Lee Kerry –

26-31 Method basics

THE Method feeder is ‘the’ ultimate commercial fish catching tactic, bar none. “The Method is so good and the presentation so faultless that, if used correctly, you can’t fail to score. It is the definitive carp-catching tactic on man-made waters,” asserted Lee at Hayfield Lakes, near Doncaster.

Why is it so good?

Having a flat profile, the Method sits neatly and unobtrusively on the lakebed and offers perfect loosefeed and hookbait presentation. For Lee, the Method is all about setting a trap. “It enables you to accurately place all your bait, both loosefeed and hookbait, in a tight area, where you want to catch fish,” he explained.

Loosefeed

Micro pellets are the first choice for most anglers. These are used because they are small, so they stick well to each other. Lee also adds a small handful of groundbait to his pellet mix to ensure that the payload sticks firmly to the feeder until it hits bottom. To load the feeder Lee completely fills the mould, before firmly pressing the feeder into the pellets. This creates a hard base layer. He then places the hookbait in the mould, and half fills the

mould, pressing down slightly softer this time. When the feeder hits the bottom, the softer top layer will break down relatively quickly, leaving the hookbait sitting proudly on a bed of pellets to achieve perfect presentation, every time!

Hookbait choice

“Fish in commercials see a lot of Method feeders, so the hookbait has to be right in order for them to choose yours,” said Lee. “For me, it’s not just colour that is important, size also matters. I use mini Band ’Ums

(5mm) for small carp, F1s and skimmers then swap to a 9mm Band ’Um for larger carp.” Lee classes his baits as either hi-viz or muted. So, he may alternate between white and orange for example, but will try swapping over to a dark red or brown hookbait if the bright ones fail to provoke a response. The silhouette created by the darker baits can often be more visible to cruising fish than strong colours.

Lee’s Method set-up

A small-framed 30g feeder will cast well and is heavy enough to create the bolt effect. If you need more feed, then cast more regularly. His hooklink is 4in long, terminating in a size 16 PR27 hook. This is tied knotless knot style and includes a bait band, which enables him to use any hookbait.

Lee uses hookbaits in different sizes and colours