• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Feeder versus PVA bag?

Paul Ashton

Paul Ashton

Senior Member
This may have been discussed before but when do you choose a feeder instead of a PVA bag?

I sometimes fish dry feed pellets in a PVA bag but will, when it's raining, also use the same pellets scalded and pressed into a cage feeder.

If it's raining that choice is made for you but when do you feel you need an instant hit of feed (PVA) or a slow steady trickle of feed (feeder)?
 
I tend to use and open feeder much of the time. My thinking is I can quickly get through a lot of PVA as I tend to recast the rods at least every 30 mins.

However, in snaggy swims, PVA bags probably make more sense as leads are a little less prone to snagging than open feeders.

Stephen
 
I always use pva bags but that's mainly beachside I'm not 100% sure what to put in a feeder when going after barbel. What do you guys put in an open ended feeder?
 
Ben Jennings said:
I always use pva bags but that's mainly beachside I'm not 100% sure what to put in a feeder when going after barbel. What do you guys put in an open ended feeder?
Click to expand...

A right old mixture. Fishmeal mix/halibut and hemp crush/bits of hemp and small pellets. And then lovely flavourings. I like to pack with something that will explode on the riverbed, sending out small bait offerings and a strong scent. I may also fill with maggot/caster and just plug both ends with something smelly.
 
Paul Ashton said:
This may have been discussed before but when do you choose a feeder instead of a PVA bag?

I sometimes fish dry feed pellets in a PVA bag but will, when it's raining, also use the same pellets scalded and pressed into a cage feeder.

If it's raining that choice is made for you but when do you feel you need an instant hit of feed (PVA) or a slow steady trickle of feed (feeder)?
Click to expand...

Always a feeder. Personally I wouldn't use scalded pellet in a cage feeder - the pellets expand as they take on more water and can get stuck in the feeder only emptying when you wind in or a fish takes which results in the feed being spread all over the river. Much better to feed dry pellets trapped between a groundbait plug. By varying the groundbait mix used you can alter the way the feed exits the feeder. For example, when fishing shallow runs a fairly dry mix will explode out of the feeder on impact with the water and spread the feed pellets out, if fishing deeper water a damp sticky mix can be used to ensure the feeder hits the deck before it empties. The ingredients used will also alter the way the mix works, ground pellet is very sticky like a method mix and so breaks down slowly, ground hemp does the opposite and helps the mix break down quickly. I don't bother with pva anymore simply because I don't need to - I can achieve the type of feeding situation I want with a feeder simply by varying the mix that goes in it.
 
i use pva tape put 3 boilies on till i catch 1 then cut back to 2 .if i use pellets use 8mm pre drilled ones as bait and free offerings putting 3 or 4 on a cast with a small lead tape put on hook
 
Ben Jennings said:
I always use pva bags but that's mainly beachside I'm not 100% sure what to put in a feeder when going after barbel. What do you guys put in an open ended feeder?
Click to expand...

Basically whatever I have on the hook and plug the ends with ground or scalded halibut pellet, ground hemp and crumb mix.

Inside can be broken boilies, small cubes of meat, pellets or any other loose feed plus maybe some cooked whole hemp with added hemp oil.

Stephen
 
I tend to use pva bags and rove, 20 minutes a swim,the barbel in most local rivers i fish, have seen it all before.The bigger fish will spook at the slightest mistake and recasting or using a feeder is a big issue. I can give a much better, one off, presentation without a feeder. If i was fishing a hungry river with a large population of barbel, that wanted feed, then i would pick a swim, stay and build it up,using a feeder. Now if you have fished a feeder and either you have caught and its gone quiet or not caught it's probably a good idea to take off the feeder and use a lead and pva bag,it just might get you a better fish that is avoiding the feeder.
 
Getting more into PVA Mesh :eek: Think the fact that it stays in and around the hook rather than scattering as a feeder can do will give an edge.
 
Never or very rare I use a bag, I much prefer the netting 25mm or 35mm as it sinks a great deal quicker :)
 
if the river is shallow and slow, i will use pva bags pinched on the hook with mixed particles and small bollie bits and a small lead,
other wise a feeder with a dryish mix with particles and bollie or pellet on hook with a bit of paste on if the river has a little pace on it,all depends what pegs are available on the day and time,
 
Hi Mark S
Agreed if not catching consider "taking action" ,,,,why would a fish that has NOT been caught avoid a feeder though ?
 
Depends on how long im going for if i do a solid 5-7days on the trent i tend to use a feeder on the upstream rod and a small pva bag on the downstream rod. If its raining il use a solid type bag and have it in my pocket ready to hook up just before the lob/cast. If its a day session then its pva bags or nothing at all!!!
 
Sorry mark, i meant the angler had not caught on that day,not the fish had not been caught before.It was an old match fishing trick on the Thames you used to get a number of chub on the feeder,then it went dead by changing to a straight lead, longer hook length and feeding over the top you would often keep catching.
 
I also tend to avoid the feeder, for the same reasons as Mark. Even on hungry rivers I tend to use groundbait and loose feed rather than a feeder. I just don't like feeders ! Having said that, I caught some good fish on the method feeder many years ago. PVA mesh is pretty cheap these days if bought in bulk off ebay.

Nick C
 
I think on smaller rivers where a stealthy approach and not much casting is required PVA bags can be useful. If you fish bigger rivers and you need get large amounts of bait a fair distance from the nearside bank, then feeders are the best choice. I like to fish relatively short sessions, preferably in the evening during the summer months - this can sometimes mean making lots of casts to get a good bed of bait on the bottom at the start of a session. It just wouldn't be practical to use PVA bags. I regularly see anglers on my local river Severn catapulting small pellets all over the river - god knows where some of this bait eventually hits the river bed. A feeder or PVA bag/mesh will 'do what it says on the tin' and deposit bait right where it should be - on the bottom and by your hookbait.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top