There is no doubt that method feeder fishing can be one of the most effective ways of presenting carp baits, and the process for doing so can be easily learned.
Anglers will typically make a mixture of micro pellets or groundbait and mould this around a small plastic device called a method feeder with their hook bait concealed within.
This allows you to accurately and effectively cast a small ball of free carp bait into a productive swim with your hook bait presented inconspicuously on top.
One of the most important aspects of method feeder fishing is to ensure your baiting mixture is mixed properly.
If your mixture is too dry, then it will break away during casting or as it hits the water, and if it is too wet will stick to the feeder and not break away as required when your feeder reaches the bottom of the water.
I’ve already written a post on how you can prepare pellets for method feeder fishing but today I’m going to focus on how to prepare ground bait for a method feeder so you can fish as effectively as possible.
What is GroundBait?
Before we get into how to mix the perfect ground bait mixture for you method feeder fishing let e give you a little bit of background on what groundbait is and why it’s effective for your carp approach.
Groundbait is made from a selection of natural and fish-attracting ingredients which can include fish meals, breadcrumbs, hemp seeds, flavouring and oils and even bird seeds.
I’ve recently written a post on how carp smell and the addition of these oils, flavourings and high amino acid ingredients help the carp to sense the groundbait from far out and come to investigate.
How to Prepare Groundbait For A Method Feeder?
How exactly do you mix the perfect groundbait for your method feeder fishing.
When making groundbait it is essential that it is left to soak for a while, so I’d advise making this the first thing you do when you arrive at the venue.
This will give you plenty of time to set up your rods and other tackle when the groundbait is prepared so you are ready to get the rods in the water once you are fully set up.
As I mentioned in the introduction, if your groundbait is too wet, it will fail to break down effectively so no clouds will be created in the water, and the fish will find it difficult to feed on if it is still clumped into a ball.
On the other hand, if your ground bait is too dry, it can cause it to break up mid-flight into the water, which will cause it to spread out, making it almost completely useless to your fishing efforts.
By following the video below, you should be well on your way to mixing the perfect groundbait.
Testing The Groundbait
More often than not, your groundbait will be ready after these simple steps, but it’s best to test them before you start fishing.
You can easily do this by picking up a small bait ball, moulding a batch around your feeder and dropping it into the margin where you can watch what happens.
If the groundbait start to break away extremely quickly or when the feeder hits the water, then your groundbait is too dry, and you’ll need to add some water and let them soak for a while longer.
Add a little water, mix vigorously, leave it for a minute or two, and then test again testing again.
If you drop the feeder into the water and the groundbait doesn’t break away after a few minutes, your mixture is too wet.
Thankfully you can solve this pretty quickly as well by adding in a sprinkle of groundbait. Make sure and add little bits at a time so you don’t make the mixture too dry.
Once the moulded pellets reach the bottom, are stuck to the feeder, and start to break away after a minute or two of resting on the bottom, your mixture is perfect, and you are ready to start fishing!
That’s All
Preparing groundbait for a method feeder can be fairly straightforward if you follow the steps above.
If you take the time to test your groundbait mixture to make sure it is breaking down effectively, then you can greatly increase your chances of success along as you’re fishing a productive area of the venue.
