THERE’S MORE TO FEEDER FISHING THAN JUST WEIGHT
OVER the course of a season I get a lot of questions sent to me about feeder fishing on rivers.
One of the most common themes is about how to get the feeder to hold the bottom in fast flow. The obvious answer is to keep adding weight until there’s enough to stop it moving. There are several other things you can do to make things easier, though.
First, think about your mainline. The thinner it is, the less drag there will be on it from the current. It needs to be strong enough to cast the feeder you are using, of course, and it also needs to be strong enough to handle the fish you’re targeting, but I’ve seen people using mainlines that are far too thick. In terms of diameter, I carry river feeder lines between 0.18mm and 0.30mm. These cover everything from tiny lightweight feeders up to those carrying 8oz of lead plus the contents inside!
The next thing to consider is where you actually cast the feeder. I always start off in front and cast the feeder just slightly upstream before letting it sink to the bottom. I them pay out a lot of slack line to put a bow in the line. This then ‘sets’ against the rod-tip and you’ll find you can get away with much less weight on the feeder than if you’re fishing directly tight to it. Give these things a try next time you’re struggling to hold bottom.