(Picture credits: Match Focus)
In an age dominated by Method and Hybrid feeders, it’s a shame that other ways of fishing the tip for carp and F1s have been largely forgotten – I’m talking about maggot and, more specifically, pellet feeders.
I think many anglers see no need to fish the pellet feeder when they can catch plenty on the Method, and they’re partly right – but the very positive style of fishing that the Method brings with it isn’t always right every time. For example, there are days when you’re faced with a lake full of F1s and smaller stockie carp that aren’t always going to feed in the gung-ho fashion that big carp do. This scenario demands a little more in the way of finesse, and this is where the pellet feeder can come into play.
Keep it small
There’s no need to go mad with bait, so I use a tiny 20g inline Middy Wedge pellet feeder. If I want to add more feed, I’ll do it by loosefeeding some pellets over the top.
The perfect pellet
3mm Dynamite Baits Swim Swims are perfect. I prepare them just as I would for use on the Method feeder, leaving them dampened but not so wet that they won’t eject.
Load up!
Filling a pellet feeder is similar to a Method. Add some pellets, then the hookbait and hook and then more pellets to seal it in. Compress the pellets very gently, though.
Banded pellet is best
Dead maggots can be good, but you can’t beat pellets. I use a 4mm hard pellet so it stands out to a fish and I pop them in a small latex pellet band that’s slipped on to the hook.
Short hooklengths
The pellet feeder works well with very short hooklengths of 2ins-3ins. In terms of diameters, 0.12mm or 0.14mm Middy Lo-Viz is a good choice, matched to a size 16 hook.
Leave some room
If there’s an island, don’t start too tight to it. Begin by landing the feeder a couple of metres away in the deeper water, then creep closer as the day warms up and the fish move in.
