X-Change Bait Up Rods

When it comes to properly feeding a swim there are none better at it than match anglers, as they have to make the most of what is in front of them in a relatively short space of time, and there are all sorts of items of tackle to make that as accurate and easy as possible.

Whether you’re pole fishing, pellet waggler fishing or anything at shorter range, there is a wide variety of different pole pots, catapults and the like, that all have a fairly specific purpose – such as the type of fishing or bait that they’re designed for.

But when it comes to long range feeder fishing, you’ve always been far more limited when it comes to introducing any amount of groundbait or loosefeed quickly and accurately, but the X-Change Bait Up rods – and the range of accessories to go with them - now cover that gap and will help you to catch more fish. This style of fishing on more natural venues has been making a real comeback in recent times.

The two rods in the range – there is a 10ft and a 12ft version – have been specifically built with the sole purpose of baiting up your swim with large/heavy Bait Up feeders, and have been developed in conjunction with long range feeder fishing expert Steve Ringer, along with input from the rest of the Guru team.

The two different models cater for different ranges that you need to use them at, but it isn’t just about the length but also the casting weight that they are able to handle, as even when not blasting feeders to the horizon, you still want to get a decent amount of bait into your swim quickly and the fewer casts that takes, the better.

The 10ft X-Change Bait Up rod is capable of casting weights of up to 170g (roughly 6oz), whilst the even more powerful 12ft model can handle 280g (around 10oz) and means you can hurl even the largest size of Bait Up feeder, packed with groundbait or other loosefeed, a very long way.

They’re best used with the Guru X-Change Bait Up braid which has been specially designed for this purpose, and is thin enough that you’ll be able to bait up at least as far as you can cast your rig.

Both rods are a two-piece design with a fast action and plenty of power, allowing them to be loaded up and cast a long way, but with the sort of pin-point accuracy that is needed. The ‘tippy’ action also comes into its own when it comes to emptying the feeder as quickly as possible once it has landed on your spot, and ensuring that when you jerk the rod, that is transferred through the braid and empties the feeder – as opposed to a softer rod where all that will happen is the tip will bend round.

This also means that once you hit the clip at your desired range, you can get the feeder to empty very quickly if you want your bait to come out near the surface and fall through the water column, or you can wait for the feeder to hit bottom first and then empty it, depending on the fishing situation.

The guides are anti-frap, which is especially important to reduce the risk of crack-offs when punching out heavy feeders on thin diameter braid, and that includes the tip ring, which helps to reduce the annoying – and potentially crack-off inducing – twist up when you swing a heavy feeder behind you prior to punching it out into the lake.

The handle is long and is specifically designed for the position that your hands will be in when casting a long way. The bespoke Guru butt grip – with a stylish butt cap – is designed to allow you to grip it securely without it feeling like the rod is going to slip out of your grasp when casting hard, even when your hand are bet or have bait on them.

So, whether you are match fishing or pleasure fishing, if you are feeder fishing at range then one of these rods should become part of your armoury. These rods will of course also allow you to bait up when fishing on a river and where it is necessary to use a very heavy feeder to get your bait down to the bottom quickly – although in this scenario they will suit feeding groundbait or scalded pellets best, or other baits mixed into those, as those won’t wash out of the Bait Up feeder on the way down.

X-Change Bait Up Braid

This braid has been specifically designed for use with X-Change Bait Up rods, being a thin diameter to achieve maximum casting distance, but also being tough enough to withstand the rigours of being cast repeatedly.

It has a breaking strain of 30lb/13.6kg but is very thin at just 0.16mm diameter, which means that you will be able to cast the Bait Up feeders at least as far as you can with your baited rig.

The X-Change Bait Up braid is very robust, which is necessary given that it has been designed to be used for casting very heavy feeders repeatedly at longer range and hitting the clip each time. The hi-viz orange colour makes it easier to follow the braid through the air and also when retrieving it. It comes supplied on 150m spools.

X-Change Bait Up Feeders

These feeders have been specifically designed to allow you to introduce bait to your swim quickly at the start of your session, or to top up whenever you want to feed more than what you would be putting in via casting out your baited rig in the normal way.

They are perfect for use with either of the X-Change Bait Up rods and the X-Change Bait Up braid, and two different sizes are available to suit the amount of bait that you want to put out, as well as the distance you need to cast.

The weight forward design means that they fly like a bullet and also helps to keep them straighter when casting into a crosswind, and the stiff line-loop attachment means that they sit centrally ever time and are perfectly balanced, which also helps to ensure that they cast straight.

The cage design, and the size of the holes in it, ensure that your bait stays inside even when casting at longer range, but also means that it empties quickly when you want it to – either on the way down to the bottom or once it has hit the lake bed, depending on the type of fishing that you’re doing – and also helps the feeder to come to the surface as quickly as possible during the retrieve, which saves a lot of time when you are casting it multiple times to introduce a reasonable amount of bait.

There is a medium 20g version along with a large 30g, although like all of the X-Change range, the weights are interchangeable simply by twisting them on or off – heavier 40g and 50g weights are sold separately should you need them (such as in windy conditions). They are perfect for introducing groundbait, or other baits that have been mixed in with it, but there is also a Particle Cap available to allow you to feed mostly other baits.

Bait Up Particle Cap

This clever, yet very simple, product allows you to quickly and easily convert your X-Change Bait Up feeders so that they can be used with particles – rather than with lots of groundbait.

The vented caps – which still ensure rapid bait release whenever you give the feeder a jerk with your rod – simply clip onto the top of your Bait Up feeder, meaning that you can fill it with things such as pellets, corn, casters, or similar sized particles, and the bottom only needs to be plugged with the minimum amount of groundbait necessary to take the force of the cast and keep the contents from spilling out.

You can even mix your groundbait to a consistency where it will stay in for the cast, but the force of the feeder hitting the clip and the surface of the lake will be enough to dislodge it and allow the contents to come out and sink to the bottom, thus creating a wider spread of bait than if it stays intact all the way to the bottom. Depending on the baiting situation that you’re trying to achieve.

Each pack contains two Bait Up Particle Caps.