Catching roach and skimmers at range can be a very useful tactic on larger, natural venues where often the fish will be beyond pole range. For this type of fishing I will often use a nice dark groundbait that breaks down quickly and which contains little feed. This is ideal for use with a Window feeder filled with maggot or caster, allowing me to attract the fish whilst adjusting the amount of feed used. The Window Feeders cast fantastically well, so I can clip up and fish very precisely, building up the swim over the course of a session. Window feeders, as the name suggests have a mall open window that helps bait leave the feeder quickly – a smear of groundbait across the ‚window‘ is all that’s needed to hold loosefeeed in the feeder but as soon as it’s hits the water it starts to disperse – these are great feeders for fish that feed at varying depths, especially roach, rudd and hybrids. Here is the groundbait mix that I use for this style of fishing

The no.1 is a medium-fine groundbait that is the ideal base for the mix. Roach really like the taste of this groundbait and it can mixed from very dry so that it explodes out of the feeder, to slightly damper to bind it better. The Black Roach is a very dark groundbait loaded with spicy additives that roach love.

Chris Wright

Add the two bags of groundbait to a large mixing bowl with a flat bottom. A bowl like this makes mixing the groundbait much easier.

Thoroughly mix the two groundbaits together. This will help to avoid lumps and inconsistencies in the groundbait.

Slowly begin adding water to the dry groundbaits. Remember to take it easy as you can always add more water, but you cannot take it out.

Because I am fishing with a Window feeder I keep the groundbait nice and dry so that it quickly breaks down once the feeder has settled.

"Use a mixture of Champions' Choice no. 1 and Champion's Feeder Black"

Use a maggot riddle to break down any lumps in the groundbait and to give it a fluffy consistency.

Don’t be tempted to push any lumps through the riddle. These will be too wet and sticky, so are best discarded. 

The finished mix is nice and fine, perfect for filling the Window feeder. It will release plenty of attraction, but not fill the roach up. 

The result of a couple of hours fishing with the feeder and this groundbait mix.

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