How long?

Q) How long do you leave a bait before deciding to
change bait or location?

Don't wish to sound unhelpful here Rick...

Don't you think it's more fun to go and try things out for yourself?

The question you have asked is almost impossible to answer - it's based on experience, knowledge of the bait's make-up and a myriad of other factors.

Experiment - you might just stumble on something and it's the only way to get that experience.

;-)

Yeah I agree that maybe it is the best way to gain experience. Can't help but laugh at your post as this is a forum to gain information on fishing. Imagine if you answered that on all posts. Personally, I think it's better to ask for more specifics if you have such a wide open question.
If this is the case here goes:
I was wondering if you could help me out?
I am fishing a river controlled by dams so it has
different flow speeds depending on what the dams are
doing.
I can see fish jumping and rolling but I cant get a
bite!?
The fish have finished spawning for quite some time
now!
I have chummed with hemp, birdseed and corn to no
avail.
I have been using scallops, worms, corn,crayfish and Berkley strawberry carp bait!
I have fished the margins the middle and the current
all at different levels. Freelining, waggler peacock
float fishing and legering. I think the problem
could be that I am not leaving my bait long enough?!
I try to chum but I end up leaving it for a week
before going back as it is quite out of the way,so I
don't think this helps me a whole lot.

Q) How long do you leave a bait before deciding to
change bait or location?

There are no other fish eating my bait and it is staying on the hook. What I want to know is how long do I leave my bait for the fish to find it?

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough! There are no other fish eating my bait and it is staying on the hook. What I want to know is, how long do I leave my bait for the fish to find it? I don't know much on carp fishing so forgive me if I am not making things clear!

i'd have to echo mike's sentiments rick....there are no hard and fast rules. i've sometimes left a bait in place for 36 hours (maize/tigers) but wouldnt feel confident leaving a boilie for that amount of time (my baits are fairly "active" so go quite soft very fast)
jumping fish aren't always feeding fish...try and find some fish feeding in the margins, and introduce some bait and see if the will eat it. you say you've tried the margins, mid water etc...is this where the fish are showing? have you tried a bait fished a couple of foot off the bottom?

The river isn't that deep(for Canada anyway)
It's about 12 feet deep and about 40-55ft wide. The fish are in the margins and in the middle splashing sometimes. The place is quite populated by carp. I was catching earlier in the year on a free lined worm and a couple of times on crayfish tails but now nothing.It's driving me nuts!!!
The river is a 45 min drive and I don't get that much time to fish, only an afternoon from say 4 to 9.30pm. Plus I only started fishing in 2000, so I am quite the novice.
I wish I had the time to spend on perfecting the technique so to speak but what with the Mrs at University and the 2 kids and work I don't get much time. I have such a love for fishing that there is no way I would want to quit. I just have to learn faster and get all the info I can.
Thanks for helping out and sorry if I sounded a little "sharp" in my second post.
Rick.

I agree with Mike and Frothey some lakes I go to if I have not had a run in a couple of hours I reel in and try something else,but the North Met that Ive a ticket for this year the baits are left in for two or three days (if the coots leave us alone),so I would try a longer time or you have not found their feeding spot yet.

Hell, you'll have to go a long way to hurt my feelings Rick!
I'm prepared to dish it out so I expect to take it back as well.
My learned colleagues appear to feel the same way as I do.
If you are just 'spoonfed' answers, you miss out on the fantastic feeling you get when you suss something out.

Fair enough mate!