Feeder gum, feeder gum, oh where art thou feeder gum

[Fugley-fisher]

I've started to use braid direct to a short leader 1m ish, just wondering if splicing in a 10-15 cm lenth of feeder gum after the feeder to the hook lenth, I've seen it mentioned on the tube.

I suppose it would give a small amount stretch and cushion any last ditch runs under the rod tip thinking more of head nodding bream being dragged back from 50+.

Anybody out there using it, have any good bad or indifferent views or tips, promise I won't tell.

 

[mrfishey]

Check out Lee Kerry's video on YouTube. He shows how to include a 6 inch length of feeder gum, just after the feeder. I use it and it works well for me

 

[Fugley-fisher]

@mrfishey I have watched said Lee Kerry one the tube, I was after some real world experiences like yourself, cheers I'll get some ordered and give it a go.

 

[Louis D]

I can't see the point of a 1 metre mono leader, what does it do? It doesn't cushion the cast and only stretches a few inches. In that setup, the power gum is your cushion so you might as well use 12" if you want additional buffer but there is no need. I used to use 6" power gum with braid for bream but directly between the braid and the H/L without a leader. Never used to have a problem with hookpulls, a lot comes down to the rod used and proper use of the reel drag. I used a shimano stradic 11/13 medium feeder at the longer length with the drag set soft. I also used this setup for carp occasionally without problems.

 

[Fugley-fisher]

@Louis D always learning mate. The meter of mono allows me to have have many made up in different patterns, helle free running ect, and should I get a malfunction 2 minuets and I'm ready to go, also .20 mono is more abrasion resistant that .08 braid, if your venue has no rocks fair enough, I've never tried a helle rig on braid have you ? So there are a few reasons for a short mono leader.

 

[Mike atkinson]

The idea behind the 1mtr of mono is, it’s better abrasion resisting as it slides over your landing net, and it stiffens up your rig, preventing tangles, on this part, 0.20 mono, is no where near thick enough to do this, my shock leader is 0.35/0.37mm and 6 inches of this is twizzled up below the feeder, ive fished for days on end, in festivals on the feeder, and not once has my rig tangled, I fished the feeder all day yesterday, at 18mtrs, caught 164 roach, and I won’t be changing my shock leader, 0.20 is to light in my opinion
Lee Kerry tried to make the feeder gum work for about a year, but in the end he ditched it, cause he was getting more tangles than his standard set up

 

[Fugley-fisher]

@Mike atkinson thanks Mike looks like I'll be upping my leader material. I still might try the gum as it's now on order, I only dabble with the feeder rods compared with some, but still like to be proficient. Everyday is a school day cheers mate.

 

[squimp]

The idea behind the 1mtr of mono is, it’s better abrasion resisting as it slides over your landing net, and it stiffens up your rig, preventing tangles, on this part, 0.20 mono, is no where near thick enough to do this, my shock leader is 0.35/0.37mm and 6 inches of this is twizzled up below the feeder, ive fished for days on end, in festivals on the feeder, and not once has my rig tangled, I fished the feeder all day yesterday, at 18mtrs, caught 164 roach, and I won’t be changing my shock leader, 0.20 is to light in my opinion
Lee Kerry tried to make the feeder gum work for about a year, but in the end he ditched it, cause he was getting more tangles than his standard set up

I know quite a few specialist anglers who have tried it and ditched it for the same reason - tangle city.

 

[Ken the Pacman]

Many years ago when braid first appeared on our market in low enough diameters to be useful for feeder fishing several groups of anglers experimented with power gum as a shock absorber mostly because the traditional feeder rods of the time were fairly stiff like original Daiwa 11/13 style.
After several years in the early 80s the simple solution was the best which was two suitable sized Stonfo flick tip connectors superglued to either end of a 3 or 4 inch length of 14lb powergum fished directly below the feeder. The use of connectors allowed for adding or removing the link or changing hook lengths when it was in place.
This system lasted probably 20 years but the main reason to use it was speed in bringing fish to the net as you could reel in very fast with the powergum acting as a shock absorber.
Now its rarely used as modern rods have been developed with softer actions exactly for that job of speed fishing.
The only other reason to use a powergum link would be to protect a very light hook length but who uses pound or pound and a half hooklengths these days.

 

[Mike atkinson]

Many years ago when braid first appeared on our market in low enough diameters to be useful for feeder fishing several groups of anglers experimented with power gum as a shock absorber mostly because the traditional feeder rods of the time were fairly stiff like original Daiwa 11/13 style.
After several years in the early 80s the simple solution was the best which was two suitable sized Stonfo flick tip connectors superglued to either end of a 3 or 4 inch length of 14lb powergum fished directly below the feeder. The use of connectors allowed for adding or removing the link or changing hook lengths when it was in place.
This system lasted probably 20 years but the main reason to use it was speed in bringing fish to the net as you could reel in very fast with the powergum acting as a shock absorber.
Now its rarely used as modern rods have been developed with softer actions exactly for that job of speed fishing.
The only other reason to use a powergum link would be to protect a very light hook length but who uses pound or pound and a half hooklengths these days.

Also, the average size hook we used to use was a 20/22 or if you were bagging, a 18, nowadays, we use bigger hooks, I hardly ever use anything smaller than a 16

 

[Simon R]

The 'braid bungee' is commercially available - and has been for many years

Bungee Shock Absorbers

Nisa Bungee Shock Absorbers are particularly useful when using high tech, low stretch lines and braid etc.

www.feedersdirect.co.uk

I've used them in the past but soon realised it was easy enough to make your own.

There's also a 'skimmer link' available which just seems to be a twizzled length of pole elastic

Soft Skimmer Links

Nisa soft skimmer links are a twisted stretchy link with a swivel. Useful when fishing for soft mouthed fish such as Bream.

www.feedersdirect.co.uk

Simon

 

[Ken the Pacman]

The type that run the feeder or lead on the bungee are not good for accurate casting.

 

[Mike atkinson]

They look like tangle city to me

 

[Total]

The idea behind the 1mtr of mono is, it’s better abrasion resisting as it slides over your landing net, and it stiffens up your rig, preventing tangles, on this part, 0.20 mono, is no where near thick enough to do this, my shock leader is 0.35/0.37mm and 6 inches of this is twizzled up below the feeder, ive fished for days on end, in festivals on the feeder, and not once has my rig tangled, I fished the feeder all day yesterday, at 18mtrs, caught 164 roach, and I won’t be changing my shock leader, 0.20 is to light in my opinion
Lee Kerry tried to make the feeder gum work for about a year, but in the end he ditched it, cause he was getting more tangles than his standard set up

^^ ....Also easier to construct your rig on as well as the abrasion resistance.....I don't quite go that heavy as you've quoted above, but your thinking and application is 'bob on'

 

[Mike atkinson]

^^ ....Also easier to construct your rig on as well as the abrasion resistance.....I don't quite go that heavy as you've quoted above, but your thinking and application is 'bob on'

I’ll keep you right auld lad

 

[Ringe]

Really interesting thread this. What’s the perceived advantage to be gained from a 1m length of mono, as opposed to one that sees a couple of turns of it on you reel? I’m guessing it can only be more directness between reel and hook. Personally I like the fact I’m casting off mono and have plenty of it around during the process of landing fish, which I’m typically hoping to be decent sized hybrids, bream and the odd rogue tench, but always interested to hear from more experienced folks.