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There is only one way to guarantee your rig is where the fish are and that is to put a rig were you see the carp. The other option is put a rig where you don't see fish which makes no sense whatsoever imo. I wont cast a rod until I've seen fish, that should be a general rule for any serious carp angler imo. You can waste a hell of a lot of hours (or days and even weeks on tricky waters) waiting for the carp to come to you. Fish where the fish are, golden rule. I will not hesitate to cast at a showing fish.

What do you consider a showing fish? A full leap, rolling carp or even massive patches of bubbles sheeting up are all forms of shows. In fact you can add the carp sitting with their backs out of the water. Sometimes leaping, rolling fish shows or bubble patches are carp feeding heavily on a spot. Other times leaping or rolling is a carp just moving through an area. I've cast directly (with a 3oz lead) at swirls, convinced it was fish flattening the surface, and had takes. Other times those swirls are fish flicking their tale and moving away. If I arrive at a water and see any show, I try to analyse it. On some waters leaping fish will just swim straight past so I will try to get ahead of them. On others it is indication of fish stopping to feed. My best winter catch came to what I thought was a show. The water was chocolate colour, with meltwater pouring in the inflow so strongly that near the inflow you could not hold bottom with a 3oz lead. I walked round the lake, saw a flattening of the surface in the ripples, so set up on it. I've heard other anglers say cast past it, reel back onto the spot and let it drop, but by the time I've done that I've lost it. I tend to watch the spot as I'm casting, so naturally aim for it; whereas casting past I would be watching the lead and end tackle, then try to reel back to a spot I've not been looking at.

The answer is to cast past the show and reel the rig into position and drop it over the spot. Even if you are using PVA bags, you should get about 30 seconds before they break down.