Normally if one tries to cast a nightcrawler the wear and tear on the nightcrawler is appreciable and before long the nightcrawler has been lost.  Impaling the nightcrawler a large number of times on the hook is counter-productive since the nightcrawler then cannot extend itself to an enticing length and the damage done by the multiple passage of the hook through the nightcrawler greatly shortens the useful life of the worm as bait.