Fish feel the same way about catalpa worms as fishermen do about fried fish filets: the fresher the better.
But if you can’t get them fresh, frozen will work, too.
Since catalpa worms only come out for a short while during each cycle, freezing them will provide a consistent supply of the fish-catching critters.
That is no problem — if you follow the right formula.
“We freeze whole catalpa worms in saltwater, and they come out almost just as good as the fresh ones,” Sonny Manning said. “The key is having the right solution. We use a half tablespoon of salt dissolved in a half gallon of water.
“If you use more than that, it burns the worms and turns them orange.”
Some people freeze worms in cornmeal, but most of the time they will turn solid black, and they just don’t look as good. Fish will still bite them when they are black, but they just look better to the fishermen when they are bright green.”