catapult - efficient use

[The Flying Tench]

When trotting with the stick or waggler beyond throwing reach you have to use a 'catty', I guess standard practice would be each run down. But I find it a pain putting the rod down each time to do this - it loses momentum. I've seen videos of anglers using the catty without even putting the rod down, but hvaen't managed to see quite how they do it. Any tips?

[ayjay]

When trotting with the stick or waggler beyond throwing reach you have to use a 'catty',I guess standard practice would be each run down. But I find it a pain putting the rod down each time to do this - it loses momentum. I've seen videos of anglers using the catty without even putting the rod down, but hvaen't managed to see quite how they do it. Any tips?

 

...........or a baitdropper, every three trots is my norm (if I'm catching).

 

Pretty sure Dickie Carr (and probably others) used to hold the rod between his legs to use his catty - he could keep up an almost constant feed going in when it was necessary.

[Matthew Simmons]

They do something clever holding the catty in their left hand and the pouch in the right/rod hand. Then move the left hand to stretch the elastic and off it all goes - tried it once and ended up with maggots in my coffee. I reel my tackle in rebait and then feed with the rod across my knee. It means I can't feed during a trot but it seems to work well enough.

[Chris Plumb]

I seem to remember watching a Bob Nudd video where he used a one handed catapult so that he could carry on feeding while fighting a fish!

 

C.

[gozzer]

They do something clever holding the catty in their left hand and the pouch in the right/rod hand. Then move the left hand to stretch the elastic and off it all goes - tried it once and ended up with maggots in my coffee. I reel my tackle in rebait and then feed with the rod across my knee. It means I can't feed during a trot but it seems to work well enough.

 

It is clever Matthew. The natural way to fire a catapult is to draw the elastic/pouch back to fire it. The clever bit is to teach yourself to keep the hand holding the pouch still, and pushing the the hand holding the frame forward instead. It takes some doing, I've never got the hang of being able to do it consistently, it's a bit like the patting your head, and rubbing your tummy thing.

 

John.

[Tigger]

I like to feed a bit when bringing in a fish, infact the first thing I do when I hook a fish is wazz out some maggots to try and distract / occupy the rest of the shoal but it isn't essential. Just get the fish in asap and then feed.

It's not so easy cattying out bait when your stood up to your glutes in a fast flowing river on very slippy uneaven rocks and playing a barbel LOL.

[Steve Burke]

There's a one-handed catapult called the Ez Feeda. It's also supposed to be very accurate and tangle-free. I saw it demonstrated at a tackle show and was impressed enough to buy one, but not had occasion to use it yet. Go to http://www.ezfeeda.co.uk/.

[John S]

The technique Matthew described is the way to do it, just make sure cups of tea/pot-noodles/sandwiches are not in the flight-path. Takes a little trial-and-error, but well worth the effort.

[The Flying Tench]

Had a go yesterday. Didn't get too far with the Matthew technique. I could do it holding the rod in my left hand, though. But one thing I did find helpful which most of you may do already was using 2 rod rests, so that the rod handle was more 'to hand'.

 

Another issue I shall try is having the bait in a tray off the ground so, again, it is 'to hand'. Maybe this is standard practice for most people?