Dave Coster How To - Use A Method Feeder Mould

This entry was posted on 2nd March, 2018

Method feeder moulds are brilliant inventions, making loading flatbed feeders an easy job, and allowing hook baits to be presented in different ways. One of the most popular techniques is to drop the hook bait into the mould first, in this case a hair-rigged mini boilie, and then cover it with dampened micro pellets.



Be careful not to pour too many pellets into the mould, otherwise it becomes difficult to compress them. The mould should be filled just below its top to help avoid the load breaking up when the feeder is pulled free. It’s best to keep dampened pellets in a bait box with an airtight lid to prevent them from drying out.

If you have put the correct amount of feed pellets in the mould, your method feeder will emerge with a streamlined loading and your hook bait perfectly positioned on top. If you use a light-coloured boilie, sweetcorn, or a larger hair-rigged pellet on the hook, this will be the first thing fish attacking the feeder will come across.

Groundbait, particularly a binding mix, also works well in combination with method feeder moulds. Many method groundbaits are quite rich, so you don’t need to add anything to them, just the hook bait. Dead red maggots work well with groundbait, mounted directly on the hook, using three or more to help avoid small fish problems.

If some groundbait remains stuck inside the mould when you pull a method feeder out, you have probably used too much. Try lessening the amount, or if this doesn’t work, try wetting the mould before putting the feed inside it. Also, make sure your method groundbait isn’t too wet. A dry, fluffy consistency works best.

It pays to experiment with visible, semi visible, or buried hook baits when using method feeder tactics. Normally it’s best to start with visible hook baits a few inches away from the feeder, remembering that hook lengths need to be at least 4 inches long on many fisheries. If small fish are a problem, consider burying your bait.

Buried hook baits tend to pull bigger fish, because small stuff can’t get at them as the tackle descends. A good way of burying baits is to semi load the feeder at the first stage, then you can drop the hook bait into the mould with some extra groundbait (or pellets) and press this secondary helping onto the feeder.