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I almost always do this nowadays, albeit with a micro ring swivel. Even for chods. Dead easy.

I use the ESP bait screw and haven't noticed damage, but that makes good sense, will keep an eye on that. Also got the Korda ones which are plastic screws moulded onto a metal swivel - these are buoyant so no affect on the po-up itself 👍

A fair few ways to use rig rings on pop-up rigs: Tie a rig ring onto the end of the hooklink material and then do basic knotless knot. You have the pop-up close to the shank and bend of the hook. Again, a knotless knot leaving your tag end, but thread the rig ring, tag end through the eye, and you have a basic D-rig. I frequently slide a rig ring onto the shank, hookbead fixed on the shank opposite the barb to point. That can be used on various rigs; Ronnie's and Spinners, Reverse combi-rigs or plain and basic straight on the hooklink and counterbalance.

I don't know whether it is amusement or annoyance, but one of the fish in the syndicate has picked up the name of a Darwin Award winner to its name or features. Last year in June I had a really nice linear at 33lb, part of a 2 fish catch, with an 18lb mirror on an overnight session. Really nice fish, beautiful, and while I enjoyed catching it, returned it unnamed, and put pictures on our FB page. Going through the captures this year, that Linear has put on 4lb and been given the additional moniker. One of the grievances I suppose for me is I know how much stroke pulling this person did in the background, yet despite being friends with the fishery manager kept it hidden from him. No rule breaking as such, but just sneaky...