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Couple of hours chub fishing with Dave, all on floating dog biscuits

Well back home and absolutely pooped! Ended up catching two carp (40lb 2oz Mirror) and a 32lb Common. Two Catfish, one at 25lb the other about 15lb (didn't weigh it). Also had a lovely little Tench which went about 3lb not big but it was nice to see as I love Tench and haven't caught one for donkey's years! One of the other lads, Darren, caught a lovely 51lb Common, biggest fish of the week and a new pb smashing his previous 37lb. Great going and hats off to him because he stuck it out all week in a swim that had produced nothing really all week. Tough going though. Baking hot weather for much of the week, water level was way down on the lake. Smashing venue though, ideal set up, I'd go again, only not in July. The mozzies were crippling.

Yes that’s exactly how to do it. It is a simple and cheap method. Slide your weight onto the line so that it is free running through a large ring. Take a wine cork and push some stiff wire into one end to form an eye that is just slightly narrower than a large float stop. Slide the cork float onto the line so that it slides freely. Now put a large float stop on the line. Tie a zig on the end of the mainline (or use a short length of “invisible” leader if you think your fish are very shy). Push the float stop a measured distance from the zig. I like to use 3 metres if the water is deep enough to avoid any chance of the float spooking the fish. At this stage it is impossible to cast because the long 3metre distance between float and hook will tangle and also the force of the weight will slide everything down to the hook. Wind some PVA tape CLOCKWISE around the body of the cork (make sure it is dry ). Now wind the 3 metre hook length around the PVA ANTICLOCKWISE until only the zig is left. Nick the hook of the zig into the PVA and you will find everything holds rock solid. After casting, the PVA melts freeing the hook and it floats up, unwinding the 3 metre hook link as it goes. Let the cork float to surface. Pull in 3 metres of line and you now know your zig is on the surface. Then simply take in the amount of line you need to fish at your required depth. When you land your fish, the 3 metre hook link is not a problem because the float stop can now be simply slid along the line to shorten the length to something more manageable because there is no longer anything to hold it firmly in place. Sorry it is a long explanation. It is far easier to do than to explain but it works flawlessly for me.

Couldn't you coil up the zigs a bit and then using some PVA tape or string, tie them up then it melts and rises to the proper depth that may help with the cast