Feeder Fishing Help

[Ging]

I have gotten into feeder fishing but I don't understand the different feeders.

 

Ive been told that block end feeders are for live baits.

Ive been told that open end feeders are for ground bait in deep water.

Ive been told that caged feeders are for more shallow water.

Ive been told flat bed feeders always sit face up and are better for pellets.

 

is this all correct and what is the difference between a method feeder and a cage or open end feeder.

[Newt]

Hi and welcome to Anglers' Net. Someone should be around by morning to give you solid answers to your feeder questions. I would try but I'm clueless about those things.

[ga-rat]

I have gotten into feeder fishing but I don't understand the different feeders.

 

Ive been told that block end feeders are for live baits.

Ive been told that open end feeders are for ground bait in deep water.

Ive been told that caged feeders are for more shallow water.

Ive been told flat bed feeders always sit face up and are better for pellets.

 

is this all correct and what is the difference between a method feeder and a cage or open end feeder.

 

You are right about the open ended and caged feeders, the caged feeder is for shallower water because to water will wash the bait out of the feeder faster than the standard open ended feeder, If you used a caged feeder on deeper water the bait would have been washed away well before your line hits the bottom so the bait could be washed quite a distance from your hook. The open ended feeder will hold the bait longer allowing it to be nearer to your hook.

 

Block end feeders/swim feeders are for live bait, just fill it up with maggot and once casted the maggots will crawl out through the small holes in the feeder, you can pack a small amount of ground in with the maggots if you like.

 

I have never used flat bed feeders/method feeders, but the flattened base eliminates roll when used on sloping bottoms and ensures they land ‘base down’, so that the bait that was tightly packed around the feeder is facing up and visible from passing fish. I have seen people use micro pellets that disperse once at the bottom of the lake.

[AddictedToScopex]

Just a little note to add on method feeders. A method feeder was originally designed so that the angler could pack ground bait around it and have his hook bait in the ball somewhere thus ensuring his bait was always in contact with the loose feed on offer. The usual design has the lead part on one side of a cross like frame to encourage the ball to rest on that specific side allowing the angler to have his hook bait at the top of the pile of bait every time.

 

Not all that long ago a new design came out called the flat bed method feeder which, rather than holding a round ball type shape of ground bait, had the lead strip along the whole back and a raised frame type structure on the other side to hold the ground bait bait. It was kind of half a method feeder.

 

Both types of method feeders are designed to be used in conjunction with short hook lengths to encourage a self hooking action. They are particularly effective for bream and tench that can tend to feed in a head down tail up type pose.

 

Below are links to both of these types of method feeder.

 

More traditional style method feeder

 

flat bed method feeder

Edited May 20, 2011 by AddictedToScopex

[davedave]

Yeh thats the basic rule and there is some very good advice above ^^

 

But adding to that there are no set rules and you can often modify these. I've tried soft expander pellets in a cage feeder to great success with bream with corn on the hook, also chopped worm goes well in a block end (maggot) feeder, as does hemp. You can also slow the release of maggots out the block end feeder by taping some of it over to slow the release. Always remember to put the hookbait on before filling a block end (maggot) feeder though or the bait will be all over the bank by the time you've put your bait on and attempted to cast.

 

There are no set rules and half the fun is editing and improving on some of these ideas, alternatively you could even make your own feeders?

 

Mess about with it and let us know how you get on

 

Yeh thats the basic rule and there is some very good advice above ^^

 

But adding to that there are no set rules and you can often modify these. I've tried soft expander pellets in a cage feeder to great success with bream with corn on the hook, also chopped worm goes well in a block end (maggot) feeder, as does hemp. You can also slow the release of maggots out the block end feeder by taping some of it over to slow the release. Always remember to put the hookbait on before filling a block end (maggot) feeder though or the bait will be all over the bank by the time you've put your bait on and attempted to cast.

 

There are no set rules and half the fun is editing and improving on some of these ideas, alternatively you could even make your own feeders?

 

Mess about with it and let us know how you get on

[Ging]

Just a little note to add on method feeders. A method feeder was originally designed so that the angler could pack ground bait around it and have his hook bait in the ball somewhere thus ensuring his bait was always in contact with the loose feed on offer. The usual design has the lead part on one side of a cross like frame to encourage the ball to rest on that specific side allowing the angler to have his hook bait at the top of the pile of bait every time.

 

Not all that long ago a new design came out called the flat bed method feeder which, rather than holding a round ball type shape of ground bait, had the lead strip along the whole back and a raised frame type structure on the other side to hold the ground bait bait. It was kind of half a method feeder.

 

Both types of method feeders are designed to be used in conjunction with short hook lengths to encourage a self hooking action. They are particularly effective for bream and tench that can tend to feed in a head down tail up type pose.

 

Below are links to both of these types of method feeder.

 

More traditional style method feeder

 

flat bed method feeder

 

 

I think i understand the method feeder now, its just an easier way to make sure the hook bait is with the feed (instead of cast, wait a min then make a few turns of the reel.

 

Also i thought all feeder where self hooking?

 

Thanks

[davedave]

No not at all i nearly always use free running rigs for better bites and safety for the fish. a short hooklength can have the effect of self hooking though

[lutra]

No not at all i nearly always use free running rigs for better bites and safety for the fish. a short hooklength can have the effect of self hooking though

Personally I'm not sure running rigs are safer. I think more fish probably go belly up from deep hooking with long hook lengths on running rigs than bad bolt rigs see off.

[davedave]

Possibly, i don't know if you are referring to the method feeder more though because i have never used the method. I just use free running or semi fixed maggot or cage feeders and never have a problem apart from occasionally perch taking the bait right down, but they tend to do this a lot anyway no matter what method of fishing you use