Rob Wootton’s tips on plundering the far bank with a trouble-free approach
IF ever one part of a swim on a commercial fishery was neglected, then it’d have to be the far bank. Too far away to fish the pole against and tricky to cast the waggler to, ii often ends up being ignored in favour of the pole into open water or the margins.
Yet if one thing that the recent rise in feeder-only matches has shown, it’s the value of those far banks. Here's six tips on how to fish to them...
Accuracy is key
A 20g-30g weight-forward Nisa (left) casts well, is super accurate, and is more than enough for most far banks.
Shorter hooklengths
Minimum hooklength at the Glebe is 20ins. Elsewhere, I’d look at 10ins to cut down on the chances of line bites.
Feed micros to start
I’d begin by feeding micros, only adding groundbait if I was having trouble hitting bites or things were on the slow side.
Dead reds rule
Use the same on the hook as what you are feeding – three dead red maggots. The fish will soon drop their guard.
Go easy on the feed
No need for much to pull fish into the swim. Five to 10 dead maggots each time is ample.
Cast a bit short
The bait should hit the water just off the bank after you’ve feathered the line.
