Turn up at a typical commercial fishery and I bet that the first feeder you’ll reach for is either a Hybrid or a Method version – and that’s no real surprise.
These two feeders have caught countless thousands of fish down the years, thanks to their ability to deposit a tight package of pellets or groundbait, with the hookbait buried neatly and covertly inside.
However, at times they aren’t the best option, and something else is needed, and this is when the pellet feeder or even the good old maggot feeder come into play.
Knowing which one to use, and when, is the thing to get right – and that’s not always down to simply matching it to the species of fish you’re targeting.
Hybrid feeders
For me, the Hybrid is the ultimate feeder, as it offers brilliant bait protection on the cast and perfect presentation. I use a Mini for short chucks, a Small for general usage, and a Large for really big casts.
Method feeders
The original ‘king of commercials’, the Method feeder has been around for years, but I don’t use them quite as much now. They still have their place if I want to attack a swim with a large amount of bait.
Pellet feeders
Not quite as fashionable as the others, yet pellet feeders are still handy, and great for short chucks to islands and tight to features. Because everything is enclosed, there’s no risk of the rig of tangling in any foliage either.
Maggot feeders
For me, these are best used for winter tactics on F1 venues where the fish love maggots. Sometimes, I like to enlarge the holes for a quicker bait release, because maggots tend not to be too active in cold water.
