A gripper for gripping fishing line used on a method feeder

A gripper 2 for gripping fishing line 4 used on a method feeder 6. The fishing line has a first end portion 8 which is fixed with respect to the method feeder and a second end portion 10 which is provided with at least one fishing hook 12. The gripper comprises a pair of jaws 16 for gripping the fishing line such that the fishing fine is slidable through the jaws without the jaws damaging the fishing line. The jaws exert a gripping force on the fishing line such that the fishing line is not able to be pulled through the jaws by water movement when the gripper is in use during angling and such that it is able to be pulled through the gripper by an angler pulling on the fishing line. In use the angler is able to pull the fishing line through the jaws to set the length of the fishing line that extends between the gripper and the fishing hook, whereby the angler is able to control the distance from the method feeder of bait 14 on the fishing hook with the distance being that distance determined by the angler to be most likely to cause a fish attracted by bait provided by the method feeder to take the bait on the fishing hook.