What feeder to choose with Tommy Pickering
Take a look around your local tackle shop and you will see that there are dozens of different feeder patterns available. Each one serves a purpose, but you need to pick the right pattern for the job in hand. This week I reveal three feeders that have a proven track record for silver fish on natural and commercial waters.
Maggots are a brilliant bait for a variety of species, especially roach and chub. This type of feeder should be packed with maggots that will slowly crawl out once it hits the bottom, drawing fish into the swim. You can cut extra holes with scissors if you want the bait to escape quicker, or tape up some holes if you want the maggots to get away at a slower pace. Preston Innovations Clik Cap feeders fit the bill, as they cast accurately and release the bait at the ideal rate.
When you want to put down a bed of groundbait a completely different feeder is required. It needs to have open ends so that the groundbait can trickle out into the swim. Of the two different kinds of open end feeder – wire and plastic – I prefer the latter. This is because they have fewer holes, and they prevent any of the bait falling out on the way to the bottom. I rarely use less than 30g feeders and these will easily chuck distances up to 50 yards.
On big and open waters where bream dominate you may have to cast a long way to get in touch with the shoals. You could try and hit the mark with a standard open-end feeder but you would probably fall short of your target. The answer is to use a feeder where the lead is mounted at the bottom. This makes the feeder fly better and also improves casting accuracy.
