Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
One size does’t fit all – how to modify your feeders
Moderating your loosefeeding regime can transform your results at this time of year. Here’s how matchman Jamie Read uses modified feeders to bag up on bream
MUCH attention is paid to the way anglers feed when using the pole, but that same level of scrutiny is rarely applied when the feeder rod comes out. Whether it’s tapping in a few maggots or pinging in pellets via a catapult, there’s always a theory behind the way you prime your pole lines. But when the feeder is the tactic of choice, chucking it out and ‘hoping for the best’ is often seen as a perfectly acceptable approach. If careful feeding is paramount to success at close quarters then surely the same level of care should be employed at feeder range? Jamie Read certainly believes so, and has devised a way of moderating how much bait he introduces when fishing the tip. “If you need to tap a few pellets in on the pole then logic suggests that you should replicate that on the feeder to experience the same levels of success,” explained the Swindon-based matchman. “I have tried several quick and easy ways of doing this over the years but I have now settled on tampering with my feeders so they hold difffferent amounts of bait – and it has worked an absolute treat.”
Modified feeders
At a time of year when the weather can be often unsettled, Jamie relies on a feeder that makes casting the required distance easy but then gets to work on delivering the exact quantity of bait that is needed. “Preston Innovations Distance Cage Feeders have all their weight loading at the front so they cast extremely well and hit the desired spot without much effort,” he says. “But in their original form they are often too big for the amount of feed I require so I cut them down. The feeders are five decks of squares high but I have modified lots of them so that I have feeders ready for use that are four, three, two and one deck of squares in size.” Chopping the feeders down can be done with a pair of side-cutting pliers, and a file is also required to smooth down any sharp edges that could damage the rig. A short length of 20lb fluorocarbon is attached via a crimp on either side of the feeder and this is then clipped on to a feeder link that runs along the mainline. “This set-up enables me to change the feeder quickly. I’ll start the day by having a couple of chucks with the biggest feeder to get a small bed of bait down, and then I’ll swap to the smallest. “This feeder introduces five times less than the biggest, which is a substantial reduction, but I can easily step up the size if I feel the fish are demanding more bait.”
Never miss a bite
Bream are often the target with this approach, and their finicky nature means that a versatile rig is required so that you can tweak your end rig to suit the fish’s feeding preferences on the day. On venues where fixed rigs are allowed, Jamie places a rubber float stop either side of the feeder link on the mainline, and regularly moves them throughout the session. “On some days the bream will pick up the bait and drop it instantly. When it is like this I have the feeder locked in place between the stops to create a bolt rig effect that hooks the fish as soon as they take the bait,” said Jamie. “If I am missing bites because the fish are just nicking the end of the hookbait, I move the float stop up the line so that the feeder can slide a little but more. This gives the fish extra time to swallow it, and by the time they feel the weight of the feeder it’s too late to eject the bait.” When bream are the only species on offer Jamie uses 6lb reel line paired with a 0.10mm hooklength, stepping this up to 0.13mm if bonus big carp could be on the cards. A size 16 Kamasan B911 hook baited with a hair-rigged worm completes the set-up. Barston Lakes is one of Jamie’s favourite haunts and he invited IYCF to join him for a session at the West Midlands complex. Using a blend of Bait-Tech Pro Natural Bream and F1 groundbaits, Jamie kickstarted the swim by casting out a few fully-loaded large feeders. With no indications in the early stages, he put on the smallest feeder and, although patience was required, the tip eventually went round after 45 minutes. As sport improved, Jamie stepped up his feeder size to provide the extra bait required to hold the bream’s attention. Whenever he started to get line bites, he scaled back to the smallest feeder to force the fish to focus on the hookbait, and it worked a treat, with 40lb of bream and skimmers his reward. “In winter it’s all about easing your way into the session, being careful with the amount you feed, and my approach makes that possible,” concluded Jamie.