Carp Fishing using Adjustable Zigs | Rob Burgess

Zig rigs are a tactic that can be deadly at any time of the year, but especially so in the spring when the carp are starting to wake up and are spending time in the upper layers, making the most of the sunshine and warmer water.

Zigs are a tactic though which many anglers seem to have little confidence in using, and either they don’t use them at all, or when they do, they aren’t fished very effectively and tend to be slung out and left there, almost as an after-thought to the other rods fished on the bottom over bait.

Adjustable zig rigs can be deadly

When it comes to catching carp on zigs, both in his own fishing and also in carp match situations, Korda Koach Rob Burgess is a real expert, and in this Masterclass he will show you how to set up and fish one of the most effective zig presentations that there is – the adjustable zig.

Unlike a conventional zig, which is fished to whatever length you tie your hook link, an adjustable zig gives you the versatility to change depth and explore the layers, without even having to reel in, recast, and risk disturbing carp that are already in your swim.

Setting up an adjustable zig

To get the best from an adjustable zig though, you first have to know exactly how to set up one of the Korda Zig Kits, so that it is always fishing and not in a tangled mess, and Rob will show you exactly how to do so, including an essential tip that ensures that it can never tangle on the cast.

Using the right tackle is essential, including hooks and hook link material that are capable of landing a big carp, but are also subtle enough to get you bites, and Rob talks through the gear that he has complete confidence in and has been using for years – plus the rods that he favours to help prevent hook pulls or line breakages.

Keep trying different hook baits

Hookbaits are another area that confuses many anglers, especially those new to zigging, and casting out tiny pieces of black foam – or indeed any small piece of foam, cork etc - into the middle of the water column can seem totally alien and something that is hard to have confidence in.

But Rob talks through exactly why it works, including the changes he might make depending on the light conditions, such as a cloudy day or a full moon – because zig rigs aren’t just a daytime tactic – and the colours and types of hookbaits he carries with him, plus liquids that he likes to use to give them extra attraction and a scent trail, rather than just being visual.

Work the layers

Like with any fishing, the harder you work at it, the more you will catch, so if you just chuck your adjustable zig out and leave it, hoping for a bite, most of the time you won’t catch a lot!

When you watch this Masterclass, which was filmed on Hardwick and Smiths Lake, on the Linear Fisheries day ticket complex, you will see Rob constantly working the depths to try and find where the fish are, as well as tweaking his hookbaits, and looking for signs of fish – such as subtle movements on the surface or shows that indicate the carp are close to the top – to potentially recast his rigs to those areas, or even move swim. As Rob explains, this style of fishing can be very mobile and even lends itself to day sessions, as you are literally just trying to put a hookbait in front of a carp and get a take – or sometimes several in quick succession when you get it right.

This is the sort of fishing where very small changes – such as a tweak to the hookbait, or even just changing the depth that your adjustable zig is at by a foot or two – can make all the difference, so it is essential to know what to tweak, and when to do it.

Everything you need to know is in this Masterclass video

After watching this Masterclass, and seeing how effective adjustable zigs were for Rob during this session, you should have far more confidence in them, as well as knowing how to set them up properly; the tackle that you need to use in order to not only get bites but be able to land the carp as well; and what to tweak to keep the bites coming as the fish move around within the water column.

Whatever your level of experience when it comes to zig rigs, there will be some useful tips and tricks within this film that will help you to catch more carp. You can watch the full Masterclass film at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lj5WHJrX_U

We’ve also included a section from it (see above video) that shows you exactly how to tie Rob’s adjustable zig rig, step-by-step, and what components to use.