DIY Inline Feeder

Short hook links are traditionally fished as part of a semi-fixed set-up, and that normally means The Method. But what if the venue you want to fish has banned the tactic? Well, there’s always an inline groundbait feeder.

The inline feeder has some advantages over a normal feeder in that the reel line passes along its length and puts the angler in direct contact with the hook bait, resulting in a more positive self-hooking style of set-up than if you’re fishing a simple running or paternoster rig.

Secondly, the feeder’s weight being on the deck helps to hold a short length of main line tight to the bottom so eliminating line bites from fish cruising close to the bait.

Although you can fish an inline with a long hook link it’s a rig that rarely, if ever, tangles due to the feeders offset weight, and it’s at its most deadly when fished with a really short hooklength. Only if bream are your target would a longer hooklength be more effective than a short one.

Like traditional feeders, the inline version can be fished as a free-running set-up, but when used as a semi-fixed rig it’s an awesome tactic for targeting tench and carp from stillwaters.
You can buy inline feeders for the shops but there are only a few makes out there and hardly any variety, so it can pay dividends to tailor one to your own style and the venues you fish.