(This article is produced in partnership Daiwa Sports)
Distance feeder fishing has seen a remarkable surge in popularity among both match and pleasure anglers over recent years. As the name suggests, it is a tactic that involves feeder fishing at longer ranges—generally 60m to 100m—mainly on large reservoirs and natural venues for bream and carp.
In response to the rise in popularity of distance feeder fishing, there has been an increase in tackle designed specifically for the tactic. Advancements in fishing tackle technology have made it easier than ever for anglers to cast their feeders accurately over longer distances and remain confident that the tackle they are using will withstand the rigours of the technique.
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The Daiwa N’ZON brand has been designed and manufactured specifically with feeder fishing in mind, using cutting-edge technology and drawing on the experience of expert consultants. The range boasts a comprehensive collection of tackle items, from rods and reels to feeders and terminal tackle, which will help you add vital extra metres to your cast. Many of these items have been thoroughly tested by the team at Angling Times.
Fishing rods for distance feeder fishing
For distances up to 60m most 11ft or 12ft feeder rods will do the job with a good casting technique. To consistently and accurately fish at distances above 60m, however, the addition of a dedicated distance feeder rod to your armoury is essential. These tend to vary in length from 11ft to 14ft and provide the necessary leverage and power to cast feeders long distances.
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The 12ft Daiwa N'ZON Distance Special Feeder Rod is ideal for punching heavy feeders out on natural venues and will comfortably cast 50m even in a strong head wind.
If you're looking for versatility it also makes an excellent Method feeder rod on larger commercial waters where casts of up to 70m are required.
For even longer casts there is also a 13ft version available which can hit 90m with a Method feeder and up to 80m with a window or rocket-style cage feeder.
Pros
- Super-cushioned fish-playing action
- Ideal for natural venues and silverfish
Cons
- Not quite enough back bone for extreme distances
To bait up accurately at longer distances, many anglers are opting to use dedicated baiting-up rods, much like carp and specimen anglers who always carry a dedicated spod rod.
These specialist rods, which are much beefier than traditional fishing rods and therefore able to easily cast larger ‘bait-up’ feeders, allow you to easily feed large quantities of bait at the start of the session to kick start a swim
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Available in 12ft and 13ft lengths these two Daiwa N'ZON Pre Bait Rod are fully dedicated baiting up tools, boasting powerful casting actions capable of launching out large pre-bait feeders.
With a three-piece design for easy transport they feature longer than normal handles with Armlock and contoured finger grips to help generate more casting power. The hook keeper ring has been replaced with a retention clip for securing your line or feeder when not in used.
Pros
- Quality furnishings with oversized guides throughout
- Specially designed handle and loop retaining ring
Cons
- If your looking for casting longer distances choose the 13ft version
Reels for distance feeder fishing
The reels used in distance feeder fishing must have a large line capacity and a robust drag system. Scaled-down versions of big pit-style reels are a popular choice due to their larger spool sizes which allow a smoother release of line for improved distance casting.
Their cranking power also allows more line to be retrieved with a single turn of the handle which makes retrieving feeders from range a much quicker and easier task.
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Featuring a shallow 25mm spool the Daiwa N'ZON Distance 25 Feeder Reel is perfect for both long range and powerful feeder work.
With a geared-down ratio of 4.6:1 it provides easy winding of heavy loads and a single turn of the handle retrieves an impressive 92cm of line.
The shallow spool holds up to 150m of 0.28mm mono or 300m of 0.16mm braid, while the twim line clips allow you to accurately cast to multiple spots.
Other technical features include Twist Buster II, Infinite Anti-Reverse, a graphite body and rotor and manual bail trip.
Pros
- Stacks of winding power
- Packed with technical features making it superb value for money
Cons
- A tad on the heavy side
Fishing lines for distance feeder fishing
The choice of line is crucial for this style of feeder fishing. Braided mainlines are favoured by many anglers for several reasons. Firstly, braided lines have a smaller diameter for a given breaking strain compared to monofilament lines, which helps in achieving greater casting distances. They also have minimal stretch compared to monofilament with allows for more sensitive bite indication and hook-setting at long distances.
4.
Daiwa N'ZON Feeder Braid X8
The Daiwa N'ZON Feeder Braid X8 designed specifically for feeder fishing. The line's smooth surface allows its to glide smoothly and silently through the rod rings for an improved casting performance.
The Japanese Izanas PE fiber used in the line's construction has zero stretch for excellent bite indication as well as being highly abrasion resistant.
Pros
- Super-smooth finish and rounded profile makes for easy casts
- Silent to use when retrieving
Cons
- Like all braids it sinks easier the more you use it
Not all venues allow the use of braid and some anglers just prefer to use monofilament for their fishing. In this instance, a specialist feeder fishing line such as the N’ZON Sinking Feeder Mono will help as while it has more stretch than braid, it boasts a much lower stretch than standard mono lines and sinks quickly.
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The super supple, Daiwa N'ZON Sinking Monofil with a much lower stretch factor compared to standard monofilaments for enhanced bite indication.
It knots well and the low-glare colour is hard to detect in the water.
Supplied in 300m spools with a marker at 150m a single spool can be used to fill two reels.
Pros
- Supplied on 300m spools which offer great value for money
- A tough and durable line which isn't prone to twisting and should last you a long time
Cons
- Not the thinnest diameter compared to the breaking strain (but this wouldn't stop us buying it!)
Whether you opt for a braid or monofilament mainline, the use of shock leader is always recommended when using low-diameter lines for distance casting. These are designed to absorb the brunt of the cast to avoid potential crack offs.
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Designed to absorb the 'shock' during casting when using lower-diameter mainlines, these N'ZON Tapered Shock Leaders ensure a high level of breaking strain with a small connection knot.
They keep their diameter for 7m before the taper commences so you can easily trim it back to suit your preferred length.
Pros
- Strong line with a perfect amount of stretch factor
- 10m lengths allow for individual set ups
Cons
- A sorrel colouration would have been an advantage on natural venues
Feeders and rigs for distance feeder fishing
The feeders themselves need to be aerodynamically designed to reduce air resistance during the cast as well as just being able to deliver a concentrated pile of loosefeed including groundbait, maggots and chopped worms. Window feeders, cage feeders and weight-forward bullet-style feeders are common choices.
7.
Daiwa N'ZON Weight Change Feeder
The soon to be released Daiwa N'ZON Weight Change Feeder come with an interchangeable saddle with weights of 5g and 10g that are quick and easy to fit enabling you add extra casting distance or accuracy if the wind gets up.
Constructed from a hard-wearing alloy material, method moulds to fit all sizes are also available.
Ideal for use with pellets or groundbait.
Pros
- A really clever idea that allows for instant weight changes
- Available in plenty of sizes and weight variations
Cons
- Always ensure the saddle weight is fixed firmly into position before casting
In addition to the standard feeders used for actually fishing with, larger Bait Up feeders are essential for laying down a large bed of bait at the start of the session. This can prove particularly effective on venues where you need to stop a large shoal of bream in their tracks.
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These extra large 30g, 45g and 60g versions of the N'ZON Window Feeders are designed for use with the N'ZON Pre Bait rod to quickly lay down a large bed of bait.
The large window encourages a quick release of your chosen loosefeed and the additional slots and larger holes around the top allows the feeder to fully empty on the retrieve.
Pros
- Casts amazingly thanks to the tapered body and stout profile matched with the centred weight
- Large top holes help to flush out bait and the front lip is ideal for wet groundbait
Cons
- Just check the top swivel is secure when purchasing
Tangles can be a real problem when casting long distances. To prevent this from happening and ruining your presentation, helicopter rigs are an excellent option. These allow the hooklink to rotate around the mainline on a swivel which is fixed at a set position on the mainline which means the hook is less likely to catch on the line, feeder or any knots.
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The pre-tied Daiwa N'ZON Helicopter Rigs make it quick and easy way to construct a helicopter rig. Simply slide the components off the wire stem and on to your mainline.
Each packet contains enough components for five rigs.
Available in small, medium and large sizes.
Pros
- Quick and easy use with perfect sized quick-change swivel
- Grips the line really well and not prone to slippage
Cons
- Slide onto your reel line one piece at a time as the wire is prone to twist
Accuracy when distance feeder fishing
Accuracy is a key part of distance feeder fishing. The last thing you want is for your feeder to land in a different area each cast as this will result in small piles of bait scattered all around your swim. By hitting the same spot each cast you will be able to gradually build up your bed of loosefeed throughout the session and focus the fish on one spot.
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The easiest way to achieve this is by using a pair of distance sticks. These are spaced a set distance apart and you then wrap your line around the sticks and place your line in the reel’s line clip at the desired distance.
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A pair of Daiwa N'ZON Distance Sticks can be pushed firmly into the ground allowing you to wrap your mainline around them to accurately clip up to the required distance.
The ribbed sections provide a stable line hold and there are two push button toggles on the supplied 5m rope to mark different spots when fishing multiple lines.
The T-bar holes at both the top and bottom of the sticks allow you to secure them in even the hardest of ground. The sticks are 700mm long to accommodate plenty of line.
Pros
- Bright and easy to see and they come with two adjustable button toggles
- Made to last and the T-bar sections ensure easy ground penetration
Cons
- Quite long at 700mm and the ribbed section would be better closer to the ground