Its rare that anglers need an excuse to invest in more fishing gadgets. When the gadget is useful, the end certainly justifies the means. Today we are going to talk about pellet pumps… Yes, we said the same… But in this article, we are going to explain what a pellet pump is, how to use a pellet pump for fishing, and give you an idea as to it’s advantages.
A pellet pump is designed to make pellets sink quickly. This is particularly useful when using pellets as your hook bait. Normally pellets float for quite a while, and to counter this you pre-soak them until they are waterlogged. This often requires a bit of forward thought and of course, time.
The pellet pump is basically a miniature vacuum system that removes air from the pellets and forces them to draw in water. It literally takes seconds, which is a great improvement on ‘overnight in the fridge’. The pellets buoyancy changes instantaneously and they emerge from the pump full of water and ready to be used. By being able to create ‘pre-soaked’ pellets at will, you will probably find you waste less bait. Pellets prepared in the traditional way can quickly go from ‘perfectly soaked’ to a mushy mess in no time.
If you think of a pellet pump as a big syringe you are on the right lines. The best pellet pump will have sufficient capacity to hold the required amount of pellets regardless of size, and be easy to use. Reliability is also a factor. If you are counting on the fact that you can prepare your pellets on the bank, only to find you’ve got to wait for ages, then you are wasting valuable fishing time.
So how to use a pellet pump? What is it all about? Well, we have prepared an easy guide to get you going. This relates specifically to the Preston pellet pump, however older models such as the Ringer pellet pump work on exactly the same principle. The remove the air from the pellets under vacuum and replace it with water.
First you will need three things; a small handful of pellets, some water, and a pellet pump. Remove the plunger from the pellet pump, add your pellets to the cylinder and replace the plunger. Next draw in a small amount of water using the nozzle at the end, much in the same way you would in a syringe. The amount of water you use should be just enough to cover the pellets. Then, with the nozzle pointing at the sky, push the plunger until there is no air left in the cylinder.
Now here is where the magic happens. Close the top cap on the nozzle and give the plunger a couple of pulls. This creates a vacuum within the cylinder. The air inside the pellets is replaced by water. They will literally sink before your eyes within the cylinder. All that is left to do is remove the cap from the nozzle, pull out the plunger and tip the contents into your bait box. Simple! If our description isn’t enough why not watch a visual guide, presented by some of the best pellet pump fishing experts.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Preston Super Pellet Pump | £17.08 | Check Price |
| 2 |  | Max Performance Compact Pellet Pump set.For Match & Specimen Carp Fishing | £12.25 | Check Price |
| 3 |  | Garbolino PELLET PUMP | Check Price |
Being a relatively niche concept, there isn’t a great deal of choice on the market. But we have got a few suggestions for pellet pumps that might ‘float your boat’, (whilst ensuring your pellet sinks):
Contents
Best Pellet Pumps
Preston Super Pellet Pump
Perfect for 2mm, 4mm and 6mm pellets, the Preston pellet pump is a new take on established technology. When assembled, it can be transported as one ‘unit’. There is no messing about carrying valves and other bits. Just throw it in your tackle box and go. It comes with a decent warranty which speaks volumes about the integrity and reliability of the brand. Being designed by match angling legend Andy Finlay, we would expect nothing less!
Garbolino Pellet Pump
Whilst the Garbolino pump’s principle is identical to both the Preston pellet pump and the Ringer pellet pump. The method is slightly different. Whilst not quite as compact as our other choice you do gain the advantage of being able to prepare a huge amount of pellets in one batch. With a 1.25L capacity, you won’t ever run out mid-session.
If you are stuck for ideas as to what load your pellet pump with why not try one of these suggestions?
Ringers Next Generation Expander Pellets
These pellets are designed by the producers of one of THE first pellet pumps. So they know what they are about. They boast that the pellets are easy to prepare, we suspect this is even more so with a decent pellet pump. They are engineered to stay firm, meaning they make the ideal hookbait.
Bait-Tech Pellets 500g XPAND Pellets
Available in a range of sizes, Bait-tech boast that these are the best expander pellets on the market. You have the option to fish with larger pellets and use the smaller pellets as groundbait. In the past that would have meant soaking two lots, but based on what we have said, it will take literally a minute to whip up a batch ready to throw.
Mike has over 30 years of fishing experience in carp fishing and general coarse fishing. He is always looking for the latest fishing kit to try out and talk about and needs a bigger shed due to all the fishing tackle he owns. You can read more about him here.