I used this method in 2004 albeit slightly different feeder back then. Red maggots with dead reds as hook bait. Fishing a 10 acre Essex mature gravel pit in late May I caught 4 Tench that morning,smallest 7lb 5ozs., biggest 10lb 10oz. Two others of 8lb 9oz and 8lb 5oz. Finishing off with a mirror carp of 18lb 8oz. In front of the feeder I made up a sinking leader of three feet from a section of an old lead core fly line anchoring the reel line to the bottom. I’ve used this rig on other gravel pits and reservoirs with equal success big Tench,just under doubles and continue to use it.
Thanks Roy, glad you like it. Hope the fishing is going well? Unfortunately, I am still on lockdown for at least another six weeks as I have to shield (this was actually filmed in my garden!). Still, plenty of time to do some more filming. Best wishes, Paul
Hi Paul, great video again! I am thinking of trying the method feeder for tench this season. I will be fishing in wild Irish lakes where there wouldn’t really be any boillies or pellets being used to any great extent, it’s a popular lake but those baits are not hugely common. Is there a ground bait you’d recommend and do you have to riddle them all to ensure they stay in the feeder or do the method mix ones come suitable for use without riddling.
Another great video, thanks paul. If the bottom is uneven, would you always use live maggots, or combine them with fake floating maggots or red foam to give you that lift above the weed?
Hi mate, yep popping up is a good idea, especially if you are picking up strands of filamentous algae (cotton wool weed), that’s a lot more substantial in water and it can mask the bait or tether the hook. Cheers, Paul
With nylon and braid it gives a bit of extra knot strength - around 20%. It helps reduce strangulation. Pure fluoro, being much harder, doesn’t suffer in the same way.
@@drpaulgarner interesting to know, thanks for sharing. Been a long time since I've used blood knots as I always found them prone to slipping and strangulation. Never had a grinner fail though, maybe I've just been lucky? Thinking about it its probably more to do with me using either a figure-8 loop or a 4-turn water knot higher up to attach the hook length and if anything is going to fail it's going to be one of those.
