Dear Team Mainline,
Hi, I have been carp fishing for the last three years with mixed success, but one of the things that still confuses me is Hair length. I watch a number of shows and read the magazines quite a bit, but everyone seems to use different Hair lengths. Some like to have the bait close to the hook, whereas others like a long Hair. Is there a certain length that should match certain baits, or when you are fishing on the bottom or popped up?

Many thanks,
David Kimberley

Dear Mark Pitchers
I am planning a prebaiting campaign on a new water this spring. The water is around 35 acres and holds about 150 carp between 10-30lb, with depths ranging from 2-7ft. The lake has a few sand bars and large weedbeds on the marginal shelves. Can you give me any tips on how many, and what types of areas I should be prebaiting in order to maximise my chances of success this spring?

Many thanks
K. Allen

Dear Team Mainline
I have been carp fishing for just over 12 months and so far I have used shelf life boilies. Recently I have started making my own boilies using Mainline ingredients, but I am unsure on the subject of freezing them. I quite often do 48-hour sessions and have boilies left over – is it safe to refreeze them?

Mike Annesley

Dear Spug
I fish a lake where the carp very rarely show themselves – no jumping, and no bubbling up. I got myself a pair of binoculars and now I do see the carp on the surface on sunny days. The lake is 6ft deep and there is no surface fishing or night fishing allowed. I am seeing the carp between 11.30 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. and then they are gone. What rig setup should I use to tempt them in this short space of time, as I only intend to fish for them for 3-4 hours. I would appreciate any help.

Thanks, Garry Legge

Dear Spug
I am planning my first winter campaign on a local gravel pit of around 20 acres. The lake has a fairly uniform bottom and an average depth of around 10ft, with a stock of around 150 carp. Can you give me any tips on how to find the fish and maximise my chances of catching a few this winter?

Dear Spug

Last winter I fished a lake on a common, and it has some nice carp but also has a lot of crayfish, and they drove me mad. They were tangling my braided rig and having the hookbait off in 15 minutes, but I’m not going to give up and I am going back again this winter for another go. I am thinking of giving plastic corn a go but I have little confidence in it. What else could I try? Any tips on areas to look for that crays don't like would be appreciated.

Thanks - Garry Legge

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