In article , Stef
wrote:
hi all i am going to fish a local pond next week .... i have not fished for
quite a few years and want to start up again, all the new gizmos and gadgets
that are out these day i have never seen before and wouldn't know what or
how to use them anyway .....

That's OK. You don't need them.

Just use the same tackle and methods you used to. The fish haven't changed.
You will probably be a little rusty but it will come back to you - then it
will be time to reassess and maybe consider new tackle in the light of your
renewed experience.

the question i am asking is there anyone who
could give me some advise on how to fish a well stocked pond in winter ie
what size hook and strength line what method to use and baits , fish in
shallow or deeper water etc i would be grateful for any comments

That rather depends what it's well stocked with - and what the weather and
water conditions are on the day.

As a very rough guide: The brighter and colder the weather and the clearer
the water the finer you must fish. If you can lay some your line on the
bottom you can use stronger line and larger hooks.

On a strange water I suggest you try to alternate between fishing two
adjacent swims with different gear. Begin by stirring up the bottom (or
throwing in good handfuls of mud) in an area two or three metres deep and
easy to fish into. Feed it with a very little breadcrumb or three or four
maggots every minute and fish it with a float and #16 hook close to the
bottom baiting with punched bread or maggot. At the same time find
somewhere with some cover - there may be some remaining lillypads or an
overhanging evergreen - and throw in a good double handful of chopped
lobworms or sweetcorn or (if you can remember the gentle cast required to
use flake) soaked bread. Fish that area with stronger tackle hard on the
bottom with a whole, head-hooked lob, two or three corns or flake on a #4
hook.

Give each area attention for a while letting the other recover from any
disturbance caused by your rustiness - keep your eyes open and be ready to
adapt and you more than double your chances.

But if there's a sudden, hard frost you're going to struggle whatever you
do.

Have fun. Cheerio,

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