For perch and trout (I haven't really tried using worms for gills or the like for years as I was testing jigs out this year for them since I just started tying them) I have better luck here using a worm threader than bunching them up. My fishing partner did the glob thing where he was hooking them a few times in a gob on the hook and I was outfishing him 2-4:1 depending on the day.

I have noticed something strange with the trout here as well, it seems like the more chewed up and ratty the worm is the more bites I get on them as opposed to a fresh intact worm.

The last few times I have fished I was trout and perch fishing and I went through less than 5 full night crawlers the last time I was using worms and caught about 20-30 perch and 2 trout that day, using a worm threader definitely saves me a lot of worms. The setup I was running is a 3 hook tight line setup with a casting sinker on the bottom like a drop shot but using leaders off the main line. It was setup with a #6 aberdeen with half a crawler, about 7"-8" up from the weight and about 5"-6" up from that I had a jig and another 5"-6" from that was another aberdeen hook with half a crawler. Hooks and jig were attached to the main line using Bear paw leader attachments and the leaders were less than 4" long, Bear paws were spaced so the hook above was about 3/4"-1" from touching the bear paw below.

When I slip bobber fish I use a threader as well, with the longer leader a lot of times the worm slides up the leader out of the fish's mouth and incurs less damage and I usually get several fish out of one worm this way as well. I attach my hooks to the leader using Palomar knots so there is less bulk than snelling the hooks as well.