I freely admit that I can be a lazy angler. I've dabbled with zigs a bit, but I often can't be arsed to cut off my leaders and leadcore etc to set them up. So I end up not bothering. But this spring I'm definitely doing it. I've got a couple of zig kits that I'm gonna leave permanently set up.
So I'm wondering how many of you have had a proper go at it and what have your results been like when the water temps are still cold.?
Do you think you'd have caught anyway using std baiting?
Have you found flavouring the foam made much difference?
Any top tips?
Thanks in advance.
So I'm wondering how many of you have had a proper go at it and what have your results been like when the water temps are still cold.?
Do you think you'd have caught anyway using std baiting?
Have you found flavouring the foam made much difference?
Any top tips?
Thanks in advance.
In reply to Post #1
I'm a bit like you but only because I've never been a confident zig angler, my friend tho this summer did very well on them. Changed my outlook on them completely all tho I still didn't manage any out on one lol my syndicate always seems to do a bite on a zig during the winter aswell.
I'll definitely be paying for attention to them this year, can get a bite when nothing else is working
I'm a bit like you but only because I've never been a confident zig angler, my friend tho this summer did very well on them. Changed my outlook on them completely all tho I still didn't manage any out on one lol my syndicate always seems to do a bite on a zig during the winter aswell.
I'll definitely be paying for attention to them this year, can get a bite when nothing else is working
In reply to Post #1
On a small lake I fish zigs can be deadly.I did well on black foam when the carp were eating tadpoles and in the summer when I watched them chasing fry in the margins a zig a foot below the surface worked well.My favourite is either black zig aligner and black foam or red zig aligner and black foam.I have got my foam soaking in betalin
On a small lake I fish zigs can be deadly.I did well on black foam when the carp were eating tadpoles and in the summer when I watched them chasing fry in the margins a zig a foot below the surface worked well.My favourite is either black zig aligner and black foam or red zig aligner and black foam.I have got my foam soaking in betalin
In reply to Post #1
Depends on the water - some respond well to zigs, others not so. Worth doing your homework before first.
I prefer fixed hook links, as opposed to adjustable; only use them when I am fishing in deep water and need to go more than 12ft off the deck.
I use 2ft zig extensions on my free spirit rods to make zig fishing easier; also use one of their 8ft 2-piece landing net poles, as I fish on my own and it makes landing easier. Always use a lead clip and drop the lead; if you want to loose fish, keep the lead on the line.
I don't use anything fancy as a hook bait, just black foam on top, yellow underneath. Size 10 or 12 hook, that's it. Works everywhere zigs work. Zig Bugs? Oh dear, mug's tackle IMHO.
Fish tight lights, bobbins heavy enough to register drop backs quickly and turn sensitivity up on the buzzers - the smallest knock can be all you'll get. Sit by your rods! So for 90% of carp anglers I see fishing, that'll be hard to do. Most seem to think being 50 yards up the bank chatting to their mates is fine... anyway, if you want to catch more on zigs, stay on the rods.
To spod or not to spod? Sometimes, I just fish zigs as hook baits and that works. But other times, especially on high stock waters, getting a column of food going in is what you need to do. I only fish ONE rod when doing that - putting a medium spomb of goodies over it every 5 minutes is hard work, but runs often come before you have even reeled the spomb back. Spod mixes? I think most from the tackle shop are crap and massively over-priced. Make your own! You may need a lot of it too, so even more reason to DIY. Only takes me half hour in the kitchen to knock up 10kg of it. I often add lots of juicy morsels to it - corn, mini tigers, chopped peanuts, hemp, the list is endless.
Don't think zigs are the be all and end all, they're not. I see anglers fishing them 'because' ... but use them on the right waters, in the right conditions and the right way... a great way of catching carp. Nothing that new about it though. I used to fish pop ups straight off the lead, with hook links up to 10ft back the mid 80's. I wasn't the only one who sussed that carp don't spend all day feeding on the bottom. Really rinsed a number of waters with the method as well. Makes me laugh when people claim someone invented it. Just now it's called zig fishing
Depends on the water - some respond well to zigs, others not so. Worth doing your homework before first.
I prefer fixed hook links, as opposed to adjustable; only use them when I am fishing in deep water and need to go more than 12ft off the deck.
I use 2ft zig extensions on my free spirit rods to make zig fishing easier; also use one of their 8ft 2-piece landing net poles, as I fish on my own and it makes landing easier. Always use a lead clip and drop the lead; if you want to loose fish, keep the lead on the line.
I don't use anything fancy as a hook bait, just black foam on top, yellow underneath. Size 10 or 12 hook, that's it. Works everywhere zigs work. Zig Bugs? Oh dear, mug's tackle IMHO.
Fish tight lights, bobbins heavy enough to register drop backs quickly and turn sensitivity up on the buzzers - the smallest knock can be all you'll get. Sit by your rods! So for 90% of carp anglers I see fishing, that'll be hard to do. Most seem to think being 50 yards up the bank chatting to their mates is fine... anyway, if you want to catch more on zigs, stay on the rods.
To spod or not to spod? Sometimes, I just fish zigs as hook baits and that works. But other times, especially on high stock waters, getting a column of food going in is what you need to do. I only fish ONE rod when doing that - putting a medium spomb of goodies over it every 5 minutes is hard work, but runs often come before you have even reeled the spomb back. Spod mixes? I think most from the tackle shop are crap and massively over-priced. Make your own! You may need a lot of it too, so even more reason to DIY. Only takes me half hour in the kitchen to knock up 10kg of it. I often add lots of juicy morsels to it - corn, mini tigers, chopped peanuts, hemp, the list is endless.
Don't think zigs are the be all and end all, they're not. I see anglers fishing them 'because' ... but use them on the right waters, in the right conditions and the right way... a great way of catching carp. Nothing that new about it though. I used to fish pop ups straight off the lead, with hook links up to 10ft back the mid 80's. I wasn't the only one who sussed that carp don't spend all day feeding on the bottom. Really rinsed a number of waters with the method as well. Makes me laugh when people claim someone invented it. Just now it's called zig fishing