Winning tricks for the feeder

It’s more than a method for catching bream and carp on the deck

THERE’S no doubting how popular feederonly matches have become in recent years – just look at the success of the FeederMasters event.

Anglers have warmed to the simplicity of the tactic and the minimal kit needed when pole and float are off limits.

We all know how good the tip is for catching large bottomfeeding bream and carp, but what if small fish are the main targets in your match? Roach, skimmers, hybrids and rudd don’t give the most positive of bites and an hour spent going after them can result in a mass of chewed maggots and the air turning a royal shade of blue.

You can still catch a netful, though, if you stop to think about how you are fishing, at what depth bites are coming from and how quickly you are getting them. Anglers who fish the Irish festival circuit are masters at picking off fast-biting roach and hybrids, and their approach can be adapted to work equally well on home soil.

This approach typically involves using a long hooklink, a slow-falling bait and a groundbait mix that empties quickly, giving out a cloud.

The aim is to get bites from fish feeding well off bottom that would otherwise follow a bait down to the deck and then ignore it. Keeping a tight line at all times is another key skill to master as bites come quickly and are very sharp tugs on the quivertip.

Typical of such a venue is the Middle Level Drain in Norfolk, which is enjoying something of a small-fish renaissance. Big bream are still match winners but they’re not in every peg and, often, going for the small fish is your best bet for a good weight.

You could catch these fish on the pole, but when the Fen winds blow and blow hard, often the feeder is the only sensible way to fish. Sensas Mark One man Ray Malle was happy to demonstrate on the King’s Lynn AA-controlled Magdalen Bridge section.

WHERE TO FISH

“There’s no point trying to catch small fish by casting to the far bank when you can get them at short range,” he said.

“Bites are more positive at close range and you convert more as a result, so I’d be underarm casting the feeder out to around 14m, which is the normal pole line on the Middle Level. There’s 15ft of water here, the same as you’ll find right across, so why waste time going the full distance?”

WIND THEM ON

“Bites are very sharp, typical of small fish, so to maximise my chances of a hook-up every cast, I keep the line tight and almost wind the fish on,” Ray continued.

“A tight line means that when a fish grabs the bait as it falls, the indication is exaggerated, thanks to using braid, and the tip bangs round. All I need to do is lean into the bite gently and the fish will be on – often, simply winding the reel handle will be enough to hook them.”