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I saw Dave Lane fishing zig rigs with dog biscuits on Suffolk Water Park in swim 1. The swim is at the extreme left of the far arm, and he was casting to the left side of the swim, next to the rushes, and continually firing in mixers. The little wind and drift there was was pushing the floaters to the left towards the rushes. He had a number of takes from there, including the biggest fish in the lake close to 40lb.

The collar has always worked for me. I would avoid any ideas of a wired lead (a la sea fishing style). Even if you find a way to put lay your bait out carefully, small fish, crayfish or the swirling effect from fins of larger fish, will always find a way of causing a tangle. But good luck. I am fortunate where I fish, there are no rules. You could perhaps do a “Barnard Castle”

If it floats it is a pop-up, if it sinks it is a bottom bait. If it is neutral density then it is a wafter. At least that is how I look at it. I still say critically balanced though😉 Do check fake plastic baits are allowed. I know a few waters have banned them. My bait soak for wooden balls is Liquid Yeast, glycerine and the garlic oil with 1 or 2ml of Megaspice in there. I don't use much flavour, simply so it is not repellant.

It can be difficult to see a normal marker at long range, even with minimal chop on the surface.

Think you have just saved yourself from carp tax...

I meant the Korda varieties being wafters? never used them so wouldn’t know but slow sinking to me would say wafter

I have some tigers in the hinders betalin In a pop up pot and in another pot some esp corn and the rubber/plastic pop ups they do

They do a blackcurrant one "Betalin & Black" that's supposed to be excellent. I've only used standard betalin so couldn't confirm.

Thanks for that yonny...when I got the stinga hooks delivered I was hoping they would have been a wider gape..still like the pattern for over here but I will be looking to try the sabre on my next France trip..

Mine were definitely packaged wrong lol

Sounds fine although a clear line is defo best. An adjustable has to be set up running but it will have a degree of self hooking properties as you say mate. One thing I would add is that when it gets REALLY warm zigs are not always the magic answer. You still need to feed, and feed, and feed, to get their confidence up (same as you would on the surface). Zigs are at their best when it's warm with a real decent wind imo. When it's hot with no wind the carp just want to sunbathe unless you can get them going with prolonged feeding of mixers (and sometimes even that doesn't work).

That is very handy. A depth finder and prod sticks will be a very handy addition. You said the bailiff has caught from the deeper water? I found on some deeper waters if the surface layers are too warm and there is no wind chop, then sometimes the fish go down deep rather than up. I think Rod Hutchinson did write something similar about French reservoirs. Whether it is the water is cooler, or more probably, more dissolved oxygen in the cooler water.

Nick is Father Christmas ? 😲 . Don't tell your Girls , Elmo . 😁

The ones I have must be packaged wrong then lol I didn’t think there was a lot of difference in either