Wayne Bartholomew

Lives: Sheffield

Age: 51

Sponsors: NuFish & Sonubaits

MF Says: A True technician

England Freestyle Feeder man Wayne Bartholomew reveals his tips to improve your distance Method game!

1 – Tool Up

You simply cannot fish at range beyond 70metres without the correct kit and if you are serious about giving it a go you need the tools for the job. Lets start with the rod and it will be no surprise that we are looking at specific distance models. After trying lots of brands I finally settled on the Free Spirit CTX Power Specials in both 12ft and 13ft. These give me the power to cast to 100m relatively comfortably whilst also giving a decent playing action.

A big reel is important too and the 6500 sized reel I go for works a treat.  

2 – Line Choice Matters

I am a NuFish man through and through but when fishing at international level you cannot compromise with your line choices. Luckily DETEXION does everything I need of it and more. It even withstands harsh sessions in the blistering heat of Spain when many other lines fail.

But for long distance work I just don’t think there is anything better thanks to the low stretch. Why? Firstly the low stretch means you get more compression from the rod as the power you put into the rod isn’t lost in a stretchy mono, it’s only a small percentage but trust me you can tell and a small percentage over 100metres could be several metres lost with the wrong line.

Secondly one of the most important elements of successful Method and Banjo fishing is getting the feeder to land nicely. When you Hit the clip with DETEXION you get more control to place the feeder onto the water. It just makes you more precise.

I load the reel with 5lb (0.20mm) and combine it with a 10lb shockleader of the same material.

3 – Feeders For The Job

Most feeders are aerodynamically sound these days but my preference is for the Preston Banjo XR. Incidentally if I want to use 45g I actually use a 30g which I have added my own lead to the base to add the extra 15g. I think these two little additions just give me an even more front weighted feeder that casts even further than a standard 45g (they cast great too!).

I like a Banjo for a few reasons but the main one is the protection it offers when casting long. As long as it is loaded correctly I am sure the feeder gets to the bottom in tact even considering the impact of casting 100metres.

Also when waiting a long time for bites I feel I can tailor how I load the feeder to the situation better than a Method. I can put a firm base layer in and know that there is always something there ready for a carp.

4 – Long Stems

One of the great things about fishing internationally is being able to learn from anglers from different countries and in my view the anglers from Romania and Hungary lead the way when it comes to this style. An ever present whether they are fishing 15m or 115m is a long stem on their feeders.

I have since incorporated them into all of my set ups and I cannot believe the difference they make. The stem corrects the feeder as soon as you cast and increases both accuracy and distance. I use stiff rig tubing and a five inch length tucked inside the tail rubber works great.

5 – Pack A Punch

When leaving feeder out for up to an hour you need supreme confidence in your baits pulling power and this is where flavourings come into their own. I soak my pellets using the Tupperware method (level fill the tub with both pellets and water) the night before. Once on the bank I pop the prepared pellets into a larger bowl and then add a slug or two of a liquid flavour such as Power Scopex. I am sold on flavours in winter no matter what anyone says!

6 – Cous Cous?

Smell and taste are two of the ways carp find food but visual attraction is also important and another box to tick. With this in mind I like to add colour to the mix.

To do this I actually soak tiny amounts of cous cous using the same method as the pellets (this time in tiny pots). Once soaked I will take a Haze of whatever colour I want and squirt in. Cous Cous takes colour and flavour amazingly well, better than pellets in fact, and I can add small amounts to my pellets to give that visual attraction but also an intense flavour boost.

I reiterate my previous point, a small amount of bait needs to do a LOT of work so use flavours and colours.

7 – Wafter Or Sinker

The whole world is wafter mad and for good reason, they work great. But I actually prefer a sinker due to the way I load my feeder. I use a very firm base layer on my Banjo and believe that loading it this way gives very little spread of the pellets once they have broken down so I need the hook bait to stay as close to the feeder as possible.

Wafters are balanced and… waft, so naturally will move around and could end up too far away from my feeder for me to be confident in my presentation.

Hi-visibility colours are always my choice and a fluro pink 8mm is nearly always on my bayonet!

8 – Confidence

The final point I want to make is about confidence in what you are doing and this only comes from getting out and fishing. Here at Worsborough it is not uncommon to get bites after 45minutes of your feeder being out and I know this to be true at similar venues.

If you have any doubt in your mind about the pellets, the flavours tor the hook baits then you will start reeling in too soon. Again the only way to gain confidence in those things is to catch fish. So I urge anyone to go pleasuring with your chosen baits and tackle and catch some fish.

I have total faith in my set up and bait and can sit happily knowing that I have given myself the best chance of a bite or two.