How to get big weights in fishing matches

With many match fishing venues currently producing massive weights, we thought that we'd team up with top match angler Andy Power to bring to you some top tips on how to produce some of these big weights for yourself. Check out these top match fishing tips below and let us know how you get on next time you are on the bank! 

Big weights are coming in thick and fast 

Big weights are coming in thick and fast 

1) Don’t get carried away and fish tackle that’s too heavy. You’ll get more bites and land more carp with balanced mainlines, hooklinks and elastics.

2) Don’t just think about the fish you’ve got on the hook – feed where you’ve been fishing while you’re playing a carp.

3) Cover all your options. Don’t just fish in one place, as bites can often dry up. Have at least three lines of attack.

4) When it comes to feeding, little-and-often is best. Don’t just keep piling the bait in.

5) Line bites can be an issue when fishing the margins. Plumb around to find the right depth – 2ft is just about perfect.

6) Feed a meat line at the bottom of the near shelf for bonus fish late on. This has worked for me so many times.

7) If there’s one bait that I’d take for a session on a commercial it would have to be pellets. They are the number one by far.

8) Don’t just check the weather for sun, rain and wind. Pressure can be vital – when it’s high fish will feed up in the water, whereas when it’s low they’ll be down on the deck.

Five amazing worm tips

1.jpg

There are few more natural baits than a worm, and they will catch every fish that swims, on all venues. 

I’ve caught bream on a gin-clear Irish river and 300lb of big carp from the edge on them, but there’s a lot more to fishing with worms than just chopping them up and sticking one on the hook. Here are my five top worm tips, no matter where you’re fishing this week…

 

1) Two ways to hook them

How you hook a worm can vary depending on the fish you’re after, and I have two main ways when fishing a commercial water. For carp, I take the whole worm and nick it through the head. This gives a better hookhold should I strike and miss a bite. For skimmers, barbel and ide, though, I will cut a worm in half and then hook it through the middle, allowing the juices to leak out.

 

2) Redworms rule for bream

We all know bream love worms and that a dendra is a good bait, but they really love redworms too. These tiny worms don’t look much but they have great pulling power, even for the biggest of fish. On a big natural lake when fishing the feeder I’d use two redworms. I’d hook one and then push it up the hook shank before hooking the second, leaving it resting on the bend to allow the maximum amount of hookpoint to show.

 

3) How fine to chop?

Chopped worm is a brilliant feed, but how long you spend with the scissors depends on the size of fish you are aiming to catch.
Big carp and tench need only a rough chop with the scissors to create larger pieces, but the opposite applies for small skimmers and roach. In this instance I will chop the worms almost into a ‘soup’ of finely-minced pieces.

 

4) Create a worm cloud

Chopped worm and caster isn’t just good for fishing on the bottom – it can be deadly when targeting carp and F1s up in the water. In this situation, don’t throw away the soil that the worms come in, as this will help you create a super fish-attracting cloud. I riddle the soil off but keep it to hand and then chop the worms. The soil goes through the riddle to remove any big lumps and is then added back to the worms. Throw in some casters and you’ve got a super slop to feed with a small pot on the pole.

 

5) Big baits for the edge

If you’re after the bigger carp when fishing the margins on a commercial, big baits really are best – and that certainly applies to worms. One dendra is not big enough and while two are good, I would have no qualms about fishing three whole worms on a large size 12 hook. This is a real mouthful that smaller fish will struggle to take, but a double-figure carp will gulp it down without a second thought.

40 of the best river fishing tips

Do you want more bites from your local river? Then you may want to give this, list of the 40 best river fishing tips a read. As it will most likely increase your chances of catching next time you are out on the bank, fishing your local river or stream. These 40 fishing tips for the rivers are guaranteed to help you outwit your target species and hopefully land yourself a new PB. 

1

Barbel have a reputation for giving savage bites but that isn’t how every indication will pan out. On heavily pressured waters the fish are more cautious when feeding and the slightest knock on the rod tip could indicate a big fish has tentatively picked up the hookbait.

2

Locating features is crucial when tracking down river carp. Everything from bridges to overhanging bushes are worth a look because these can trap food and form natural larders.

3

Prebaiting is key when targeting carp on running water. They can travel large distances in a short time so introduce bait on a regular basis in the run up to your session.

4

Where the fish feed in the column dictates how you feed for roach. If fish are up in the water catapult maggots and casters. If they are on the deck, feed these baits inside balls of groundbait to get them to the bottom.

5

If breambites suddenly stop the shoal may have backed off the main feed.  Chuck a couple of feet further to relocate fish.

6

Keep the bait still when bream fishing. When pole fishing on a pacey river, this can mean fishing as much as a foot overdepth.

7

Use a bulk of shot and droppers to fish maggot or pinkie over groundbait for roach, switching to a strung out pattern with hemp.

8

Fenland drains are home to giant rudd in a handful of swims. Walk the banks of your local stretch wearing polarised sunglasses as they will often give themselves away by feeding on insects.

9

Take several pints of maggots when chub fishing. Constant feeding is vital – even if you are not getting bites. The rain of bait falling through the water will eventually tease chub into feeding.

10

Float fished livebaits are deadly for big perch. Constantly feed maggots over the top to draw in even more bait fish and a potential personal best won’t be far away.

11

Weather will play a huge part in whether you will have success with river bream. Warm and overcast is ideal but avoid bright sunshine and little cloud cover.

12

Groundbait is rarely used for predators but a few balls of fishmeal groundbait laced with chopped up pieces of fish can give you an edge when sport is slow.

13

Alloy stick floats are buoyant and best in turbulent water, glass is lightweight and will give a really slow fall of the hookbait and a shouldered lignum is easily lifted to move hookbait.

14

Chub feed in pretty much any conditions but in coloured water you will need a smelly bait to draw the fish in. Halibut pellets and paste work well but cheesepaste is the ultimate bait. 

15

Rivers will run clear after long periods without rain and this is when bread starts to work well. Fill a feeder with liquidised bread and hook a large flake for chub and quality roach.

16

Big chub will always seek cover but the best features are not always the ones that you can see at first glance. Undercut banks are magnets for these finicky specimens. While taking great care, lay on the bank at a likely spot and place your hand into the water and feel whether the bank is undercut. 

17

Roach bites can be hard to hit but keeping a tight line between pole tip and float willimprove your conversion rate. Add a No.8 backshot between tip and float to guarantee a tight line.

18

If you get a run of bites on a feeder but the action suddenly stops it can pay to have a few chucks on a bomb rig. Making the simple switch could encourage them to feed confidently.

19

If you are on a huge shoal of silverfish it is important to concentrate them in one zone. Fish one swim or you will split the shoal and that will lead to fewer bites and a smaller stamp of fish.

20

A wobbled deadbait can fool pike but it is important how you retrieve it. Reel it in slowly, jerking the rod from time to time, and this will imitate injured fish that the pike often feast upon.

21

Worms, maggots and casters are often the first port of call for bream but these can lead to a plague of small roach and perch. Use 14mm or 16mm boilies to deter the tiddlers.

22

The area between fast and slow water is the crease. Trot a stick float feeding maggots.

23

Chub on some days may want tiny baits. swap paste or pellets for one or two maggots. 

24

For bigger roach and chub use a loaded waggler with no shot for a slow hookbait fall. 

25

Big barbel can be finicky and the slightest mistake could send a potential pb packing.  To prevent them detecting a rig, pin the mainline to the deck by using back leads.

26

River carp aren’t heavily pressured so use simple set-ups and strong hooklinks.

27

Lures are deadly for perch. A shallow-diving pattern with neutral buoyancy is best now.

28

Feed via a catapult for roach and drop the odd pouch short. If you miss a bite, run float over it. 

29

Groundbait is a real winner for bream but the type of mix you use needs careful consideration. Make sure that it is high in fishmeal and always mix it so that it is fairly heavy and sticky. This will make sure it doesn’t get washed out the swim by the current.

30

Use a 14ft rod for the stick so you can keep in touch with float and work the swim.

31

A tiny hook isn’t critical for big roach. The most important thing is that the point is showing.

32

Log pike sessions, noting weather, wind direction and time of catches, to see trends.

36.jpg

33

Heavily pressured swims very rarely hold quality chub so it is best to head off the beaten track to find a new personal best. Walking to spots that are well away from car parks and access areas is often the best way to find these elusive lumps.

34

River barbel stocks are growing but aim for well oxygenated fast water such as weir pools.

35

When looking for big perch locating a shoal of fry should be a priority. Predators will be close.

36

Look for areas of river where the water widens a little when fishing for bream. The species tend to sit in deep and wider areas of water, well away from any weed or cover.

37

Enhance luncheon meat with a pungent flavour such as chilli powder or garlic salt for barbel.

38

Quick after-work sessions are often ideal for chub as this is the time of day when they feed most confidently. The water will have been exposed to sunlight all day so it will be at its warmest, triggering the fish to search for food to maintain their energy levels.

39

The hooklink can be the difference between success and failure. Start with a 3ft link and vary it. If you are getting lots of taps but no proper bites, reduce it by a foot as fish are feeding closer to the feeder. If there are no bites, lengthen it as fish could be sat just off your zone.

40

Prebaiting will get fish into a swim. Small pellets, hemp and casters keep them there.

15 fishing tips for bigger river catches

With the river season well underway we have put together a list with the help of top river angler Dave Harrell, of the top 15 fishing tips to try this coming weekend.

If you’ve not ventured out on to running water yet, do yourself a favour and do so this weekend, you won’t be disappointed, I promise you. 

GET ON A PELLET FEEDER FOR BARBEL

'The best thing that ever happened for the pleasure angler' is how i'd describe the use of pellets fished through a swim feeder. Hair-rig an 8mm halibut pellet and put 4mm offerings through a swimfeeder. Hair-rig an 8mm halibut pellet and put 4mm offerings through a blackened feeder, and if there's a barbel in the vicinity it will soon show interest. 

FEED SEEDS FOR ROACH

One of my favourite summer approaches for roach is the use of hemp and tares. It's a really cheap way of fishing as you don't need much of either. Just feed six to 10 grains of hemp and the odd tare, then present a single tare just off the bottom with a lightly shotted pole rig, and you'll soon be putting redefines in the net.

TRY FAST SHALLOW WATER!

Too many anglers walk past fast-flowing shallow swims where there arnt many fish at this time of year.As long as you can find 3ft of water or more, there’s a good chance that the swim will hold chub and barbel, so don’t ignore swims just because they are fast. 

USE CARP PELLETS FOR CHUB

In the same way that halibut pellets are good for catching barbel, fishmeal pellets make a great feed and hookbait for chub. On rivers where there are a lot of chub present, feed with 6mm pellets and use a banded 8mm pellets on the hook. On more difficult waters, feed 4mm pellets and use a banded 6mm pellet on the hook. You don’t need to feed loads – a pint or two will normally be ample.

Break out the long Pole

Long poles have made fishing for silver fish much easier than it ever used to be on some of our slower-moving rivers. Try using light strung-out rigs and, as a rough guide, use 0.10g for every foot of water. A swim that is 4ft deep should therefore be tackled with a 0.40g float. Use No8 shot in the main, with a No9 or a No10 as your bottom shot, positioned around 6ins to 10ins above the hook.

Don't Fish Too Light

If big fish are your target, it can sometimes pay to go for them with pole gear but make sure everything is strong enough to cope with fish such as barbel. For me, that means 0.20mm to 0.23mm rig lines and hooklengths just a little bit thinner than that. Feed the swim either with groundbait via a pole cup or with a bait dropper.

Try A Float For Barbel

Floatfishing for barbel is so exciting, and if you’ve never done it, I would urge you to do so this summer. Keep things simple and use 6lb-8lb mainlines, Truncheon Wagglers or Balsa Missiles and strong hooks from size 14 to 10. A bunch of maggots fished over loosefeed of casters and hemp will soon get fish feeding if they’re in your swim. Try to find swims from 4ft-6ft deep, either running up to or away from fords, and there’s a good chance barbel will be present.

Dig Out A Crumb Feeder

While they don’t fight as hard as barbel, I love catching big bream with a groundbait feeder approach. It’s possible to put together some huge weights when there is colour in the water. Use casters and chopped worms through the feeder with worms on the hook. A 3ft tail that is lighter than your mainline is essential in case of snags.

Catch Perch On Worms

Most of the rivers now hold very good stocks of perch, and they're a great fish of target with both running line and pole gear. If the flow is slight, feed the swim by hand but if there is any pace, a bait dropper works better. Feed a combination of casters, hemp and chopped worm with worms on the hook. 

Experiment With Tall Lengths

This is an area of river feeder fishing where I think a lot of anglers miss out on getting better catches by not changing anything. While 2ft 6ins-3ft is often a very good starting point, try shorter tails if you’re missing bites and go much longer, up to 5ft or 6ft, if you’re not getting any bites at all. 

Shallow Up For Chub

A lot of anglers miss out on good chub catches in deep water by setting the rig too deep and not feeing frequently enough. I've had some really big catches fishing just 3ft to 4ft in 12ft of water but the only way you can make is work is by feeding every few seconds with a catapult.Keep busy and if there are chub in the area, you will soon find out!

Master The Bold 

I won the first-ever match in this country on Bolo gear, 25 years ago on the Severn with a 24lb catch of roach. Back then we all thought you had to use a long telescopic rod, but while these still play a big part, there are days when you can use very light Bolo rigs in conjunction with 13ft and 14ft rods for good catches. This is a fantastic way to present your hookbait if the conditions are favourable. 

Ball It In For Silvers!

A big groundbait bombardment at the start of a session when there are a lot of roach or skimmers present can often be the best approach. Try putting in six to 10 balls to begin with and then fish over it with a bulk-shotted pole rig. My favourite mix for this is a 50/50 blend of Pro Natural and Pro Natural Extra, with a little soil added for weight. 

Try Hollow Elastics

It took me a while to get into hollow elastics for river fishing but I’m totally sold on them now, especially in situations where bigger fish play a part in winning catches. I use Daiwa Hydrolastic in black, grey and white for big fish and yellow, pink and blue for the smaller ones.  

Lay A Trap For Tench

Not all our rivers hold tench, but on those that do, it’s worth laying a trap of groundbait, casters and chopped worm at the bottom of ledges and then leaving it alone for an hour or two before trying it. Doing this I’ve landed some really big specimens from the Warwickshire Avon. 

Experiment With Tall Lengths

This is an area of river feeder fishing where I think a lot of anglers miss out on getting better catches by not changing anything. While 2ft 6ins-3ft is often a very good starting point, try shorter tails if you’re missing bites and go much longer, up to 5ft or 6ft, if you’re not getting any bites at all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 10 fishing tips for catching more on the rivers

With the river season now well underway we thought we would put together a list of the top 10 fishing tips to help you catch more fish on the rivers. With these tips you are guaranteed to get your river fishing season off to a flyer.  Check out our list below and let us know what fishing tip you will use on your next session! 

Cast down the middle for bream

The habits of bream on rivers don’t alter much in summer from back in the winter – they still prefer deep water, which is almost always found smack down the middle of the river. A tried-and-tested ploy is to cast two-thirds of the way across. If bites fade away, go even farther across to where the river begins to shelve up towards the far-bank shallows.

Walk the banks

Not sure where to fish? Visit at dusk and walk the banks in search of your quarry. Bream and tench will give themselves away by rolling just before it gets dark, and roach will also top regularly – they won’t move far from these spots so you can avoid a lot of disappointment by putting in the miles.

Always pick cover

Try to choose a river swim offering some sort of feature. This could be a reed bed or a tree on the far bank, some lily pads close in, or a moored boat. Whatever it is, fish will live close to it and it will give you another option to fish to during your session, normally with a feeder or waggler cast

Be a slacker

Check out the slacks for roach and chub, where the river’s main flow meets a calmer area. On the edge of this will be something called a ‘crease’, which allows the fish to head into the main current to pick off food that’s been washed down the river before heading back into the quieter water.

Find the fast water

Early-season rivers can suffer from lack of rain, which in turn reduces the rate of flow. On shallow venues, any such swims can be devoid of fish. To stack the odds in your favour, seek out the shallowest swims that will generate faster, oxygenated water. This is what the chub and barbel, in particular.

Seek out the Depths

Early-season rivers can suffer from lack of rain, which in turn reduces the rate of flow. On shallow venues, any such swims can be devoid of fish. To stack the odds in your favour, seek out the shallowest swims that will generate faster, oxygenated water. This is what the chub and barbel, in particular, 

Watch the tide

Tidal rivers really come into their own throughout the summer. Although they can be fearsome places, with deep water and a fast flow that can change direction during a session, they will offer brilliant roach and bream sport. To get the best out of them, check a tide table online and combine your visit with a tide that’s ebbing (running out to sea) all day. This will produce the most fish.

Weed equals fish

A pain it may be, but where big fish are concerned, weed is prime real estate. Tench, big perch, eels and even barbel will stick close to the weed for a source of natural food and a bit of sanctuary, so it’s always worth feeding some chopped worm just over the weed to try for a big fish throughout the day.

Groundbait.png

Bait up for success

Pinning down a bream shoal on a river or big lake can be difficult in a short five-hour session, so do yourself a favour by spending a few evenings prior to fishing putting some bait in. Known as prebaiting, this action gives the fish a few large helpings of bait in advance and will get them into the area early doors. Keep it simple with corn, pellets, hemp and plain brown crumb groundbait.

Evening.png

Go early and late

Blinding sunshine and warm temperatures rarely do the fishing any good, especially if you are after bream and tench on a river or lake. You’re far better off going early or late before the sun gets up, the mercury rises and it’s more productive for you to soak up the rays.

Six steps to casting feeders further

here’s little point in having the correct rig, lovingly-prepared bait and groundbait and a good peg to fish if you can’t cast your feeder far enough in the first place.

You may think that you can cast well and put a feeder out a long way, but there are always a few little things that can be added to your technique that’ll put 10 or 20 more yards on the cast. On many waters, where casting further than the anglers around you might be important, these little improvements will mean more fish.

Get the right ‘drop’

This is the length of line between feeder and rod-tip before you cast. If it is too short, then you won’t achieve the force to cast far enough – around 5ft of line is ideal, allowing you to really compress the rod. 

use your other hand

Too many anglers cast using just the hand and arm holding the rod around the reel. This is wrong. Your other hand that’s on the bottom of the handle is just as important, as this should ‘pull’ on the rod as you cast, creating speed on the cast to propel the feeder further.

point where you cast

When the cast is finished, the rod should be pointing directly to the spot where the feeder has gone into the water. This will tell you that you’ve been accurate, and is achieved by following through with the rod in a straight line as the feeder flies through the air.

Release at the right point

When to release line from the spool mid-cast makes a big difference. It should happen when the rod is roughly pointing to 11 o’clock on an imaginary clock – 12 o’clock will be the point immediately above your head. Let go too early and the feeder will go in a more upward direction, while too late and it will crash into the water 20 yards out! 

use the right type of rod

Modern feeder rods are designed for casting a long way, so don’t be afraid to put a lot of force into the chuck and fully compress the rod. It might look as though it’s bending alarmingly, but that’s what it’s built to do – the rod won’t break!

Stand to attention

For really long casts, you’ll have to stand up. This creates more clearance behind you to get the right ‘drop’ between feeder and rod, and also allows you to use the weight of your body to propel the cast.

Tommy Pickering's essentials for catching bream

 

Bream are one of my favourite species and you can catch them from springtime onwards with the sport just getting better and better as the year goes on. So here are my tips to help you take a catch of bream you’d previously only dreamed about. Try out these great tips for bream at a lake near you and watch that tip go round!

GROUNDBAIT

There are two types of groundbait that I use for bream fishing, either a fishmeal or a cereal version.When deciding which to use I have one simple rule – If the venue sees anglers feeding pellets I always go for fishmeal, a mix of Sonu F1 Natural and Dark. 

However, if it’s a more natural venue which doesn’t see carp anglers, such as one in Ireland, I’ll go for a cereal groundbait in Super Crumb Bream. Some anglers like very dry mixes but I mix my groundbait slightly on the damp side, just enough so that it holds together, in fact.

RODS

The rods I use for breaming arethe Preston 11ft 8ins and 12ft 8ins Dutch Master Method feeder rods. 

I use the 11ft 8ins rod for casting up to 50m, then the 12ft 8ins model for going further than this. If you don’t use a long or powerful enough rod you simply won’t be able to cast as far as you need to to catch bream – this is no place for 10ft bomb rods. 

Likewise there is a danger of being over-gunned and using rods which are too beefy, which will see hook pulls on small hooks. I find the Dutch Masters have a great through action for silver fish and bream, but are still very good for long casting. 

HOOKS 

I use the Preston PR333 for small skimmers, the PR344 for normal skimmers and bream and the PR3555 for bigger bream and aggressive fishing. 

It’s important to match the hook size to the size of the bait, for example, maggots go on size 18 and 20 hooks and worms on size 16 and 14. I fish what I can get away with, what the fish will accept on the day. In an ideal world I’d like to fish a size 14 every time, but it doesn’t work like that! 

Line Clip

I’ve not always been the biggest fan of line clips on reels for bream fishing, as I’m confident I can cast in the same area and sometimes I like to spread the bait around a bit for bigger slabs. However, there are times when I need to use them and I’d say they are definitely beneficial. They make it easy to cast in the same spot every time, especially if you have a longer and a shorter line, so make full use of them. 

WORMS

Bream are usually absolute suckers for chopped dendrobaena worms so I always take plenty with me to put through the feeder. Very rarely do I start off feeding them, however, because if bream don’t want them they can kill the peg. 

It’s better to start more cautiously, putting maggots and casters through the feeder rather than worms. Then you can start introducing them and gauge the response. You tend to get bigger weights feeding worms and with worms on the hook, bites are more aggressive. I’d chop worms into big pieces for bream and ‘mince’ them up for skimmers.

How to catch a net of bream

March and April are historically the months when bream and tench really begin to feed in earnest.

The pages of Angling Times are filled with massive single fish or big nets of smaller specimens, and already bream have begun to figure heavily in readers’ catches. Every day that passes means longer daylight hours, combined with the clocks going forward at the weekend, and that means more sunshine and warmer water temperatures.

Combine this with preparations for spawning and it’s no wonder that early-spring is seen as a bit of a bonanza for catching bream. The feeder remains king of them all for catching a net of bream on natural waters, so if you’re a bit rusty when it comes to fishing the tip, here are six essential bits of advice to help you get stuck into a shoal of slimy slabs!  

 

Step 1) Choose the right feeder!

Gone are the days of using a standard open-end feeder for bream if you want to cast a long way. A small open-end or cage is fine for a 30-yard chuck, but if you need to cast further then look to invest in some of the modern rocket or distance feeders (below) on the market. 

These are wire cage feeder swith the weight built into one end. They cast smoothly in the wind and will fly a long way. What size you pick depends on how far you need to go, and the conditions, but don’t force the cast – it should be a comfortable one to ensure accuracy.

1.jpg

Step 2) Go the distance

The water will still be a little clear and that means the chances of catching bream at shorter ranges are slim. You need a decent cast of upwards of 50yds to find the fish. 

In open water this should put you in a decent depth but it’s worth counting how long it takes the feeder to hit bottom so you can work out how deep the swim is. As a guide, every second that it takes to get down equates to around a foot of water if using a standard 30g feeder. Around 6ft should be the minimum depth you’re looking for.

Step 3) Try using braid

The water will still be a little clear and that means the chances of catching bream at shorter ranges are slim. You need a decent cast of upwards of 50yds to find the fish. 

In open water this should put you in a decent depth but it’s worth counting how long it takes the feeder to hit bottom so you can work out how deep the swim is. As a guide, every second that it takes to get down equates to around a foot of water if using a standard 30g feeder. Around 6ft should be the minimum depth you’re looking for.

Step 4) Pick the right groundbait

Whether you use a fishmeal mix or a sweet one will depend on the venue you are fishing, as some waters respond to fish while on others it can be a turn off. 

If you are unsure, go down the classic route with a sweet mix combined with brown crumb. On waters where fishmeal works, a 50/50 blend of fishmeal and sweet will do the job. Mix this on the damp side so it stays in the feeder on the cast, but riddle it off to ensure no large lumps are left when it’s time to fish. It is also worth including some dark groundbait somewhere along the line in clearish water.

Step 5) Give them lots of goodies

Although we’re not yet at the time of year when loading a feeder with chopped worm and caster will work, you still have to make sure that some freebies are included in the groundbait mix in order to keep the bream feeding actively. Chopped worm and caster remains number one, but remember to chop the worm quite finely to release as much scent into the water as you can. 

Micro pellets are another good addition on waters that see a lot of pellets used. If this isn’t the case, then dead maggots are a good substitute and a few grains of corn won’t do any harm. For the hook, two or three dead maggots will let you feel your way in, but worm will always pick out the bigger bream.

Step 6) Patience pays

You rarely catch bream immediately even in the height of summer, so this is definitely the case in March and April, when the fish aren’t fully in the feeding groove. 

It’s reckoned that no bites in the opening hour of a session is a good thing, as this will allow you to build up a feed area without spooking any fish by catching them too early. However, if you get two hours into the day and haven’t caught it’s time to rethink the plan. 

Casting further can work, as can the odd cast closer to you. A great trick is to chop some worms into a mush and pile these into the swim, relying on the scent cloud to attract a few bream into the area.

How to get early season feeder success!

With the rivers closed, it’s now time to start looking at commercial waters to get your fishing fix – and there’s no better way to keep the bites coming than by fishing the feeder. 

Whichever model you use, the swimfeeder is simple to fish with relatively easy rigs, and deadly accurate in terms of placing your hookbait right next to a small pile of feed at up to 60 yards range. 

It’s a little early in the year to bank on catching consistently on the pole or waggler, and you can even use the same rod and reel that’s served you so well on the rivers in the past few months. Here are six things to master if you’re planning a session on the swimfeeder over the coming weeks…

1) Choose the right feeder

This is the first consideration when deciding to fish the feeder. A feeder is ideal for when the fish want a bit of bait to get stuck into, but don’t go too mad by picking a big feeder that holds a lot of pellets right now. 

Minimal feed will still be best, so that means picking a smallish feeder that’ll drop just a good pinch of bait into the peg on every cast. Method or pellet feeders are both good but the Hybrid feeder from Guru has won over lots of anglers in recent years.

If the water is cold and clear, try changing from feeder to bomb from time to time. The bomb will offer minimal disturbance in the peg while giving you the option to fish a large, highly visible hookbait around minimal feed. 

2) Find where the fish are

Depending on the swim, you’ll be faced with several options as to where to fish. The swim could have an island, a far bank, overhanging trees or lily pads that are just beginning to establish themselves again after winter. 

All will attract and hold fish, so if your swim has any feature, cast to it. However, don’t be tempted into casting tight up to this feature, as often the water there will be very shallow. 

Instead, aim to land the feeder a metre or so away, where the water will be a little deeper. In open water, make the cast to a range that you can comfortably reach and, if that is your plan, where you can feed over the top with a catapult.

3) Use bright baits

Changing hookbaits can be the key to cracking a commercial in early March, as the water will still be a little on the clear side and the fish not yet in full-on feeding mode. 

Tried and tested favourites such as hard pellets and dead maggots work brilliantly for smaller fish but colour plays a big part, giving the fish a hookbait that they can easily pick out from a small patch of pellets or groundbait. 

Corn is brilliant, but if you want to go down the boilie route a bright yellow, green or pink mini pop-up, dumbell or wafter-type bait can really trigger a response.

4) Feed over the top 

You don’t always have to rely on the feed that’s going into the swim via the feeder to keep the fish happy. Loosefeeding pellets over the top of where you’re casting to can pay dividends too. 

This is a popular ploy when bomb fishing too, introducing half-a-dozen 6mm or 8mm hard pellets over the top via a catapult every few minutes. This way you can regulate how much feed is going into the peg and work out how the fish are responding to it.

5) Use light hooks and lines

Although spring is just about here, that doesn’t mean that you should switch back to heavy lines and big hooks on a mixed fishery. Erring on the light side will get more bites over five or six hours of fishing, but a balance needs to be struck – go too light and you may get broken by a big fish, whereas too heavy and the fishing will be patchy. 

For a typical mixed commercial water when F1s, skimmers and the odd better carp are likely, a hooklink of around 0.12mm matched to 5lb mainline and a size 16 or 18 barbless carp-style hook makes for a balanced set-up. Only if the peg is snaggy or the fish particularly big should you think about stepping up to heavier tackle.

6) Time your casts

With any form of feeder fishing, a big puzzle to solve is how long to leave the feeder out before recasting. On natural waters for bream, or when in search of big carp, this can be up to half-an-hour, but if you are fishing a heavily-stocked commercial water that’s home to small carp, F1s, skimmers, tench and barbel, you can reasonably expect to get bites fairly regularly. You should be aiming to build a swim up over time to create a small area for the fish to feed over. 

Casting every five minutes will quickly establish feed on the deck, and if you are using small baits such as maggots and 4mm pellets you should catch within this five-minute window. Only if you change to a bigger bait in search of something that pulls back harder should you leave the rig out that bit longer.

tip6.jpg