Hi Landlord,
I don't post often (I need to change that), but thought I might with this thread...
I've always fished groundbait! and have total confidence in doing so.
Give it a go and don't be worried... I started fishing down the cut when I was younger and always used a mix to carry my casters, and balled it in too, this was when I fished a 6m tele pole to hand so i could swing the rig under the far bank trees... I always pulled some good bream out. I think that mix went half bag supercup red, same of brown crumb and a qt of Magic.
More recent, when I can get out, it's been Barbel fishing so bait dropper of pellet or if I'm down the Trent then fishy groundbait to plug the feeder.
However, last Sunday I needed to get out, so went out to find the silvers on my local River Calder (Yorkshire). Ordered some Click n Collect bait from Bobco (what a service that was


), and part of that order was a 2kg bag of what I thought would be a dark groundbait... website said VDE Supercrack Roach. I thought it was a spelling mistake and it was meant to be Superblack, however...
Brown it was... oh well... mixed the lot, neat and on the heavy side as the swim is about 12ft deep, added, i'd say 4 hand fulls of caster, same with hemp and 2 of squatt.
Balled 6 and potted 2 slightly lighter squeezed on the pole line and let that settle while I cast a groundbait feeder out to mid river, using the same mix.
Bites from the off... fished the feeder for half hour then went on the pole.
When the pole started to go quiet I balled another 3 on that line and went back on feeder for half hour, then switched back to the pole.
Caught all day, all roach, no perch or pike trouble either. It's been that long since I fished like this, I really enjoyed it and have ordered some different hooks (Colmic B957, thanks Nige the matchman for the recommendation) so I don't bump as many. Hope they work.
Used all 2kg of groundbait through the day and didn't loose feed due to the depth, wanted to make sure it was all on the deck in my area.
Catch for the day about 6lb, sorry I ain't no matchman so didn't know how many fish I had caught, need a clicker for that, heard 1 guy walk past from upstream saying to his mate he had 74 dace.
Can't wait to get back out. Tight lines all, Stay Safe and give the Groundbait a go!
Martin