Using worms effectively as bait is very important to having any true level of success while live worm angling. Effectively using live worms as bait isn't as simple as just "threading" a worm onto a hook and calling it good. Sure, this is how children approach the situation, but we, as adults, need to begin using a more effective way. The way to effectively use live worms as bait is to employ a set of gang hooks. When a live worm is "threaded" onto a single hooks it ends up looking like a worm ball, whereas when a set of gang hooks is employed the live worm is outstretched, the way God intended.



When live worms are being used as bait, they should appear as natural as possible. This means outstretched, which is what gang hooks allow you to do. Even if night crawlers are being used as bait, gang hooks should still be used. In the case of night crawlers, they should simply be pinched in half, so as not to leave a large portion of the worm without a hook in it. The point is that live worms should look like live worms when they are being used as bait. And how often do you see a live worm in nature that looks like a worm ball?

Gang hooks are also tied on small hooks, usually size 6 8 or 10, and therefore the hooks are all but invisible to the naked eye. As a matter of fact a live worm rigged on a set of #10 gang hooks looks like a worm hanging off of your line, without any hooks in it. Do you think this might increase your catch rate a little bit? It sure does. Couple the natural presentation with bouncing this offering off of the bottom in the flowing water of a river or stream and your dealing with a deadly combination. The gang hooks rig is one of the most effective live bait rigs ever created.

I've personally been using gang hooks since my fishing mentor introduced me to them more than 15 years ago, and know from experience how well they work. I can't even remember the number of times that I've caught fish on the trailing hook, that would have gotten away if not for me using gang hooks. The bottom line is if I'm fishing with live worms, then I'm fishing with gang hooks, it's as simple as that. If you try them, I'm sure you'll feel the same way.