Fishing is a favored pastime of many Americans.
So when the chance arises for a day out on the water or an entire weekend of camping and fishing fun, it’s a no-brainer to accept. You have to stock up on drinks, food, and fire supplies on your way out to your special location. So it’s a Walmart stop once you’re on the road for all that. But what about your bait?
You’ve already got your fancy lure, but you need to stock up on some crawlers…
Does Walmart sell live bait?
Or will you have to plan another stop elsewhere?
Let’s find out…
Can You Buy Live Bait at Walmart Sell?
Heck, yes, it does! Walmart, the biggest retailer in the world, sells a huge range of bait, both live, artificial, processed, and frozen.
When searching for live bait products on Walmart.com, I was met with 153 choices! Now that’s a lot of creepy crawlies to catch some fish with. It’s not all good news, though… What you can get in-store varies between stores all over the country. Sadly, live bait is generally not readily available. Depending on where you live, this is something you’ll most likely need to order online and then have delivered.
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Different Types
Let me give you a few examples of what kinds of live bait Walmart sells.
Redworms
First up, we’ve got redworms. Redworms or otherwise known as compost worms, are great for breaking down your food scraps as well as dangling on your hook to catch yourself a fast-moving fish!
They are generally two to three inches in length and have a reddish-purple color, and can survive in a range of temperatures and environments. They are excellent at catching a range of fish, including Trout, Perch, Panfish, Bluegills, Bass, and Catfish.
No refrigeration is necessary…
If this is your type of bait, then check out these Wanglers 3″ Redworm Live Fish Bait, Natural, 30 Count for bait as live as bait comes! These redworms are easy to attach to your hook, thrive in a range of temps (between 38-80 degrees), and enable you to catch a wide array of fish. Plus, they don’t need to be refrigerated.
Night Crawlers
Next up, we’ve got night crawlers – Nightcrawlers are basically a worm. The only thing that differs between a night crawler and an earthworm is the fact that night crawlers have a segmented body, whereas worms do not.
What difference does that make in terms of being used as live fish bait, I hear you ask? Well, night crawlers are bigger, thicker worms that do better in cooler climates, whereas your redworms are smaller and thinner. So it really comes down to personal preference.
Catching freshwater fish…
If fatter, thicker wrigglers are what you need; then you can get these Canadian crawlers – DMF Bait Co. Live Canadian Night Crawlers in Reusable Cooler, 250 Count. They range from 3.5 – 6 inches in length and are big and healthy specimens with a diameter of a pencil!
They come in a reusable styrofoam cooler (they need to stay refrigerated at 40 – 50 degrees Fahrenheit or else they will perish). Not only do these guys make excellent live bait for catching Bass, Billfish, Sunfish, Catfish, Walleye, Carp, Redfish, and Garfish. Plus, almost every type of freshwater fish. But they are also a great food for chickens and birds, plus reptiles and amphibians.
White Spikes
Moving on to spikes, aka Maggots, aka fly larvae. Spikes are another popular live fishing bait, as both fish and reptiles love them! You’ll have to keep these guys refrigerated between 33 and 39 degrees Fahrenheit; otherwise, they will hatch into flies and become useless.
If you are cold water fishing, then these are recommended for you and are great for catching Perch, Trout, Bluegill, Crappie, Carp, Suckers, Catfish, Whitefish, and landlocked Salmon.
Strict shipping rules…
Try Speedy Worm – Live White Spikes – 1000 Count / Fishing Bait, Reptile Food, Live Bait, Bird Food / Live Arrival Guarantee. There are very specific shipping rules, as they are delicate with a live arrival guarantee, so it’s best to double-check these before ordering to make sure they are right for you.
Wax Worms
Now even though these are called worms, they are, in fact, not. These little guys are Great Wax Moth larvae, so are similar to the fly larvae and great as pet treats and for catching a range of fish, including Sunfish, Perch, Trout, Crappie, Bass, Whitefish, and small channel Catfish.
They will need to be stored at 50 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit and should last a few weeks if stored correctly. What is the main difference between Wax Worms and White Spikes?
The difference between the two…
A wax worm eats and therefore recycles old disused honeycombs. Meanwhile, a white spike or maggot eats and therefore recycles any type of rotting flesh, animal, vegetable, and more. These Speedy Worm Live Wax Worms – 500 Count (2 Cups) / Fishing Bait, Reptile Food, Bird Food & Zoos, Live Bait / Live Arrival Guarantee are a good buy if wax worms are your kind of fish food.
What Other Bait Does Walmart Sell?
If you don’t specifically need live bait, then Walmart really has got you covered. There is a huge range of other types of fish bait, including but not limited to:
- Frozen Bait Fish
- Frozen Minnows
- Catfish Blood Dough Bait
- Bait Pellets
- Magic Bait Crappie Bites
- Fish Chum
- Headless Shrimp
- Magic Simulated Fish Eggs
- Mealworms
Grow your own bait…
If that’s not quite enough for you and you’d prefer to have something on hand at all times, then you could think about growing your own live bait! Walmart has these excellent Complete Worm Farms that you can grow yourself and also have some rich soil left over for your gardens!
Where Else Can I Buy Live Bait Last Minute?
You can get live bait in-store at a range of locations. Though most are mom-and-pop style specialty fishing stores rather than big chain stores with countless stores nationwide. That being said, Dicks Sporting Goods came up as a company with nationwide coverage that does sell live bait. Use this Dicks Sporting Goods Store Locator to find your nearest one!
More Info On Shopping At Walmart
We all tend to make impulsive buys sometimes, so we’ve put together a selection of return policies. Let’s take a look at Can You Return An Item To A Different Walmart, as well as the Walmart Return Policy After 90 Days and Walmart Return Policy Without Receipt.
Next, you might also want to know about the Walmart Return Policy Without Box Or Opened Box, the Walmart TV Return Policy, and Walmart Video Game Return Policy, along with the Walmart Diaper Return Policy, Walmart Baby Formula Return Policy, the Walmart Car Battery Return Policy, and Walmart Bicycle Return Policy in 2023.
For financial services at Walmart, check out Does Walmart Have ATMs, and Does Walmart Do Money Orders, followed by Does Walmart Cash Personal Checks, Does Walmart Cash Handwritten Checks, and What Time Does Walmart Stop Cashing Checks if you work late hours?
Final Thoughts
Walmart sells live bait; however, it is something that needs to be ordered and delivered in most cases. If you know ahead of time, there is a great choice to purchase. Otherwise, grow your own, so you have got a constant supply, or head to your local fishing or bait and tackle store to get yourself some last minute.
Happy Fishing, and enjoy your fun day out!
