When it comes to fishing a buoyant bait, Ian ‘Chilly’ Chillcott has eyes for one rig and one rig only…

Having recently waxed lyrical in a previous article on the website about my bottom bait rig, I should really start by answering the question of when I’d employ a pop-up rig. Well, quite simply, I do so when fishing with a scattering of boilies over an area, as opposed to fishing tight to my freebies.

With carp moving between one bait and the next, I’m looking to make the most of their feeding style and, when doing so, there’s only one rig for me… the hinged stiff rig. Before we go any further, I need to put to bed one of many myths in the carp fishing world. There is no such thing as a big-fish rig. Period. End of story. Anybody that tells you otherwise is either deluded or trying simply to make themselves look clever.