hook bait

Having had a stab at shore fishing while the carp are quiet i wonder if anyone could tell me after threading my lug up the hook and line, a struggle in itself, how do i stop it sliding back down into a big lump after casting, or is that what its supposed to do? Also how do you use the alpha bait clip?

Margot, a couple of questions for you.

Is this blow or black lug?
What hook size are you using?
Is it single bait or part of a cocktail?

Then I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Cheers

Rik, you should be a politician - answer a question with a question....
Seriously, most of my sea fishing is done on a opportunist basis so I tend to buy bait when I arrive. As fresh lug is not always available, I often end up with frozen stuff (not as good as the fresh). Using a hook like an Aberdeen, you can thread the worm up the hook, up the line and as the snood is amnesia, there is quite a bulky knot, wich stops the worm slipping down. But I'm only using a small piece of worm, usually shore or estuary fishing for small flatties and so on.
Sea bait is so expensive, I couldn't possibly bar the thought of putting 4 worms on in one go...but then again that's me...To be honest, most of my sea fishing is real fun, I don't have the same 'seriousness' as I do with my coarse fishing.

Carp Angler.
Now you have baffled me with these scientific terms.I have been using common brown lug with size 2 hook and tipping off with sqid or mackerel.Alsowhat about this alpha bait clip

As Sedge suggests the knot does help to keep the bait neat.
I tend, when using Amnesia, to leave a 10mm tag on the hook knot, this means that you can thread the bait up the hook (the stiff tag bends back inside the bait) you then stop and pull the lug down a tiny bit and the tag pokes out the side of the worm holding it in place.
If you have problems threading the worms, then bait needles are a great boon.
Alpha bait clip.
Is that the one that holds the bait against the trace body during casting?
If so they do hold the bait in place during strong casts.
The addition of sequins and stops above the bait will also stop the bait sliding up the trace when it is clipped down during casting.

Hope that hasn't confused the hell out of everyone.

I never normally find lug bunches up on the cast (it does in the water though as the baits get 'washed out'). The long tail on the hook eye help keep the bait from slipping over the hook. If you use a bait clip then a stop knot on the trace can stop the bait going up the trace. Or you can use one of those bait clip / bait shield combinations. I've only used them a few times but they work well.

Rob.

The best way to present lug is to use a pennel rig. This is simply two hooks in tandem on the same snood. When you tie up this rig thread a section of flex insulation ( found in electrical cables.)on to the snood. Then thread on the top hook and pass the eye into the flex. This forms a firm hold on the sliding hook. Next step is to tie on the bottom hook as normal.
When baiting up, thread the worm onto the bottom hook and up the snood making sure the barb is exposed. Take the sliding hook and hook the worm through the head and then adjust the distance between the hooks untill the worm is straight. This gives excellent bait presentation and the added bonus of fishing two hooks on the same bait.This method will be explained in most good fishing books.
As for bait clips i use the breakaway impact shield fished above the lead. This has never failed to release on impact with me yet.
Good luck.
Dave.