does anyone fish the method feeder for smaller species

Id like to know if anyone has been successful using the method for smaller species like roach for instance.

Maybe using a lighter ground bait and maggots or something similar so that it breaks down quicker.

i usually use 4mm pellets with a handful of liquidised vitalin (helps mix to bind and give extra attraction) but usually only catch carp, larger bream and tench.

Yes, a form of method feeder can be used for roach. I sometimes use flavoured ground-up Vitalin which is squashed around a the lead. The lead is a 1oz barrel lead with a button on one end and a swivel on the other - held tightly with power gum. The ground-up Vitalin breaks down slowly. The hook length is usually about 8ins long and is on a helirig. Baits can be 10mm mini boilies, pellets, maggots, etc, either hair rigged or directly on the hook depending on the bait being used. It is not species selective - it will catch roach, bream, tench and carp. It is best used with a bait which you know will stay on - not crust, paste, flake.

On the Thames using this method I have also caught big chub and 20+ carp - never tried it on a small river.

Hope this helps.

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PS: Don't put the bait in the Vitalin when you cast in.

For roach and skimmers I use groundbait and single dead maggot on the method feeder. I have also had some good days with live maggot but not buried in the feeder, just hanging loose...

i spent yesterday fishing for bream and tench on my local ressy fishing with a 15g method feeder and a mix of 3 different types of groundbait and corn topped with a red maggot or a big bunch of maggots on a size 10 hook. the biggest bream i caught all day was maybe 1/2lbs i was constantly catching small skimmers and roach all day long

Last year I caught a fair number of roach, dace, perch and a couple of biggish bream (5lbs) on the Trent using a Drennan 15 gm flat feeder fished close in using hemp mixed with a standard (Swim Stim) method mix to stiffen it up.

The hook length was about 3 inches long using 5 lb fluorocarbon with a 16 Animal eyed hook.

I've been using medium size Preston method feeder for a couple of years catching roach, skimmers as well as bigger fish. Once tried it with corn on hook for bream and had barbel nites off nice roach.... It's a nice simple cost effective way of fishing that I'm going to try for carp & tench in the larger size.

For roach and bream i just use a preston feeder with liquidized bread,dead maggots and hemp maggots on the hook,sometimes add chopped worm and worm and the hook.