How to get more out of Zig rigs
Stop looking back at your end-of-session catch card and thinking, ‘I could have caught more’ thanks to these Zig rig tips
Firstly let me start by emphasising how good Zig Rigs are for large carp. It still shocks me how many anglers associate fishing in mid-water with small carp. I’ve lost count of the amount of big carp I’ve caught using Zigs and can honestly say I’ve had some of my largest carp on small pieces of foam fished in the mid- to upper-layers. Now, Zig fishing isn’t just a case of slinging out a long Knotless Knot made from monofilament, there’s much more to it than that, especially if you want to catch and land large carp.
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Two-tone - You can create two-tone hookbait colour combos by simply using a different coloured bait stop.
Storage - To save time on the bank, get yourself one of the many Zig storage boxes which are available now and pre-tie a number at different lengths.
Big hooks
I like big hooks for all aspects of my fishing, but even more so when I’m fishing in the upper-layers. You lose fish on small hooks, so I don’t see the point in using them, and I can confirm it’s a myth that you’ll only get bites on Zig fished with teeny hooks. Go big!
Separation
You don’t need any separation between your hook and hookbait. The fish aren’t sucking or blowing like they do on the deck – they’re almost swimming into the hookbait. No separation nails ‘em every time, fact! So whip on your hookbait tight to the hook shank.
Use 1ft Zigs
Big carp make a lot of disturbance when moving over baited areas and get used to eating particles six-inches to 12-inches off the deck as it flutters off the deck, so try making up short Zigs. These 1ft Zigs are brilliant in the summer months too, when fishing amongst weed.
