15 August, 2023 | Match & Coarse | Tips | Articles

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Rob Wootton’s Top 5 Pellet Waggler Tips

Match Fishing legend Rob Wootton shares his top 5 pellet waggler tips to help you get more out of the tactic!

1- Work Hard

Fishing the pellet waggler is not a method for the lazy angler. Constant casting and feeding is the name of the game and it’s rare I’ll leave the float in the water for more than 30 seconds. The feed pattern needs to be little and very often so I’ll often feed twice per cast before reeling in and repeating the process.

 

2- The Right Float

Unless I’m fishing a very big water and need the extra distance, I much prefer a more standard style of float for my pellet waggler work. The Middy Fat Boy has a very compact weight at its base that makes casting easier and the longer length of this float compared to a standard pellet waggler helps keep it stable in the swim for longer.

3- The Correct Feed

Hard pellets are best for the pellet waggler  and if conditions allow I like to use 6mm hard feed pellets. The smaller pellet is something the fish aren’t use to seeing very often so I feel they can fool wary fish. Something like the Monster Tiger Nut pellet is perfect as they are a dense pellet that fly a good distance and group nicely around the float. I will always have some 8mms with me too as these are great if the wind gets up or I need a pellet that will fly a longer distance.

 

4- Hookbaits

Hookbaits need to be durable and I simply use a Monster Tiger Nut pellet from my feed pot. I prefer a 6mm pellet as hookbait even when I’m using an 8mm, I seem to get more bites on the smaller bait and I feel I hook more fish properly with the smaller bait as the pellet doesn’t get in the  way of the hook penetrating.

5- The Kit

An 11-foot rod is my preferred length for most of my pellet waggler work. It’s comfortable in the hand whilst also long enough to pick up line fast on the strike. The reel is an Okuma Ceymar HD  loaded with 0.18mm line. Try to use a line that is not too thick as this will cause problems with casting and keeping a float in the same position.

My starting hooklength is usually 70cm of 0.16mm to a size 18 hook. Obviously I can increase the strength of the tackle depending on the venue or whether it’s a red letter day but on the harder venues I fish this set up is great for fish up to double figures.