The story is a good story, and YES it is true. A typical fiddle worm
is about 12-16 inches long, and produces a yucky yellowish slime when
cut up for catfish bait, and catfish love them. I use to live in north
Alabama, and I have done this to get fiddle worms. You rake an area of
leaves back to clear an area about 10 feet around a small tree, about 2
inch diameter, cut the tree off about 2 feet above the ground, and then
begin sawing straight down the tree to vibrate the ground. The fiddle
worms will crawl up out of the ground, and you just pick them up. Of
course you have to be in a wooded, damp, and shady area where the
fiddle worms are. I had always heard of my grandfather and other
people doing this when I was a kid, but had never done this until I was
an adult. I had always purchased them in a bait store. One day I was
short on cash and wanted to go catfishing, so I went to an area and
gave it a try. I was amazed at how easy it was. It was a whole lot
easier than digging earth worms. I now live in south Alabama, and
people here have never heard of them. They think I am crazy when I
start talking about fiddle worms. I guess rightfully so, If you have
never went out and fiddled for them, it does sound like an Alabama wise
tail, but it is true. Wish I could find them where I live now.