It's a bolt rig, no different to fishing the method, just shallow... Don't know why folk get their knickers in a twist about it.. If you don't like it don't do it or don't fish the venues where it's allowed.

The answer to the wuestion question is - No When it comes to winning a competition you do what it takes to win within the rules. It doesn't matter whether you like it or not or if anyone else disagrees. If you win because you had the edge for whatever reason you were the mosr skillful on the day because you adapted to the competition to win. The pole enables a higher level of accuracy making it easier, you need less skill than if you were chucking a waggler, should the pole be banned? I think not.

Commercials have introduced the big weight fishing , in my fishing career 100lb of bream on a natural was the life time aim but now on commercials it’s 3,4,500 lb and drag them out as quick as possible BUT each to their own, do your own thing , natural water fishing is skill 👍

First I heard of it was in the 70’s for roach. The float was lead body painted up to look like a regular float. In the Northwest originally.

Is it no different to standing up all day Dobbing for carp in the summer, I went to pidley on magpie in the summer and I’m the only one sitting on my box, no fun in that for me.

A very interesting podcast listening to the views a history you have to give credit to the people who devised it and then further improved it for me a skill in itself. Maybe they will try a double hooked overshotted rig next.

Think Andy summed it up well with the pool analogy. Develop a device that pots every ball you’d soon lose interest in the game as the whole point is learning how to pot. All successful sports have rules in place to promote competition, and when competitors reach the limits they are kept in those limits to protect the core values of that sport. Overall I think the overshotting in time will reduce participation which is ultimately why the fisheries that have imposed restrictions have imposed them restrictions to protect. When arguable the world’s best f1 angler avoids going f1 fishing you have to sit up and take notice…

Totally agree with the bagger side of it it's good for building a big wait but it takes all the skill out of it so not for me either 🎣👍

Hi. Matt, here's another one for you, a few years ago, Andy Findlay came up with the floating feeder, but it's banned in matches, discuss..

One question on the commercial venues, but another one on the fast flow rivers. Almost all the rigs on the fast flow rivers are overshotted. And I do not necessarily talk about stick float and such. I am talking about the big flat floats (20gr and above). Most of the times when you shot down these floats with the exact amount of weight, the flow will lift the float out ruining the presentation. For a 30gr flat float, you will need at least 35-38 gr weight depending of the power of the flow.

Everyone to their own, and should have the choices to fish how they want

I remember yrs ago ,,on a very hard fished water the carp around 4oz were lighting fast so ,someone used a pike bung ,so the tension of a bung was enough to hook them ,before long it was the only way to fish for them and all you could hear was bungs rattling all round lake 😮,

Put it this way I’d never fished a matched before march 2023 and by sept I’d won numerous f1 opens by using the overshotted rigs. It 100% takes away some skill needed to catch f1 shallow. I say ban the thing 😂😂 it’s better for the sport.

Don’t fish commercials but years ago when fishing for crucians had a shot on the shank of the hook it worked some times

What a great pod cast . Well done all 👋

To me its people do what they have to to win the match when there is money involved but that has an impact on pleasure angling because then it’s another method to practice and I don’t find any pleasure in just banging them out with minimal effort or skill. If it was banned it would mean the truly good anglers would win the matches rather than any Joe blogs, this in turn would make everyone want to learn their craft rather than jump on the latest get rich quick scheme because at some point they won’t be able to use the overstored rig and will find themselves wanting.

Still a big fan of overshoting a lighter top and bottom for roach even on a river and used to have great success with meat or pellet years ago on commercials. Im with bagger here as it is a needs must method that I do not really enjoy.

1st time I saw it was at brookside but it was Mark Plevin who used it. Im thinking this was around 2001/2002. There was questions asked back then about if it should be allowed or banned. Big difference then was that the stocks of F1s where not so high as today on many venues. It was sort of banned on Burton Mere and a few of our other venues. With a rule that you had to have a float correctly shotted. Personally hated the method but was never a fan of F1 venues. I walked away from Partridge lakes when they started stocking only F1s.

So far off the mark it’s funny lol 😂 if you’re not using it at certain times , you don’t understand f1 shallow fishing, go try catch shallow with a conventional rig in June onwards👍

This was interesting. Not a commercial or pole angler by any means but i can fully understand baggers way of thinking. At the end of the day its not against the rules and if you want to win matches and thats the best method then so be it. Re river fishing. Its the same. If the conditions are right for it an overshotted rig and holding back hard sometimes is just the best way to go. But again its not straight forward and still requires a level of skill to do it right and effectively, aswell as knowing when to do it.

I added it to my shallow fishing last year and it's a game changer on the f1s. Won the club averages we went to the club meeting for this year and the club have banned it even tho it's not banned on the fisheries we fish people are nothing but bad losers just because there not willing to put the time in and learn.

Overshotted rigs is a method for catching fish, as with a jigga float I feel comes into the same category of the slapping the float, slapping the pole tip on the water, cupping water, to fool the fish into feeding and attracting into your swim, and at some venues are banned, but it's just another method, depending on the venue rules....ps fantastic podcast....👍🎣

This is what i dont under stand we all call it skills and matches why cant we have a match where you can fish any method any bait you want but only standard rules barbless hooks and only 1 line in the water at a time, then it would come down to who actually is the best angler on the day so every match is equal no matter what or there should be diffrent leagues of matches where these rules apply😂 the way i see it is if your catching fish then your fishing whats the point in making it more complicated and difficult just to make it harder for average people

Its about movement and a tight line and can be achieved with a waggler for all species no matter where you go and faster.. The best way i can describe it is imagine if a relief truck turned up for 2,000 people they throw out one loaf at a time either you get it or they do but if your butter fingers then another 50 peop!e get to grab it! So if you move it the outsiders get it. Feed little and move toward you in jerks.

Easy way to level things up fish rod and line only

I don’t fish pole at all but Is it really any different to a bolt rig or a method feeder?

2 or 3 pounds of roach, gudgeon and Tommy Ruffe was what it was all about to me in the old days - the 80's.

If it’s legal in the venue use it do what u got to do in the rules to win how isit different from the method feeder sitting on the bottom self hooking fish just because f1s are extream feeders and lakes are rammed with them that’s how u fish for them

I agree with Andy. It does take the skill out of fishing. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve fished it and I will fish it if I have to. Would I do it every week if I had the time? No, because it just gets boring.

Any method that stops sponsored anglers from taking all the prize money is fine in my book. If someone came up with a foolproof method that meant that 1st division football teams can beat premiership teams regularly. Would you want that to be banned?

i remember when the swingtip came out then the swimfeeder its just another method

Is the method feeder cheating ? Is bomb fishing cheating ? All self hooking rigs. The aim off match fishing is to catch the biggest weight u can in the required time. People don't like the overshotted rig as they no its a deadly method when ur on the fish and anyone can compete. #upthemongrig

I would say it’s not cheating ... it’s just progression imo finding edges and keeping them is the secret Onwards lads

People stop going and attendances drop as those that don’t like to fish it go somewhere else. It not fishing to me it’s catching, this rise in feeder fishing has been a consequence of huge weights and the use of over shotted rigs

It’s catching , not fishing but each to their own . I’m not a fan but wouldn’t ban it personally

If some anglers can gain an edge by being better at a certain method what’s the problem lots of anglers don’t agree with the method feeder it’s just another method.

Sinking braid on the pole instead of mono?

I'm new to fishing, so don't come for me 😂 but I would enjoy seeing Andy and Matt have a live match one using this method and one not to see the results. I personally feel everyone should be on an equal playing field when competing in matches but each to their own i guess 😊

Not Andy but if you dont like it then dont do it. But dont bellyache and try to get it banned because others are doing it. Just enjoy what you are doing

Each to their own. Personally, having a bad back, i cant pole fish but i wouldn't expect no one else on my lake to use a pole cos i can't.

I think it's how do you see rules and fair play? black and white they are the rules or a grey area guideline open to being exploited? 2 types of competitors: Those with sportsmanship and a moral conscience, or those with Win at any cost mentality. Fit in where you will. Win at any cost competitors may win but mostly in their own head.

No water pistols ...was the worse iv seen on a do and don't notice board...seems you spray water onto your pole tip to imitate free pellets,but there really is only 1 with a hook init... ridiculous in my opinion

Don't agree. Doesn't like it 'cos it's a "leveller". Well some folks need to find an edge 'cos they're not sponsored and don't get given/can't afford a four grand pole.

Dont ban it Ive only just worked it out! 😂😂

Why bother with a float ?

Overshotting is not banned at my local and is something I want to master this year. So, can anyone recommend to me a coach who can speed up my learning process?

Over shotting floats - think about it, it defeats the object of using a float ffs. Ban it...! Also ban mugging with pole, force people to use a rod and float to mug. The match scene IMO needs a ruling body with maybe 3 sets of rules and a fishery chooses which set of rules they use. Standardise it..!

Method feeder & all its variations now established as a valid tactic/s. This should be just another tactic to be mastered & used when required. Can people be trusted when there are bans, in my experience, no 😂

Not as skill full as normal shallow fishing.but it give less skilled anglers a chance to beat the big. Boys?

The main impression I get from this podcast is Pole fishing makes catching fish easier and takes skill away. Not saying it is cheating or should be banned.

At the end of the day the better angler wins. What happened to the saying if you cant beat them join them. The best angler should do well thats where the term best comes in

This attitude is what put me off match fishing years ago. In most small clubs of 20-25 anglers the same 4 or 5 nearly always make the top 3 in the match & get the money. The rest turn up for a days fishing always confident tho that today could be the day I win, lol. I remember floating pole was a great leveller in its day at the right time of year & the right venue, so guess which club members wanted to ban it in matches ? yes, the 4 or 5 top boys. The same 4 or 5 who were always trying to nudge up the cost of the match so they get a better pay out. Greedy, plain & simple....

Like bagger said not for me

It’s an instant equaliser for the working man

What does it matter it's all about winning don't match fish if you don't like it

It's another method not for me though

F1 is cheap fish for commercial fisherihes, they should never be stocked on a competion lake. Its like feeding goldfish in a big tank.

If everybody can fish it its fair simples

Fisheries set net limits, rightly so, for fish welfare reasons. Yet they’re allowed to over stock fisheries and create unnatural feeding behaviour to encourage bigger match weights and more paying anglers. Hence these unskillful fast catch methods evolve. It’s not good for the fish, our sport or honing the skill of angling . Good anglers catch when fish are behaving naturally (not fighting for food in an overstocked lake). Sadly we’ve moved away from this. The whole multimillion commercial industry of products, brands and venues are built on this flawed artificial approach. We also have the hypocrisy where anglers are penalised if they bust net weight limit yet fisheries can over stock lakes as much as they like, the latter being more harmful to fish welfare.

If you fish this way you are a cheat no skill you can always beat a cheat when you have skills

Give me 30lb of silver fish over 200lb of f1s any day

Sould be banned also mugging sould be banned

BAN IT ON EVERY VENUE UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY!!!!!!