Feeder Fishing Commercials – Part 4 - Casting, Accuracy and Rod Placement

Casting Accuracy 

 Accurate casting is, I think, essential for all forms of legering. It is something that many anglers struggle with. But it really is about practice, technique, practice, confidence and practice. 

 Distance is probably the easiest to master. With a line clip you can hit the same distance time after time. The most important thing is to cast with confidence and hit the clip firmly with every cast. 

 Some will worry about using a clip when targeting carp. If casting to a far bank the clip can be used with confidence. If a fish is hooked it can only swim left or right and side strain with a low rod tip should see it under control. In open water, if you are not confident of using the clip there are a couple of things you can do to maintain accurate distance without clipping up. 

First is to find your desired distance then put a rubber band around the reel spool. This will stop the cast in flight like a line clip but can be pulled off by a big fish if it runs away from you. 

Second is to again find your distance and then tie some line onto the main line with a sliding knot just in front of the reel. When casting listen for the sliding knot to rattle through the rod rings, trap the line on the spool and the feeder should land at about the same distance each time. Once tightened up to the feeder the knot should be visible either between the rod rings or just off the tip. 

 It is a good idea to count how many turns of the reel handle it takes to retrieve the feeder. If you have to take the line off the clip, or the rubber band gets pulled off you can, within a few casts, get the distance perfect again. 

One thing to teach yourself is to have the rod in the same position as the feeder hits the line clip. I prefer to drop the rod to the side. Others hold the rod above their head. 

Perfection is stopping the feeder in flight a foot or two above the water so that it falls just that distance before hitting the surface. Whether you then keep a tight or slack line to the feeder as it sinks is personal choice. Sometimes dictated by the depth of water. 

Direction is a matter of lining up with a marker and a repeatable casting action, muscle memory as it is known in some sports. 

My method to achieve accuracy at distance is as follows. With the feeder hanging from the rod tip position the rod so it is pointing back over your head. One hand should be on the reel seat with finger trapping the line, bail arm open. The other hand should be on the butt end. I then line up the rod handle between my hands (reel above eye line, butt below) with the far bank marker I have chosen. The rod should be vertical as you see it and from the side it is angled back over the head. Sweep the rod forward so that the tip ends up aiming at the marker (and remember to release the line). This way the tip has described a straight line from behind the head to pointing in front so the feeder must be projected along that same line. 

 If you have a dominant eye it can help to close the weaker one. 

 Put the two together. Distance and direction and you have your accuracy. If you want to master these then have a day when you leave all other rods and poles at home, just take the leger gear and fish that for five or six hours. By the end of the day you should have the accuracy nailed. 

Short Casts 

There is though a different technique I employ when only casting around sixteen metres, maximum twenty. That is an underhand lob. The benefits of this style of cast is that the feeder travels slower than overhead casting and you can see the feeder all the way to the target. The feeder can land softer and thus the underhand is ideal for snake type lakes. 

The technique is simple. Hold the rod in one hand, elbow on the butt, in front of you at around 45 degrees. Allow the feeder to hang quite a way from the tip and at the same time pull some line from the reel with your free hand. Start to pendulum the feeder in line with the spot you are aiming for. As the feeder swings towards you flick the rod upwards and also pull line with the free hand to compress the rod tip. Release the line and let the feeder arc towards your target. You can watch the feeder and feather the line to achieve a very good accuracy. Once mastered you can make the feeder “plop” into the water with little disturbance. 

 You can use a line clip with this method though I don't bother most of the time. 

I demonstrate the cast in this video, click the link

Underarm Cast

Rod Placement, Bites and Time 

Many newcomers to commercial feeder fishing can be confused by how others set up their rod to detect a bite. The simple guideline is that is doesn't matter. 

As long as there is some kind of angle between the line direction from the tip and the rod then a bite will register.  You could, in extreme circumstances point the rod straight down the line and rely on either the baitrunner facility or a butt mounted indicator to register that a fish has hooked itself. 

So anywhere between the rod pointing along the bank to pointing nearly at the feeder will do. 

Is there a correct way to position the rod? That is should it be across the body or off to the side the butt is resting. For myself, most often the butt is resting on a pole rest on my rear box leg and that then means the rod will point away from my body to the right (I'm right handed). But if it is more convenient to mount it pointing to the left and the butt resting on something else I don't mind. 

That then brings me on to feeder arms. Are they essential? Not in my opinion. I do carry one but rarely use it. I place the rod anywhere that is convenient. That could be on the keepnet, on my bucket, the lip of the platform, on a bankstick mounted rest or on a feeder arm if none of the others can be used. 

The reason I'm not fussed about rod position is that bites using this kind of feeder are generally unmissable. That said line bites can be mistaken for real bites and cause frustration. More about that below. 

Fishing the Method feeder or similar is a self hooking, bolt rig type of fishing. Once a fish feels the hook it will, on most occasions, swim off at a rate of knots. This will produce the unmistakeable wrap round bite. 

I have been asked about distinguishing a real bite from the effects of wind on a windy day. Basically the wind will not pull the rod off the rest. So if you wait until that nearly happens you can be certain its a fish and not mother nature. That also helps with line bites. 

To me line bites take two forms. You can get trembling and small indications on the tip as fish mill around the feeder. The other kind are when a fish brushes the line between feeder and tip. Often this will be when the fish passes under the line which rubs along its back, over the dorsal fin and then over the tail. This produces two distinct movements of the tip, after both it will resume its previous position. 

I think I have said before, when the bend in the rod reaches the middle section its time to pick the rod up as the fish is probably hooked by then.

As for how long before re-casting this varies for me with the time of year.  In Winter I will wait 15 minutes.  Summer 8-10.  Within this time though I expect to get bites a similar time after each cast.  So if I am getting bites in Summer after 5-6 minutes then I will retrieve the feeder on eight minutes, In Winter I may get bites at ten minutes and so may retrieve at twelve minutes.   

Feeder Fishing Commercials – Part 3 - Tackle

I think we are very fortunate today in that there is a wealth of good tackle available to suit all budgets. Cheap does not necessarily mean unsuitable or poor quality. 

My main rod & reel combination for commercials cost £35 for the rod and £10 for the reel. You can, of course spend a lot more. The choice is up to the individual, their circumstances and preferences. My cheap gear does all I ask of it.

 

Spending more may not get you more fish but you will get pleasure and satisfaction from owning and using something top rate.  Only you can decide.

Rods

Any rod that is sold as a “carp feeder” or “commercial feeder” rod will do the job. Less of a gamble with higher priced offerings. What you don't need is a specimen carp rod designed for taming carp of 20-60lb. We are looking at match sized carp in most commercials and that to me means predominantly fish under ten pound. There will of course be commercial venues that have a bigger average stamp of fish. So your choice of rod may be dictated by your normal venues.

One debate is to do with rod length. All bar one of my carp feeder rods are 12 foot. The odd one out is 13 foot for longer casts on bigger waters. Many people prefer a shorter rod for smaller venues and thus shorter casting distances.  In part four I describe how I use my 12 foot rods to cast underhand when the feeder does not have to travel far. Like may things this is a very personal matter that will in part be dictated by budget. If you can afford to buy 10, 11, 12 & 13 foot rods for different situations great.

If your budget is limited then I would, of course, recommend a 12 foot rod as a good compromise.

Reels

I would always recommend a Baitrunner of Freespool type reel for this kind of fishing. You may not use the facility often, but it is better, in my opinion to have it available when needed.

A 40/4000 size reel will marry with a 10 or 12 foot rod. My 13 footer has a 60/6000 sized reel on it. This is purely to aid long casting should it be needed.

Again, let your budget be your guide. My reels cost £10. Yes they will not be as smooth and not last as long as something in the over £50 bracket. But I have, for the price of one expensive reel, been able to put reels on all my rods so they are instantly available for use. So don't let price put you off.

Tips

In my opinion, with this style of fishing, the strength of the quiver tip is immaterial. This is not silvers legering where you need a sight board to see minute movements, a carp will take the rod off the rest. So no mistaking the bite and by the time you lift up the rod the fish will be hooked.

I don't even know what strength tips are in my rods. When the bend from the bite reaches the middle section its time to pick up the rod!

Hooklengths & Mainline

One thing newcomers to fishing this type of feeder find confusing is that the hooklength is often stronger than the main line. That goes against everything you have been taught. But there is logic behind it.

Hooklength line will tend to be a high tech (pre-stretched) line while the main line will be traditional (unstretched) mono. The pre-stretched line while finer for the same breaking strain is somewhat brittle and thus can break when subjected to a shock loading as when a fish bolts when it first feels the hook or when it shakes its head close in. On the pole this is countered using elastic. On the feeder we use a stronger breaking strain hooklength and the stretch in the main line, the rod's action and probably a baitrunner facility and/or reel drag to cushion the initial bite and lunges under the rod tip.

For casting purposes we want a mainline with a balance between strength and thickness. The strength to withstand the casting shock and lunges of the fish, the thinner line to aid distance. Once the feeder has been cast there will be enough stretch in the line for it to withstand the initial shock of a bite. So while we may use, say 6lb main line the hooklength could be 7, 8 or even 10lb. Even when landing the fish there is enough combined give in the line, rod and reel so that even double figure fish present no problem on 6lb mainline.

 

You could opt for a shock leader of heavier BS but for commercial feeder fishing I see no point.  Feeders tend to be fairly light and distances relatively short.  You will not normally be punching a 100g (4oz) feeder 100 yards.  A 20g feeder will easily cast 35-40 yards.

I am guessing but I should think the most popular length for hooklengths will be 4 inches. Some go for two or three, others five. Fisheries may dictate the minimum hooklength and this rule should be looked out for and abided by.

Hooks

There is no need to go overboard on strength or size for “match” sized carp. Again the cushioning of the main line will allow the use of standard carp hooks as used on the pole. I have heard Steve Ringer say that he uses the maximum size allowed by the fishery without any reduction in bites. As feeder world champion I guess he knows a thing or two. I wouldn't disagree but I would say go with what you are comfortable with.

If fish over ten pound are expected on a regular basis then I would step up to a stronger hook.  Most carp patterns have an Extra Strong version.

Feeder Fishing Commercials - Part 2 Hookbaits, Pellets & Groundbait

Hookbaits

There are a number of baits that can be used with the feeders described in part 1. Both traditional and new, manufactured type baits can work equally well. The thing I find strange is that fish can display a preference on any given day. The Method and other feeders are intended to produce a pile of free offerings in which is located the baited hook. The intention, at least in part, being that the fish will pick up the hookbait unintentionally when sucking in some of the free offerings. Indeed some have reported using a bare hook and still catching fish proving this happens.

Yet I have had several days when a change of bait has brought about a noticeable change in fortunes. It therefore pays to carry a selection of baits.

The following is my selection. There may be others but this is enough choices for me.

Maggots

Normally fished in multiples and dead (AKA dead reds). A live bunch of maggots will break up the parcel of groundbait or pellets on or in the feeder. Hence dead ones are used. There are a few ways of killing maggots.

For a few hookbaits they can be rolled between the fingers or on your thigh ten to twenty times being sufficient to kill them. Another method is to put a number of them in a container of cold water then gradually add hot water until they are dead. Probably the most used method though will be freezing.

One problem some people find is that when defrosted frozen maggots can turn black. I think the reason for this is that it has taken too long for the maggots to freeze. To prevent this I freeze in small batches, enough for hookbait for a day's fishing. I have found the small plastic pots my local pizza shop puts its garlic mayo in to be an ideal size. Small batches will freeze quicker than a pint in one container or bag. The batches should be placed either on the fast freeze tray or directly on the coolant channels on the bottom of a shelf.

You can place defrosted maggots in water on your side tray to try and stop air getting to them and turning them black but I have never found the need with my method of freezing.

Three or four maggots on a 16 hook like the B911 works well for me.

Sweetcorn

Another traditional but effective bait. One grain is normally sufficient. I prefer tinned corn (any brand/price) as this seems to be firmer and thus more able to withstand being squeezed along with the pellets or groundbait. I freeze leftover corn for use another day but after home freezing it is always quite soft, I think for the same reason maggots can turn black. The defrosted corn I find better for fishing corn skin or as the whole grain on the pole.

I think how you hook the corn is important. It may be, it may not. But I am given a little bit of confidence doing what I think is “right”.

Most grains are flat to a degree, or at least you can find such in the tin. For the Banjo I hook through the narrow side so that the grain lies flat on the bottom of the feeder. Then with pellets squeezed over this it is not likely to burst the hook from the grain.

I also hook this way for The Method as I feel the hook is less likely to catch on the ribs of the feeder.

For the Pellet feeder I hook the grain the other way, through the flat side, as I feel the grain then sits in the depression in the pellets better.

Others will say it makes no difference how you hook the corn. I will not disagree with them. I just have my preferred method.

Meat

Mention meat and people immediately think luncheon meat however for the feeder I think polony. For those that don't know, polony is a type of sausage. Found in the chilled meat sector of your supermarket and always in my experience in a red plastic wrapper.

Why polony and not luncheon meat? Two reasons. First is that polony is much firmer and thus I think more able to withstand being compressed into or onto a feeder. Second is that I can slice polony and freeze the slices knowing it will defrost much the same as when it was frozen. I can then take just a few of slices which can be enough for a day's fishing. I find luncheon meat, when frozen and defrosted can tend to float.

Luncheon meat can work and I have used it when I have forgotten the polony.

You can cut the polony up into cubes or use meat punches to get hook sized pieces.

Boilies, Wafters, Bandums etc.

These baits are manufactured purely as bait, not something like meat & corn taken from the supermarket shelf. Boilies were developed by the carp angling fraternity and adopted by the general coarse and match angler because they catch fish.

For general coarse work boilies tend to be smaller than those used by specimen carp anglers, in the 8-10 mm range. The shape was then adapted from spherical to dumbbell or barrel shape to make them easier to use with a bait band, though I don't use a band as I explain below.

There are a vast array of flavours and colours and they can either sink or float. I cannot say anything other than if you want to use them carry a variety. I have used them to good effect and as always, on occasion the fish can display a preference for a certain flavour, colour and buoyancy.

I have used floating baits on a four inch hooklength so the bait is popped up that far above the feeder once released from it. You can also critically balance it with shot on the hooklength or a heavy hook so it sits just on the bottom or just off it but is easily sucked up by the fish. And of course the sinking versions act like other baits and sit on the bottom until taken up by a fish.

These baits are always fished on a hair rig. There are four basic ways of attaching them. First is to use a bait band around dumbbell shaped bait. The negative side of this method is that if the bait gets caught in the landing net mesh a thrashing fish can break the hair and you then need to fit a new hooklength.

You can use a bayonet made from the shank of an eyed hook to impale the bait. The bayonet is tied to the hair as you would a bait band before tying the hook. The bait will pull off if caught in the landing net.

You can pull a hair loop through the bait. Some people will use a boily stop to hold the hair in place. Again this can cause the hair to break with a thrashing fish in the net. I have never found the need to use a stop. I use a fine baiting needle to pull the hair through. The hole through the bait is small enough to grip the loop and knot.

Finally you could drill a wider hole through the bait and pull a bait band through. Drilling a hole though may split the bait.

Any method that pulls something through the bait without anchoring it will allow it to be pulled off without breaking the hair if caught in the landing net.

Hard Pellet

Really much the same as the boily and wafter except that most pellets will sink. An unpumped and thus buoyant expander pellet could be used but will quickly soften and come off the hook.

Most people will put the pellet in a bait band. While I will do this with 4 & 6 mm pellets I drill a hole in 8 mm & larger and pull a bait band through.

One trick with hard pellets is to soak them in vegetable oil before use. This is supposed to slow the breakdown of the pellet in the water. I have found that it can take several weeks for the pellets to fully absorb the oil. So this is is best done in batches and the oiled pellets stored in a leak proof container until there is no visible oil. The pellets don't need to be submerged in oil but given a good coating and then left. Invert the container every few days for the excess oil to reach all the pellets.

Groundbait

There are plenty of commercially made Method groundbaits. I cannot recommend one over another as I don't use them. I can only suggest you try different ones until you find one that works for you and that you find easy to mix to the right consistency, and gets results!

The groundbait should mould to the feeder well, stay on through the cast and on sinking. Once on the bottom it should break down or not as is your preference. I would recommend testing groundbait mixes by filling the feeder and dropping it from height into a bucket of water. Though getting bites when in use is also a good indicator the groundbait is doing what it should.

I make my own groundbait that seems to work. I describe how in this blog post.

https://neilofthenene.blogspot.com/2014/09/bits-bobs-groundbait.html

Feed Pellet Preparation

For me this is simple and done before leaving home in the morning. I just put micro pellets into a tub, put enough water in to just wet the top layer then lid on and leave. A shake of the tub once set up and the pellets are ready.

But I use Skrettings pellets. The very occasional time I have used other brands it has not been that simple. I can only advise you to experiment.

Some people follow the “Minute per mm” guide. So for a two mil micro pellet you soak the pellets for two minutes then drain the water off. 4 minutes for a 4 mil pellet.

One word though on the Skrettings. I did once get a batch of micros that were very light in colour, they are normally dark brown, these pellets went to mush if soaked for too long. So with those I adopted the two minute rule.

Feeder Fishing Commercials Part 1

I have to admit that I find legering boring unless the tip is going round regularly. I much prefer the pole or float fishing on rod & line, but there are days when the feeder is the best option. The following is therefore my way, as always possibly not the best but what I have found effective and works for me.

In this post I will deal with each type of feeder in turn, hookbaits, rods, reels, hooklengths and other matters will be dealt with separately in later posts.

Types of Feeder

There are four basic feeder types that I use: Method, Banjo, Pellet & Hybrid. Each has its uses and, something I find strange, fish can display a preference. On many occasions I have switched from being biteless on one type to catching regularly with another.

At the end of this post is a video link that shows Method, Pellet and Banjo feeders in water discharging their contents. I have not included the Hybrid because I see it as similar to the Banjo in use. A second video shows the feeders being loaded with groundbait or pellets plus hookbait.

There is also the consideration of whether your feeders should be elasticated or free running. Because I fish many venues that ban elasticated feeders I don't own any. That avoids confusion and mistakes. And to add to the debate we have “safe” elasticated feeders that allow a fish to drop the feeder if the mainline breaks. Some fisheries allow these, others just ban all elasticated feeders whether “safe” or not. Always check the water's rules.

As I don't use them I cannot really comment on the benefits of elasticated feeders. And so will not go into detail.

Various companies have brought out quick change systems whereby you can switch from one type or size of feeder to another in seconds without having to break the rig down. I created my own quick change system and so have no great experience of the various types on the market.

As a consequence of the above I will talk about in line, ordinary feeders (not quick change versions) to keep things simple and within my experience. Quick change or not, free running or elasticated the basic ideas remain the same.

Method

The first feeder designed purely for carp fishing on commercial style waters. The original Method feeders were quite crude being a frame around which a large ball of groundbait was moulded and the hookbait incorporated into the outer layer. These balls could be quite large and referred to by some as “coconuts” with good reason.

 

The Original "Emstat" Method Feeders

 

The idea was that the carp would attack the groundbait on the feeder and eventually the hookbait was eaten either by choice or along with a mouthful of groundbait. In either case the weight of the feeder & remaining groundbait caused the hook to take hold and be driven in totally when the fish tried to swim away. This resulted in the now familiar “wrap round” bite.

Since those original feeders The Method has been refined into the flat bed feeders we see today. The idea is still the same, that the hookbait stays in a parcel of groundbait until the feeder has settled on the bottom. Depending on the make up of the groundbait it will either break down fairly quickly leaving a pile with the hookbait visible or stay as a tightly packed parcel that the carp need to attack to get at the hookbait.

 

Flat Bed Method Feeders

 

 

 

 

Pellets can be used on The Method feeder instead of groundbait and indeed there are times when the fish show a preference for one or the other. The problem with pellets is that unless tightly bound together they tend to “explode” off the feeder as it hits the water. Underwater filming has proved this happens. This explosion releases the pellets and the hookbait and ruins the intention of having a pile of free offerings with the hookbait buried in or laying on top of them. This problem can be overcome to some extent by using a binder to hold the pellets together, by using a brand of pellets that naturally bind together tightly or by using a mix of groundbait & pellets.

One absolutely golden rule in fishing The Method is that once it has dropped to the lake bed it must not be moved unless a fish is hooked or it is retrieved to re-cast. Care must be taken in tightening the rod tip to the freshly cast feeder. Some will fish a slack line for this reason, as well as trying to avoid line bites that may move the feeder. Moving the feeder would ruin the intended presentation of hookbait and groundbait/pellet pile in one discrete parcel.

 

Perfection?

 

 

I prefer to load the feeder using a mould. Some people use the palm of their hand. The groundbait can stick in the mould. The solution is to have the mould in a plastic bag so that the plastic lays between groundbait and mould. This way the plastic can be peeled off the groundbait if it sticks.

I also “double skin” my Method feeder when loading. That is I put an initial loading of groundbait into the mould and press this into the feeder. I then load the mould again, place the hookbait on top and squeeze that load onto the feeder. This ensures the bait is buried but not fouling the ribs of the feeder.

Pellet Feeder

Developed, as the name suggests, with the specific intention of being able to fish Method style but with pellets (normally micros) as the attractant instead of groundbait. I admit that the pellet feeder is my go-to Winter leger method for commercials.

Different manufacturers have slightly different styles but the basic principle is that the feeder is shaped like a scoop. The bulk of the pellets are held inside the feeder so that on splashing down they are not dislodged. Once settled in the water the pellets expand and most of them push or fall out of the feeder along with the hookbait.

 

 

Preston Pellet Feeders 

 

To load the pellet feeder I scoop up the micro pellets and compress these with my thumb into the feeder. I then create a small well with index or little finger in the top of the pellets in the feeder. The hookbait goes into the depression made before I apply a further load of pellets and compress these in place. I hope this ensures that when the pellets expand and push the hookbait out it is laying on top of the pellet pile.

Banjo

Probably my second favourite feeder in the group as it is one I have had a lot of success with. Named for its shape the Banjo provides a shallow sided dish in which hookbait and, for me, pellets can be contained. The idea being that like The Method you can deliver a small package of free offerings with a hookbait inside. This is another feeder that should not be moved once cast.

 

 

Banjo Feeder

I have never used groundbait in a Banjo but I suppose there is no reason you shouldn't. The hookbait is not always visible and thus would normally be ingested by the fish when sucking up the pile of pellets. But there are times the fish can prefer one bait over another. No, I cannot fathom that out.

The way I load the feeder is to place the baited hook in the body then cover with soaked micro pellets and squeeze these down with my hand. I then add another layer of pellets and press these in place with my thumbs. Do not be afraid of pressing really hard. Surprisingly the pellets will rebound once in the water.

For the following explanation consider the circular body of the feeder as a clock face. Mentally divide the clock into four quarter hours, 12-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12. I place my two thumbs in opposing quarters e.g. 12-3, 6-9 and press. I then do the same with the other two quarters and repeat six or seven times. The video shows this in action.

This is sufficient to ensure the bait stays in the feeder until it has settled on the lake bed.

Hybrid

As the name suggests this is a combination of two feeder types, Method and Banjo. To be honest I have never really worked out what is different about the Hybrid from the Banjo other than the shape and some holes in the side & base. It is probably a confidence thing but I have not yet had any great success using a hybrid feeder. Use and loading are similar to both the feeders it is hybridised from. So “Don't move the feeder!” once settled.

Attaching the Feeder and Hooklength

With any form of inline feeder the line passes through a central hollow stem. There will then be a bead or swivel to stop the feeder from running down to the hook. In the case of the quick change systems I mentioned the stem is a separate item to the feeder body. One stem fits in the various feeders in the range enabling the body to be swapped quickly and even be replaced by a plain leger weight.

I created my own “quick change” system before the commercial varieties were available. I have stayed with it purely because the commercially made systems do not include bodies of all four types I use. My system is simple and employs the Drennan Method Connector. These connectors are made of a central barrel with a hook at each end like a Stonfo elastic connector and a sleeve that slides over the barrel to trap the line in place on the hooks. One hook holds the main line, the other the hooklength.

 

 

Drennan Method Connector

 

I tie a large loop in the end of the main line, anything from four to six inches long. I then pass this loop through the feeder stem and add the Method Connector. It is then a case of adding the hooklength. To swap feeders I only have to remove the mainline from the connector, pull it out of the feeder, feed it through the new feeder and re-attach to the connector and I am good to go.

It can be a little fiddly getting the loop through the feeder stem as you need to twizzle it in your fingers to make a small end to pass through the tail rubber hole. If this is difficult then when tying the loop leave a long tag end and use this to feed through the stem and pull the loop through after.

Note re banjo feeders.  You may need to add a bead between the connector and the feeder as the central part of the connector can just fit inside the stem of the banjo feeder.  The bead prevents the connector from being pulled into the stem.

As in all forms of legering using a free running feeder you need a way of stopping the feeder running all the way to the hook and also a way of connecting the hooklength.  You could use a traditional swivel with a snap link for the hooklength.  If bait spinning up and twisting the hooklength is a problem then this still is a suitable method.  But today we have various quick change beads like the Drennan above.  I think they all include some kind of hook and sleeve arrangement like a pole Stonfo.  I prefer the Drennan's purely because they can be disconnected from both sides.  Many other quick change beads have to be tied to the reel line.

I have also mentioned incorporating a bead above the connector or swivel purely as an added buffer for the feeder.  It is personal choice whether to include one in your set up.  
 

Videos

 

The following is a link to a YouTube video showing Method, pellet & banjo feeders discharging their contents in water.  You can also see how the Method Connector is used.

 

Method, pellet and banjo feeders in action

 

The following shows how I load these feeders

 

Loading Method, pellet & banjo feeders

 

 

 

The Flat or Lollipop Float

Flat Floats

A recent online discussion regarding flat or lollipop floats together with my own rediscovery of river fishing using these has prompted me to write on the subject.

Flat floats were designed specifically for fishing a flowing water, that could be a river or canal that flows. I think originally conceived on the continent to me they are one of the best recent angling inventions alongside Baitrunner reels and Stotz.

 

 

The picture on the left shows the float's profile in the direction of the flow.  The picture on the right shows the side on view.  Other designs of flat float are various shapes but follow the same basic design idea of having a slim profile against the flow.

The flat float is really a pole equivalent of the stick float. Both are designed to fish in and combat the effects of flowing water. And indeed there is no reason why either float should not be used on pole or rod. I came third in my first ever match on the river Trent (Winthorpe) fishing a stick float on my then state of the art 7m fibreglass telescopic pole. The benefit of the pole and flat float is that you can fish much further out with a pole than a rod.

The Science Behind the Design

To understand the logic, and theory behind the flat float I will need to go over some science.

I think most anglers understand that the very bottom layers of the flow in a river are slower than the surface, but by how much? Experimentation has shown that a river's average flow occurs at 0.6 of its depth at any given point. Thus if the river is ten foot deep then the average flow will be six foot below the surface, and for a five foot deep river it will be at three foot deep. As the river shallows towards each bank this average point too gets shallower but remains at 0.6 of the depth.

In practical terms this means that in our ten foot deep river the flow in the bottom four feet of water will be at least 50% slower than the water on the surface. And towards the very bottom will be slower still. It is this major difference that the flat float was designed to combat.

I think we can safely assume that our optimum catching potential will occur when we match the bait's speed to the flow at whatever depth we are presenting that bait. Though fish show signs of not be logical at times and will take a bait when it is moving faster than the flow or is even stationary in it. This is where the angler's skill and ability to read what is happening comes to the fore.

Assuming though that our aim is to present a bait as near to the natural flow rate as possible then for me the flat float is the ideal tool.

The design is obvious in its intention. To provide a minimal amount of cross section area to the flow while carrying enough weight to combat the higher flow rate in the top 60% of the depth. Hence the shape and the necessity to carry a heavy load, up to 50 grammes (2 ounces) or more in some cases. Some of the larger floats have shoulders to utilise the flow to push and hold the float underwater.

To carry the same loading a normal bodied float would need to have a comparatively huge cross section presented to the flow and this would cause problems in float control and reading of bites. In turn this may mean that a normal float might need to carry a much bigger loading than a flat float to achieve the same degree of sensitivity and presentation. Stick floats attempted to overcome this by using a heavy wood in the bottom half such as lignum vitae or even metal stems.

Shotting & Hooklength

I prefer to use an olivette that is in the region of three quarters of the float's stated loading. So a 0.7 or 0.75g olivette would go on a 1g float. This gives me enough spare capacity to lock the Olivette (inline), droppers and spare shot to add to the droppers if I feel it necessary. To start with I will place the olivette a foot above my hooklength and then add two No.8 droppers below that. The remaining shot will be added around the olivette but with more below than above. These spares can be slid down to increase the weight of the droppers.

I will also seek to overshot the float on the day so that it has to be held back for the bristle to show above the surface. Different flow rates will dictate a difference in the amount you need to overshot.

My hooklength is ten inches. This allows me to go nearly that much overdepth if required. A longer hooklength may, at times, be useful.

Fishing the Float

The ideal I am trying to achieve is to have the float bristle vertical while the float is held stationary. This tells me the bulk shotting, the olivette, is just about directly beneath the float and in turn indicates that the bait should be near the bottom and ahead of the float. The following diagram shows what I mean.

The diagram also shows what could be or is happening underwater when the bristle is not vertical.

 

 

If the bristle is not at or near vertical but leaning back towards the rod/pole when held back then a heavier float is required. Really only trial and error will tell you how heavy a float you need on your local river for different conditions. On the river Nene I use a 1 or 2g float. In times of flood I may need heavier, but then I wouldn't be fishing the river.

Once I am happy that the float is fishing as I wish then I can start to experiment on exactly how the fish want the bait presented. For those that have fished a stick float then the process is much the same with a flat float. The float can be held hard back in one position, the very bottom layers may be almost stationary and thus the fish are picking up static feed and bait. The float may need to be inched through such that if the bottom layer of water is moving slowly the bait is matching it. I may let the float run so that it sinks then reappears as the olivette catches it up and the line below runs through and gets ahead. A combination of all three should see the angler getting indications as to which is best on the day or even in that hour.

Bites can be any indication on the float, a dip, lift or stopping if running through.  Lift into any change in the float's behaviour.

Storage

You may wonder how to store flat floats as they will not sit neatly on a winder.  The solution is to attach the float by way of four pieces of silicone tubing and not thread the line through the float's eye.  That way the rig minus float can be stored on marked winders and the floats in a suitable storage box.  For my 1 & 2g floats I use an old videocassette case. 

Doing this can also aid changing floats if light conditions change and demand a different colour bristle.  I have red, yellow & black bristled versions.

It is also worth using more line on the rig than you would for a Stillwater.  You may want as much as six foot of line, possibly even more, so that the float can be run a fair distance down your swim.

Acknowledgement

I have to thank various others from whom I have picked up hints and tips on these floats, particularly storing them.  My main source is

https://www.maggotdrowning.com/forums/index.php