What is a pellet feeder?

In feeder terminology, pellet feeders are somewhere between a cage and a Method. Although they deliver a much smaller payload, they are best fished in conjunction with a very short 3in-4in hooklink, the same as when using a Method feeder. Their unique scoop shape means that they are extremely user-friendly, as your bait/loosefeed preparation doesn’t need to be as exact as it does when Method feeder fishing. “Because the pellet feeder has a hood, it means that you don’t need to push the loosefeed in as hard,” Pemb said. “This has two distinct advantages. The first is that in deep water or for long casts, the hood offers the payload protection as it hits the surface or falls through the water column. “The second advantage, which is a real ‘biggie’ in my book, is that because you don’t have to push the loosefeed into the feeder so firmly you can fish with very soft hookbaits such as expander pellets, corn or meat without having that niggling feeling that you’ve squashed the bait when loading the loosefeed.” A further selling point of pellet feeders over Method feeders is that because of their shape, the fish can only approach the frame from one direction to get at the feed. With a Method feeder, on the other hand, once its payload has broken down the pellets will spread over a handsized area. The fish can then feed on the loose bait without necessarily touching the hookbait. With a pellet feeder, to get at the goodies inside, they first have to encounter the hookbait. This means that the pellet feeder is a much more efficient catching tool, especially when the fish are being a bit finicky in their feeding habits. A final benefit of fishing a pellet feeder is the sheer range of baits that can be fed through it. They are chiefly designed to be fished with micros or 4mm pellets as loosefeed, but thanks to their scoop-shaped profile a whole host of baits can be used in the hopper. “I quite often chop and change the baits I’m using throughout a session,” Pemb said. “Things like corn, maggots, hard pellets, a mixture of soft and hard pellets, liquidised bread or even chopped worms can all be effectively fished through a pellet feeder. All you have to do is cap it off with a little groundbait to hold the loosefeed in place.”