Feeder fishing, casting techniques, best baits and more.

The best way to set up you feeder fishing tackle is first of all to have the correct size reel.

Most match reels are superb for this task. Using a four pound breaking strain line for the reel.

I see many reels set with the reel filled well below the lip of the spool, this will reduce the distance of the cast considerable and more importantly accuracy will be affected.

Bait runner reel showing spool correctly filled

The line on any fixed spool reel should always be around six millimetres below the lip of the spool. 

Always remember to leave enough clearance between rod tip and fishing tackle when preparing for the cast two feet between rod tip and and tackle is ideal.

The Avanti Argenta heavy feeder rod  perfect for rivers and lakes.

Rods should be feeder rods or  2.75lb to 3lb test curve Carp rods, 12 ft depending on the method preferred. Use a Carp rod with bait runner reel as a sleeper out fit while Waggler fishing will often through up large bonus Tench and Carp. This completes the full set up for the day.

The Shakespeare Zeta two tip feeder rod

Best baits are still the original luncheon meat and sweetcorn  for Carp, bream, skimmers and big Tench.
Flavoured corn will often add bonus fish to the catch with Tiger nut being my personal favourite. 

Luncheon meat bagged and steeped in Glug over night

The meat punch in action ,simple and effective

Full set up of loaded Wagglers

The best way to prepare this bait is to first cube a tin full with a meat cutter, bag in a freezer bag and pop in the fridge over night with a few drops of your favourite glug.This is best then fished over the top with a piece of punched luncheon meat prepared with a set of meat punches on a hair rig if fishing for Carp and Tench or direct to hook when float fishing with loaded wagglers.

How to prepare luncheon meat with a meat cutter

In my next post we will reveal our tips on using the best hook baits for commercial lake fishing for big carp in the margins and the six meter pole or whip line.
Watch out for it!!!!!!!!!!!!

sea fishing how to use the lineaffe gct multiplier reel from bluebellangling.com

Using a multiplier? Read on:
Never be put off using a multiplier reel, more distance can be achieved, relatively easy by using one of these following a few basic rules:-
Most shore casting multiplier are suitable for light boat fishing for wreck and heavy sea fishing a more brutus reel is need with a steel spool.
Graphite spools are and casings are corrosion proof.

First trap the spool with the right thumb, assuming you are right handed, next put the reel into free spool, try a smooth cast at first rather than distance lifting the thumb off the spool to allow the lead to travel skywards in the normal way, now look down and watch the spool revolving any build up of loops of line means the breaks are set to slack and the spool could be slowed with the thumb in this instance.
Best fishing line to use Stren at around 25lb to 30lb breaking strain or Leeda with a 12 to 14ft beach, shore casting rod, using a twin hook rig will slow the weight down slightly but then again this double the chance of a hook up!

Next cast turn the casting brake adjusting knob very slightly , this is the silver knob behind the star drag, finally once the brakes are set correctly its simply a matter of watching the lead travel towards the sea and stop the spool dead with the thumb as the lead looks to be about one metre above the water or if fishing after dark watch the spool with your headlamp , this can then be seen by the spool slowing and a loop of line coming up off the spool , this is the signal to stop the spool dead with the thumb, then lift off the thumb to allow the lead to travel to the sea bed.

Easy once tried a few times.

loch ken secrets

 Secrets of loch ken

Full Pike and Carp set up

 

Trusted dead bait rigs, floats and lures used 

After fishing from the shore for some years and then mooring a boat on loch ken I feel its time to reveal its secrets , but more of this later with out a dought she holds many many pike of all sizes fishing the loch when she is not in flood will guarantee pike from 4 lb upwards on deads both on float and ledger tactics areas around the camp site are very popular with fishing from the small play ground down to the first fence being excellent there is an area easily seen from the shore with a length of buoys
View Larger Map

A 22lb Pike caught on the tackle pictured Sardine was the successful bait


http://www.bluebellangling.com/

Casting anywhere near there  will result in lost tackle however anywhere else is just about snag free 70 yards down from the tree is a slight bay 10ft wide which is flat enough for a bevy and rods for 2 anglers casting with large lead and strong snap tackles are the order of the day here I use the type with the variable top treble personally as they can be adjusted easily for the length of bait being used further down stream is where the fence enters the water and around here can also produce many doubles are caught here every few weeks in the summer with a good sprinkling of 20lb pike and many doubles with many fish in the 5 to 10 lb bracket per session the opposite bank is also superb from the shore pull in at one of the lay-bys from the gravel bank which comes to a slight point a short cast from here to the left where  Lilly bed hides away until may is excellent and a secret spawning bay for twill produce the goods on the float lamprey smelt and sardine being superb all along this bank will produce all manner of essox all these marks are good in both summer and winter view my second posting for more success storeys covering boat and lure fishing for pike and big perch with the deadly method on this loch bar none and where to head when this gem is flooded how does 28lb and 30lb fish twenty minutes from here sound ?