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Pop ups for the vast majority of my fishing (currently its all I’m using). Occasionally, I’ll use a wafter or balanced bottom bait/snowman. Can’t remember the last time I used a straight boilie bottom bait.

Iv used the cool box method, soak for over 24 hrs empty most of the water out then kettles of hot water cover with a old mat to keep the heat in. Id leave it for at least 48hrs. Keep a little water back for mixing with my ground bait for bream fishing

1,000,000%

Its just not so domestically friendly 😁 If I keep on I will need a burco I think tbh anyway, I'm quite enjoying prepping my own particles at the moment, they always seem fresher and better than shop bought or frozen

The cool box method is pants compared to proper prep mate. Soak, boil, simmer. You'll be able to turn the pan on it's side and it'll not fall out it's so gloopy👍

I've just been using the cool box method soaking for at least 24hrs in boiling water seems to work fine, I find if I leave them for 48h they are gloopier 24hrs and they are a bit but sugar is meant to accelerate this process?

As Yonny implies, there is no substitute for personal experience. I have also observed the same thing and have been using very short rigs for some time. From the millisecond the carp takes the bait there is a chance of it being ejected. I believe the longer the hook link, the more time you are giving the carp a chance to eject your bait. That is why I prefer short and active rigs. I seem to be out of step with the rest of you because I still use bottom baits in preference to pop ups. That may be more a failing of my pop up technique than anything else.

Agreed, it isn't based on total guesswork I was using 4 inch rigs in bags and getting more bites now 7-8 or longer and less bites, naturally it needs to be a firm spot so it presents but I think with all the rudd and nuisance fish it will be getting moved all over the shop, so it makes sense to make them shorter

This is more important than any hypothetical stuff imo. Logic and fact beats theory all day👍

If I put any particle in in the winter, it is normally well soaked pigeon conditioner, hemp and sweetcorn. I don't know why, I tend to avoid larger particles like maize, black eyes, maples etc, especially since maize is apparently such a good winter feed.

On the reservoir I had one rod on a pop-up, one on a snowman and one with a standard double bottom bait. Each session I caught, it was always a particular presentation that caught, despite putting one of the others on the same spot. So if I caught on a double bottom bait, that is the only thing that caught on that spot, even though I would swap rods and try another. The snowman and bottom bait rods were fished at the same distance, at either side of the bed of bait. My beds or baiting situation was chicken corn or hemp or the two mixed with boilies over the top, fished with stringers.

Not used one in years! On the rare occasion I need to use a bottom bait I'll use a hardened hook bait. Likewise. I can almost guarantee the length of the rig has nothing to do with your catching/not catching buddy. This is not a problem imo. The rig (assuming it is capable of presenting effectively) is not as important as many think imo.

I think i may have sussed the difference between my catching and not catching, it isn't the use of a PVA bag, the type of hookbait, it's the length of the rig, when I stopped using bags my rigs naturally got longer,probably to the same length as everyone else, hmmm I remember saying hookbait doesn't really matter its the feeding situation, So in theory a pva bag full of 18mm baits with an 18mm bottom bait on a shorter rig is the ideal situation if its a clean dinner table, hard to distinguish which one is the hookbait, and they may trough the lot get nicked by the shorter rig resulting in more takes boom

I found i got on OK with braid before, the problems came when I didn't wet it first, and my last braid was like tow rope so it didn't like being reeled in without a winch 🙄 that was the main reason for trying mono line as I had some in stock that I knew would be OK for casting etc. just think its less hassle with braid and as I am forgetting Important things like toastie makers and water carriers etc I think simple is best and straight through is more elmo proof 😂 you can just use it, change a lead to a spod or rake or whatever without having to think about it, perfect👌

Yep it’s an edge as everyone else doesn’t do it as they use pimped up baits lol