POT OR CATAPULT? IT DEPENDS...
Q How do you decide whether to feed with a pot or by catapult? Steven Morris, Wolverhampton
Steve says: The answer to this is down to experience – both can be great ways of catching fish. Often, over the course of five hours’ fishing, I’ll try both methods as at times one can be better than the other. For instance, if I’m struggling and want to pull some fish into the swim I will pick up the catty and try and make something happen.
Feeding by catapult creates a
Q As it’s getting colder, do I need to scale down the size of pellets I use on the bomb? Pete, via email
Steve says: I wouldn’t say scale down the size as such, as 8mm hard pellets catch a lot of carp in the cold. What I would say, though, is you should start to think about how many pellets you are feeding.
In summer it’s a case of feeding heavily to keep bites coming, but once the temperature drops this all changes and sometimes feeding as little as two or three pellets at a time is more than enough to catch a cold-water carp or two.
So, to answer your question, big pellets are still fine in the cold, but just think about how many you are feeding to begin with. better fish-attracting noise as the loose offerings hit the surface. The downside can be trying to keep the bait tight, so often I’ll use the catapult to try and attract fish and then, when they arrive, I will switch to a pot to keep catching them.
I will be honest, though, and say that in the cold, accuracy is key. For that reason I tend to use a pole pot a lot more, as I can’t afford to be spreading bait about.
Q How long would you leave your feeder out when fishing for skimmers? Baz Chapman, Coventry
Steve says:There is no golden rule, of course, as every day is different, but what I have noticed for smaller skimmers is that you don’t ‘bore’ many fish on to the hook by casting out and leaving the bait sitting there.
I’d look to cast every three minutes while the weather is still mild but change this to every five minutes in the cold. I’d then review the situation after 90 minutes. If I’m catching I’ll carry on, but if there are very few bites to work with I’d try leaving the feeder out a little bit longer.
A tip in the cold if you plan on casting regularly is to drop down a feeder size. A smaller feeder produces less disturbance on the cast and makes it easier to regulate how much bait you are feeding.