Mainline Panel

Mainline Panellist Tommy De Cleen Answers Kev's Questions 1. GENERAL APPROACH TO WINTER FISHING. Baiting levels whilst actually fishing. It all depents, wich lake you fish, I fish on the Kempish canal in the winter (and use very little bait on there) 30 to 50 boilies for a 2,3 day session. Baiting levels when packing up or pre-baiting. When I pre-bait somewhere I normaly, start early in the autumn (sept!!) with about 5kg boilies to put in a few swimes, every few days. When I pack up I put in the left overs of the session. Do you scale your tackle down for the winter and if so, give some examples. I don't, normaly I got more with me!! To keep me warm and dry, and got alot of food with me and things to make hot drinks. What are your views on bait for the winter and suggest a cold water bait and with what attractor levels. I'm very confidend in the bait I use also in winter (Activ-8 and NRG) and I never change a winning combination, and I need something the works!! I know my baits work throughout the year, no need to change. What sort of swim would you choose or what features would you look for on a new water, ie snags,weed,deep water etc. When I fish on a lake/river/canal, I look for the deeper part (on the canal, I do fish in the margins, but also try to find some deeper holles) snags are good, but not to close!! 2. SNAG/WEED FISHING. What changes would you make to your tackle for fishing in weed or against snags. Never had a problem with my tackle, it's up for every angling situation. Do you always look for clear patches in the weed or would you place a baited rig actually in the weed. I see no problem, in fishing straight in the weed!! Have caught many in the weed last year 2002. 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. I lock my rods in, the mangrove rod rest, and have the cluch quite tight!!(be close to your rods) I always use danglers for indication!! Are there any differences to hitting runs when fishing in weed or snags. I never hit a fish I just pick up the rod, keep a tight line (I use brait and soft rods) and keep the fish moving. So it can't snag up (the brait is very good for this, you feel every movement of the fish). Is your baiting any different in this situations. I never use tight paches of bait, I spread it around in a large area (tinnis court size) keep the fish looking/moving for his food in winter. Explain your rig set ups and why they are used, ie; if you use short, fixed rigs, then why etc. I use a sort siff rig (max 4inch with a stick, very succesfull for me last year) the recoil rig (on the Kempish canal) and a long (6 to 8inch) super mantis rig (simple but effectif on the river). Why, because these rigs caught me fish and give me confidence!! 3. HOOKS. What patterns are your every day hooks. The semi long shank Incizor size 8, the ESP BigT and some new hooks I have been trying for Korda Are there any other hooks that you use for different styles of fishing and if so, why. The hooks I use, are (in my opinion) up fo every angling situation I inconter. Never seen a reson to change!! Confidence and succes!! Do you use the same hooks for pop-ups as you do for bottom baits. Yes I do, only when I use pop ups I use a D-rig (very sort IQ 25lb hooklink 2inch, straight of the lead). Or a Terry Hearn (the hinged stiff link). Do you ever use a hook sharpening stone. No never, when a hook is blunt (it gets binned). What knot do you use for tying your hooks. Knotless knot!! 4. POP-UPS. Why use a pop-up. To present a bait of the bottom. When do you use a pop-up. To do something diffrend for a change, not realy been using them much. Try them on every session, but if your catching good on bottem baits why change. Are there any other rig changes when fishing with a pop-up, ie length of hook length, hook size, wieght of lead, fixed lead or running lead. No, in my opinion the simpler the beter How do you make your pop-ups. Ie;do you use cork balls, microwave them or other. I use the polaris pup up mix to make them, and use the ready made ones. Do you increase the attractor levels when making pop-ups. Oh yeah!! 5. 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. I do spend quite some time finding features, I rate the very high (even just a few stones somewhere). b) Fishing a fun type water that you may visit from time to time in the hope of some action. I'm more of a session angler, on pressured lakes or fishing on the river. c) Visiting a day ticket water for the first time. I never fished such a lake, don't like (sort day sessions) like to be out there too much!! 6. FISH SPOTTING AND WATER CRAFT. How important do you think that this is to your fishing and does it make any differences to you results or confidence. From the years of experiance, I always seem to know where to fish (you need to read the water you fish) look/walk around. How much time do you spend on the water when not fishing looking for fish etc. I look when I do my baiting up, and when I'm fishing..... What do you look for. Fish (bubbling, jumping, head and sholdering). Do you keep written records and/or drawings etc. Yeah I do, not as much as I should do (but my brain works very well)