In a nutshell it’s not a method for the faint hearted

This style of fishing is a method I normally employ when I’m after big fish like barbel and chub with big baits on the hook. It’s a very positive style of fishing that requires strong rods, strong lines and strong hooks. In a nutshell it’s not a method for the faint hearted! I love fishing in this way on places like the middle River Severn, parts of the Trent and any rivers that are fast flowing and hold big fish. Shotting patterns for these types of rig are simple. I use a bulk shot arrangement one to two feet from the hook, sometimes with a dropper shot, this being a number four or a BB half way between the bulk and the hook. Main line is usually four or five pound Maxima and hook choice is a Mustad Magnum spade, tied either direct to the main line or to a hooklength slightly lighter than the main line. I like to use lots of loose feed when I’m fishing a big top and bottom float on shallow water. Caster and hemp is a good combination as are loosefed maggots. Whatever your choice, you will need a lot to get the best results from good swims. The good thing about using hemp as a loose feed is that it’s cheap. For a modest outlay you can take a gallon of loose feed on your session and feed the swim all day without running out. Species like barbel can eat an enormous amount of feed so keep it going in and they are sure to turn up if your chosen swim is a good one. This style of fishing is essentially a summer method but I’ve also had big catches of chub in the winter fishing in the same way.As a change of hookbait try using bread or luncheon meat on a big hook like a size eight or six. By being selective in this way you could find yourself playing a very big fish this summer.Well that’s the end of the running line float series. Hopefully you will have picked up some useful tips along the way to help you put more fish in the net.

Next week sees the start of a new series “MODERN DAY POLE FISHING”. The pole revolution seems to have gripped the nation right now and we’ll be giving you an insight into the method for the next few weeks.