Commercial Fishing Tips | Hybrid feeder tips with Steve Ringer

There are actually five sizes of Hybrid feeder, and the ones I use the most are Mini, Medium and Large.

Mini Hybrid

This is my winter feeder for venues like Barston, where I’m casting about trying to find a group of fish – ‘dobbing with a feeder’ I call it. I can cast a 30g Hybrid a long way with very little splash on impact, and I’m convinced this makes a big difference when the water is cold and clear. I also carry the Mini Hybrid in 18g and 24g versions for shorter-range work.

Medium Hybrid

This is for ‘standard’ work in both 32g and 42g. The 42g version is used for long-range work, as when launched it really will go the distance because it’s relatively small and compact.

Large Hybrid

These get the most use, and I carry them in 28g, 45g and 60g. The 28g Large is my favourite summer feeder when I want to feed a bit of bait on venues like Barston and Larford. It’s heavy enough to get the distance, but not so heavy that it will sink into any soft silt that might be present. The 45g Large is my feeder for Boddington, where even in winter a big feeder produces more bites. I can only assume the carp find it easier to home in on a larger amount of bait, even in the cold.

The 45g of weight is needed to get the distance, as 100m casts aren’t unusual on there in the cold.

I also carry the 60g Large Hybrid for punching into a big wind with a 14ft rod.

How to load a hybrid feeder

Load the body of the Hybrid feeder with your mix – pellets, groundbait or a combination of the two.

Compress the feed with your finger. The tighter it’s packed, the slower it will break down.

Place your hookbait – here a pink wafter – in the centre of the feed already in the Hybrid.

Add more feed to make an aerodynamic load and you’re all ready to cast.

Baits for the Hybrid

Over the years the Hybrid feeder has become synonymous with pellets – anglers don’t realise it can be used with both pellets and groundbait, or even a mix of the two. I regularly use a Hybrid with groundbait when fishing for bream or skimmers.