A robust worm
Pistiche, mourron or mourre dur, the chickweed is one of those emblematic worms for sea bait fishermen. Found in the southern half of Europe, it is widely used on the shores of the Mediterranean.
It has a rather flat body and a round head with fangs, but chickweed is not really aggressive, unlike other worms. Up to 15 cm long and 7 mm wide, it is reddish-brown-orange in color. Its flesh is firm and resistant to hard throws and fish attacks.
A difficult harvest
It's possible to harvest chickweed yourself, but it requires a lot of digging. This worm is found deep in the soil. It likes muddy areas not far from harbor outlets.
To find chickweed, you need to take a spade and lift the substrate while looking for the presence of one or more worms. It's a rather tedious process, with random results.
It's easiest to buy a can of chickweed directly from a fishing retailer, at a price that's still affordable for such efficiency. The worms must be kept in water that is renewed regularly.
Numerous techniques for a multitude of fish
Pistichs are versatile worms that give good results whatever the fishing technique. A worm to be used on board, in surfcasting, with a float or a wedge. They can also be used for boat, longline or support fishing.
Rock fish like sparids and flatfish are fond of chub. This bait can be fished all year round in a variety of biotopes.
Chickweed holds well on the hook, and can be fished whole or in pieces. Find out more about the different techniques for fishing a worm here .
