Method Feeder. Old hat or worth a go?

[welder]

Years ago I frequently fished using  method feeders and did pretty well with them. I'd use a variety of different feed mixes and enjoyed the experimental aspect of doing so.

For the life of me I can't think why I stopped using feeders, maybe simply hair-rigging a boilie was a fresh approach? Dunno.

Anyway, what do we think? Would it be a waste of time and effort or is it worth revisiting the method feeder? Any thoughts, guys?

Ian.

[ouchthathurt]

It’s always worth a go mate, it used to be a popular method (no pun intended) and in essence, it’s not too dissimilar to a pva bag I suppose. It probably went out of vogue because it was no longer “fashionable” as opposed to anything else. It’s a good compact way of presenting an attractive parcel of food, with the hook link tucked away out of sight, what’s not to like? I seem to remember it being branded a “small fish method” but that could be down to many variables, the fact it was a “match tactic” or that it was used on runs waters etc. I always think that with the turn over of young new carp in today’s waters, tactics such as the method have a whole new shelf life when presented to a generation of carp that haven’t seen it yet because everyone overlooks it as a tactic. 
 

when I first started carping in the mid 90s, I never EVER used strawberry or tutti boilies as an old hand told me that the carp were so used to them they wouldn’t touch them, that has stayed with me for 25+yrs! Daft really, those carp are long gone, and this generation of carp probably haven’t seen a strawberry boilie in their lives! Everyone seems to skip these flavours in favour of some more popular flavours. I was recently told that if I wasn’t fishing with a particular brand and flavour on my club lake, I would blank as the carp wouldn’t eat anything else… i then caught the big common over 40lb, first 40 from the lake 

[salokcinnodrog]

1 hour ago, welder said:

Years ago I frequently fished using  method feeders and did pretty well with them. I'd use a variety of different feed mixes and enjoyed the experimental aspect of doing so.

For the life of me I can't think why I stopped using feeders, maybe simply hair-rigging a boilie was a fresh approach? Dunno.

Anyway, what do we think? Would it be a waste of time and effort or is it worth revisiting the method feeder? Any thoughts, guys?

Ian.

 

1 hour ago, ouchthathurt said:

It’s always worth a go mate, it used to be a popular method (no pun intended) and in essence, it’s not too dissimilar to a pva bag I suppose. It probably went out of vogue because it was no longer “fashionable” as opposed to anything else. It’s a good compact way of presenting an attractive parcel of food, with the hook link tucked away out of sight, what’s not to like? I seem to remember it being branded a “small fish method” but that could be down to many variables, the fact it was a “match tactic” or that it was used on runs waters etc. I always think that with the turn over of young new carp in today’s waters, tactics such as the method have a whole new shelf life when presented to a generation of carp that haven’t seen it yet because everyone overlooks it as a tactic. 
 

when I first started carping in the mid 90s, I never EVER used strawberry or tutti boilies as an old hand told me that the carp were so used to them they wouldn’t touch them, that has stayed with me for 25+yrs! Daft really, those carp are long gone, and this generation of carp probably haven’t seen a strawberry boilie in their lives! Everyone seems to skip these flavours in favour of some more popular flavours. I was recently told that if I wasn’t fishing with a particular brand and flavour on my club lake, I would blank as the carp wouldn’t eat anything else… i then caught the big common over 40lb, first 40 from the lake 

I still use it every now and again rather than using PVA bags or mesh. I don't necessarily resort to a Method feeder, but mould groundbait round a flat lead.

 

I don't think Ardleigh ever qualified as a runs water, and that moulded groundbait round the lead produced a lot of fish, and well into the 20's.

My favourite groundbait is not quite the same as it was, Vitalin as a dog food company sold the makeup to Gladwells, who now make it as Vitacarp, although I don't think it is as 'sticky' as it was, with less rolled maize in it.

I used to pour boiling water over it the night before use, or add in soaked and boiled birdfood, sweetcorn and hemp and allow to stand for about 30minutes before balling it for groundbait and moulding around the lead.

Not forgetting some crushed and crumbled boilies in the mix.

I wasn't keen on shop bought Method feeders with the elastic through the middle, but there is now a decent choice.

[jules007]

Give it a go, maybe a bit old school in this modern world but no reason for it not to work

[OldBoy]

Deff worth giving it go 👍

Just back from a local club lake and had a few out too.

For what it's worth I think the 'vaned' method feeders are the best for 'larger' carp fishing, the 'flat bed' ones are more match fishing, imo.

Elasticated ones, deff a no no, from memory, if you break off above the feeder the fish will still be trailing it!

As for loading it up, back in the day, scalded trout pellets deff worked on HorseShoe - actually accounted for a lot of 20+ fish.

Like others have said Vitalin was great, now sadly gone, I have been messing about with flaked maize. a bit of sweet nutty method mix, oils and blittzed tigers, still cant get the mix to get to stick to feeder when I do a long chuck yet, semolina sort of worked, never mind it's good fun playing about with stuff 🙂

[framey]

Cheap bag of brown and white crumb 

mix it with what ever you want 

I used to use groats or pigeon conditioner back in the day.

add some colours and flavourings if you want

use enough water to bind it up 

I used to make it 24 hours before hand to give it time to blend and soak in the water and other liquids.

add some more water when at the lake to get it to stick to the feeder

[OldBoy]

28 minutes ago, framey said:

Cheap bag of brown and white crumb 

mix it with what ever you want 

I used to use groats or pigeon conditioner back in the day.

 

Forgot about crumb tbh, might be the answer to bind it up 👍 Thanks Framey 🙂

As for Groats, err I still mix them in too, and used to years ago with hemp (don't bother with it now} as a spod mix.

[salokcinnodrog]

1 hour ago, OldBoy said:

Forgot about crumb tbh, might be the answer to bind it up 👍 Thanks Framey 🙂

As for Groats, err I still mix them in too, and used to years ago with hemp (don't bother with it now} as a spod mix.

White crumb is a better binder than brown crumb.

I've mentioned it in the past, but when Layer Pits banned spodding (hemp), all the anglers just started fishing groundbait and hemp, firing in balls of it by catapult. Strangely enough that was one of the best match tactics on there from years before where they used to use massive floats and groundbait, casters and hemp at range. I know that Tommy Boulton wrote a chapter on Layer Pits match style in Carp, Quest for the Queen by John Bailey and Martyn Page. 

Some interesting chapters in there on some Norfolk Waters!

 

[framey]

Yep 

depends on what you want out of the mix 

👍👍