'Feeder Rods, or to give them their full title, Swimfeeder Rods, have one thing in common, apart from being designed to be most efficient when fished with a swimfeeder - they are equipped with at least one quivertip, and often with a set of at least three.
Typical feeder rod with a selection of quivertips
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Most of the confusion when buying a feeder rod comes about because there are rods called 'Quivertip Rods' which, in most instances, are one and the same thing. As with any of the specific feeder rods, you don't have to fish a swimfeeder to use one.
However, a properly designed feeder rod will be quite stiff for about two thirds of its length. This is so that the rod can throw a heavy weight far (when necessary) and accurately (always) but retain a generous amount of flexibility in the upper top section that continues into the quivertip itself. Try to cast a very heavy weight with a rod that is too flexible in the butt section and the cast is much more difficult to control.
The First Question
Should be, not what do you want to catch with the rod, but how do you want to fish with it. If you want to fish the middle or far bank of a big river with a swimfeeder that has a lead big enough to hold bottom even when the feeder is empty, or want to use 'The Method', then you want a much heavier rod than the one needed for fishing a light feeder at short range. Fundamental I know, but basic considerations that are often overlooked.
You need a heavy rod to cast a loaded Method Feeder
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Nevertheless, what you want to catch with the rod has to be considered. Even when fishing a light feeder at short range you still need a rod that will handle heavier line and big fish if you're targeting carp or barbel.
So the choice has to be weighed between the type of fishing you're doing (casting weight and distance) and the species, and size of that species, you hope to catch.
Most manufacturers have three power ratings for feeder rods: light, medium and heavy.
Length of Rod
Feeder rods range from very short 'winkle pickers', as short as 8ft, to 13ft long heavy river feeder rods or Method Feeder rods. The short, light rods will be best for picking off roach and gudgeon, or any small species that lies reasonably close to the margins, using a small, light swimfeeder or bomb. The longer, heavier rod would be used for casting a loaded method feeder, heavy groundbait feeder, and when a long line needs to picked up when striking at bites.
Quivertips
Quivertips, like rods, come in different strengths or test curves which denote the flexibility. The least active bite you expect the greater the flexibility in the tip you need in order to magnify that movement as much as possible. When fishing rivers with flow then you need less sensitivity than when fishing stillwaters, for the current will take up so much of the bend in the quivertip. Tips made from fibreglass are more sensitive than those made from carbon.
A selection of quivertips supplied with a Shimano feeder rod
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A few feeder rods come with just one fixed tip, but most are supplied with a set of at least three tips in a variety of test curves so that you can fit the one that is most appropriate to the type of fishing you're doing that day, or the type of bite you're experiencing.
Summary
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Choose strength of rod according to how you're going to fish and what you're going to fish for
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Choose length of rod according to casting distance, which will also be the striking distance. The longer the rod the easier it will pick up line at long range.
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When possible, choose a feeder rod with a set of quivertips in different test curves so that you'll always have available the most suitable one for the day.
graeme burns
