Feeding the bomb line

With the long-range feeder, I make around four casts per hour. Conversely, on the short 20m line, I am looking to set a trap, similar to the way you would when margin fishing in the summer. At the start of the session I feed an entire tin of sweetcorn over a reasonably wide area before leaving it for at least two hours. I think this initial loosefeed will get eaten reasonably quickly, therefore, when I do come to cast over it, I should get a take fairly quickly. The fish are forced to take the hookbait because there is very little else around to eat. I compare it to feeding ducks. If you feed bread, you’ll draw a couple of ducks, before a load more turn up. It will then be a feeding frenzy for a few minutes until all the bread is gone. At this point, they won’t fly off, though, they simply hang around waiting for the next lot. I think carp have a similar mentality. If the bites start to slow, this means they want more loosefeed, but only feed a little as this helps to hold them again for much longer. Regarding the bomb, I use a very light set-up. A half-ounce free-running Guru bomb is paired with a 12in, 0.16mm (6lb 6oz) hooklink and a size 16 MWG hook. Once on the corn line, I will regularly switch between this one and the longer feeder line, so that I don’t totally plunder one area. These five pointers may not exactly be rocket science, but they are tried and tested and, more importantly, they work, and work very well. I reckon angling is always better when everything is kept so simple. A bit like me really!

Another Washtercaught F1 goes into the net

A squirt of XL Scopex liquid gives the corn a boost