Happyeater:
I take it, we're talking Horton Grange here?
I would purchase a couple of small open-ended feeder (fine for stillwater but it may be better to use cage or blockend feeder for rivers as the flow will probably realease the grounbait too early)
and attach them to your mainlain with a snaplink swivel - available in all tackle shops (ALS, etc).
Mix some loose feed into your groundbait and shove it in the feeder. Cast out into the same spot a number of times and, hopefully, you'll attract fish into that area.
The idea is that you cast into the area you want, and allow the feeder to drop to the bottom releasing it's contents. Wait a few seconds and give a couple of turns on your reel. In theory, your hookbait should now be sitting over the groundbait / loose feed mix.
Fishes come, scoffing your loose feed and get stuck into your hookbait - voila!!
Once you've managed to draw fish into your swim, the feeder can be easily unlinked from the snaplink and replaced with a small ledger, as you don't want to spook the fish you've just attracted by casting a feeder every time as the weight and size causes more disturbance than a leger.
Personally, I know Horton isn't fishing very well at the minute so I'd probably wait until the weather picks up a bit.
A little tip when using snaplinks - attach it to the mainline just above your hooklenth by using a ledger stop bead. This allows you to slide to feeder up and down the line if required.
I also cut down a small piece of silicon tubing to size and slide it over the snaplink wire bit (if you know what I mean)as this stops, or at least reduces the amount ot times your line snags on the link.
Good luck - must dash as I'm off for a quick pint before hoppong on the bus to 'Town' for the match - what's your prediction for today?
Im new to this game as well - only been fishing since New Year and only been out three or four times so far. Can the resident experts confirm the above is accurate, please - I wouldn't want to ill-advise you!!
Anyway - see you around and good luck.
Alan G (BlythMags)
Blyth
Nothumberland
HA'WAY THE LADS!!!!!!!!