Method feeder for carp

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John Hawkins

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I am new to method fishing and am fishing a stillwater in Surrey (about 3 acres and up to 8ft deep) stocked with mirrors and commons av about 3lb. I would like to try the method feeder but can anyone suggest rigs and/or groundbait mixes?
 
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ace carper

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Hi John, try trout pellet as a base mix and add hemp and corn or whatever hook bait you are using to the mix. To prepare the pellets, put them in a bait bucket and just about cover with boiling water. Seal the lid and leave to cool. The pellets will soften and can be mixed to form a paste. mix in the hemp etc and use on any standard method feeder with a 4-6 inch hair rig. mould the groundbait round the feeder, and lightly push the hookbait into it to conceal it. This also prevents tangles on the cast. Fox inline feeders are excellent for the job.
Ace
 
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Steve Bundock

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Great advice from Ace, but replace the trout pellets with one made specifically for carp. It has been found that trout pellets are loaded with various fats and oils specific for their dietary needs, carp have trouble, some times fatally, in reducing/using these fats and oils, to the extent that some fisheries have banned the use of trout pellets, but allow carp pellets.
Ace by 4-6 inch hair rig, do you mean 4-6 inch hook length?
 
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ace carper

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Yes sorry John, I meant a 4-6" hooklength with a standard hair. I'm not sure I entirely agree with Steves theory about trout pellets as I have seen no documented evidence on fatallities, but his advice is sound nonetheless. If carp pellets can be softened to make a base mix\paste, then they will do the same job. The overall nature of the groundbait should be one that breaks down in water and does not stay as a congealed mass around the feeder. Try some experiments with a bowl of water John to see how your mix performs when submerged. Just drop a ball in and see how long it takes to break down.
 
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Stuart Dennis

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Ace, Steve, would you also recommend a pop-up? and if so would you pop-up straight from the method feeder or would you pin down a couple of inches of the hooklength?

If you pop-up straight from the method feeder, would you keep the hooklength size the same?
Cheers
 
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John Hawkins

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Thanks for the advice so far. What I am hoping to do is use a mix of hemp, corn and pellets with corn on the hook. So with the pellets soaked and made up as a paste I don't need any base groundbait (crumb or whatever)? I know this is all a bit basic but after years away from fishing I'm just finding my feet again (personal best of 3 1/2lb common and 4lb mirror on floaters last week!!). With the method I am using a pair of Shimano Stradic M/H feeder rods (12') with quivertips up to 3oz. Would a 10lb mainline and a medium size method feeder balance the tackle up? I am only fishing a small stillwater (as mentioned earlier). My hooklength will probably be about 4lb with a size 10 or 12 hook (barbless naturally). People say the takes are ferocious so as I don't own a bite alarm could I get away with a monkey climber (showing my age now!!).Should I fish with the rod pointing at the feeder or at 90 degrees to it?
 
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ace carper

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Stuart, I generally fish bottom or balanced baits as I think they seem more natural laying next to the feeder. It would not seem right to have a pop-up 6" off the bottom. If I do ever use pop-ups, I would weight them just behind the hook so that they sit just off bottom. The idea as I see it is to make the bait appear as if it has broken away from the ball of bait. If I use maize on the hair it is balanced with a small piece of rig foam so that it only just lays on the bottom. Any disturbance from a fish will make it move in the water and appear as loose feed. The hook length usually remains the same.
 
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ace carper

Guest
John, you don't say what reels you are using. If you have baitrunner type reels you can point straight at the feeder and use the monkeys. This will be more relaxing if bites are slow. With quiver tips though I prefer the old ways. Rod at about 90 degrees to the feeder, hand on rod and watch the tip. Bites can be ferocious but not always. You can expect the tip to quiver as the fish peck at the feeder, but when they pick up the bait you will see the normal bite indication. Sometimes it will be small tugs and other times a full blown bend. As I said, if your fishing quiver style keep your hand by the rod or you may be swimming after it.
 
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John Hawkins

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Reels are Mitchell MD60's which have a baitrunner type function on them.
 
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Stuart Dennis

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John, I'd also step up to 6lb hooklength mate, you wouldn't want to tether any fish and you never know what might rear its head for your bait!
 
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Steve Bundock

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Stuart, pretty much the same as Ace ie, prefer a bottom bait or a critically balanced bait that has putty just under the hook.
John, as mentioned before either a baitrunner style setup or keep your hand on the rod at ALL times!!
What sort of fishery are you fishing and are there larger carp present? If so you may have to beef up your setup a touch.
 
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John Hawkins

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Small day ticket water about 2 acres, mainly carp (common, mirror and ghost) to about 4lbs although I have seen an 8lb fish taken out. Nobody knows if there is anything larger. Few small roach and perch although rarely caught. Small islands main features.
 
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Steve Bundock

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Your setup should do adaquately John, the only thing I would change is the hook length as Stuart mentioned, a 6lb one would be better off, I can't see it reducing the amount of takes, seeing as its short hooklengths being employed, but will lead to less breakages.
Best of luck to ya!!
 
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John Hawkins

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Just thought I'd say thanks for the advice but when I got down there to fish I decided to go on the float instead (I'm a sad old traditionalist at heart!) and managed to hook a personal best of between 6-8lbs - a beautiful flawless common on floatfished bread paste. FANTASTIC!!!
 
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Rodney Wrestt

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Well done John, and at least now you've got some more amo in your arsenal for another time.
 
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