Help on feeder fishing

[Mark Davies3]

Hi, Everytime i go feeder fishing for bream i always end up catching rudd and small skimmers. What am i doin wrong?
Thanks
Mark

 

[GrahamM]

The small skimmers and rudd will be coming up for the loose feed and your sinking hookbait. Try using a little groundbait to get the feed down on the bottom, or use open end feeder methods to get your hookbait and feed down to the bottom faster.

 

[Big Rik]

and possibly use a shorter hooklength, if it's too long, it may be taking a while to get thru the upper layers and that's where the blades are getting to it.


Alternatively, your lake might not have any big bream and might only be populated by rudd and small skimmers.

 

[jp]

Use a bigger bait maybe? Maggots and casters (making assumptions about your bait here) are a great bait for just about all species but are not selective at all.

Last time I fished the Royalty I was catching bream on 21mm halibut pellets: bites ? they were almost pulling the rod in.

I also get a few bream when chubbing in wintertime with large (20 - 25 mm) balls of cheesepaste, and I've had them on tinned meatballs as well.

 

[Mark Davies3]

I have tried using groundbait because i plug up the ends of the feeder and put the bait in the middle. And there is also definitly some big bream because i caught a 8 pounder last week but now all i get is the pesky rudd and small skimmers. I also tried stepping my hook size up 2 a size 14 and it still dont work. I'll try the pellets and also do boilies work for them.

Thanks for the advice
Mark

 

[Mark Davies3]

Also do you think it is the groundbait im using. Im using Bream 3000? i cant really remember the name of it with a bit of fishmeal powder.

Mark

 

[Keith Haynes 2]

i need some help please i know where there are some big barbel but i keep getting smashed i have a greys barbel rod and good reels but its the line hooks and rigs i am not sure of i was smashed on sunday and my mate was too 4 times

 

[Deecy]

What line and hooks are you using Keith?Should be a minimum of 8lb in snag free streams and up to 12lb on snaggy swims or big rivers.For hook links try braid,Drennan Sink braid has never let me down in 10lb or 12lb. As for hooks many of the current crop of Carp hooks will do, maybe Nash Fangs, Fox series 2 or Drennan Continental Boilie Hooks for boilies pellets or paste and Drennan Super Spades or Drennan Boilie hooks in sizes 8 to 16 for maggot and caster fishing.
Have you set the clutch on your reels?On modern reels this is a reliable way of avoiding being smashed up.

 

[Keith Haynes 2]

yes the clutch is set we are not getting he chance the fish go and keep on going the water is fast and some snags its the trent on sunday i had 15 daiwa sensor and hook lengh 7lb all the bites were on maggots my reels have got very good clutch they are daiwa capricorns

 

[Deecy]

Keith I got your e mail , thanks I will reply.
I would step up the hooklength and use braid.Drennan sinkbraid or Kryston SupaNova,12lb.It does work with smaller hooks used for maggots or casters when after Barbel.I have only fished the Trent once but I fish the Thames and tackle which might seem way overboard is needed due to the Tiger mussels heavy flow and snags.From what I hear thses are pretty much what is used on the Trent.I look forward to finding out !

 

[Coops]

Back to the bream question, in warm weather I would step the feed up considerably. Put down a big bed of bait including pellets. The smaller fish may well get fed off and more bait should attract the bigger bream in. Might not be such a good idea this time of year though.