Here's Danny Fairbrass on why he developed the Longchuck system: “I fish at long range on many waters and know that many of you do, that’s why we decided to produce the Longchuck Funnelweb – the slimmest version of all the PVA systems. By having a very slender PVA stick of super attractive crumb threaded up the hook link, I can guarantee that your rig won’t tangle on the cast.
I have learnt from my underwater filming that a pile of crumb on a heavily baited area will be literally blown away within minutes if the fish are there and in the feeding mood, even if they are not carp. But, the same pile of crumb sitting amongst a wide scattering of boilies (because that's all you can achieve at extreme range no matter how good a caster you are) or completely on its own will stay right by the hook bait until something comes across it. At this point, hopefully you will get a pick up but if you don't your rig is still in the very best condition it could have been if you have just cast a single hook bait.
So, in short, using a stick can only increase your chances of a take and can in no way hinder them, providing of course you can get it to where the fish are.
Being only 15mm in diameter the Long Chuck Funnel Web feels almost like its not there when you are about to cast, this makes it perfect for fishing at all ranges and onto all kinds of lake bed. In silt it will stop the hook bait getting dragged as far into the silt and help to stop the silt masking the attraction of the hook bait.
On gravel it ensures the hook link lies straight and ready to hook the carp and in weed you can make sure the hook bait doesn't get clogged with weed as the rig comes to rest on the bottom. You can even crash the whole lot through loose weed like Canadian or cabbage weed, by deliberately tying a short hook link of 10-15cm and then make a stick almost the same length. When you cast hold the line tight as the lead hits the surface and allow it to drop on a tight line.
The stick coupled with a big lead should crash straight through the weed and end up at the sparser root area. The stick will stop the hook from catching up and once melted will leave the hook link (which I recommend be made of braid) hanging on or between the stems with the hook bait and hook exposed. A grubbing carp will easily be able to get the hook in its mouth because the braided hook link is so flexible and the hook hasn't been caught up on its decent.
Once again, the Longchuck applies to the colour-coded refills.