I use pulley rigs. Simple reason is it goe's out as 1 piece, aerodynamic to get you a little further out there.. small baits is key. But even a whole pilly will fly good if cotten on properly, & wont do the helicopter... Used to use BM longreach ones & they work a treat, I like them cause of the 2 floats that come with it. Fish don't mind em at all. Even the yellow, pink, red & green float balls work too.

Other Rigs like Iki & Bite brands work as well. Have lately started to make my own pulley rigs using gemini release clips & also using an impact lead, use 7/0 recurves, have tried 5 & 6/0, but eehhh frak it, if fish is big enough 7 will do.. like the rig about a metre long & have started using the larger float, still fish don't mind it. Why a float? I mainly fish the Rangaunu Harbour inlet, has a little bit of current, the float keeps bait off the bottom. Trace length, a work in progress still. as long as it is under a metre or pulley wont work the way it should.

The other rig is the "90 Millie" special, it's a ledger & if I could snell a hook properly I would use it more, using a uni to tie it on, will see the knot go to the side bottom of the hook eye, can be diff between catching & feeding the fish...

PS: I cut off the hooks that come with the pre made packs....

Yes Keep them away, could stop fish from inhaling bait or even try swallow the whole thing. Distance is upto you  But no more than half the trace length. I use 2 soft plastic tubing, cut into 4mm length, can make em longer or shorter. I made it 4mm as float ahs bigger hole.

   Found tubing at an Engineering supply place...