A Guide to Spodding - Fishing the Spod

Spodding for Carp and Specimen Fish.

There has been many articles written about spodding so here I will just give a brief rundown.
 

What is a spod and what is spodding?
First I should explain what a Spod is:

A spod, sometimes called a bait rocket

The spod is a tube like rocket, open at one end and closed at the pointed end. see images. The spod is filled with bait, this is usually particle baits or a mixture of particles, hemp, tares, pellets or any other bait the angler prefers using. When filled, depending on the bait used, the spod can weigh 8 ounces or more. The spod is attached to the line and a strong rod is used for casting it to the desired spot the angler has chosen for fishing. This can be quite some distance, 100 yards and more.

When the spod is cast it hits the water and because the closed end is made of some type of floatant, usually foam, it turns upside down and the bait is emptied out.

The idea behind spodding is to get a lot of bait out quickly, usually at a great distance, and to keep it in the same area. If a catapult or throwing stick was used they would spread the bait over a wider area, that is if the bait could actually be fired that far using a catapult.

Accurate casting is essential to hit the right spot each time and keep all the bait in the same area. When casting a spod some anglers clip the line to the reel after they have cast to where they want the bait to be and this ensures a precise casting distance every time. Beware though - make sure you feather the line as the spod nears the area because an overcast can cause a crack off or the spod to bounce back a fair distance.

Spod Mixes
Spodding is mainly used by carp and specimen anglers and therefore the spod mixes will normally be made up from particle baits, pellets and seed baits. The fish you are targeting will decide the bait you will use.

If you are using pellets or particle baits which are fairly light, then by dipping your filled spod into the water will give it a bit more weight for casting.

Article and images by Jim Boswell

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