Many anglers view the arrival of winter as a time to make wholesale changes. You might feel tempted to give your tactics a radical overhaul, particularly when it comes to baits and feeding.
But are such major adjustments always needed? Feeder fishing expert Adam Rooney does not think so. The Tackle Guru gaffer believes it is the small tweaks to what you have relied on throughout the year that make the biggest difference, and he has proved that many times with the Method feeder.
The Method is an approach that will work on both the hottest and coldest days of the year. At first glance, the rig and approach that you use in both situations will look very similar, but it is the minor adjustments to take the cold and clear water into account that dictate how successful you are when the going gets tough.
It is a tactic that a lot of anglers turn their back on at this stage of the year, but if you stick with it and make a few alterations, it can bring you sessions that you would never think possible in the depths of winter.
REACH THE DISTANCE WITH THE METHOD FEEDER WITH THE BEST DISTANCE FEEDER RODS.
Method over the Hybrid
At this time of year, many anglers will opt for a Hybrid feeder from the off, but you can still get a lot from a Method. The pellets break down off it a little quicker and, in the early stages, when you are trying to get the fish used to visiting an area, this helps you build up a small yet focused bed of bait.
Load your Method so that you can build a tight pile while also keeping the swim active. Fill the mould three quarters full with dampened micros before pushing the feeder in with plenty of pressure to create a base layer that takes a while to break down on the bottom.
Then half fill the mould again, drop your hookbait on top and press the feeder in again with a little less force so that this top layer breaks down more quickly.
Finish by putting a light sprinkling of hard micros in the mould and pushing the feeder into them. These come off quite quickly, and some will fall away as the feeder sinks. Once they reach the bottom they are more active, helping to create visual attraction that can catch the eye of fish in clear water.
GET THE BEST OUT THE METHOD FEEDER THANKS TO THESE EXPERT TIPS.
Prepare for the chase
You are creating a base for the fish to set up camp in, but it is likely that they will back away at times, especially after the disturbance caused by fish being caught.
If you notice a couple of fish topping at, say, 40 metres as you are setting up, it makes sense to start there. Going beyond that could well produce an early fish or two, but it will make life harder for you later when the fish inevitably push out.
There will be spells when the bites dry up. When that happens, the answer is usually to take the clip off and cast just a couple of metres beyond to an area of fresh ground.
The impact of such a small move can be instant, with bites often coming within a few minutes of the feeder touching bottom. You are dropping the feeder right on top of where the fish are now sitting. Keep repeating the process, making small moves each time, and you stay in touch with the shoal.
THE BEST FEEDER FISHING REELS WILL HELP YOUR REACH MAXIMUM DISTANCE.
Tighten up to the feeder correctly
Some anglers put quite an aggressive bend in the quivertip as they wait for a bite, but you are better off having just a small amount of tension in it.
Cast out, tighten up carefully without moving the feeder, then gradually slacken off using the drag so there is only the slightest bend in the tip.
The main benefit of this is that it lowers the mainline in the water column, reducing the chances of a big carp charging through the line and dislodging the feeder.
If you get a savage liner with a tight tip, it is highly likely to drag the feeder and hookbait away from the tight pile of micros, which reduces your chance of a bite on that cast.
THIS HANDY ARTICLE WILL HELP YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT QUIVERTIP FOR THE JOB.
No need to scale down
Big carp may become slightly more lethargic during winter, but they will still surge off at pace when they are hooked. When you are fishing with a line clip, as you should to aid accuracy and get the feeder to land neatly, that can lead to breakages if you are not using appropriate gear.
A 12 ft Guru Aventus Distance Feeder allows you to cast the required distances with ease, even once the fish push out. Spool your reel with 6 lb Pulse mainline to a 10 lb Shield shockleader.
A pre tied size 10 or 12 Guru QM1 hook to 0.19 mm mono will beat any fish you are likely to encounter. There are lots of pre tied versions available, but ones with a bait spike are ideal for 6 mm pink or yellow wafters, which make brilliant hookbaits in clear water.
CHECK OUT THESE TIPS FOR USING BAIT BANDS, STOPS AND BAYONETS.
Ring the bait changes
The slightest adjustment to the pile of bait can produce an instant bite, especially after you have had a lull in sport.
Big fish soon wise up and, if the bait on the feeder looks the same every single chuck, they will eventually ignore it.
Adding a glug of Mainline Match Cell Smart Liquid does two things. It releases a powerful scent that the fish will home in on and it also makes the micros stickier so you can concentrate the bait.
A small scoop of Essential Cell Boilie Crush mixed into your micros changes their appearance, with the yellow flecks making them more noticeable in clear water.
You can also keep a pot of wafters soaked in Isotonic Supreme Goo. This washes them out, making them look as if they have been on the bottom for a while. That can pick out the wisest fish, tricking them into believing the hookbait is a safe option. A glug of the same Goo over your loaded Method can also spark a reaction.
ALWAYS CHOOSE THE CORRECT HOOKBAIT THANKS TO THIS EXPERT GUIDE.
