Swim Feeders...?

[Rutilus.Bobicus]

Not sure how traditional swim feeder fishing is but a few years ago, I remember a peice in a magazine showing how to make your own swim feeders. I tried to do some of my own, but where they are now, is a mystery.

What you will need for a 'closed ended/maggot' swim feeder:
* Some old 35mm film canisters
* A selection of small ledger bombs
* Swivels
* Spool of strong line (15-20lbs should be ok)
* A Pair of scissors
* Drill with various sized bits
* A needle file

Take the film canister, drill a small hole in the centre of the lid, and the bottom of the canister.
Then drill 6-8 rows of 3 holes around the outside of the canister (big enough for maggots to escape from).
With the needle file, take off any rough edges around the holes.
Cut a length of the strong line (about 6 inches) and tie it to the ledger weight.
Then pass the other end of the line through the central holes in the canister bottom and lid.
Now tie on a swivel and your swim feeder is complete.

What you will need for an 'open ended/ground bait' swim feeder:
* A length of plastic plumbing pipe
* Some strips of lead
* Swivels
* Spool of strong line (15-20lbs)
* A pair of scissors
* Drill with various sized bits
* A small hackswaw
* Fine sand paper and needle file

Take the plumbing pipe and cut a length to what you require.
Drill two small holes opposite each other at one end.
Then with the sand paper and needle file, take off any rough edges.
Cut a length of the strong line and tie one end through one of the small holes, then pass the other end through a swivel and tie it through the opposite hole in the swim feeder.
Take a strip of the lead and wrap each end around the swim feeder making sure there is plenty of the strip to keep it securely attached and your swim feeder is complete.

[Kevanf1]

Or, get hold of a bag of very cheap hair rollers from somewhere like a pound shop. They usually come with a nylon type fabric wrapped around them. This comes off. Viola! One cage style feeder ready for having a swivel or whatever attached to it.

If you want an enclosed feeder try using empty pepper or salt containers. The small plastic ones of course. All you need is a bit of window strip lead added to both.

[JerryC]

Or, get hold of a bag of very cheap hair rollers from somewhere like a pound shop. They usually come with a nylon type fabric wrapped around them. This comes off. Viola! One cage style feeder ready for having a swivel or whatever attached to it.

If you want an enclosed feeder try using empty pepper or salt containers. The small plastic ones of course. All you need is a bit of window strip lead added to both.

Yep, pinching women's hair rollers for feeders was certainly vogue in the 50s.

[Davyr]

Really the 1950s? I don't remember reading much about feeders until the early 1970s, when expert match angers who specialised in stick and waggler fishing started complaining about others without such skills winning matches with the "plastic pig".

I'm quite prepared to believe that feeders were in general use long before this, but I'd appreciate seeing some documentary evidence! :hat:

[Davyr]

I think I may have just answered my own question:

"Amazingly, the swimfeeder was still a novelty. Feed was introduced by hand or by catapult and an Arlesey bomb delivered the hook to the fish. Swimfeeders had been used for many years, but it was several more before they made their real mark.
I still recall seeing a swimfeeder used for the first time. It was in 1965 on the Great Ouse at St Neots, and when I saw it in action, I almost collapsed with laughter."

http://www.bobrobertsonline.co.uk/leger ... roduction/
:thumb:

[Dave Burr]

I remember Peter Stone writing on the subject, he made his out of the little plastic pots that nails used to be sold in, he always said his shed was filled with boxes of loose nails until he sourced some pots from the makers. This would have been in the early 60's and I think that you will find that the early feeders were all blockend, the open or cage feeder came later.

Incidentally, it was Pete Stone and Dick Walker that came up with the swing tip, they were independently experimenting, (Stone with whale bone) when they pooled their ideas and another invention was born.

[Nobby]

I'd read that Jack Clayton of Boston, Lincs invented the swingtip in the Fifties.


Thought I think it was Ernie Stamford who had all the success with them.

http://www.maggotdrowning.com/forum/top ... _ID=116776

http://www.anglerstimes.co.uk/johnnevil ... 4553729.jp

[PDuffield]

Just came across the article below in an old fishing handbook produced by Caperns to promote their products. According to my copy, the original was printed in 1953. revised several times, my copy being the October 1965 edition. I don't know if the 'useful tip!' was in the original or appeared in a later edition, but it does describe early use of an open ended groundbait feeder.

Image1.jpg

Image2.jpg

[Kevanf1]

I cannot give documentary evidence, unless I can find it in my book collection, but I am sure I have read that the swimfeeder was first used extensively by Thames match fishers.

I know a few people who may know more so I shall ask them.

[Kevanf1]

Hmm, apparently, Richard Walker wrote about using a 'swimfeeder' back in 1955 in an Angling Times article. However, I have also been told that swimfeeder used to be called 'bait engines' and that references to the use of a 'tin' with holes in for worms to crawl out were described by Nicholas Cox in "The Gentlemens Recreation" 1674.