Dear Spug,
I am new to carp angling and was wondering what is the best type of bait. Also, what are the best ways for making my bait more attractive to carp? I am upgrading from match angling where I have been using small baits such as maggots, worms, meat, and sweetcorn. Currently I just add groundbait to attract the fish into my swim, but with carp fishing there is such a wide range of bait. I would appreciate as much information and tips as you could possibly give.

Many thanks,
Mark Brewer, Middleton.

Dear Gaz Fareham,
My friend is always telling me that my rig lengths are too long and that I should shorten them. Does the size matter, and if so should I be using different lengths for different occasions?

Many thanks,
Stuart Hamilton, Grantham.

Dear Spug,
How long will a frozen boilie stay fresh once it is in the lake? I am always concerned that if it remains uneaten in the swim for a couple of days it may start to turn and go past its best. If the bait has started to turn does it then become more appealing and easier to digest, or does it become more repellent to the carp?

Cheers,
Tony Parker, Lancashire.

Dear Spug,
Tight lines, slack lines, locked up, and clipped up – what do these phrases mean and when should they be used?

Mr. S. Holloway, Salford.

Dear Spug,
I have been fishing an eight-acre gravel pit for a couple of years now. It’s got a big head of carp with at least 60 above the magical 20lb mark, and from my experience I have found that the carp do like a bed of bait to feed on. I took up spodding last year and my catch rate has improved. However, with it currently being winter, I’m not sure when the carp start to feed so I’m puzzled as to when I should start introducing bait again. My question to you is when would be the best time to start introducing bait into the lake again? Please help.

Regards,
Nick Williams, Hull.

Dear Spug,
I usually go fishing most weekends, to Frant Lakes, or in a secluded lake behind the industrial estate in Tunbridge Wells. I catch a lot of carp but they are always small. I can never seem to hook a 15lb+ carp! I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong, maybe it’s just my tactics! Can you suggest any top tips to help me increase my PB?

Thanks,
Oliver Millson, Kent.

Dear Spug,
I am pretty new to fishing; I have been on occasions but I have never really had the money to really make a go of it. I now have a job and a half-decent wage, and want to start going regularly. I have the majority of the gear I need and soon I’m going to a local fishery for a day session. I just want to know, because of the cold weather, what is the best approach to take in terms of bait and rigs, and also which features should I be aiming for when placing my bait, to maximise my catching chances.

Cheers,
Kieron McDonald, Stoke.

Dear Spug,
I am writing to you for your expert advice and to resolve a long-standing dispute between my boyfriend and I. My boyfriend is a keen carp angler and has been for many years. However, over the past few years my fridge has been taken over with his containers of soaking hookbaits. On numerous occasions I have asked him why he can’t just leave them in buckets and keep them in his fishing van, but he has told me that they must stay in the fridge to keep fresh. Is this really the case, or can he move them out so I can have my fridge back?
Hope you can help.
Jo Cooke, Cambs.

Hello Team,
I am new to the carp scene and rather confused, so I am hoping you can help me, especially with winter on the way. I am trying to find out about different boilie types. I have read about birdfood and fishmeal, but which are best suited to different times of the year? I am not that good a carper yet, but I am hoping to get better with a little help!
Thank you – any help would be appreciated.

Kevin Jones, Aylesbury.

Dear Mainline Team,
Please could you give me some advice!!
I have recently started using fresh frozen baits, but I am desperate for advice regarding what is best. Do I re-freeze them, as I only fish one 24hr-session per week? Do I air-dry them in a mesh bag? If so, please could you explain the principles of air-drying, how long bait will last, and the process of rehydrating. The last thing I want to do is to harm the carp and upset the carp gods!
Your advice on this matter would be a massive help!!!
Thank you,
Lee Wade, Lancs.

Dear Spug,
The lake I am fishing is stuffed with crayfish, and when I wind in my bait is either gone or chewed. At the moment I am using single bottom baits surrounded by boilies, or just single bright pop-up hookbaits. I haven’t used anything other than boilies. Do you think another form of hookbait would be better? I cannot use tiger nuts as they are banned. Any tips would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,
Joanne Lee, Hertfordshire.

Dear Spug,
I have accumulated a number of flavourings in my garage. Would it be possible to use them to make up a few bait dips and what ingredients, quantities and strength would be required? Could you also give me any advice on a particular summer flavour?
Yours faithfully,

Steve Booth, Cheshire

Dear Mainline Team,
I’m fishing with mesh PVA bags but have a problem with the bag coming off on the cast. Can you help?
Greg McNally, Birmingham

Dear Spug,
I have been fishing an 8-acre gravel pit for some years now. Last year was the first time I had tried spodding out bait and I must admit my catch rate certainly improved. Could you please suggest a couple of bait items I should try in my spod mix this coming spring to increase my catch rate even further? Please help.
Regards,

Lee Hitchborne, Cambridgeshire.

Dear Roman Buczynski,
The lake I am currently fishing has a ban on leader materials of any kind. Everybody has to use tubing, but because the lakebed is choddy the tubing never quite sits neatly, and I am sure this is costing me bites. I won’t use main line straight through because I have seen this damage these pretty carp in the past. Do you have any suggestions on how I can get around this problem?

P Creasy, Wiltshire.

Dear Mike Redfern,
I am thinking of making some of my own recipe boilies and I would like to know a few things. Firstly, what are the main ingredients and additives I need to use and in what quantities? Also, how do you know if you have used too much, or that the carp are not hungry? And finally, can you make boilies of 30mm+ that include small particles? If so, how?
Thank you,

Trevor Sibley, Suffolk.

Dear Mike Redfearn,
I keep reading in various magazines about glugging hookbaits. Excuse me for sounding a bit naïve, but as I am fairly new to carp fishing, what, exactly, is meant by this term and what are the benefits of carrying out such an act? Also, could you please recommend a couple of these glugs that I could possibly use to my advantage?
Hope you can help.

Colin Gilbert

Dear Mike ‘Spug’ Redfern,
I normally fish for 24 hours at a time, but I am planning to fish for a week-long session soon. Please could you give me some tips in the way of preparation, e.g. would you have a different bait strategy?
Many thanks,

Joanne Lee, Hertfordshire.

Dear Mat Woods,
How can I improve my chances of catching when casting towards showing carp?

Ken Brampton, Hull.

Dear Simon Crow,
I have recently started fishing a local day ticket carp fishery. The regulars I have spoken to say that freezer baits are far more successful than shelf lifes. Can you explain the difference between the two baits and the correct way to prepare frozen boilies.
Thanks a lot,

Ben Allan, Surrey

Dear Rob Hughes,
I am currently fishing a well known three-acre pit, which receives an awful amount of pressure. Because of other commitments, I can only spend 24 hours there at a time. Can you give me any advice as to how I can increase my chances of catching some of the larger carp that reside there?
Many thanks,

Gary Brown