- Worm gruntin’ has been a tradition in Sopchoppy for generations, with families like the Revells passing down the craft.
- The practice was historically tied to the local economy, with worms being shipped across Georgia to fishing stores.
- The annual Worm Gruntin’ Festival celebrates this unique tradition, drawing visitors and locals together.
- Watch the video to learn about this one-of-a-kind job and its significance to the culture of the area.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
If you’ve been to Sopchoppy, you may have heard about worm gruntin’. I’m Kenzie Krueger, on the road in Sopchoppy, where I tried worm gruntin' myself and learned just how special this one-of-a-kind job is to the local culture.
“We take a piece of steel and a wooden stake and we run the top, then it makes a vibration that simulates a mole and causes the worms to surface,” explains Snap Revell.
Revell’s family has been worm gruntin’ in Sopchoppy for generations, and he’s still carrying on the tradition today. “My father started taking me as a little bitty thing and took me in the forest. It was a full-time job. It was our main source of income,” Revell recalls.
Worm gruntin’ is essential for gathering worms for fishing, and it holds a unique place in Sopchoppy's history. “The train at the Depot would pick up the worms as it traveled through, and people would go out and harvest them. They would take them throughout Georgia and distribute them to fishing stores.”
For others, like Corey Butch, who was born and raised in Sopchoppy, worm gruntin’ is a cherished family tradition. “My grandfather and my uncle taught me, and I’m passing it on to my kids. It’s just a beautiful thing that we do in our area,” Butch says.
For Butch, worm gruntin’ was a huge part of his childhood. “We would do it to go fishing, and it’s just part of the whole culture of going fishing here.”
Every year, Sopchoppy celebrates this tradition with a festival to share the history of worm gruntin’ with others. Revell says it feels good to showcase this small but important part of the community's roots. “We love to show the small jobs and things that people created to make a living when there’s not many resources. It’s difficult sometimes, but certain people and families maintain it and continue to do this.”
Sopchoppy’s Worm Gruntin’ Festival is coming up in April, with local vendors and visitors from all over traveling to see this unique tradition in action.
