inline cage feeder

[Jim Crosskey 2]

If they're anything like the "canals" I've seen in Holland and France then they're a very different kettle of fish (groan!) to our UK canals. More like a big UK river.

Maybe a length of anti tangle tubing could be deployed on the mainline, carp style?

I would not use a hook-length that long fishing similar waters here in the uk (I think the river thames is probably similar when it's got some flow). I would tend to use a hook length of between 12 and 18 inches. I'd also make sure that I feather the cast... by this I mean that I'd apply a finger to the spool just before the feeder is going to land. By doing this, the feeder slows down and the hookbait flies forwards. The rod is held upright, then as soon as the feeder lands you clamp your finger on to the spool (so that no more line can come off) and you drop the rod tip down which ensures that the line between the rod tip and feeder is tight and the hooklength can fall down straight abover the feeder. If you don't do this, the feeder, hook-length and a load of slack line all take their chances together on the way down and will likely tangle as a result.

I will then also gently move the feeder - by about 12 or 18 inches - about 2 or three minutes after casting (assuming I haven't had a bite). This does two things, it encourages the bait in the feeder to distribute, and also moves the hook bait closer to the loose feed from the feeder.

As for hair rigging or mounting direct on the hook.... I do both. Maggots and worms go on the hook, pellets, corn or meat on the hair. All of them will catch bream.

 

[lutra]

I need to use a closed inline feeder : deep water and current. I do use flat inle feeders for shallow water. I also like to use an inline cage feeder because i can put a lot of pinkies (mini maggots) in the feeder along with the groundbait.

This saturday I fished with the system using three living maggots on a hook size 14. hooklength 4 inch , thikness 22 , and a boldrig system (with attention to fish safety) . What i don't understand is that when i get a drop back bite , I don't manage to hook the fish . should i increase the weight of the lead ? Perhaps shorter hooklength ?

I do agree that the flat inline feeder is very good , but i must find a way to catch fish in deep canals to !

Is there no chance that these drop backs you are getting are line bites?

 

[tony1234]

no it is most definitely fish taking the bait . The fish first pull on the tip and then swim towards me. I think that the pressure on the hook drops because the hooklength isn't stretched anymore . perhaps I should fish without a stopper.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Tony, do you fish with your line in the line clip on the reel - so you hit the same point every time with you cast?

I found this made my feeder fishing - with a standard groundbait feeder - so much more effective than just trying to cast to the same spot without it. Particularly when fishing for bream on a bigger river.

I guess the point is that when you fish with a method feeder, the grounbait you introduce on the feeder will help you get a bite on that cast. Whereas with a normal feeder, it's more likely that the groundhbait that you introduced three casts ago is what's going to work, so you really need to be hitting the same spot. I will often start a feeder session by putting out 5 - 10 casts without a hooklength on, just to get some feed down.

(Please forgive me if this is all known to you, we have an expression here about "teaching your grandmother to suck eggs..." I just bring it up because if I had to think of just ONE thing that has improved my feeder fishing, this would be the one).

 

[tony1234]

I use the line clip . Don't get me wrong I do catch my fair share of fish using an inline feeder . However for some weird reason , some fish who clearly took the bait get away . This phenomena occurs almost always when I have a drop back of the feeder tip. The problem only happens when fishing an inline cage feeder . Today same problem, although some drop back bites resulted in fish. I tried to shorten my hooklength to 2 inch to solve the problem. Not a good idea
no more bites. I will try to find an inline cage feeder of 2 oz .

this is the system i use https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKhmdy7aXFY

 

[lutra]

I use the line clip . Don't get me wrong I do catch my fair share of fish using an inline feeder . However for some weird reason , some fish who clearly took the bait get away . This phenomena occurs almost always when I have a drop back of the feeder tip. The problem only happens when fishing an inline cage feeder . Today same problem, although some drop back bites resulted in fish. I tried to shorten my hooklength to 2 inch to solve the problem. Not a good idea
no more bites. I will try to find an inline cage feeder of 2 oz .

this is the system i use https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKhmdy7aXFY

Can't say I would pick a cage feeder of any kind to fish "deeper water with a moderate flow". If I had to, I would Wrap a load of insulation tap round it to block all the holes up and give it a chance of getting my groundbait to where I wanted it.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Tony, is it possible that some of the dropbacks are not bites at all, but rather the feeder shifting slightly? If the flow is a bit variable then maybe sometimes - when it pushes a little harder - the flow will push the tip forward up until the feeder shifts a tiny bit. At that point, a little slack is effectively put in to the line so the tip drops back. I very often find this happens after a few minutes with a cage feeder, and its led me to believe that maybe when the bait disperses, the weight of the feeder is becoming less and therefore the feeder might shift - and cause the tip to drop back.

(Which would account for the fact that some of the dropbacks are bites but others connect with nothing?)

However, another possibility struck me, which is one of the extreme sensitivity of the set up concerned, using a 4 inch hooklength. Could it be that it is too sensitive? By this, I mean that the fish feels the weight before it's really taken the bait properly. I've often wondered if removing some sensitivity from a feeder set up actually increases your chances sometimes? I don't want to get to the point where I'm deep hooking anything, but equally I'd like to know that a bite is a bite!

I have to say though that it's puzzles like this that keep me coming back for more. Good luck, hope you make some progress on this.

 

[tony1234]

The bites are most definitely fish because the tip moves fractionated.

I will try to increase the weight. It's a good system ...


Perhaps the logic is as follows : when I began to fish for carp with the bold rig I used a lead of 1 oz , never got a fish . Later on, I increased the lead to 2 oz and more. This resulted in runs. So increasing the weight may be the answer.

 

[sylvanillo]

I've discovered the existence of an inline cage feeder while looking through this post!

It's been a while since Tony opened this thread but I hope you still fish your Flemish canals...

As I'm currently fishing the Bruxelles grand canal, one good idea that I have found in order to get a method reaching the bed with its load on such water is to use mixed Frolic. It can be used as a sticky additive to ground bait, or just on its own. Doesn't need to be too wet nor prepared in advance, which fits with my approach using a method and moving frequently.

On your Belgian canals I use a heavy method weighing 90 or 120 gr. It has the advantage of reaching the bottom quickly with less bait loss and the current isn't able to move it, at least where I fish (Bruxelles-Charleroi main channel around Seneffe).

Anyhow I can confirm canals in Belgium are much different. Large waterways designed for heavy boats. Probably loaded with tons of potatoes and monks lagers. About 30 yards+ in the narrowest stretches. Depth from 12 up to 30 feet. Currents are irregulars, depending on the location, proximity with other waters or locks, intensity of boat traffic etc, but they sometimes are strong enough to move a newly loaded 50gr feeder.

The 2017 world championship took place a few feet away from the huge boats lift in Ronquière

Compared to these my beloved canal in Oxford is a baby. Cast too strong - or get distracted by that blond student cycling with her micro-miniskirt- and the feeder ends into the pub or uni field on the other bank

The Meuse river goes down to 35 feet as well, far more than the Thames (in the Oxfordshire stretch), and much much larger.

The other type of Belgian canals are the "old canals", to my limited knowledge there are 2, the Vieux Canal of Brussels and the Canal du Centre. Pretty much abandoned although they have hot carp spots and I've had some good pike.

It's been 6 months since I've started with feeder fishing while I'm on duties in Brussels, hey only canals to fish here and the English style import seems to be the best, this means there will be international export post-Brexit

To my Belgian friend's despair I have to date kept with a mobile approach, this is (according to me) because of the low density of fish which I need to find first. UK canals that I know (Oxford, Grand union) are much more naturally stocked (or perhaps it's because the fish have to share a small place!)

My friend uses classic cage feeders, static approach and loads of ground bait + earthworms as baits. Rod on stick, up in the air.

Apart from the mobile approach which is cool, I have too found that bites on methods usually result in a landed fish, even with small fish such as roach, or even bleak or the little ugly gobie! While using a cage feeders aren't that good with me. I have never tried an inline cage one yet but I will. When fishing's good, I kneel close to the rod which lies directly on the bank, and I can feel the bites in hand.

Most of the locals do static pole fishing (and seem to catch regularly) and always have those weird looks at my method rig, the other ones do carp fishing with lead rigs and boilies, and I see many of them moving from spot to spot.

Have a good day!

 

[108831]

I think I would be more tempted to try the helicopter rig with a normal feeder,bites tend to hook up well against the rubber stops...

 

[sylvanillo]

Just found it in a recent "Improve your coarse fishing mag"! I will try. That's so many feeder rigs. Even seen a helicopter method feeder rig