Mainline Panellist Ali Hamidi Answers Kev's Questions

1. GENERAL APPROACH TO WINTER FISHING.
Baiting levels whilst actually fishing.
Well this really is an open ended question in anyone's book! For me it really depends on the venue, fish activity and the obvious weather conditions. If the fish are active and feeding, I would normally start with some Hi-viz pop-ups and small PVA bags to see if I can possibly 'nick' a fish from what's potentially in front of me. However contrary to my summer tactics, if the carp aren't showing, I am a little more prone to introducing bait in the winter months! Sometimes its just a confidence 'thing', extra disturbance, something to get them moving and investigating your baited area. I suppose if I know bait has been going into a venue, then I might approach it more cautiously, however if its been left undisturbed for a couple of weeks/months then I might unleash 'hell', Response Pellet, Hemp Pellet, Chopped soaked Activ-8 or NRG, maggot and casters being a favourite approach.

Baiting levels when packing up or pre-baiting.
This is ultimately venue based. In the past on pressured venues I have been reluctant to do this, as I am haunted at the thought of someone coming into the swim I have vacated/baited and catching a whacker. If I introduce bait on a busy venue like Redesmere, then I will do it in places, which I know will be left alone or are unfishable. This is mainly to keep the fish feeding or get them onto a new bait. In a more favourable situation or on an un-pressured venue I have a strong belief that you should stick a bit in after every session. If you have a kilo or so left after your session stick it in as it seems to keep the carp active, feeding and generally interested. In general it's a balancing act between keeping the carp feeding on certain spots whilst ensuring that the only person that benefits is 'YOU' or a group of friends who have a bit of an agreement.

Do you scale your tackle down for the winter and if so, give some examples.
I always use tackle relevant to the venues variables, rather than time of year. If a situation requires lighter line, such as distance fishing or in non snaggy areas then I will use it. Obviously if I feel I can fish light/scaled down, in a fishing situation then I will do so. However most of the venues I fish recently have required pretty sturdy tackle all year round. So once again I judge this purely on venue, I won't switch and fish an 8lb hooklength just because it's December!

What are your views on bait for the winter and suggest a cold water bait and with what attractor levels.
Every mainline bait I have ever used seems to lend itself excellently to Winter fishing. Even back in the early days of the Liver Marine, I still seemed to catch a shed load on it in the winter! So I suppose as a main bait you couldn't go far wrong with the Grange or Maple-8, obviously the Maple is sweeter so it comes down to personal choice, however can you remember some of the results Tim Paisley had on the Grange? Awesome stuff. I always think Kev and Steve get the attractor levels spot on so I won't insult them by suggesting anything different! As for hookbaits, I do like something a bit more 'punchy'! Often pop-ups are a favourite, so here's two recipes that Mainline now produce similarities of through the High-Viz range.

Polaris pop mix,
1 Egg
7ml Pineapple
1ml Sweet ade

or

Polaris pop mix,
1 Egg,
5ml Sweet Plum
2ml Milky toffee
1ml Sweet ade.

Also I always have a tub of my mate Ian Russells Indian Spice hookbaits nearby, awesome. Apart these, I never have my maggot and casters too far away.

What sort of swim would you choose or what features would you look for on a new water, ie snags,weed,deep water etc.
Where ever I see fish. Find them and you are never too far out. Fish first then features. If they don't show then I try to look for something different, maybe a less fished spot or somewhere that screams carp like a windward bank, weed beds or that resembles a potential natural holding/feeding area.

2. SNAG/WEED FISHING.
What changes would you make to your tackle for fishing in weed or against snags.
My gear is normally set-up for this type of fishing. 15lb Mainline, Fox series 5's or 1's in size 8-6, followed by a pretty sturdy hooklength of normally 15lb plus BS.

Do you always look for clear patches in the weed or would you place a baited rig actually in the weed.
Both methods work well. If carp are in Weed then I will try to present my end tackle the best I can in the stuff. If they are feeding on clear spots, then I may choose to present something there as well. However in most cases I think they are more confident feeding in weed so that's where I will try to fish if weed growth allows it.

What other changes would you make to your set up for fishing up to snags, ie;indicators, security of rods, setting of clutch and so on.
Bobbins relatively slack to identify registration early, however that's all they get.,about an 8" drop but then with everything locked up. Rods are always in rod locks.

Are there any differences to hitting runs when fishing in weed or snags.
Not a great deal. You obviously need to be slightly more alert and a touch quicker off the mark. However what I tend to do is play fish more by walking backwards than actually winding early on in the fight. Keep steady pressure on and this often brings them away from the snags/weed a lot quicker. Direct contact rather than inconsistent tension that is produced through frantically winding!

Is your baiting any different in this situations.
Often if the fish are there and happy then I am less likely to introduce too much bait initially. I sometimes like the use of groundbait in these situations as it gets them literally 'rooting' about (no pun intended)! So I suppose I am more likely to keep things tight and disturbance to a minimum.

Explain your rig set ups and why they are used, ie; if you use short, fixed rigs, then why etc.
I suppose in general I am more prone to using longer hook lengths than most people. Obviously a lot of this is because of the venues I have been fishing, silty venues are more likely to destroy your presentation on landing so I suppose I try to use a length of 12"+. The main reason being that I know the lead hasn't dragged all my length under the layers of Silt! I have a soft spot for a blow back rig as I think it makes it a touch more difficult for Mr. Carp to spit your rig out. I use this presentation more for pop-ups as it sits and looks like a claw. Overall, things are kept pretty simple.

3. HOOKS.
What patterns are your every day hooks.
Fox series 5's size 8-6 , fine wire short shank Nailers in size 10 along with most good hooks with a straight shank and in-turned eye, Fox series 1's etc. I like a hook that turns well nearly 100% of the time. Hooks that don't turn seem to put me off. It's purely a confidence thing, but if a pattern doesn't turn on the palm of my hand 99/100 I very rarely use it.

Are there any other hooks that you use for different styles of fishing and if so, why.
I tend to favour the Fox series 5's in size 6 rather than 8 when fishing in weed or around snags as the wire of the hook seems a touch stronger. However in general the hooks I use are suited to the waters I fish, which of late have been weedy. In open water I used to love using size 8-10 Kamasan B175's, a light and very sharp open water hook.

Do you use the same hooks for pop-ups as you do for bottom baits.
Yes on most occasions. The fox S5's for Pop ups and the Straight shank in turned eyes (Fox S1's) for bottom baits. I mostly fish a straight knotless knot for bottom baits and this pattern lends itself well, but for pop-ups I love the blow-back rig so that is the reason for using them in that situation. Both patterns turn really well, so that again is purely a confidence reason.

Do you ever use a hook sharpening stone.
Only on 'pastie' pools were I get fed up of changing rigs after every fish!

What knot do you use for tying your hooks.
Mainly the Knotless-knot.

4. POP-UPS.
Why use a pop-up.
Purely a personal thing, how longs a piece of string! So many variables, attraction purposes, visibility, overcome bottom debris, silt, weed and different presentation options.

When do you use a pop-up.
I nearly always fish a pop up on one rod irrelevant of conditions or baiting situation. I like what it does and my results on them have been excellent by my standards. I like the presentation and I often think carp can take them spontaneously more often than an inconspicuous bottom bait.

Are there any other rig changes when fishing with a pop-up, ie length of hook length, hook size, weight of lead, fixed lead or running lead.
No not really, hook choice has already been outlined.

How do you make your pop-ups. Ie;do you use cork balls, microwave them or other.
Normally with a pop mix, my favourite is the mainline Polaris. I also like readymade ones. If I ever make them myself I normally get the paste from Mainline and roll them on cork balls before soaking them in attractors after boiling.

Do you increase the attractor levels when making pop-ups.
My Hi-Viz ones, are considerably more boosted, but that is because I know I only cast one out at a time and the carp aren't actually eating them. However in general all my single hookbaits are slightly more boosted with dips after boiling and more attractors prior to boiling.

5. HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH A SHORT VISIT TO A DAY TICKET WATER.
What features would you look for and explain swim selection.
What would your baiting levels be and how much bait would you introduce straight away, after each run and so on.
Are there any differences to your bait for this style of fishing and if so, what.
Would you stick with boiled baits for the first visit or if particles etc were allowed, would you use them.
I obviously always try to find some fish, hopefully away from the crowd. If I can't find them then I will look for somewhere away from the pressure with a good observation standpoint. From here I can do my own thing whilst observing other anglers and any fish movement. If I feel I have very little fish movement in front of me then I might have 3-5 casts with a lead just to get a general idea of depth and potential features. Generally on fish or not, I will start with singles/bags with a light scattering of 20-30 baits over 2-3 rods. From here I will observe what is happening and react accordingly. The main focus is to get that initial bite rather than hope for a 'big hit' by being an idiot and introducing a load of bait straightaway. I try to be subtle and quiet in the hope that what ever is there or drifts my way feels confident enough to want to feed rather than be confronted with a mountain of bait. I normally stick with boilies here, with a few casters, maggots and pellets in PVA bags if I use them.

6. FEATURE FINDING.
How important do you consider this in fishing and how much time do you spend finding features when;
a) Fishing your own, full time water where you plan to spend most of your time and efforts.
b) Fishing a fun type water that you may visit from time to time in the hope of some action.
c) Visiting a day ticket water for the first time.
After finding the fish, feature finding is probably one of the most important factors in my angling. Sometimes I won't attempt to do it until later in the session depending on what fish activity is present. However it always becomes an important part of my approach during a session. I have recently written an article on this very subject for Carpworld (148?). This details why I look for something slightly different on the bottom. In the past my main focus was on gravel pits, however since moving up North my fishing has been on a number of Silty mere's and the need for accurate feature finding has become more apparent. One of the main reasons for this is because there aren't that many easily found/felt features. I do often sling a few hookbaits at showing carp, however when it comes to actually introducing bait I will search out a feature. Obviously some can be found on memory, but some are also pretty small by any ones standard, therefore a marker system is always required to locate them time and time again, but believe me the effort is very worthwhile.

This is an approach that I carry on to every water I fish, be it the productive Chilham Mill, Redesmere or the North Sea! Finding an attractive feeding spot for the Carp is a very important part of my attack so I always carry that marker rod.

On your main water, if fishing a swim that you have fished several times, do you still use a marker rod for feature finding and if so, for how long.
It really depends on the size of the spot and depth I need to locate. If the area is the size of a tennis court and Carp have shown themselves then I am very reluctant to cast anything there other than my hookbaits. However if I am looking for something small and very specific like a small 'mussel crater' or 'trough' then I will have a flick with the marker. If it's the difference between one extra bite and a blank then I will always do it. I deem this element very important, however you always have to strike a balance between finding a decent spot to present a bait and disturbing every fish in your swim by 'thrashing' the place to a foam. Be sensible.

Do you use anything special for feature finding in the way of tackle etc.
A pretty standard Marker set-up with a 1' tail. Whiplash braid mainline for extra sensitivity.

Does this set up change for being used in weed or at long range etc and if so, how.
For long-range work I might change the colour and shape of my marker float for better visibility and aerodynamics. Black flights are often easier to see at 80 yrds+ dependent on conditions. For fishing in weed at close to medium range, I often use a smaller lead, a longer tail for the lead to be attached to and a pretty buoyant marker float so that it can fight its way through the weed on its way up for a 'breather'!

7. FISH SPOTTING AND WATER CRAFT.
How important do you think that this is to your fishing and does it make any differences to your results or confidence.
This is probably the most important element of my fishing. As I have emphasised throughout these questions, everything else is secondary to me, even bait! Not even a mainline bait can catch a carp if there aren't any near you, after all I don't think there smelling senses are like sharks!
There is no better feeling than seeing carp in front of you before you set up. It's an even better feeling when they 'lump' out after you have cast out! So even though I like following 'hunches' every now and again, most of the time where bank space allows, I will try my best to locate some fish activity. This is the single most important element in angling of any sort.

How much time do you spend on the water when not fishing looking for fish etc.
Obviously were distance allows I will spend a lot of time at the lakeside. I enjoy doing this anyway, so it's never a chore. I always think its worthwhile to have a visit in the week to speak to some anglers and have a good look around before possibly developing a mental picture of where the carp might be come your next session. Sometimes seeing other anglers fish makes me want to go even more. On a new water that I have been fishing, I have probably spent more than 20-30 days in a boat just rowing around the lake and feeding spots and have only fished for 3 nights. However I have had a right result and feel better educated for it. My time is limited due to work constraints so any opportunity I can 'nick' to actually view fish or pre-bait a few spots, is always very worthwhile. Again this is an element that I try to utilise as much as possible.

What do you look for.
Any sign is better than no sign. Unless the Carp are physically 'flying' out the lake or rolling then I look for more subtle signs. Especially in winter everything needs to be investigated. Obviously some signs are more promising than others such as flat spots, bubbling/fizzing and even line bites. However if all is quiet then gas bubbles often represent a disturbance of some kind. Also bream activity can be better than no fish activity at all. I have lost count of the number of times I have caught when carp movement has been minimal and I have followed the signs of bream. Never ignore the 'slimy buggers' because Carp are never a million miles away.

Do you keep written records and/or drawings etc.
I don't but I should do. I have a pretty good memory so I have normally got away with it in moderation.