Summary of "These Are Our BIGGEST Edges In Fishing EVER! | Winning Ways RodCast"

Episode summary

This episode is a long conversation about the “biggest edges” the hosts and guests have used in match and commercial fishing — specific tactics, bait tricks, how venue knowledge paid off, and how new trends (pellets, speed) have changed the game.

Key tactics, tips and routines

Maggot / caster down-the-middle fishing
- Fish maggots or casters on the bottom down the middle (not across) where others assume it is “too deep.”
- Double-feed: a tiny initial feed to get fish interested, then follow-up feed to bring them down.
- Be patient through long spells with no bites — persistence pays when others aren’t fishing the line.
Shallow / pole micro-tactics
- Use very small hookbaits and tiny hooks (delicate rigs) for shallow fishing and targeting silvers.
- Trim bristles/stems on tiny floats, work the pole quickly, and use small water disturbance (drips from the pole tip) to attract bites.
- Move fast: change rigs quickly rather than sitting on the pole. Speed and smoothness matter.
Slider / small waggler technique
- Fish a small “slider” float off the bottom for skimmers when others are using large waggler setups.
- Confidently repeat the same swim across venues — the small slider can outperform conventional wagglers in many situations.
Dobbing bread (big winter edge)
- Small blobs or punches of bread fished deep (often to the far bank) with little or no groundbait.
- Very effective in winter on carp and F1s where many anglers weren’t using it — produced big bags and match wins.
Pellet and micro-pellet routines for silvers and F1s
- Feed tiny pellets/expanders (micros or 2–4 mm) and hook small pellets to produce skimmers and silvers where natural baits don’t work.
- Fish delicately on light rigs, thin lines and tiny hooks; pellets often “flatline” (steady tick-over) and can slowly creep ahead in matches.
- Pellets became a major edge as commercial venues habituated fish to pellet feed.
Bait preparation & additives
- Simple additives or treatments (examples: purple Whizzle groundbait, a window-cleaner–type liquid anecdote, and a sweetcorn spray) were used to alter smell, colour, or sink-rate.
- Washing corn or using sprays to remove oil/fat so it sinks faster was credited with success.
Venue knowledge & confidence
- Spending long periods at the same venues yields massive returns: know peg features, depth variations, cracks/ledges and fish movement.
- Confidence in a tactic — sticking with it even if others doubt you — is often as important as the tactic itself.
Fitness and speed as a modern edge
- Younger anglers’ speed (quick rigs, skipping lines, rapid peg work) and fitness provide a current advantage; quickness in match situations increasingly matters.

Notable locations, products and people

Venues mentioned

Cudmore / Brewers (Brewster’s) Canal / Snake Lake, Heron Brook (Herren Brook), Brookside, Tunnel Barn, Weaver, Dane, Burk(en) Head Park, Meadow, Coopers, Carill, Birch House, Medlands.

Products and brands referenced

Whizzle groundbait (Purple A), an anecdotal “window-cleaner” (Windine/Windex‑like) treatment, Sensor sweet corn spray, pellet brands/expanders (Ringers, Bait Tech), and Del floats.

Anglers and contributors named

Hosts Andy and Richard, plus anglers such as Steve Ringer, Steve Force, “Bagger”, Gary Scarret, Colin Cook, Carl Fletcher, Mickey Flanigan, and Trev Robinson.