightcrawler as well.  He was fishing for bluegill and we saw a large bass just cruising.  He had maybe 1/4 of a nightcrawler on and threw it right in front of it...we watched as it sucked it in and kept swimming.  I don't remember the hook size but it was small and just 1 split shot to be able to cast and sort of flyline the crawler piece...it was a fluke but made his day.

I’d probably ditch the bobber. You can nose hook, hook through the middle and use a slow lift and then let settle to the bottom, or even Texas rig. Split shot will help with casting, but it’s a soft lob, not really a cast, otherwise the crawler will get slung off.

 

If you get serious about crawler fishing, this is the book to read:

 

Yeah, I got rid of the bobber, tail hooked and just lobbed out but little bluegills kept getting it. There was a nice bass busting top but he didn't go for it. Maybe not my cup of tea, every year I buy some and use them and don't catch any bass, and don't buy anymore. I got some left I'll try again with just a little split shot. Caught 2 dinks and missed another on a Senko so I'm going to keep playing with them, and got my Rapala shallow shad rap tied on for topwater. And not sure how well they do in warm southern waters, maybe more of a cool water bait

The sunfish are gonna maul that thing until it's pecked to nothing.

20-22” smallmouth can’t get enough of them. I’ve caught some nice ones but this one sure stands out in my memory. Might even be a “PB” as the kids say, but I didn’t find the scale until after I let it go haha. I put them on a jig head, would definitely second ditching the bobber. If it’s cold outside, they will chew on the crawlers. It probably works when it’s hot outside too but hot worms are nasty so I haven’t tried that much. They will last for weeks in the cold unless they freeze all the way 

I fish with a friend who raises crawlers. He uses a jig or split shot rig, and hooks them once with a circle hook. He's caught some good fish with them , slowly fishing them on the bottom.             At times, he has to change spots, because small bluegills will hit them too much. Around my area, crawlers are the #1 bait that's sold here. Minnows dominate for crappie in the spring but crawlers are very popular all season.

Something germane, in my neck of the woods, live worms are sold in Walmart, Academy, convenience and country stores. Remember the days as a little fella fishing with one of my dad's friends who kept red wigglers in a big barrel full of coffee grinds. Great for blue gills, crappie and a host of others.

Good Fishing  

Last time I fished a night crawler was on Lake Michigan with a PWT Walleye pro using crawler harnesses and planer boards.  The first time I ever used them was as a kid gathering them, early morning after a rain, out of my grandparents farmyard and riding my bike 5 miles to a stream with a spillway and catching bullheads until I ran out of worms. Good memories.  

Split shot or Lindy rig with a shot of air in him. The float a little bit Not just for walleyes Floating jig heads work too