Fishing with a live worm doesn't have to be simply "threading" said worm onto a large hook and then chunking is out in the water. There are much better and much more effective ways to present a live worm while fishing. Many anglers don't realize this simply because they have never thought about it. After all is just fishing, right how technical do you have to get? You don't necessarily have to get more technical, you just have to use the best ways possible. And as far as fishing with a live worm goes, there are better ways.

The best and most effective is simply employing a set of gang hooks for fishing a live worm. A set of gang hooks allows the worm to be presented outstretched which much more natural than the "worm ball" created by threading a live worm onto a hook. This natural presentation is more effective. It will result in more bites because the worm looks like it does naturally. When is the last time that you think a trout or smallmouth bass saw a "worm ball" floating naturally down your favorite river? They didn't, unless of course there was an 11 year old fishing there last week!

Fishing a live worm is what fishing is all about. The words worms and fishing are almost synonymous. Everyone knows that worms are great bait for fishing. Begin employing gang hooks, and worms become even better. So, what are gang hooks? Gang hooks are simply 2 hooks tied in tandem. Simple enough, right? Gang hooks are very simple, yet very effective. That's why my fishing mentor was a genius! He's the first one that I ever saw using a set of gang hooks to fish with a live worm. As a matter of fact, he taught me how to tie gang hooks. Ever since I started using gang hooks to fish live worms 20 years ago, they are all I use. I simply won't go fishing without gang hooks in my fishing vest.

Gang hooks and a bait bag have literally become staples of my river and stream fishing. I use gang hooks and live worms to catch trout, walleye, and smallmouth bass in rivers and streams all over the country. I also use gang hooks to catch fish such as crappie, because they are also a wonderful way to present minnows. But I digress, this article is about fishing with a live worm, and the point is that fishing with a live worm shouldn't be done without the help of gang hooks. I would like to see the "worm ball" retired forever. Making a "worm ball" is simply not the way to fish a live worm, gang hooks are. To me, the "worm ball" gives fishing a bad name. I think reverend McLain said it best when he said, "Anyone who does not know how to catch a fish should not be able to disgrace that fish by catching it." Amen reverend, amen.