| FIRST CLASS FISHING | |
‘First Class Fishing’, a series of classes for beginners and improvers conducted by Dave Cooper, an all-round experienced angler with a string of good fish and good catches to his credit. The classes are aimed at those who have recently discovered the joys of fishing and need guidance on using tackle correctly and wish to improve their basic skills. Dave will cover a specific topic at a time in this bi-weekly column. The first section will be really basic with subsequent ones building on the skills covered previously. His aim is to explain things as simply and concisely as possible and will assume that the reader knows absolutely nothing about the subject. |
LEGERING – Part Six
THE METHOD FEEDER
The first five parts of this legering series looked at pretty standard rigs that can be adapted for a number of species. In this part I’m going to show you the Method feeder which, in fishing terms, is a relatively new development that took the angling world, and in particular the commercial carp match fishing scene, by storm a few years ago. It is primarily a rig for catching carp from pools and lakes with a relatively high stock density of fish, though specimen anglers are now adapting the Method to target large tench and bream and the river angler is using it to catch barbel.
What is a Method Feeder?
Basically, a Method feeder is a weighted frame or cage around which a firm mixed groundbait is moulded. It is normally fished ‘in-line’, creating a bolt rig effect, which means that when a fish takes the hookbait it hooks itself against the weight of the feeder and bolts, which in turn leads to quite spectacular bites.
The purpose of the Method is to get carp to attack the ball of groundbait and pick up your hookbait, which is either inside the ball of groundbait or in very close proximity to it.
The Tackle
I consider there to be two distinct styles of Method feeder fishing, one is what I term as ‘the match Method’ and the second the ‘specimen Method’, neither of which can exactly be described as delicate. The feeders themselves weigh somewhere in the region of 1oz to 3oz before any groundbait is moulded around them, so just casting one requires a rod that has a fair amount of backbone. And because hard-fighting carp are the most common target the rod has to be up to the job of landing them.
The match Method is the style used on commercial fisheries for targeting smallish stocked carp, generally up to a maximum of 10lb in weight (commonly known as ‘pasties’) which requires the use of a heavy feeder rod fitted with a quivertip. The reel needs to be a robust fixed spool type capable of carrying 100yds of 8lb breaking strain line. A ‘4000’ size reel is ideal. It needs a smooth and reliable clutch system too because some of the bites you can expect are just awesome and you need to be able to set the clutch to give line smoothly at the appropriate time.
The specimen Method is a heavier version used in conjunction with conventional carp rods in the 2.5lb to 3lb test curve (TC) range to handle the bigger carp, or if tench or bream are the target stepped up (heavier/stronger) Avon rods with a test curve of around 1.75lb to 2lb are generally preferred. These are usually fished specimen style on rod rests or rod pods with electronic bite alarms and bobbin type indicators. Reels are usually of the free spool, baitrunner type loaded with line between 8lb and 15lb breaking strain depending on the size of fish expected.
The ‘Match Style’ Method
There are many variations of the match style Method feeder available today, but essentially they are based on the same basic concept. The feeder itself is a cage or coil construction around which groundbait is squeezed. Most styles have a length of pole type elastic running through the centre with a swivel or connecting ring on each end. The mainline is tied to the top swivel and the hooklink is tied to the bottom creating a fixed in line rig. The purpose of the elastic is to absorb the shock of a hard taking, bolting carp, preventing the hook pulling out of the fish’s mouth.
The mainline should be no less than 8lb breaking strain. Due to the stresses involved in casting the heavy feeder and dealing with hard-fighting fish you should never really go lower than this, especially as these feeders are essentially fixed and if the line breaks above the feeder a fish will find it difficult to free itself from the rig. The answer to this is to fish with a strong enough mainline so as to absolutely minimise the possibility of breaking off in the first place. The mainline should always be of a higher breaking strain than both the hooklink and the elastic that runs through the feeder.
The key to a successful Method feeder rig is the length of the hooklink. It is fished very short, only 3 inches or so in length. As a gauge, if you can fold the hooklink back over the groundbait loaded feeder and the hook touches the mainline, it’s too long! This is for two reasons. The primary reason is that you want your hookbait to be very close to the ball of groundbait moulded around the feeder. The second reason is that if the hooklink can reach the mainline it will be prone to tangling up on the cast, something you definitely want to avoid.
The hooklink should again be strong but, as stated above, of lesser breaking strain than the mainline. A 6lb bs hooklink is about right with 8lb mainline. I prefer to use a high tech reduced diameter mono line for my hooklinks. The hook itself should be a strong forged pattern matched to the size of the hookbait.
The ‘Specimen Style’ Method
Although the principle involved is the same, the specimen Method is really a beefed up version of the match style and the design of the specimen Method feeder is slightly different to the match type. It is designed very much like an in-line carp weight with vanes attached to which the groundbait is moulded and is set up exactly as a standard in-line carp rig would be. There is no elastic shock absorber on these style of feeders, the mainline instead passes right through the centre of them and attaches to a swivel that pulls back into the feeder creating a semi-fixed bolt rig. Most anglers using these feeders also incorporate a length of anti-tangle tubing on the line above the feeder.
 The Specimen Method Feeder |
As with the match style a very short hooklink is used for exactly the same reasons as above. However, many anglers prefer to use carp style braided hooklinks, especially if rigging the bait on a hair rig.
The Groundbait
In all previous articles in First Class Fishing I have avoided talking too specifically about bait, and particularly about groundbait, concentrating as far as possible on the rigs themselves. In this instance though I am going to look in some depth at the groundbait because it is virtually an integral part of the Method rig and the whole reason why the rig is being used in the first place.
Let’s look first at what we are trying to achieve in simple terms, using the assumption that we are fishing in warm, summer conditions when carp are quite active. What we want is to cast out a food parcel that is attached to our line. We want that food parcel to sit on the bottom and attract carp to it. We want the carp to start nudging and pecking at the food parcel to get a mouthful of food. Although we want them to get at the food we don’t want to make it easy for them, we want them to have to work at it, almost provoking them into getting a bit on the aggressive side with it. We want our hookbait to be in close proximity and be readily accepted by the feeding carp, indistinguishable from other parts of the food parcel.
 The Loaded Method Feeder |
This gives us a number of challenges. What we need to provide is an attractive groundbait for the carp that will stick to the feeder on the cast, will not break up as it hits the water and sinks to the bottom, but will break down when left in the water for a little while, say 15 minutes or so, and will also break up when carp start to have a go at it. It also needs to contain a number of particles that match our hookbait, so it appears that our hookbait is just another particle in the bundle.
You are probably getting the message by now that this groundbait requires special qualities and careful preparation and you wouldn’t be wrong. However, by following some simple guidelines and remaining aware of your objective, it’s not actually that difficult to do.
To start with there are a number of high quality Method groundbait mixes on the market readily available from your local tackle dealer that have the necessary balance of food item ingredients and binders. For someone using the Method for the first time this is by far the best place to start. Having said that, tailoring your proprietary groundbait by making some additions is also very easy.
So let’s look more closely at what makes a successful summer Method groundbait mix. The one single important point here is to get the mix to the right consistency. Mix it too dry and it either won’t stick to the feeder or is likely to break up on impact with the water after casting. A too wet mix though will make the bait too sticky and it won’t break up easily enough. If you retrieve your feeder and a lot of the mix is still sticking to the cage then it’s likely that you made it too wet.
But by following the instructions on the packet you will be directed on how to achieve a mix that gives us what we want – a firm, slightly damp groundbait that easily moulds on to the feeder but breaks down when attacked by carp or in about fifteen minutes on its own.
On arriving at the water it’s often best to make mixing the groundbait your first job as it takes a while to get all the water absorbed properly. By letting it stand for 15 minutes or so while you tackle up is a good thing as you may have to add a bit more water before starting fishing. Make sure you get a consistent mix by rubbing the crumb between your hands to remove lumps or better still by passing it through a groundbait riddle.
 Mixing Method Feeder Groundbait |
As I said above, you can tailor mixes rather than just use them ‘as is’ from the packet. In addition to the straight mix you can put in particles to boost the attraction and holding power of the groundbait. Mixing in hemp seed, carp pellets, sweetcorn, broken boilies, casters, dead maggots, etc, can give your mix an edge. Certainly mixing in samples of what you are using on the hook is a good idea, making your hookbait look like just another particle in the mix. You can also add flavourings to the water used for mixing, maybe something sweet like molasses, or use the water left over from boiling the hemp. Another top idea is to liquidise a tin of sweetcorn and use that to wet your mix. One thing, do not use live maggots in your groundbait as their wriggling will break up your mix.
Hookbaits
The nice thing about carp, particularly pastie sized carp, is they eat virtually anything, therefore just about any type of bait that you can get to stay on your hook will catch them. It’s probably better to look at this from a point of view of what you don’t want to catch and use something that you know smaller fish, for example, will not pick up.
The most popular hookbaits include carp pellets; either the soft, hookable ones or dry ones fished on a hair rig or bait band, sweetcorn, paste, luncheon meat and boilies. Check if boilies are allowed on your water though, a lot of commercial fisheries ban them.
Fishing the Method
With your groundbait mixed and hookbait selected it’s time to fish. Mould the groundbait to the feeder, pushing the crumb firmly into the cage producing a small, compact ball of bait. When you have a the feeder loaded you can just leave the hookbait hanging free, but I like to fold the hooklink back over the groundbait and secure it by pressing a bit more of the mix on top, trapping the hookbait tight against the ball of groundbait. You can even bury the hookbait inside the ball of groundbait so it only becomes visible to the carp when the ball breaks down.
As with any form of fishing, accurate casting is the key. Try to hit the same spot every time you cast, for this will encourage the carp to congregate in a small area of your swim and compete for the available food.
 Carp caught on Method Feeder |
On most waters there are features that will be natural holding or patrol areas for the carp. Commercial fisheries very often have islands and a Method feeder cast to the margins of an island is often very productive, particularly if there is an overhanging bush or foliage that provides cover too. Look for these features and make use of them. In the absence of obvious features just ensure that you are careful with the casting and consistently feed to the same spot in open water. However, don’t be tempted to use your reel’s line clip to achieve this or you will end up getting broken. Read on and you will understand why.
When fishing the match version of the Method set yourself up so that you can sit with your rod tip at about 45 degrees to the cast feeder. With standard stillwater quivertipping you would normally set up with your rod tip virtually at right angles to the feeder to spot the slightest deflection in the soft tip, but for Method feeders this is not necessary as the bites are most often unmissable. Set the rod tip in a rest, the butt on your knee and keep your hand on the rod at all times unless you fancy a swim to retrieve it from a fast retreating carp. Also ensure that the clutch on your reel is correctly set to give line.
Quite often when fishing the match Method you will encounter the rod tip bouncing and pinging about for a while in small deviations. Ignore these indications, but tighten your grip on the rod as a proper bite probably isn’t far away. These indications are caused by interested carp nudging the feed ball or catching a fin on the line. A proper bite is usually indicated by the rod tip pulling savagely round in an unmistakable manner as the fish picks up the hookbait, encounters the weight of the feeder and bolts away, hooking itself in the process. Just lift in to the fish and let the rod and clutch of the reel slow it down until that first run is under control. Hence, don’t use the reel’s line clip!
For the specimen version the principles are basically the same. The only difference is that two or more rods can be used at the same time and the rods are placed on parallel rests. Free spool or baitrunner reels allow the rods to sit safely without any danger of being pulled in and bobbins in conjunction with electronic alarms take the place of the quiver for bite indication.
So, whether you fancy a go at the either the match or specimen options I’m sure you will be in for a very entertaining time. Give the Method feeder a try for some exciting fishing.
That’s it for this legering series. Next time in First Class Fishing I will be starting a new series on the topic of Pole Fishing. Part 1 will be looking generally at what a pole is, the uses of a pole and how to go about choosing your first one. See you then.
