Feeder Fishing At Range

You need the right kind of rod when fishing at range. ‘Space age’ carbon fibre cloths that are used to build high-end rods allow you to cast huge distances with pinpoint accuracy. The rod that I am using today is a 13 ft Daiwa Tournament SLR, but there are many more on the market that are suitable for long-range fishing, too. Here’s my advice to help your feeder fishing skills reach new levels.

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Big rings rule

Modern long-range rods have large quivertip rings, to allow any floating debris and scum on the line to pass through them. They also allow shockleader knots to run through easily, maximising your casting distance.

Taking shock

The rod needs to be coupled with a reel with a wide spool, as they tend to produce lovely line lay, and the line will peel off the spool easily.

When fishing at distances of over 100 yards, I use a low-diameter main line of 4 or 5 lb and a 10 lb shockleader.

Shockleaders have a very high abrasion resistance, which comes in handy when zebra mussels and snags are present, and they also allow you to load the rod fully without ‘cracking off’, when the main line snaps on the cast.