Feeder fishing in canals - a guide

What to know about fishing in canals

One of the biggest advantages of fishing in canals is its unpredictability. Why does fishing in such a place never get boring? For two reasons:

First, fish in canals are constantly moving and migrating. This means that in the place where you fished for minnows today, tomorrow there may already be bream. And where there were no fish at all today, tomorrow there will actually be a lot of them.

Secondly, although the effects of fishing are extremely influenced by the weather, in canals the right pressure, sunshine and season are even more important.

  • Tip: If the canal is connected to a river, you can expect the best results in spring and autumn. That's when fish are more likely to enter canals then, for example, to spawn.

There is no denying that fishing in canals is quite demanding. In addition, equipment and skills alone are often not enough. You still need a lot of luck to be in the right place at the right time. In addition, on such reservoirs it is not easy to hit big specimens.

  • Remember: the bottom in canals is usually as flat as a table. In most cases it will be soft. Interestingly, the older the canal is, the thicker the layer of silt settled on the bottom, especially if the water does not flow very fast in the canal.

In canals, it is exceptionally important to harass

Proper baiting is important in any fishery, but when fishing in canals you need to pay special attention to it. As a matter of fact, it does not matter much whether you will cast far or close. If your bait interests the fish, they will come to where you will cast.

For this reason, feeder fishing is ideal for canal fishing. This is because with each cast you deliver another portion of bait.

All you have to do is figure out what food to prepare and how to deliver it.

What kind of mixture to prepare for baiting?

Very popular and effective is ochote. If you decide to use it, it is essential to use a sieve for ochotka (such as the sieve TRAPER MAŁE TO OCHOTKA 15.5x15.5cm). Before fishing, dump the ochote on the sieve and pour water over it; this will leave dead worms on the sieve.

It's a good idea for you to use an ochotka disperser as well (try Decolle 1000ml Mountaineer Disperser for Joker). It allows you to separate the larvae from each other, which prolongs their life.

The use of a distractor is especially useful when there are few fish - then they are more picky. Give the dispersant to the bait on a regular basis and in small portions, because it loses its properties quite quickly. Sprinkle it only on the top layer of bait that you will want to use in the near future.

You can enrich your groundbait by adding a small amount of finely chopped dung. It acts as an attractor, which adds an enticing smell for fish and attracts larger specimens.

You can think about baiting with clay (such as MatchPRO River Strong 2kg clay) or mixing clay with groundbait, in a ratio of 1:3.

Usually it is better to use dark-colored clay because of the color of the bottom and... the moods of the fish. It is quite risky to use light-colored clay (such as MatchPRO Double Leam Canal 2kg clay), but some believe that it allows you to fish more selectively. Smallmouth reportedly feel insecure on an unnaturally bright bottom.

Tip: Try channel fishing with dark and then light clay and see for yourself which technique you prefer.

How to deliver the groundbait?

A rather interesting method you can use on the canal is to set two lines. One should be clay only, and the other - heavily baited. When deciding on this method, make the clay line at a greater distance than the groundbait line. Inactive fish often swim in the middle, holding in the depths, and if they want to eat, they swim closer.

Remember: When fishing in a canal, it is not always necessary to use a so-called "bait carpet". Rather, you should care about feeding as precisely as possible and doing it at the right rhythm.

If you're fishing in two lines, start your baiting from the line on which you want to start fishing. Then, while you're baiting the second line on the first one, it will be quiet and the fish will be able to feed, and they won't panic.

What elements of the kit to prepare for feeder fishing in the channel?

#1 Rod and tip

When fishing a short distance of up to 35 meters, and this is usually the case on canals, you need a short rod of 3-3.6 meters. It should be soft so that you have more control over it. A two-strand rod is more finesse. It doesn't have to be particularly strong. More important, in fact, is a good set and reflexes.

The products we recommend are:

When fishing in the channel, the right tip is very important. It should be as thin as possible, it does not have to be thick and very strong at all. Such a 2.2 mm diameter, with low sensitivity, even 0.5-1 oz, is sufficient. These conditions are met by m.in. Feeder Trapper Gst Slim L 0.5oz tip.

#2 leader, feeder rubber, feeder link

The leader for fishing in the channel should be 50 cm long and 0.09-0.12 thick, and you can end it with a hook 18 of thin wire, in a neutral black color. If the bites will occur from the fall and not from the bottom, take a larger hook, such as 16, and it will make it easier for you to hook the fish.

Wondering whether to use fedder rubber or twist? Feeder rubber jams slower than twister, while twister is stiffer, and thus gives you more certainty of a strike.

Nevertheless, Feeder rubber is better for beginners. In addition, it is irreplaceable when fishing with braided line, because it cushions energetic jams, and thus protects thin leaders from breaking. In our store you will find many feeder rubbers, such as Flagman Sherman Feeder Gum 10m - 0.60m. Try them out during your sit on the canal.

When fishing, use the feeder link, not the safety pin itself, because then the bite signaling will be long and clearer. Feeder link is a very good bait basket extension. It transmits bites to the rod tip much more clearly than a standard short safety pin with a swivel. An example of such a product is the Traper Feeder Link Braided Coated- 5cm pendant.

Feeder fishing in the channel is a real adventure

As we mentioned at the beginning, fishing in the channel is unpredictable, variable and requires luck. And yet - aren't these the very reasons you love fishing? Applying our tips will increase your chances of success.

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