How to

Good question. I've never fished with it either.

Skein can be a messy ordeal, and really annoying if it's cold out. The bag of skein usually has a membrane that holds the eggs together (it is much easier to locate the membrane when you submerge it in some water... it will turn a white-ish color). After you locate the membrane, cut about a nickel sized hunk of skein off. I just take the membrane and hook and rehook and rehook it around a small (sz 14-16) hook. Be careful when you're rigging your hook b/c you can easily pop the eggs if you squeeze them too hard or if the hook punctures them. Another issue with skein, other than the messiness factor is that you will have to re-rig a new hunk of it quite often... unless you get that membrane on your hook really well. Also, b_a_s_s hole's link is another option.. the snell knot is definitely a pain in the rear, but it is very effective in keepin' the skein attached to your hook. Hope this helps.
 
 

just tie it up in sacs, its not as messy.  Or cure the skein and its really easy to handle, still effective, without the mess and smell.  I bought the cure, string and netting off of fishusa, its easy peasy.  

If you have it ready at home, rap it in a lite mesh.  If not, Run the membrane surrounding the egg pouch around some of the eggs when u rip it off.  Gotta cast it lite, like casting a chicken liver