Feeder fishing question

[daji]

Im currently learning the ropes and trying to master fishing the feeder. What i would like to know is whether it is common practice to sit with the rod handle resting in your lap/on your leg?

The reason i ask this is because this is what i do and i'm starting to wonder if i'm sending vibrations down the taught line and spooking fish.

or maybe i'm just looking for an excuse for my poor catch weights

 

[binka]

I don't think there's any way you could be transmitting vibrations down your line daji, they would be absorbed mainly by the rod and then lost beyond that long before they get anywhere near your hook provided that you are sitting at least reasonably still.

Fishing with the butt on your lap is an excellent way of holding a tip rod in my opinion if you're expecting bites frequently or need to hit shy or fast bites and something I usually do on stillwaters.

If you're suffering poor catches it must be down to something else... do you have any more details on what for, where and how you're fishing?

 

[daji]

Thanks for the reply Binka. My catches haven't been too poor tbh, guess i'm just after a bit of sympathy after a rubbish session yesterday which resulted in a couple of perch after 3 hours of sitting in the rain.

Best session i've had to date (with the feeder) was after a regular expert on the lake tutted and shook his head after inspecting my groundbait, nipped off on his bike and reappeared 10 minutes later with his own groundbait concoction. From the off i started getting bites and caught a few nice bream. Groundbait smelt foul, almost vinegary but seemed to work. The ****** wouldn't tell me what was in it though mg:

The most difficult thing i'm finding is when to hit a bite. I very rarely get wrap around bites, they tend to be small taps, often too quick to hit. I use a 2oZ tip with a hook length of 40-50 cm and generally fish for Bream.

 

[binka]

There's obviously something in the groundbait then, if it attracted bream I would hazard a guess that it was a sweet, fishmeal based/flavoured mix or possibly molasses?

It can sometimes pay to fish a longer hooklength for bream (I've never known why but have found it to be the case, maybe that wary fish will sit just off the feed whilst they weigh it up?), i'd think about going up to twice your current length between hook and feeder and if bites don't develop try dragging the feeder back a foot or two so that your hookbait sits right over the feed and bream will lunge at a twitched bait.

Also look for features as you would if you were plumbing the swim with a float, drop offs and ledges can be located by gradually casting the empty feeder out further and further before fishing and counting down the seconds until it hits bottom... it only takes a few minutes and much better than a chuck to the horizon and chancing it, it will also identify any snags before you start building up a bed of bait right on top of one.

Hope there's something there that helps, good luck with it daji

Edited to add: Forgot to mention... I can't remember who first said it (might have been Mark Downes, a renowned bream angler and ex-England international) but their rule of thumb was that if the tip was still moving after you'd thought to yourself "Is that a bite?" then hit it.

 

[Judas Priest]

Daji
Also try using a softer tip rather than the 2oz, fibreglass tips are also softer than carbon ones, and try not to tighten up to much as this can lead to sharp bites.

As Binka says I'd also lengthen your hook link. Personally, if on a Stillwater, I'd start with one of 3ft and then either lengthen or shorten it. Shorten it if the fish are hooked well inside the mouth or you are getting no indication but smashed maggots, lengthen it if no bites forthcoming.

As the feeder touches down you are aiming to have the bait fall in as natural a manner as possible rather than being dragged to the deck by the feeder, and as the fish compete they will follow the feeder down picking off food items in the water column as well as stirring up the food around the feeder.

 

[daji]

Brilliant, thanks for the advice guys, appreciated

 

[mick b]

Im still learning how to fish a quiver tip but I recently got myself a copy of Bob Roberts book on ledgering.........its now my bible!
I advice is to get yourself a copy pronto and read it twice, leave it a week and read it again, yes its that good.

Personally I avoid anything to do with bream and usually unhook accidentals in the water.

Keep us informed how you get on.

 

[daji]

Im still learning how to fish a quiver tip but I recently got myself a copy of Bob Roberts book on ledgering.........its now my bible!
I advice is to get yourself a copy pronto and read it twice, leave it a week and read it again, yes its that good.

Personally I avoid anything to do with bream and usually unhook accidentals in the water.

Keep us informed how you get on.

putting it on my Xmas list

 

[pidgergj]

Im still learning how to fish a quiver tip but I recently got myself a copy of Bob Roberts book on ledgering.........its now my bible!
I advice is to get yourself a copy pronto and read it twice, leave it a week and read it again, yes its that good.

Personally I avoid anything to do with bream and usually unhook accidentals in the water.

Keep us informed how you get on.

is it the original book? he has now rewritten ot to take into account changes in techniques, equipment ect and its free to read online! The Complete Book Of Legering (Revised) - Introduction | Bob Roberts - Fishing information for the complete angler

 

[daji]

is it the original book? he has now rewritten ot to take into account changes in techniques, equipment ect and its free to read online! The Complete Book Of Legering (Revised) - Introduction | Bob Roberts - Fishing information for the complete angler

Reading it right now. Cheers mate