WHAT IS THE ZIG RIG?

The term “zig rig” indicates a particular carp fishing technique that involves the Fishing of carp and of the amur in the intermediate layers of water and not on the bottom. 

In England it has existed since the dawn of time, in Europe it has established itself in the last five years thanks to the great results he gave to the garisti. 

So much so that today it is the main technique for all official competitions.  

WHY THE ZIG RIG?

The technique is sort of Fishing stalking (chase) done while stationary. 

The principle is this: I don't wait for the carp to come to my hookbait, but I bring the hookbait to the point where the carp are. 

Because these fish, contrary to what has always been thought, are not always on the bottom. 

Indeed, they spend most of their time, and particularly the daylight hours, in intermediate or afloat layers. 

Where, of course, they find food. And they stay away from the carp anglers' lines lying on the bottom...

WHEN TO USE THE ZIG RIG?

The zig rig is considered a technique from hot periods. 

When the temperature rises, fish tend to come to the surface, where they find heat and more oxygenated water thanks to wind, but above all food: for example, insects. 

It is no coincidence that it is precisely thesummer the period in which carp are mostly seen afloat. 

But be careful: even in autumn and winter the zig rig has its say, especially in the most pressing spots.

THE RIGHT TIMES

Typically we see carp afloat from mid-morning onwards: seeing the fish on the surface is already excellent data to convince us to use the zig rig, leaving the classic rigs in the bag. 

Le warmer hours are better, since the carp are active in the upper layers, but be careful in the early morning: the fish move from the seabed, where they spent the night, to the top, where they find the first rays of sun to warm up.  

ZIG RIG EVEN AT NIGHT?

It is wrong to think of the zig rig as a purely daytime technique.  Of course gives better results during the day, but catches made in zig patterns at night are not uncommon. 

It happens especially in very bright nights, when the moon illuminates the body of water with its glow. 

And in very small and crowded places, where there are many lines stretched out on the bottom: the carp, in fact, not being able to escape anywhere, "take refuge" afloat, where they do not feel the vibrations of the lines and therefore feel safer.

THE FRAMES FROM ZIG

The zig rig technique can be applied across two different frames by construction and type of trim: zig rig “classic” e “adjustable”. 

The "classic" setup is the simplest to create: it is sufficient to create a normal beam, apply a lead clip and attach a terminal to the swivel as long as the distance from the bottom at which we have to fish. 

For example, if we want to fish 3 meters from the bottom, we will have to do a 3 meter terminal. 

Of course, with this mount it is necessary an in-depth knowledge of the seabed to be done through the use of a marker float.  In fact, it is very different if we have a maximum depth of 3 meters or 10 in front of us.

THE ADJUSTABLE ZIG

When faced with great depths, the best mount is undoubtedly it adjustable zig. 

To explain it in simple words, it is identical to the marker mount but with a 1.5 meter terminal starting from the float. 

Retrieving with the reel or giving line by keeping the clutch open, thanks to this setup we can place the bait at the desired height: it will be sufficient to take a reference point 50 centimeters from the reel and count the times in which we retrieve or give line. 

The multiplication operation will tell us at what height we are fishing. 

For example, if, once the float has been launched and brought to the surface, we retrieve it 4 times, keeping the point on the rod as a reference, we will have made the bait sink 2 meters (50 centimeters x 4) towards the bottom. 

By removing 1.5 meters of final, we know we are in Fishing 50 centimeters below the water surface (2 meters minus 1.5 equals 50 centimeters). 

The adjustable one is a more "invasive" frame, but it is much more versatile because we can change depth very quickly without recovering all the line, while with the "classic" one we have to recover everything and change the line.

THE STRATEGY OF Fishing In ZIG

Before talking about bait, it is appropriate to explain the basic idea behind the zig rig: we need to “cover” as many areas as possible moving the bait in the different layers of water dynamically, in order to understand where the fish are stationed.  In fact, throughout the day, they are never in the same place but they move constantly. 

This is why, having three rods, it is good to differentiate them various mounts in different layers of water, in order to “intercept” the fish right where they are eating. 

Little advice: the "three quarters" are always a good starting point (that is, on a 4 meter depth, we start with a 3 meter rod, a 2 meter rod and one just below the surface, if not afloat).

ZIG RIG BAITS

The zig symbol is the foam, the sponge. Why? Simply, because when it became widespread it was the most buoyant, shiny and moldable thing on the market. 

Today that the Fishing a zig has become much more than a trend, the classic sponge has been supplanted by more complex and imitative baits, like insects (bugs), imitations of pellets, and real boilies for Fishing zig. 

But the sponge still works well: the carp take it anyway because we don't focus on the attraction of the bait ingredients, but on curiosity, and about finding something in front of the fish's face.

COLOR MATTERS A LOT

Just like changing depth is essential, so is it change the color of the bait often. 

By zig fishing we will realize that there are days when yellow baits work, others when bright colors are not considered at all. 

Our skill will be in changing bait frequently until we find the one that makes the fish bite. 

There is a little rule that says: “sunny day, dark colours; overcast day, bright colours”. However, it is not a law. 

Warning: this is very important play on contrast. 

Let's ask ourselves why we often use baits made up of two sponges, one dark and one bright: the dark sponge, held towards the bottom, contrasts well with the sunlight, for a fish coming from below; the bright sponge, placed high up, however, stands out more than a dark sponge against the dark seabed, and this makes it more interceptable by fish arriving from above. 

 

ENDINGS AND HOOKS FROM ZIG

The zig finish can be done in nylon or even fluorocarbon, as long as the bait floats enough to pull it all up. 

The appropriate ones are on the market Zig threads have the peculiarity of being hollow nylons, or in any case very buoyant (while pure fluorine and nylon generally sink). 

The hooks must be small (a 6 is often already large), with an open curvature, light and equipped with an anti-glare cover.

If you purchase the zig bugs already ready, you will realize how small the hooks used in England are, and at the same time how effective they are in terms of keeping them in the fish's mouth.

GRAVING IN THE ZIG: YES OR NO?

The baiting in the zig is not essential. 

There are spots where launching a rocket or a Spomb is equivalent to putting on a... coat.  In fact, although many carp anglers are difficult to convince, placing the bait in the right place is more important than baiting well. 

If we see fish floating, we cast our zig rig nearby and we continually move the bait to different depths. 

The fish are already there, no need to attract them.  Anyone wishing to bait must create a very liquid mixture (sloppy, in English) which forms a cloud once it enters the water, where the carp lose themselves in a feeding frenzy. 

One good mix involves the use of crumbled boilies, chrysalis flour, groundbait, micropellets and many attractive liquids such as coconut milk and all the ad hoc attractors created by companies in the sector.

A MORE ATTRACTIVE BAIT

To whom Fishing without baiting but still wants the bait to give off a strong food signal, we recommend the use of liquid attractors or very dense gels, which give off an attractive message in the water for several minutes. 

Le attractive gel-powders and products like i Goo they were created precisely for this purpose.

SLOW COMBAT

The fight, in Fishing zig, it is very delicate. 

If we are fishing with the classic setup, in fact, it may happen that we have mounted a leader that is longer than the rod, and in this case the help of a partner is essential. 

The fight with the adjustable zig is less complex: however, it also comes up against the number one limit of this technique, namely the reduced diameter of the leaders we use. 0.28, 0.25, and even 0.20 millimeters: when fishing in mid-water, the thinner the leader, the easier it is to deceive the carp. 

This is why, when fighting a fish that has hooked a zig rig, it is advisable to be very careful, retrieve slowly and also lower the barrel to the side, if necessary.  

Small hooks and thin lines are in fact more exposed to breakage and unhooking.

IN CONCLUSION

You either love it or hate it. Generally, carp anglers are divided like this. 

However, we must see the zig rig from another point of view: like an extra arrow in our bow to be used at specific times. 

The advice is not to give in to laziness, but to use the zig for what it is: a technique that allows us to fish for carp in mid-water using bottom equipment. 

It's one Fishing physical, hard, which requires commitment and a desire to continually change, but i results that can give, especially in terms of number, are priceless. 

Summer just around the corner? It's zig time!