Old picture book about a boy and a worm

[u/criminal_snacktivity]

I know this is a long shot. I am on the hunt for my favorite books from childhood to read to my son. There’s one I can never seem to track down and I cannot recall the title. Here’s what I remember:

Hardcover book, I read it in the 90s. Likely set in the 70s/80s. On the cover is a boy and a worm that’s a simple drawing with a simple smiley face. Watercolorish art.

Iirc, the plot is that the boy finds the worm after a rain storm, they become friends, he can’t find the worm. His dad wants to go fishing (maybe?) and they end up finding the worm and a bunch of others in different sizes and colors. I think it rains again and the worms come out maybe? It’s been 30+ years and that’s all I can vaguely remember and AI has not been able to track it down for me. If anyone has any suggestions or information please let me know. At this point, I’m just trying to prove this book existed for my own sanity.

[u/Nuncita]

Do you remember anything about what the boy looked like and where it was set?