One of the easiest ways to to push the hooklink out from the lead/leader is to use a stiff material like Fluorocarbon or amnesia along with a supple braided section for the hook although a pure stiff hooklink can also work well.
A helicopter rig is the most effective lead setup as the hook-link has the most amount of freedom, with a lead-clip or inline system there is a chance the lead can pull part of the hook-link in to the bottom of the lake, and due to the stiffness of the material it will kick up. possibly messing up your presentation.
Also best fished as a single over bait. with a PVA nugget on the hook, this will hold the hook-link up once the lead touches down (heli-rig) and once melted the stiff hook-link will push the bait out and gentility land on the lake bed the distance you set your hook-link up. a loop knot also offers more movement over a standard knot to swivel. and a bait that is balanced so just the weight if the hook sinks it or a snowman setup also helps. as a to heavy bait will just drop downwards rather then being forced out away from the leader.
Try this in the margins dropped from shoulder height, or cast up the margin and the hook-link will kick out strait every time.
Adding a PVA bag / stick or stringer works against you here, as the added weight will force the hook-link to land where the bag / stick or stringer lands. and that will not always be strait and again could cause presentation problems.
There are two ways to form a part stiff, part supple hook-link. first learn to tie the joining knot, between Fluorocarbon and a supple braid, which at first is very fiddly to tie, but like all knots once mastered become easy. or second try out... Rig Maroles Hydrolink this has a Fluorocarbon inner rather then braid with the Fluorocarbon being very easy to remove, and does the same thing with out the hassle of joining knots. both ways work well.
