A big problem for any angler who fishes with live worms is 'short striking' fish. What do I mean by 'short striking'? Simply that the fish tends to bite the end or "tail" or your live worm, rather than biting the bait in the area of the hook. Thus, when you attempt to set the hook, you miss the fish (and many times lose your bait). The problem seems to be that presenting live worms as bait is all but impossible while using a single hook, unless a large portion of the worm is left "floating free". This is how "threading" a live worm onto a single hook came to be. In an attempt to present a live worm in some sort of natural manner, but when this is done, many times the problem of 'short striking' fish is born.

So how do we solve this problem and start catching more fish? Simple. By employing a set of gang hooks, rather than a single hook when fishing with live worms. What is a set of gang hooks? A set of gang hooks is simply a pair of small hooks tied in tandem, thus allowing a live worm to be presented outstretched, the way God intended. The set of gang hooks is then attached to your line using a small barrel swivel, which helps prevent line twist. Gang hooks can be purchased ready to fish or tied yourself, what's important is that you begin using them for all of your live worm angling.

Gang hooks allow 'short striking' fish to be hooked much more readily than single hooks. You see, when a fish bites the second half of the worm, with a set of gang hooks, there's a hook there, which means you will more than likely hook that fish. Start using gang hooks and the dilemma of 'short striking' fish will be solved. I know since learning to use gang hooks more than 20 years ago, the idea of fishing with live bait (and especially live worms) without gang hooks isn't possible for me. The bottom line is, is I'm fishing with worms, gang hooks are involved, it's as simple as that.