Tommy Pickering’s pellet feeder tips

THE Method and Banjo are my favourite feeders for carp, but there are times when a pellet feeder works just as well as, if not better, than either.

A pellet feeder creates a tight pile of bait on the bottom, right next to the frame rather than on it, as with a Method. In deep water, pellets hold inside this type of feeder for longer than on a frame feeder, where the entire bait is exposed to the water as soon as it lands. So whenever I’m fishing at depths over 7ft I use it. Fish sit in deeper water in winter, so it comes into play more in the cold.

The pellet feeder is used for micro pellets of around 2mm.

It’s important to make the pellets swell up to take on a spongy texture by soaking them in water for at least two minutes.

I fill a pellet feeder by creating a couple of compressed layers of pellets inside before I add the hookbait, so they push out easier.

1 Start by filling around a third of the feeder with the soaked pellets. 3 Repeat this until two-thirds to three-quarters of the feeder is full. 5 Apply a final gentle press with your finger or palm of the hand. 2 Press down gently on the layer with...