Feeder fishing in December?

jme2010

Was planning to do a bit of fishing on the ledger....is it too late in the year?

Was gonna try Blessington and cast out a good 20-30 meters and use a bite alarm while I do a bit of spinning beside.

Any tips on this idea?

twin_beacon

you can fish the feeder all year round, you will have no problems catching roach, perch and hybrids, just use less ground bait and don't recast as often. A bite alarm wouldn't be a good idea, as the bites can be very gentle and you would need very good alarms and be sitting on the rod to git them. Much better off with a quiver tip.

In large rivers and lakes like blessington, the roach will shoal up into much larger shoals than in the summer. If you are on one of the big shoals, you will do well. Most of my winter fishing is for pike, but I've had some nice bags of roach and hybrids in November and December in the past. Just don't over feed them!

jme2010

twin_beacon wrote: »

you can fish the feeder all year round, you will have no problems catching roach, perch and hybrids, just use less ground bait and don't recast as often...... Just don't over feed them!

So I have a few different bags of feed and pellets etc....I was going to do without maggots as I wasn't to be going near a fishing shop.

Would I be hurting my chances? I thought I read something about fish only going for maggots in the winter over loose feed. Something to do with their reduced energy.?

pheasant tail

jme2010 wrote: »

So I have a few different bags of feed and pellets etc....I was going to do without maggots as I wasn't to be going near a fishing shop.

Would I be hurting my chances? I thought I read something about fish only going for maggots in the winter over loose feed. Something to do with their reduced energy.?

Yes you will be killing your chances if you don't use maggots. I'd stay away from pellets too at this time of year. Keep your groundbait simple and dark

jme2010

Well that was a disaster.

Trying to ledger in a storm, I wouldn't recommend it.

The lake was choppy as hell, tip of the rod bouncing around like mad and general miserable weather.

That's probably the end of my season for anything but spinning for pike until spring next year.

Was thinking if there was a break in the weather, trying feathers off a pier in Malahide, Dun Laoghaire or Howth. Any helpful suggestions or locations on those three places would be a great help!!!

beer enigma

Still worth trying if you get a calm day - choppy is always hassle. I took a 2lb winter roach on bread flake yesterday, new PB for me

jme2010

beer enigma wrote: »

Still worth trying if you get a calm day - choppy is always hassle. I took a 2lb winter roach on bread flake yesterday, new PB for me

Congrats...get a pic up if you took one.

Was that on a float rig? Hook size please etc?

beer enigma

I was using a small static ledger with a 14 hook and crustless bread flake

Bikerguy

beer enigma wrote: »

I was using a small static ledger with a 14 hook and crustless bread flake

Beautiful fish!!!