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Using catapults is a great way for getting bait to your swim. They are available with a variety of elastics, pouches and sizes. This guide will explain all the different types of catapults and the best situations to use them. We also have a guide on Spods vs Spombs which are both great ways at putting out bait at further distances.
ELASTICS
It's important to choose the correct catapult for the type of bait you're using and the range you are fishing at. Catapults have different strengths of elastics, typically the stronger elastics will be able to cast bait out further than weaker elastics. There are also a variety of different elastics available, the more expensive catapults will generally be made with higher quality materials and elastics making them less likely to break. However, there are separate packs of elastics or pouches if they do happen to snap. For example the ESP Twin Walled Latex Tubes are available on their own and will fit all the ESP catapult designs.
Also the length of the elastic is important. On some catapults the elastics length can be adjusted, the longer the elastics will allow you to achieve more accurate groupings of bait and be able to get the bait out further.
POUCH DESIGN
There's a variety of pouch designs and sizes which are typically designed for a specific type of bait. Generally the larger pouches are used for pinging out bigger groups of pellets and particle mixes. A popular choice of pouch for both general coarse and match fishing is a smaller triangular shape with a mesh design. These are great for getting smaller baits such as smaller pellets and maggots to your swim accurately.Â
Catapults designed for boilies will have a larger mesh pouch created from rubber. Depending on the anglers accuracy, boilies can reach up to 100 yards. However if you are aiming to get free baits further than 100 yards it might be worth using either a boilie pole or a spod rod alongside a spomb.Â
If you're planning on using a catapult to fling out balls of groundbait then you will need a more openly spread pouch design. This pouch has a rounder style and prevents the ball of groundbait from being crushed when it's drawn back. If you're interested in using groundbait we have a Guide to Fishing with Groundbaits. An example of a high quality catapult designed specifically for groundbait is the Drennan Softfeed Pult.
HANDLE AND ARM DESIGN
The design of the catapult can also play a part in how far and accurate it is. Catapults with moulded handles will typically be stronger and more comfortable. Also textured handles are a good addition if your hands are wet.Â
Catapults with stiffer arms will also perform better and increase accuracy. Furthermore, choosing a pult with slightly wider arms will prevent any sprayed baits caused from the pouch hitting the arm.
