Paul Garner

The pellet feeder is a fantastic method and catches loads of fish but there are a few ways to increase your catch rate and put more fish in the net. Here are three very simple tips that have certainly given me a few edges along the way.

Nowhere to go

This may seem obvious but how many anglers actually do it, very few! When fishing up against a snag or in this case an undercut bank against an island most anglers will set up with their rod at an angler, however this is a recipe for disaster as it allows the fish to rip the rod round, gain not just momentum but position as well and in most cases becomes snagged. What I have found is to simply beef up my tackle slightly then after casting position the rod so it’s pointing directly to where you have just cast. When a bite comes the fish has nowhere to go but come up in the water, kite left or right on a tight line and away from danger. A simple but very effective tactic that many simply overlook!

Adjust the height

Short hook lengths of around four-inches are commonly used with method/pellet feeders and in most cases are highly effective but by placing two tiny shot on the hooklink can make a very effective rig into a devastating rig as it allows you adjust the presentation of your hook bait in a split second. Basically my standard rig consists of a running pellet feeder which comes to rest against a connector bead. This connector bead allows me to change hook lengths quickly, a unique component in itself. The four-inch max hook length, usually created from 0.20mm Cenex Hybrid Power Mono when fishing for carp, has a size 13 Sphere Beast barbless hook attached to it which is tied knotless knot style allowing a bait band to be tied to the hair. It all seems quite straight forward but I then press two tiny Stotze weights onto the hook length. The Stotze can be moved without fear of damaging the line and if position right back against the feeder simply means the set up can be fished with a standard hard sinking pellet. However if I’m fishing over a choddy bottom I can attach a small pop-up pellet to the band pull the small weights down to say two inches from the hook which creates a hookbait that sits up away from any debris. The height of the bait can be adjusted accordingly, fine tuned and presented in just the way the carp want it!    

Biggest isn’t always best

It still amazes me just how many anglers think that it’s advantageous to use a big feeder and hook bait, however next time you are out and using either a method or more to the point a pellet feeder try going for the smallest first and just gauge how you get on. I think your eyes will be widely opened as I have found that when micro’s come into use, less is more. All you are trying to do is to get a bite and micro’s have incredible pulling power, however introduce to many and the chances are the fish will become preoccupied on these, the swim will fizz and bites will become harder to tempt. Building the swim slowly usually means that it will continue to produce the goods over a far longer period. 

John Pantrey

Half fill the feeder with damp micro pellets.

Place the hook bait in the feeder.

Cover the hook bait with a few more micro pellets.

John’s Standard Pellet Feeder Tackle

Sphere 11’ Light Feeder Rod 

Sphere CFT 4500 Reel 

Black Magic Gold 0.23mm/9.6lb Mainline

Sphere Beast Size 13 Barbless Hook

Cenex 0.20mm/9.20lb Hook length

18mm 15g Pellet Feeder

Baitband

John’s standard Pellet Feeder Bait

Micro Pellets

6mm/8mm Hard Pellets

6mm/8mm Dumbell Pop-ups

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