When to strike on the method

[Grimberian]

Hi Folks,
I have been concentrating a bit more on using a method feeder on a local mixed fishery.
A decent amount of the time over last winter all was good and carp would take the bait and bend the tip round and the baitrunner would start screaming. Lift the rod, carp in, all good.
My issue is now I seem to be getting a lot of bits / nudges from some of the smaller fish that are in the lake, such as the bream or skimmers.
I am finding that very rarely do they hook themselves and go screaming off, but I see a lot of knocking on the tip of the rod.
If I strike into them sometimes there will be a fish, sometimes not.
I guess I am looking for advice on when to strike on the method to be a little more consistent with pulling the fish in? I guess I am struggling to tell what is the fish taking the hook-bait, and what maybe just the fish knocking the feeder around with the pellets. I worry about striking through a fish and foul hooking.
(Generally I use 2mm pellets with sweetcorn hookbait).
Cheers folks.

 

[Arry]

If you get a solid pull round its already on, just lift into the fish...maybe ditch the corn and go for a 6 or 8mm banded pellet

 

[ukzero1]

It happens to the best of us mate, and of course some of those little 'dinks' on the tip could also be liners. It's a question of...when in doubt, strike.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

Never "strike" when fishing The Method. Doing so will cause breaks in the hooklength. Wait for the wrap round or drop back if carp or a series of jerks on the tip of its a bream. In both cases just lift the rod and tighten to the fish.

 

[corkycat]

Agree with Arry - once the bait is truly taken the feeder will fall back down causing the hook to drive home "bolt" style. As for those knocks I know they are flippin' annoying, but best left, I think.

 

[Grimberian]

It's a question of...when in doubt, strike

Never "strike" when fishing The Method.

As for those knocks I know they are flippin' annoying, but best left, I think.

I love this place

 

[Grimberian]

Thanks for the replies guys. It makes me feel better knowing I am not necessarily doing anything 'wrong'
I will try the different hookbait too, though sweetcorn is a killer for both skimmers and carp at the lake, might be interesting to mix it up.

 

[robert d]

Hi Folks,
I have been concentrating a bit more on using a method feeder on a local mixed fishery.
A decent amount of the time over last winter all was good and carp would take the bait and bend the tip round and the baitrunner would start screaming. Lift the rod, carp in, all good.
My issue is now I seem to be getting a lot of bits / nudges from some of the smaller fish that are in the lake, such as the bream or skimmers.
I am finding that very rarely do they hook themselves and go screaming off, but I see a lot of knocking on the tip of the rod.
If I strike into them sometimes there will be a fish, sometimes not.
I guess I am looking for advice on when to strike on the method to be a little more consistent with pulling the fish in? I guess I am struggling to tell what is the fish taking the hook-bait, and what maybe just the fish knocking the feeder around with the pellets. I worry about striking through a fish and foul hooking.
(Generally I use 2mm pellets with sweetcorn hookbait).
Cheers folks.

I wait for a wrap around or a continuous tap on the tip as has been said liners can be a problem . Again dont strike just lift into them,if getting to many liners try casting a little shorter .

 

[MartinWY]

I have this on the hybrid (running not method), but its become less of an issue since I increased bait size, shortened the hooklength (3" down from 4") and also the hair.

I'm guessing liners tend to be slow pull and relax motions, whereas bites from small fish give short sharp movements on the tip, but how correct that is I dont know. I figured I'll learn as I gain experience. To react to the fast movements is pretty tough, although on the hybrid I do of course have to strike. I have to have rod in hand to even have a chance and I miss probably 70% of them.

Either way, I've tried to discipline myself to leave it 2 minutes or so after any movement and then bring it in to check my bait, especially if its soft like corn, meat or soft pellets.

Another thing I'm trialling at the moment is leaving a gap in the base of the feeder bed itself, building up a "volcano" of pellets around it and then putting the soft hookbait in the crater, covering it over with more pellets, so in effect there are no pellets under the hookbait at all. Without this, I have a feeling that the soft hookbait is being exposed too early, before the bigger fish have had chance to investigate. It's only a small 24g feeder though, so the corn is quite large in comparison and hard to cover over fully without squashing if I fill the feeder bed and try to put it in the middle.

I've no idea if it will work, but I enjoy experimenting.

 

[Grimberian]

@MartinWY I think that's a good shout on the way the pellets are being set up, I can see the logic there. I use the moulds that come with my Preston ICS method feeders and use this to get the hookbait buried into the pellets on the feeder. I have to be careful the hook doesn't get snagged around the ribs though so the hookbait isn't right at the bottom of the pile, it's about halfway in there.