Beginner’s Guide to Feeder Fishing
Fishing Tips
Feeder fishing is one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to catch coarse fish in the UK. Instead of feeding loose bait by hand, you use a small cage or method feeder attached to your line, which carries groundbait or pellets directly to your hookbait on the bottom. It’s a brilliant method for targeting bream, carp, tench, skimmers, and chub – and it’s surprisingly simple to learn.
This guide will walk you through the basics of tackle, setting up, bait choices (including some ready-to-use groundbaits and pellets we stock at Voyagers Hook Fishing Company), how to read bites, avoid common mistakes, and care for your fish once landed.
Why Choose Feeder Fishing?
Accuracy – you feed and fish in the same place, encouraging fish to stay in your swim.
Bottom-feeding species – ideal for bream, carp, barbel, and tench that naturally grub around on the deck.
All venues – works just as well on rivers as on lakes, canals, and commercials.
Clear bite indication – your quivertip rod shows even the smallest movement.
The Standard Feeder Setup
You don’t need lots of expensive gear to get started. A simple setup covers almost every coarse venue:
Rod & Reel – A 10–12 ft feeder rod paired with a 3000–4000 size reel is ideal. Shorter rods (9–10 ft) suit small canals or ponds, while longer rods (12–13 ft) help when casting further on rivers and reservoirs.
Mainline – 5–8 lb mono is a safe all-rounder. If you want extra sensitivity, you can try braid, but always use a mono shockleader.
Hooklength – Lighter than your mainline (3–5 lb is typical). Start around 12–18 inches long, and lengthen if bites are finicky.
Feeders –
Cage feeders – good for rivers or when you want bait released quickly.
Open-end feeders – versatile and great for groundbait or particles.
Method feeders – excellent for carp and bream, presenting hookbait right on the feed.
Hooks – Barbless size 12–16 for most species. Larger (size 10–12) for carp, smaller (size 18) for silvers.
Extras – landing net, disgorger/forceps, unhooking mat, plummet, scissors, bait boxes.
Setting Up Your Rod, Reels & Tips
Getting your rod and reel setup right is one of the most important steps for successful feeder fishing. Here’s a clear, beginner-friendly guide with extra detail on rod tip strengths and reel types so you can choose the right combination for your venue.
Choosing Your Rod & Tip Strength
Feeder rods come with interchangeable quivertips, which show bites and vary in stiffness. The “ounce” rating on a tip tells you how stiff it is:
0.5–1 oz tips – Ultra-sensitive tips. Ideal for small silver fish like roach, dace, and skimmers in stillwaters or calm canals. Light feeders work best here.
1.5 oz tips – A versatile all-rounder. Great for most lakes, commercial fisheries, and smaller rivers. Handles skimmers, roach, and occasional carp.
2–3 oz tips – Stiffer tips for heavier feeders, stronger river currents, or targeting bigger species like bream and carp. Less sensitive to small knocks, but necessary for distance casting or heavier feed loads.
💡 Beginner Tip: Start with a 10–11 ft rod for canals and smaller lakes, and 12 ft+ for rivers or long-range casting. Carry a couple of tips so you can adapt to changing conditions.
Choosing Your Reel
Mikado Noctis-x Reel - From £66.99
Different reel types are suitable for different situations. Here’s a quick guide for beginners:
Fixed Spool Reels (most common)
Sizes 3000–4000 are perfect for most feeder fishing.
Accurate, reliable, and easy to use.
Excellent for beginners targeting silvers, bream, and small carp.
Baitrunner Reels
Have a free-spool system, allowing fish to take line without resistance.
Ideal for bigger carp or when fish are cautious.
Not essential for small fish, but a handy tool for longer sessions on commercial lakes or rivers.
Match Reels
Lightweight, shallow spool design.
Best for small to medium stillwaters or canals.
Works well with lighter lines and feeders.
Big Pit Reels
Designed for extreme distance casting.
Only necessary for very large reservoirs or targeting specimen carp.
Line & Hooklength
Mainline: 4–6 lb mono for small silvers and medium carp; 6–8 lb mono or light braid for heavier feeders or bigger fish.
Hooklength: Slightly lighter than mainline (3–5 lb). Keep lengths short (6–10 in) for aggressive bites or longer (18–30 in) when fish are cautious.
Tip: Balance line strength with your rod and tip. A stiff tip with light line won’t give the right feel, and a soft tip with heavy line will be hard to control.
Step-by-Step Setup
Assemble the Rod – Gently fit sections together, aligning the guides (rings). Twist slightly to lock, but don’t force.
Attach the Reel – Place in the seat, tighten snugly, spool facing forward.
Thread the Line – Open the bail, run the line through all guides from butt to tip, close the bail.
Attach the Feeder – Slide an inline feeder or use a feeder link depending on style.
Add a Buffer Bead – Protects your knot and prevents feeder damage.
Swivel or Connector – Small swivel prevents line twist and links to your hooklength.
Attach Hooklength – Loop-to-loop or pre-tied hooklengths work well.
Select Hooklength Length & Hook Size – Short for quick bites, longer for picky fish; hook size 12–16 works for most species, larger for carp or bream.
Load the Feeder – Fill lightly with groundbait or pellets; press in hookbait if using a method feeder.
Cast Consistently – Aim at the same target each time; use line markers or reel clips to hit the same distance.
💡 Beginner Tip: Don’t overpack feeders — enough to hold during cast but break down in a minute. Always carry a spare quivertip and a lighter feeder for different situations.
Bait Choices for Feeder Fishing
Bait is what makes or breaks your feeder session. Luckily, there are loads of effective, easy-to-use options.
Groundbaits & Pellets (including Large Drilled Pellets)
Peg No.1 Mayhem Premium Groundbait (1 kg, all flavours) — A fine, all-round groundbait that works well in stillwaters or mixed with pellets for rivers.
£4.29Peg No.1 Method Ready Pellets (1.8 kg, Sweet Fishmeal flavour etc.) — Pre-prepared pellets, ready straight from the tub. Great for method feeders.
£9.79Fjuka Squeeze Ready Method Feeder Pellets (2 mm, 500 g, all flavours) — Soft pellets you can squeeze onto feeders or around hookbait. Very useful when fish are picky.
£3.985 kg Bag of 2 mm Coppens Pellets (PVA Friendly Feed Bait) — Highly water-stable pellets, good for long feeding spells.
£14.45Crafty Catcher Prepared Particle Buckets – 3 kg (Prepared Maize, Natural Hemp etc.) — Particles rather than pellets, but excellent for mixing loose feed around your swim; helps attract fish to the baited area.
£13.79Large Drilled Pellets — Larger size pellets with a drilled hole (for threading on hair rigs or hooklinks). These are particularly effective for bigger carp, barbel and large bream, as they allow you to present the bait more naturally and offer more surface area for scent release.
Hookbaits
Maggots – classic all-rounder for silvers, bream, and chub.
Worms – deadly for perch and tench.
Sweetcorn – bright, sweet, and loved by carp and bream.
Mini boilies/wafters – excellent for carp on the method feeder.
Pellets – match your feed pellets for a natural presentation.
Tip: Start with a small hookbait (single maggot or corn grain) and scale up if bigger fish move in.
Reading Bites on the Quivertip
Learning to read bites is part of the fun – every knock tells a story. Here’s what to look for:
Sharp twitches – usually small fish pecking. Don’t always strike.
Slow, steady pulls – often a bigger fish like a bream or carp. Strike once the tip stays bent.
Series of rattles, then a pull round – shoal fish competing. Be ready.
Slack line / tip drops back – classic feeder bite. The fish has taken the bait and swum toward you. Reel down quickly and strike.
Long quiet spells – don’t assume nothing’s happening. Fish may be feeding cautiously or waiting for the bait to break down. Patience often pays.
💡 Beginner tip: Not every movement needs a strike. Wait for the rod tip to either pull round positively or drop slack before lifting into the fish.
Common Beginner Mistakes
It’s easy to fall into a few traps when you’re new to feeder fishing. Avoid these to improve your catch rate:
Overfeeding early – piling in too much groundbait fills the fish. Start light, build gradually.
Casting all over the place – inconsistency spreads fish out. Always hit the same spot.
Overpacking the feeder – bait won’t release properly. Lightly squeeze instead.
Striking too early – little twitches aren’t always bites. Wait for a firm pull or drop-back.
Too heavy line or hooks – makes bait look unnatural and reduces bites.
Not adjusting – if nothing happens after 20 minutes, change something: bait, hooklength, or feeder size.
Ignoring depth and bottom type – soft silt may bury your feeder. Gravel or firmer bottoms often fish better.
Fish Care Essentials
Always use a landing net – even for small fish.
Wet your hands and nets before handling fish.
Use a disgorger or forceps for safe unhooking.
An unhooking mat is essential for larger species.
Barbless hooks make returning fish quicker and kinder.
Final Thoughts
Feeder fishing is one of the most rewarding ways to catch coarse fish. With a simple setup, a bag of groundbait or ready pellets, and a bit of patience watching your quivertip, you can enjoy steady action from a wide range of species.
For an easy start, stock up on:
Peg No.1 Mayhem Premium Groundbait – £4.29
Peg No.1 Method Ready Pellets – £9.79
Fjuka Squeeze Ready Pellets – £3.98
All available at Voyagers Hook.
Pick your swim, clip up your line, feed little and often, and watch that tip spring into life. Tight lines – and enjoy your feeder fishing journey!
