First thing to do when fishing SOKOZURI style is to workout the water depth, then adjust your weights and line to get the float sitting right. The next thing to do is bait your hook and cast. When you aren't getting any good bites on the line, just nibbles, it is normally because the bait isn't sitting well on the bottom. In this case it is best to increase the UKISHITA (length of the line below the float) by about 1 cm at a time. Based on your catch rate and strike rate it's a good idea to continually adjust your rig throughout the day.
This is a good hook placement to start out with on the basic rig.
This is a good hook placement, when you are only getting nibbles or when your float is getting moved around by the wind.
This is an effective rig for in a flowing river or when the fish are feeding for winter. This rig stabilises the bait on the bottom.
Bait should be squeezed tightly around the hook, hiding it from view.
Unbaited hook
Baited hook
As the bait slowly dissolves in the water, the float slowly rises back up. When it has floated up to its original position you can tell all the bait has fallen off the hook.