Cage Feeders

[David Rogers 3]

I'm getting increasingly fed up with losing the tops of my Drennan oval cage feeders because the silly little soft metal tabs that fix the cage to the base have broken. Drennan tackle is usually well-designed and robust, but the design of these items seems to be flawed.

The Preston equivalents appear to be fixed at each end with just one solid tab instead of four small bendy ones. Before I buy a load of these to replace the last few Drennans, I'd be interested to know what other forum members recommend...

 

[flightliner]

I,be been using the Drennan gripper feeders all summer and it's true the four lead fold over tabs work loose.
So all I did was put a dab of epoxy resin on each of them resulting in no more problems.

 

[Richox12]

I used loads of these Drennan Cages and have never broken one yet. You must be bending the leads etc fracturing the legs - which is some feat as many have 8 legs on them. It's a method of attachment for plastic and metal bodies that has been in use for decades.

 

[David Rogers 3]

It's odd as I'm not particularly heavy-handed and nothing else I use seems to break! As there's no need for the cages to be removed from the bases, I really can't see why the 4 tabs at each end need to be so soft and bendable...

 

[nottskev]

I used loads of these Drennan Cages and have never broken one yet. You must be bending the leads etc fracturing the legs - which is some feat as many have 8 legs on them. It's a method of attachment for plastic and metal bodies that has been in use for decades.

You're not sponsored by Drennan by any chance? I only ask, because if anyone ever criticises a Drennan product, you're straight in to point out why it must be the user's fault. A lot of Drennan stuff is great - but it's not all beyond criticism. For instance, their very first plastic product (iirc) the Feederlink blockends, were a neat design, but brittle and split far too easily, and I found some other Drennan blockends, decades later on, still split after no great use. The customer isn't always wrong.

 

[David Rogers 3]

I'm leaning towards the Korum feeders (the cages of which are fixed by 4 flat studs) as replacements, but I see they've recently decided to change the shape of the mesh to hexagonal for some reason. Time to stock up before all the old ones get sold...

 

[108831]

I must say I'm not a fan of cage feeders,preceding normal open enders,very often I make my own out of aquarium tube,very tough with no holes,meaning they rise quickly,the idea of feed coming out as the feeder calls defeats the object imo,I want my feed to edit on the deck as much as possible. The only time I use cage feeders is when fishing for chub with liquidised bread and then in the smallest size...

 

[Richox12]

You're not sponsored by Drennan by any chance? I only ask, because if anyone ever criticises a Drennan product, you're straight in to point out why it must be the user's fault. A lot of Drennan stuff is great - but it's not all beyond criticism. For instance, their very first plastic product (iirc) the Feederlink blockends, were a neat design, but brittle and split far too easily, and I found some other Drennan blockends, decades later on, still split after no great use. The customer isn't always wrong.

No not a sponsored angler. But I have used a LOT of their stuff over 40 odd years (likewise Shakespeare, Mitchell, ABU, Daiwa - Harrier line, where did it go ? - , Browning, Rive etc) and actually do use the cage feeders a lot winter & summer (unless it's got some flow). I actually prefer the oval ones to the older round ones (some say the opposite but everyone to their own) and even add extra lead (strap type) to the smaller ones so I can hold easier & chuck more accurately without feeding too much. Despite that I have never broken one. I can only see those small lead legs fracturing & breaking if they are continually bent (like most metals would anyway) back & forth.

I used Feederlinks a lot as well (mostly in the late 70's and 80's) and, yes, they would split eventually (same for the blockend version but with these I had removed the link and used Powergum through them).

 

[nottskev]

No not a sponsored angler. But I have used a LOT of their stuff over 40 odd years (likewise Shakespeare, Mitchell, ABU, Daiwa - Harrier line, where did it go ? - , Browning, Rive etc) and actually do use the cage feeders a lot winter & summer (unless it's got some flow). I actually prefer the oval ones to the older round ones (some say the opposite but everyone to their own) and even add extra lead (strap type) to the smaller ones so I can hold easier & chuck more accurately without feeding too much. Despite that I have never broken one. I can only see those small lead legs fracturing & breaking if they are continually bent (like most metals would anyway) back & forth.

I used Feederlinks a lot as well (mostly in the late 70's and 80's) and, yes, they would split eventually (same for the blockend version but with these I had removed the link and used Powergum through them).

Fair enough - I've used plenty of Drennan stuff over the years. In fact, I've just had an ebay Matchpro Ultralight 11' delivered, and I'm assured they're very good. Regarding feeders in general, I always found it ironic that the plastic in throwaway pop bottles - I used to cut strips to make open-enders - was indestructible and impossible to crack or tear, whilst manufacturers of feeders seemed to use brittle, fragile stuff that cost a lot and sometimes didn't last five minutes. The standard has improved a bit over the years though.

 

[David Rogers 3]

I can only see those small lead legs fracturing & breaking if they are continually bent (like most metals would anyway) back & forth.

That's exactly what has been happening with the Drennan feeders I've been using, and why I think it's a poor design. You wouldn't expect packing groundbait firmly into the feeder so that it stays in on a long-ish (40 yards or so) cast would bend the tabs, but I can't think how else it's been caused. Continually having to flatten them is obviously the reason why they've eventually either snapped off or lost their grip on the cage so that I've just got the base back. Anyway, it's not going to be a problem in future as I've ordered some Korum ones that appear to be constructed in a more efficient and durable way.

 

[davebhoy]

I'm getting increasingly fed up with losing the tops of my Drennan oval cage feeders because the silly little soft metal tabs that fix the cage to the base have broken. Drennan tackle is usually well-designed and robust, but the design of these items seems to be flawed.

The Preston equivalents appear to be fixed at each end with just one solid tab instead of four small bendy ones. Before I buy a load of these to replace the last few Drennans, I'd be interested to know what other forum members recommend...

Ive been having similar problems with them and sometimes when I'm not banging them out

 

[David Rogers 3]

I'm pleased it isn't just me, then!

 

[john step]

Have a look at the website of FEEDERLANDS LTD . Several different sizes. Extremely good quality at a very reasonable price. I doubt you could break these.

 

[David Rogers 3]

Those look good, John - I've already ordered some Korum feeders, but have bookmarked that page for future reference!

 

[john step]

Those look good, John - I've already ordered some Korum feeders, but have bookmarked that page for future reference!

I use them and I am a clumsy s*d and have not managed to break one.

 

[fred hall]

Interesting - a few years ago I always used Drennan feeders in particular the oval blockends for sessions on the Ribble. Suddenly I started getting all the problems highlighted above and judging by the number of such feeders that I've found cracked up on the river bank so have others. These days I stick to Kamasan black caps.

 

[John Keane]

I make my own feeders out of hair curlers, lead flashing, shrink tube and large rubber O rings. Got an assortment on eBay at the moment.

 

[fred hall]

Forgot to add that the River Ribble is for the most part a swimfeeder consuming monster (in my experience) so therefore you need items that will take some hammer.

 

[John Keane]

Forgot to add that the River Ribble is for the most part a swimfeeder consuming monster (in my experience) so therefore you need items that will take some hammer.

...or home-made ones that only cost you pennies to lose?

 

[108831]

Have a look at the website of FEEDERLANDS LTD . Several different sizes. Extremely good quality at a very reasonable price. I doubt you could break these.

John,this is the OP's perfect site,not mine however,I'm not sure what the plus points are with a cage feeder,against a plastic tube style feeder that is...