One method is to cast out a surface float, with a floating line that trails off with your bait attached. If you are searching for the best river fishing rods, you’re in the right place! We feature river rods from top brands such as Drennan, Korum and Shimano. Remember to keep an open mind and experiment with different techniques until you find what works best for you, and most importantly, have fun out there on the water! Dip that tip!– Fish are not always prepared to pull inches of float underwater. In fact, many will let go if they detect too much resistance. Dot your tip down as low as is practically possible (as little as 2-3mm!) for best performance.

Choosing the right rod – and matching it up with the right reel, line, hook and rig is the most difficult part, so we’ll try to explain and recommend some tried and trusted pairings to help you. Matching up rods, lines & hooklengths

Most commercial fishery feeder rods are designed with a progressive fish playing that bends at the tip and 'powers up' along the blank as more pressure is exerted, and ideal for carp. All-round feeder rods tend to have softer 'through' or 'cushioned parabolic' fish playing actions ideal for all species of silver fish. At 13ft, the rod that can handle both trotting and float fishing on rivers and still waters (though it excels at latter). At the moment you should have a float on the line, fixed at about 18 inches (45 cm) up the line from the hook. If you swing the line out into the water now, the float will either lay flat on the surface or perhaps poke out of the water several inches. This is because there are not enough sinkers [split shot], on the line to pull the float down properly.

Bite Detection: When a fish bites, the dam fishing float will typically move, bob, or disappear beneath the water’s surface. With heavy shotting patterns don’t fish too light as you will snap. If you feed correctly the heavy diameter line won’t prevent you from catching either. Fish Species: The Mississippi River and the Trempealeau fishing area are known for their diverse fish population. An all round river setup which includes mainlines of around 4lb-5lb and hooklengths between 0.12mm and 0.18mm. This arrangment is used in most of my river fishing.

By Choose a suitable fishing float or bobber based on the desired buoyancy, visibility, and sensitivity. By moving the float’s position on the line or changing the line length between the float and the hook, anglers can target specific depths where fish feed. Bait or Lure Presentation: Attach your bait or lure to the hook. Common baits for trout fishing include live worms, maggots, or PowerBait, while lures such as spinners, spoons, or soft plastic baits are popular artificial options.

Pencil floats offer less resistance to the wind, making them more suitable for long-distance casting.Runs (or glides) are areas of a river that have fast or steady running water. Often a great place to spot fish as there is usually more oxygen in these sections. Can you spot any hotspots in this photo? Finally, you’ll want to consider the handle on your rod. You’ll usually be faced with a choice between EVA and cork. Cork is the more traditional of the two and it is popular because of its heat retention and exceptional grip in even cold or damp conditions. EVA is growing in prominence, however, thanks to the ease with which it can be moulded into ergonomic shapes as well as its improved durability. Now you know the sorts of things to look out for across our range of coarse and match rods, you can begin to narrow down the kind of rod that you’re looking to fish with.

Here is a general fishing float weight chart that provides approximate recommendations based on the target species and fishing conditions. Most float rods tend to be a bit on the light side – which is no good is you fish rivers to seek out larger specimens like chub.To hold a loaded float in place, rubber float stops are used, sinkers would add too much weight to the setup. Float stops come mounted on a loop of wire. Pass an inch or two of line through the loop and pull the first float stop off the wire and onto the fishing line. Next thread the float onto the line, then a second rubber float stop. The float should now be trapped between the two float stops, slide all three 18 inches (45 cm) up the line. Attach the hook As well as the rod blank, you’ll want to pay attention to the furnishings on your coarse and match rod. Much like other rods, these blanks will be fitted with guides and a reel seat. Since most coarse fishing scenarios will require you to cast short to mid range distances, your line guides will often start with a 40mm butt ring and will peter out between 16mm and 14mm. Since you’re most likely to be fishing with a fixed spool reel when you’re match fishing, the reel seat on your rod will most likely be in the DPS style. You’ll find that some brands will exclusively use Fuji line guides and reel seats, whereas others will use their own specially designed options. Add Weights: Depending on the fishing conditions and the depth you want to fish, add split shot weights below the float. Fishing Line: The mainline, typically monofilament or braided line, is attached to the fishing rod and reel. Adjust the depth and weight of your float setup as needed based on the fishing conditions and the behavior of the fish.