Paul Boote
No Longer a Member
Fit as a fiddle, allergies to nothing, able to eat anything or to drink ditchwater without nasty consequence, me, but as for the camophobia...
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Piling the bait in
- Thread starter Graham Elliott
- Start date
Fit as a fiddle, allergies to nothing, able to eat anything or to drink ditchwater without nasty consequence, me, but as for the camophobia...
Alex Green
Senior Member
Personally on the rivers i fish filling it in is a total waste of time...summer and winter.
I dont even get through 5kg's of boilies and pellets in 2 seasons fishing!!!
This time of year when the water is cold i use either 2 or 3 half boilies on a very small stringer with the hookbait wrapped in paste.
It catches me the odd one or two.....
I dont even get through 5kg's of boilies and pellets in 2 seasons fishing!!!
This time of year when the water is cold i use either 2 or 3 half boilies on a very small stringer with the hookbait wrapped in paste.
It catches me the odd one or two.....
Paul Boote
No Longer a Member
Well done, Alex. If I had written that, I would already have had a knock on my door, only to find some very large, thick-necked gents clad from top to toe in camo.....
Fred Bonney
No Longer a Member
This all comes back to what I've said before on any other angling one off comment, by those in the "know".
It's the duty of those making the comment, to advise that this (whatever it may be) should not be treated as standard practice.
USE YOUR COMMON SENSE!
It's the duty of those making the comment, to advise that this (whatever it may be) should not be treated as standard practice.
USE YOUR COMMON SENSE!
Lee Fletcher
Senior Member
Dear Graham and All,
I would assume with the river temperatures being what they are, or at least what they have been during the Christmas period, trying to obtain a bite at all would prove very difficult? So its follows surely that no amount of introduced bait would induce almost torpid fish to feed? Having said that though I recall a time whilst fishing the Trent for barbel a few years back I opted to fish over fairly large beds of bait during cold spells with surprising results. On the whole though I'd say that conditions both in terms of feeding fish out in front plus weather conditions dictate methods and tactics?
Now days I fish with one rod hand held with no rod rests and fish totally for bites with the hook bait only. Now this method obviously is not every angler’s cup of tea but suits my style of fishing now just fine. A few days ago I was fishing my local river in similar style casting here and there into likely spots that I know hold fish. I ended the session of around four hours fishing with three fish, two nice chub to just over five pounds and a barbel that went a tad above eight pounds. Interestingly two other anglers that were fishing the same mile or so stretch of river caught nothing, well not at least whilst I was there and they were both fishing statically over "modest" beds of bait. My theory for winter fishing now days is to offer just the "one" chance of a meal in the form of my hook bait relying totally on my knowledge of where the fish might be. Mostly this approach works and whilst it will never produce big bags of fish from the same swim, the method normally produces one, sometimes two, before I have to move to a fresh area.
Angling is all about using common sense, fishing with balanced tackle to suit the conditions one is fishing within.
Regards,
Lee.
I would assume with the river temperatures being what they are, or at least what they have been during the Christmas period, trying to obtain a bite at all would prove very difficult? So its follows surely that no amount of introduced bait would induce almost torpid fish to feed? Having said that though I recall a time whilst fishing the Trent for barbel a few years back I opted to fish over fairly large beds of bait during cold spells with surprising results. On the whole though I'd say that conditions both in terms of feeding fish out in front plus weather conditions dictate methods and tactics?
Now days I fish with one rod hand held with no rod rests and fish totally for bites with the hook bait only. Now this method obviously is not every angler’s cup of tea but suits my style of fishing now just fine. A few days ago I was fishing my local river in similar style casting here and there into likely spots that I know hold fish. I ended the session of around four hours fishing with three fish, two nice chub to just over five pounds and a barbel that went a tad above eight pounds. Interestingly two other anglers that were fishing the same mile or so stretch of river caught nothing, well not at least whilst I was there and they were both fishing statically over "modest" beds of bait. My theory for winter fishing now days is to offer just the "one" chance of a meal in the form of my hook bait relying totally on my knowledge of where the fish might be. Mostly this approach works and whilst it will never produce big bags of fish from the same swim, the method normally produces one, sometimes two, before I have to move to a fresh area.
Angling is all about using common sense, fishing with balanced tackle to suit the conditions one is fishing within.
Regards,
Lee.
Simon King
Senior Member
It seems everyone is largely in agreement over Graham's scenario of boilies and pellets en masse. In consistently cold conditions I'd agree too. There might be a case for increased amounts when the temperature rises again, but not kilo upon kilo in winter in "small" rivers. I'm not a great fan of pellet anyway (in bait or nutritional terms) and rarely use it.
Particles can work, for sure, but even they can be hit and miss if the fish aren't moving. I've found that piling in maggots and hemp for chub, when you can find a decent sized shoal to get some competition going can also produce a bonus barbel or two in the cold, but I wouldn't do it with only barbel in mind unless I knew I was "on fish".
At least massed particles will likely be washed away with the current. Not so boilie and pellet I sat in a swim with Phil Smith last season on the Lea and we watched the coots come up with boilie after boilie (not his doing!) as he sat and blanked.
It really doesn't help either the angler or the fish.
Particles can work, for sure, but even they can be hit and miss if the fish aren't moving. I've found that piling in maggots and hemp for chub, when you can find a decent sized shoal to get some competition going can also produce a bonus barbel or two in the cold, but I wouldn't do it with only barbel in mind unless I knew I was "on fish".
At least massed particles will likely be washed away with the current. Not so boilie and pellet I sat in a swim with Phil Smith last season on the Lea and we watched the coots come up with boilie after boilie (not his doing!) as he sat and blanked.
It really doesn't help either the angler or the fish.
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Alex Green
Senior Member
Totally with you on this one Paul.
I just cant get my head around the need or desire to fill the river with bait....
I just cant get my head around the need or desire to fill the river with bait....
Jamie Armitage
Senior Member
Whats peoples thoughts on using groundbait??
To draw them in to your swim but not really feed them?
cheers jamie
To draw them in to your swim but not really feed them?
cheers jamie
Chris Jones
Senior Member
My own experience has been that grounbait has been almost totally unsuccessful for barbel on the river(s) that I fish. There has been one notable exception over the years, that was a now defunct groundbait called Copra Sativa which was available briefly in the mid nineties. I understand that it was a concoction of molasses and coconut husk. It had a happy knack of putting chub off completely but bream, roach and barbel all seemed to like it. I had what I still consider to be my best ever fishing session on it, catching a mixed bag of several good bream, a pair of dog roach and a couple of barbel thrown in.
Hi men ,
The picture below shows our winter set up . Lots of attraction in the swim , breaking down at different rates .
A small sausage boillie or pellet on the hair . This is dipped into a thickish liquid attractor , then coverd in a matching paste . This is then re-dipped in the liquid , then dropped into a bag of liqudized boillie crumb . The outside of the bag is squeezed , forcing particals into the paste .
This can be repeated if you want , lots of attraction via liquid , not much choice for them to feed on . We also sometimes nick a bag on , pellets / crumb / paste in it , one end of it dipped in the liquid .
Hatter
The picture below shows our winter set up . Lots of attraction in the swim , breaking down at different rates .
A small sausage boillie or pellet on the hair . This is dipped into a thickish liquid attractor , then coverd in a matching paste . This is then re-dipped in the liquid , then dropped into a bag of liqudized boillie crumb . The outside of the bag is squeezed , forcing particals into the paste .
This can be repeated if you want , lots of attraction via liquid , not much choice for them to feed on . We also sometimes nick a bag on , pellets / crumb / paste in it , one end of it dipped in the liquid .
Hatter
Jon Frisby
Senior Member & Supporter
For the Trent, i use a pellet based groundbait, which is mixed with hemp, corn etc. In the summer months i pile in as much as i can, even known to use the odd passing pleasure craft to put in a carrier bag of feed into a swim. In the winter i simply squeeze my groundbait in harder into the feeder to slow down the breakup. On smaller rivers groundbait has been used to great effect in a similar way.
Steve Holt
Senior Member
I've got to say I agree with Jon, on the Trent groundbait does the job, I've tried scalded pellets flavoured with CSL or whatever but groundbait mixed with hemp & maybe a few small pellets is king..
On the Yorkshire rivers tho things do vary, scalded pellets seem deadly on the Wharfe, on the Swale groundbait mixed with maggot..
On the Yorkshire rivers tho things do vary, scalded pellets seem deadly on the Wharfe, on the Swale groundbait mixed with maggot..
Jamie Armitage
Senior Member
Hey steve
Wont scalded pellets fill them up? but does groundbait?
Ive been using CLS and it seems to work well ;]
cheers jamie
Wont scalded pellets fill them up? but does groundbait?
Ive been using CLS and it seems to work well ;]
cheers jamie
Jon Frisby
Senior Member & Supporter
The Groundbait is there for the smell factor IMO
Simon King
Senior Member
Essentially, we're talking small Method Feeder. Interesting that it seems to work for some of you in Winter?
Conrad Farlow
Senior Member
I agree with Jon, it is there to give a scent trail. In winter I have a few small particles such as hemp in the feeder and some very small pellets. I also pack the feeder quite tightly. I summer I will add some larger pellets in the feeder like the famous 'time bomb' invented by everyone and their mother. I don't put anything in small rivers at all during winter, I've never been one for really piling it in anywhere. I can't be bothered to be honest!
One summer I'll try a 3 day session and give it a go just out of interest, but I'd never do it on a small river.
Conrad
One summer I'll try a 3 day session and give it a go just out of interest, but I'd never do it on a small river.
Conrad
Graham Elliott
Senior Member & Supporter
Conrad. I'm sure piling it in on a long session like that on a big river would pay off.
Graham
Graham
Rick Carnell
Senior Member
Last summer a chap next to me piled it in like I have never seen before. Pellet, corn, hemp, spod after spod. I thought he was really going to bag up. However he blanked and I had a fair few fish from my rod nearest to him. I just fished single boilie wrapped in paste.
He was well narked. This was on the middle Trent.
He was well narked. This was on the middle Trent.
Graham Elliott
Senior Member & Supporter
Was his name Bob, Rick?
Declan Doherty
Senior Member
Last summer a chap next to me piled it in like I have never seen before. Pellet, corn, hemp, spod after spod.
Spodding? I'd have fished 60yds downstream over his bait!
Spodding? I'd have fished 60yds downstream over his bait!