Yes I know.. I can hear you all now spitting venom after reading the title of the thread. .😂😂
Scratching my head a bit though so I thought I might as well come and ask the chaps who might be able to offer me some guidance?
I'm currently fishing a deep gravel pit for bream. The pit averages 15-20ft deep and holds a decent head of bream averaging 4-6lbs. The ‘popular' way of catching, is to use a method feeder with soaked 2mm micros and a hard pellet or a wafter on the hook. Due to the depth, and the hoards of small roach/rudd attacking it on the way down, I'm not convinced that the feeder always gets to the bottom intact with the bait still inside, and even when it does, I also wonder if, unlike carp, the bream don't feed aggressively enough for the method to be working as it's supposed to do. I think that the bream just ‘waft around' the feeder, spread the bait around and then the hookbait ends up being fished as though it was left hanging loose on the cast. In effect, the mechanics of the method setup is quite possibly gone within the first minute of casting it out if there are a decent number of fish ‘grazing' there.
So, I was wondering if a more suitable way of doing it would be still to use the method feeder to get a decent amount of bait on the bottom but fish the hookbait on something like maybe a Ronnie Rig with a 12mm boilie for example and leave it hanging loose when casting it out? We are only allowed barbless hooks, max size 8, no braided hooklengths, and must be 100% free running. No minimum length of hooklength though which helps a bit. I would normally use a 3” one.
So I was wondering if it's a feasible option to try a carp rig when using lighter lines? I would normally fish a 6lb mainline to a 0.13 hooklength (also have 8lb) but wasn't sure if using too light a line negates the mechanics of a carp rig? If I need to use thicker lines then so long as it's balanced and ‘fish safe' then that's fine.
If it's a feasible option though, I would welcome your suggestions with regard to what I would need to buy in order to make up some rigs which might work?
Thanks very much.
Dave.
Scratching my head a bit though so I thought I might as well come and ask the chaps who might be able to offer me some guidance?
I'm currently fishing a deep gravel pit for bream. The pit averages 15-20ft deep and holds a decent head of bream averaging 4-6lbs. The ‘popular' way of catching, is to use a method feeder with soaked 2mm micros and a hard pellet or a wafter on the hook. Due to the depth, and the hoards of small roach/rudd attacking it on the way down, I'm not convinced that the feeder always gets to the bottom intact with the bait still inside, and even when it does, I also wonder if, unlike carp, the bream don't feed aggressively enough for the method to be working as it's supposed to do. I think that the bream just ‘waft around' the feeder, spread the bait around and then the hookbait ends up being fished as though it was left hanging loose on the cast. In effect, the mechanics of the method setup is quite possibly gone within the first minute of casting it out if there are a decent number of fish ‘grazing' there.
So, I was wondering if a more suitable way of doing it would be still to use the method feeder to get a decent amount of bait on the bottom but fish the hookbait on something like maybe a Ronnie Rig with a 12mm boilie for example and leave it hanging loose when casting it out? We are only allowed barbless hooks, max size 8, no braided hooklengths, and must be 100% free running. No minimum length of hooklength though which helps a bit. I would normally use a 3” one.
So I was wondering if it's a feasible option to try a carp rig when using lighter lines? I would normally fish a 6lb mainline to a 0.13 hooklength (also have 8lb) but wasn't sure if using too light a line negates the mechanics of a carp rig? If I need to use thicker lines then so long as it's balanced and ‘fish safe' then that's fine.
If it's a feasible option though, I would welcome your suggestions with regard to what I would need to buy in order to make up some rigs which might work?
Thanks very much.
Dave.
In reply to Post #1
I've done plenty of specialist bream fishing over the years - so here are a few thoughts:
Consider other types of feeder that might hold the feed in better eg a window feeder or a solid sided plastic open ended.
If you use a method style mix and make it sticky it should stay in the feeder whilst it is sinking. Last resort would be to put PVA round the feeder. You can buy ‘sticky' additives eg PV1. Or use a bulk feed like vitalin.
Bream love pellets and fish meal - so a drilled or banded pellet works as do fishy boilies.
Simple boilie rigs eg a basic line aligner should work fine. I've never used a Ronnie in my life - so I have no idea whether bream get caught on it. I suspect it would work, if you can be bothered.
If you have to fish running rigs, Consider using a tight line to the (heavy) bobbin and fish for drop backs.
Having said all that my big bream rig of choice would be 3 maggots on a size 12 on a 3” helicopter. But that's banned so not much use to you !
I've done plenty of specialist bream fishing over the years - so here are a few thoughts:
Consider other types of feeder that might hold the feed in better eg a window feeder or a solid sided plastic open ended.
If you use a method style mix and make it sticky it should stay in the feeder whilst it is sinking. Last resort would be to put PVA round the feeder. You can buy ‘sticky' additives eg PV1. Or use a bulk feed like vitalin.
Bream love pellets and fish meal - so a drilled or banded pellet works as do fishy boilies.
Simple boilie rigs eg a basic line aligner should work fine. I've never used a Ronnie in my life - so I have no idea whether bream get caught on it. I suspect it would work, if you can be bothered.
If you have to fish running rigs, Consider using a tight line to the (heavy) bobbin and fish for drop backs.
Having said all that my big bream rig of choice would be 3 maggots on a size 12 on a 3” helicopter. But that's banned so not much use to you !
In reply to Post #1
Personally I'd use maple peas. Spomb them out or use a groundbait as a carrier.
Bream bloody love them, unfortunately.
Personally I'd use maple peas. Spomb them out or use a groundbait as a carrier.
Bream bloody love them, unfortunately.
In reply to Post #1
If you're fishing for 4 to 6lb Bream. Find a lake with 10 to 12lb Bream in and make the effort worthwhile. Seriously unless you're trying to win a match why bother?
If you're fishing for 4 to 6lb Bream. Find a lake with 10 to 12lb Bream in and make the effort worthwhile. Seriously unless you're trying to win a match why bother?
In reply to Post #1
If you use pellet you will attract all silver fish, it's that simple, you will need to plug away until the bream arrive
This time of year especially I would use a carp rod and fish as far out as possible
Scalded pellet works really well, I know a lad who used to fish a water where I used to fish, used to hammer them out with a method feeder, two rod style and fishing heavy lines, try a bigger pellet, should bind really well?
If you use pellet you will attract all silver fish, it's that simple, you will need to plug away until the bream arrive
This time of year especially I would use a carp rod and fish as far out as possible
Scalded pellet works really well, I know a lad who used to fish a water where I used to fish, used to hammer them out with a method feeder, two rod style and fishing heavy lines, try a bigger pellet, should bind really well?
In reply to Post #1
As said I'd be looking to go down the groundbait route and then fish running leads, shortish mono hook links with a kicker, does away with the feeder worry.
As said I'd be looking to go down the groundbait route and then fish running leads, shortish mono hook links with a kicker, does away with the feeder worry.