Feeder fishing: how to get started

Good for

• Common bream
• Roach
• Tench
• Common carp

What you need

• Feeder rod: 3 to 3.60 m, about 90 g casting weight for beginners
• Interchangeable quivertips rated in ounces (oz), 1 oz is about 28 to 30 g
• Fixed-spool reel with a front drag that runs finely and smoothly
• Monofilament main line 0.22 or 0.25 mm, it forgives casting mistakes
• Wire cage feeders, better slightly too heavy than too light
• Ready-tied hooklengths, hooks size 18 to 10 depending on the bait
• Groundbait plus maggots, sweetcorn or small worms
• Rod rest, landing net, disgorger, priest and knife

Step by step

1. Mix the groundbait: start with too little water, then add more until it forms loose balls. Leave it to soak for about 15 minutes.
2. Tie a loop rig: at the end of the line a 40 to 70 cm loop for the feeder, just above it a small loop for the hooklength.
3. Cast overhead at a fixed point on the far bank. After the first cast, put the line in the line clip on your reel.
4. That way every feeder lands in the same spot and you build up a baited swim. Wait until the feeder is on the bottom.
5. Carefully tighten the line until the tip bends slightly, and put the rod in the rest.
6. When the tip pulls round clearly and steadily, strike. Short taps often come from small fish.
7. Swing small fish in, from about 400 g use the landing net, otherwise the fine tip will break.
8. After every fish, rebait, fill the feeder and cast straight back to the same spot.

Tips

• Use dark groundbait in clear water and in winter, in summer it can be lighter.
• The shyer the bites, the longer the hooklength.
• Stick to simple rigs at first, complicated does not automatically catch more.

Quick questions