Reeds, Snags and Lost Tackle

[INearlyCaughtOne]

Ok everyone I am severely fed up.

I recently went over to feeder fishing (at last it has only taken me a few decades) and I can see why it is so popular. I fish a lovely small lake that is well stocked and as a result of the feeder (that I have got to grips with well) I have seen a good increase in my catch rate, smaller fish yes but not as small as they were on the float. So I went out today and had a blast; several bream and tench and just as I was about to reel the last one in off it goes into the reeds. NO getting it out and the result was lost tackle again. So I brought a month or so back 5: 25-gram cage feeders (I now have 1 left) the others have all been victim to reeds and algae at the bottom. I know that this is excessive loss and it can't go on like that. What advice can be given as I hardly ever lost a float? Wher I fish is banked with reeds, surely this is not all part of it, surely others don't lose tackle as much as this. Any advice, comfort or even commiseration would be appreciated. I am aware of the damage that lost tackle does to the hobby, the environment and the fish so what's the answer?

 

[rayner]

Nature of the beast I'm afraid. Fishing close to the reeds all you can do to prevent the fish from getting into the reeds is to fish heavier and steer them away. Do not give them any chance of reaching any cover.

 

[Steve Arnold]

I fish a river full of snags, always rocks but dead trees and summer weed all add to the mix!

I use minimum 20 lb braid mainline, often 30 lb as it's still low diameter and casts well. Then I attach a 6' length of 15 lb "rubbing" leader of mono with an Albright knot, try to find the most abrasion resistant mono. Some swear by fluorocarbon for this - others swear at it! I use Seaguar fluoro in 15 lb and it will sometimes come back scraped to hell, but it rarely cuts through on the first run of a barbel or carp. Still waiting on the delivery of some Gardener co-polymer that I was recommended for snags.

My trace material is usually Fox Illusion XS in 10 lb. This is pretty tough, again can look scraped to hell but still maintains a link to the fish.

If you get snagged up with this setup the trace may break but everything else is good for a pull on the feeder......I don't lose too many!

This might be overkill for your water, just make sure your mainline - leader - hook length are stepped in down in strength to fish the end tackle you require.

As long as your hook length is within the BS your rod is designed for the rod should be safe. Just don't over bend the rod whilst pulling out of snags. Always point the rod down the line, clamp the spool with your hand and do a straight pull. If you have braid mainline wrap the braid around something smooth, tight braid can cut skin!

Like you I was new to feeder fishing just three years ago....and hair-rigs, boilies etc etc. Been great fun learning and catching some good fish!

 

[markcw]

Use a lighter hooklength, attach hooklength via a quick change bead.
In theory if you get snagged, the hooklength will snap and the feeder will stay above the bead.
Another tip is to fish slightly away from reeds ,and feed over the feeder to bring the fish out from the reeds. Have clutch set tightish and keep hand on rod butt and strike at first indication of tip moving round, You make end up striking at a couple of line bites, if so cut down on the ammount of feed you are putting in.

 

[mikench]

You will always lose feeders or fish or both. I got a hybrid feeder stuck in a tree last time out whilst attempting, one time too many, an underarm lob under the canopy of branches. I pulled for a break and the feeder remained in the tree. An hour later the water erupted and I thought it was a carp near my new feeder. Alas it was my original feeder dropping into the water. I have shares in Guru.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Best advice is to use a lighter hook length (as you say these are relatively small fish) and never, ever, use a "tether rig" that could leave the fish attached to the rig in the snags, to die.

 

[INearlyCaughtOne]

Well, I appreciate all of your help and advice and I have cooled off a bit now. But you have to admit, there is nothing more annoying than having an excellent days fishing and finishing it all off on a bum note, feeder and all. It was a case of just one more and I'm off, a recipe for disaster. Now here is how I attach the feeder, simple as hell. The feeder is 25 grams and it is connected to a bead, this goes on the line first. Then I drop 4, 8 mm beads onto the line and attach a small swivel to the end. My hook length (Guru Banded Size 18) is attached to the swivel so the beads act as a boom. I have a feeling that I also used another reel with a 4 lb line on it today which meant I had no real pulling power for the snag or the fish. O well, I've just sent off 5 brand new feeders As for bait, I have some of the Dynamite Feeder Mixture in which I add a tin of sweetcorn and a few handfuls of pellets and they love it. We live to fish another day I guess.

 

[markcw]

Well, I appreciate all of your help and advice and I have cooled off a bit now. But you have to admit, there is nothing more annoying than having an excellent days fishing and finishing it all off on a bum note, feeder and all. It was a case of just one more and I'm off, a recipe for disaster. Now here is how I attach the feeder, simple as hell. The feeder is 25 grams and it is connected to a bead, this goes on the line first. Then I drop 4, 8 mm beads onto the line and attach a small swivel to the end. My hook length (Guru Banded Size 18) is attached to the swivel so the beads act as a boom. I have a feeling that I also used another reel with a 4 lb line on it today which meant I had no real pulling power for the snag or the fish. O well, I've just sent off 5 brand new feeders As for bait, I have some of the Dynamite Feeder Mixture in which I add a tin of sweetcorn and a few handfuls of pellets and they love it. We live to fish another day I guess.

If the feeder is the Guru inline one, do away with the 8mm beads and swivel.
Use either a quick change bead at bottom of feeder for it to rest on, part of the bead slides back and hooklength attatches, then slide back over to hold hoolength in place, a strong ( depending on knot you use to tie bead to mainline) and safe method if hooklength breaks.
Alternatively put a Preston Innovations ICS feeder connector in bottom of feeder and attatch hooklength the same as quick change bead.
Both methods make sure the feeder is free running, which a lot of fisheries insist upon.
Or try using Guru XSafe feeders,

 

[nottskev]

When you write you were about to reel the fish in and off it went into the reeds, it might be just the way you put it, or it could be you were a bit casual with the bite. Commercials contain lots of fish that you can't just reel in - they won't let you. For that particular loss - sounds like you lost feeders for different reasons - the answer is to anticipate where a big fish might head for, react to bites as if they could be bigger fish, quickly assess how big it is, and try to stop it running into the reeds. You'll still lose the odd one, but won't be caught napping. Btw, how did you lose a feeder to algae? by definition it has no roots, stems or leaves, so what did it do to your feeder?

 

[rayner]

If I understand correctly his problem is the feeder is ending up in the snag. Prevent this fish from reaching the snag will solve nearlycoughts problem.
He himself just needs to now work it out, giving all the information we may as well fish for him.
We all had similar problems when we took up this game.
This is not a dig. Just advice.

 

[INearlyCaughtOne]

Understood all, and yes it's a learning curve. I guess by the algae I am talking about all that stuff on the lake bed so I'm not quite correct. They throw packets of blue stuff into the water every now and again and this seems to inhibit the growth but as the summer creeps along the growth is slow and steady. In the end, there is a build-up of stuff on the bottom of the lake that can snag any hook or float that reaches it. On some pegs, you have to overcast to avoid it. Well, it's another day tomorrow and I'm off fishing in the morning, I will let you all know of any losses I have during the day, hopefully, none at all!!

 

[John Aston]

I'll pass on some advice I was given about recovering snagged lures. This is when fishing braid , and it won't work anything like as well with stretchy nylon.

Here's what you do - as soon as you feel the hook snag don't heave on lots more pressure - just try a quick jerk (ooh err missus) to see if it frees up . Assuming it doesn't , here is the clever bit - put the rod down , and pick up the line from the tip ring in your fingers , ensuring it is taut and lined up to the snag; then pluck the line as if it's a guitar string , pulling it back as hard as you can and then releasing it .

It doesn't work every time but I'd say it does at least 6 times out of 10. The shock of the sudden release goes straight down the non stretch line and effectively pulls in the reverse direction to the hook point , freeing it from the snag

 

[rayner]

Assuming there is a healthy head of fish especially carp they will eat most of the water weed.
Feeding in the same spot will also encourage fish to tear up the bottom.

 

[INearlyCaughtOne]

Well I had a better day today, got snagged once and you've guessed it, it was exactly the same spot. So I am fishing now in a corner and avoiding fishing at quarter to the hour (too far to my right) as if I do the fish can bolt just a few feet to get into any snag areas. Away from the reeds and more out to the front seems to be tons better. Also, I was watching a mate fish the feeder and he tended to fish quite close, that is a good tactic because the control stays with you, and I retrieved the tackle today as well. I used to fish tons as a kid then stopped and took it up again three years or so ago and I have got it bad. If I'm not fishing I'm thinking of fishing and if I'm thinking of fishing I am planning the next trip. I'm quite gone on the feeder its a great way to fish and get away from all those tiny silvers at the top, had a few crucians today (4), great fish to catch. The Tench seem to have gone on holiday and of course, I had a couple of roaches. All that on a 10 foot Shakespeare Omni, now that's what I call value for money!! Thanks for all your replies and advice its all been so helpful in all ways. Good luck with your next session.