I had found a good bit of river, not
overfished, good access, safe parking
and it also has some cracking fish .
Only problem, with a bit of extra water
the swims are hard to fish on the float.
So with this in mind I had thought of
fishing the feeder! I'm not one for sitting
for hours waiting for that one fish. So my
idea was to approach it more like I would
with the stick, a roving method. Some bits
of river would still be waded with me
feeding, as normal from mid river. I was
so confident this would work I have even
been looking for the ideal rod. Not a heavy
Barbel rod but a feeder rod, it has to be
powerful enough for the big fish but also
delicate enough for Chub, Roach, and Dace.
Phil got a Fox specialist which is a lovely
bit of kit and if they still did that model
"0.75tc" it would be top of the list.
So after picking up a few rods and
having a read I have now made my mind
up. What confirmed it was going out with
my old rod and giving it a go.
to have a late afternoon /evening on the
piece of water I described I told him of my
thoughts and he quite fancied it although
he was happy to settle on his chair after a few
beers the previous night.
I set up 11ft feeder rod 3oz tip 8lb mainline
6lb Froghair hook length 14's Drennan
specialist hook. Nothing complicated a
running open end feeder two beads to
buffer the knot, which was tied loop to
loop, this acts as a mini boom helping
keep the hook length away from the
feeder. Caster was the bait mixed into
a fish meal based feed.
The first swim is easier to approach off
the bank, in fact its impossible in good
water "bloody dangerous" .
I made one cast, and with the normal
approach in mind, after the short time I
thought it would take the feeder to
empty, I re cast. This would feed the
swim and with an uneven bottom would
always give me a chance that the feeder
was in the best place on occasions.
Not long to wait the tip banged round
and I was into a good fish. Jeff was amazed
at the quick result. I was chuffed it's a
sweet feeling when you think about
something and it works so well.
Moments later a Barbel of just
over 8lb was at the net, prime
condition, I expected more and
soon after I did get one around
a pound. The swim only produced
a few more trout. Jeff sat waiting
and I had a wander only an hour or
so, it gave me chance to try the
"wading feeder" two more Barbel
only small biggest may have pushed
3lb but it was working!!
Just a few adjustments and I think this
will bring me some good days.