In reply to Post #4
Thanks, I appreciate the advice and will bear this in mind.

In reply to Post #1
Consider buying the carpology ultimate rig guide (10th anniversary edition) as it gives advice on 20 rigs and details hook patterns to use with each. If you don't want to spend money, look on the korda website under the rig section for the same kind of info.

In reply to Post #2
Thanks for the tips. I did indeed put shrink tube on the eye of the hook for that reason.

I've actually ended up fishing it on a wafter and it sits perfectly ie the hook eye is now sitting on the lake bed and the upper end of the hook is lifted off the bed nice and light. I obviously think it'll still work well as a pop up rig, but I personally have decided to use this as a wafter rig and stick to the Ronnie for my pop up.

I've recently been reading the ultimate rig guide 10th anniversary and I'm really enjoying understanding more about rig mechanics. I've decided I want to try using the 360 rig instead of the Ronnie as the water I fish isn't very weedy and I want the rig to be very low profile, but still acting as a pop up.

I've constructed the rig and it works well, but the pop up lifts the hook AND swivel, which pops up the bait more than I thought it would ie I thought it would lift the hook only, creating a pop up which was only the height of the hook.

I've tried attaching a bit of putty to the eye of the hook to weigh it down, but it doesn't look very tidy. I could obviously trim the bait down until I get the desired effect, but I wanted to ask those people who use the 360 regularly whether this is a key element or whether I'm over thinking it? I suppose the question is, do you aim to have the eye of the hook close to the lake bed to ensure a low profile, or do you accept that the pop up itself will pull the hook and swivel up, and the rest of the rig will be held down with putty on the knot?

Thanks in advance

In reply to Post #28
Excellent stuff mate, thanks for the advice. If possible, can you take a photo of your rig? A picture paints a thousand words and whilst I think I know what you mean, it would be really helpful to see how you've got it set up.

In reply to Post #26
I'd not considered that approach, but it sounds like it's working for you. I was more thinking about a pop up sweetcorn on top of a slow sinker, thus creating a critically balanced or water type bait. Nice and light for the carp to suck it up quickly.

In reply to Post #22
Fair points. I fish Ronnie or chod for pop up, or combi for bottom bait. If I was fishing solid bags I'd be looking at short, supple hoolinks, so my reference was just to point out the difference between the two.

Both of my standard rigs are on stiff booms as I prefer to rely on the boom pushing the bait away. I think I'm going to give them a go on my next session. Appreciate the advice.

In reply to Post #10
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In reply to Post #19
Thanks. I can probably make up a bag with a decent bait and crumb/pellet mix, weigh it and then make up a fake net bag of similar dimensions and weight. I can use that to practice casting in an area where no one is fishing before swapping the bags and casting for real. Not ideal, but the lake I fish on is quiet so I can get away with casting in different directions.

I tend to find nice spots before I fish, so casting into deep silt isn't a problem. Thanks for the advice.

In terms of success, do people find they catch more on bags than standard rigs? My catch rate is OK, but interested to know whether people feel they are more successful on bags or not. I assume people either use bags as standard, or as per the conditions.

In reply to Post #8
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