Method Feeder for Bream

I would be interested to know if it's possible to use a method feeder when fishing for bream? If it is, are there any ready made method mixes available from tackle shops or should you make up your own?

Hi Francophil.

Yes, it is possible to catch bream on the method.

With regards bait, it pays to get a good bed of bait out there to start with. Use a feature finding set up to find some clear gravel, preferably on the bank with the wind in your face. Once found get some bait out there, either with the spod, or balling in.

The initial feed should consist on a variety of sizes and colours. Use plenty of fishy pellets, of different sizes, along with a tin of corn, some maggs or caster some partis and maybe a bit of vitalin to bulk it out a bit. If you are balling in add a kilo of swim stim method mix, if spodding, just add enough to prevent the mix coming out of the spod on the cast.

Bait up an area of approx 5 - 10 yards around your marker.

For the method mix use a kilo of swim stim method mix, added to which is a couple of handfulls of pellets, corn and maybe some dead maggs or casters. No need to over load the freebies in the method mix.

The idea with using the method accurately over a bed of bait is that the bed attracts and holds fish in your swim, the method ball provides a parcel of attraction to pull the fish to your hookbait. So it may be worth to add a liquid attractant to your method mix.

Accuracy is vital so clip up, or use an appropriate technique if tench or carp are present.

Hookbaits I like to use with this method are either critically balanced corn or worm. But experiment to see what they like on the day.

Once you catch introduce a few more small spods of bait to keep the swim topped up.

Good luck.

PS now the autumn is around the corner, judge how much bait you put out by the temps.

Darren

Thanks for the comprehensive advice - have just returned to fishing after a break of 35 years and am more enthusiastic about it now than when I was a keen young angler tagging along with my dad and his mates!

As a returning amateur; which fishy pellets would you recommend, can you tell me more about feature finding and also more about the swim stim method mix (I haven't seen it in my local tackle shop). Recommendations as to hook baits and whether to use a hair rig or not would be helpful.

By the way, I used some premixed Vitalin as a general groundbait last weekend and (I get the impression that you aren't a c**p fan)the fish went mad for it. I have a black labrador who would eat for England and win Gold medals at the Olympic Games.I have to feed him low fat food but Vitalin seems to be a very cost effective all round grounbait!

have a look through the carp threads they have lots of info on feature finding.

you won't go far wrong with sweetcorn and red worms or small boilies for hookbait.

I had success earlier in the year with Bream, at last catching the double I was after. I used coil method feeder, mix was scalded trout and halibut pellets, 8ins braid hooklength, 12 or 14 hook with 3 or4 grains of sweet corn with 1 grain of artificial on the hair. I had more success with method mix on feeder only and with no pre baiting. Play around and find out what works best on the lake you are fishing.

This year I have had great sucess using the method for bream several 100lb plus sessions, I have found that a high fish meal content in the mix worked best for me , I buy my groundbait in bulk from www.baitsonline.co.uk and mix in flaked maize , or vitalin
I got this address from another Fishing magic member.
Regarding hair rigging or not I find it depends on the day if I am gettting very light takes I will often hair rig and this seams to give a more positive take.One small point remember to sit on your hands when metehod fishing as you will get loads of knocks , so don't strike until the tip pulls round.
Hodd luck
Tony

Francophil, if the water you're fishing is a popular carp water then go with the Method feeder and small carp baits. However, if it isn't a popular carp water don't ignore the more standard bream approach of groundbait feeder, squatts, maggots and casters, varying the hookbait between those, plus worm and sweetcorn.