In-Line Feeder Rigs

Feeder Rigs:

Top anglers are in the habit of saving all the bits of bait they take off their hooks when re baiting and also keeping bait left over from previous sessions. Some guys just throw this stuff into the edge of the surf to create a ground bait effect which can attract flounder, bass, bream, rockling, whiting, rays, dogfish etc. However to maximise the effectiveness of ground bait you need to incorporate swim feeders into your rig. By accurately recasting the feeder each time you can literally build up a “swim” just as you would in a river. For example, by adding a feeder just above the lead to a two-hook gilthead bream rig will produce far more bites. Bream, being a shoal fish, are competing hard for any available food. They instinctively go for the area where the scent is strongest. By presenting your baits above a feeder you are drawing the bulk of the fish directly to your own baits, and the biggest fish tend to be the most competitive in a tight shoal and will bully smaller fish away from a small area where food is concentrated.
Again, the use of a feeder rig can catch you far more rays than any bait fished individually. Rays respond well to a strong scent trail and are willing to move to follow it up providing the trail stays consistent. This is where standard rigs without a feeder fail because the bait washes out too quickly leaving too weak a scent trail. The feeder rig compensates for the rapid wash out of a hook bait by slowly releasing scent in to the water maintaining a far stronger overall scent for the ray to hone in on. Obviously the mix you put into the feeder will have a determining effect on the fish you are likely to attract. I would use a very different mix and presentation close-in fishing for bass or bream say than I would use for rays at distance!



For close range fishing it pays to use a fine mixture that will release quickly. Mix some finely chopped up bits of bait with dry bread crumb and aim for a semi dry consistency. For longer range casting, aim for a slightly softer consistency and add the bait to bran and then mix in some fish oil attractant like pilchard oil. This works well for ray and huss. For dog fish try filling the feeder with CAT FOOD! A good one is Felix in prawn flavour! A top tip is that you might need to open up the feeder holes a little to allow the bait escape more quickly/easily for shore fishing.

Diagrams Attached.

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one tip i saw somewhere about bits left on hooks was to put it away in a little container and freeze it. when you have a bit built up put it in a blender and make a paste out of it. remove the insides of a small squid and almost fill it with the gunk. close the end of the squid with bait elastic and refreze it till your ready to use it. before you cast it punch a few holes in the squid to allow the scent to come out.

dont have a clue if it works tho as i havent tried it myself.

Red,

the concoction you are talking about is ofter referred to as "the squid bomb". You can fill the squid with almost anything for that extra scent. Your right about having the paste already made up too. That works equally well with the feeder but I like to complete the mix before the session to keep the scents as strong as possible.

By the way, I've had some very nice cod on the squid bomb!

theshoreking!

Very interesting post there shoreking, thanks for sharing that tactic...will have to give it a bash. What do you find is the best mix for bass?

i thought it was a wind up about the squid. might give it a go so some time.

headin for waterford tomorrow fishin-goin to call to obriens for big swimfeeder

Rory,

it depends on the venue etc but I find mashed crab and lug very good. Just experiment with crab, lug, blended razor and sandeel. Mix your bait with the bran/crumbs and some fish oil. I keep any unused bait after each session and use it as feeder bait. Try a light feeder rig with mashed mackerel for mullet instead of just chuckin in bits of bait!

theshoreking

i thought it was a wind up about the squid. might give it a go so some time.

no wind up mate..
every time i fish for the thornie's i always take along 1/2 doz; squid tubes filled with everything i can get my hands on, mixed up with codliver oil or pilchard oil to give it that little bit of extra scent, if useal baits fail then the squid tubes go on. and the thornie's love them....

Cheers,thanks for that shoreking

i used to use these in matches until groundbaiting and adatives were banned ! think ill route some back out of the shed and start bringing them pleasure fishin again , cheers for the reminder shoreking !

For all the renewed feeder rig enthusiasts and the new converts, take a look at tackleuk.co.uk for some of the liquid additives and styles of feeders for coarse fishing that can be adapted to shore anglind. All that is required is a little imagination.

sk

lidl are selling a mini vegetable blender at the moment for about 13 bob, got one for blending the baits and its ideal.......tip if making a batch of culchie mulchie make a big batch and then freeze it into one session batches

Make sure it is not too damp if you are doing this as it wil be wetter when it thaws. Make it fairly dry and then add additive or liquid before the session to soften it to the required consistency. Jees, startin to sound like a cookery site now - before anyone else says it.

sk