A complete guide to waggler fishing on rivers

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Introduction

The waggler is a fantastic tool for catching fish both large and small. Although river fishing has been taken over largely by other tactics such as the feeder and pole there are still plenty of situations where a waggler will be the dominant method. Fishing a waggler on a river involves using a rig with a heavy bulk around the float for stability in conjunction with light shotting spread throughout the rest of the rig. This creates a slow falling hookbait that can get you bites at any depth. 

When to choose the waggler

The waggler really comes into its own on stretches of river where the main flow of water is beyond pole range, Either down the centre of a big river or towards the far side of narrower stretches. In this situation many people will often opt to fish the feeder and this can prove to be the best tactic. However the presentation of a waggler giving you the ability to search out the swim by trotting the float downstream is far more versatile and can often prove to be unbeatable in these situations especially if silver fish or big chub are the target species.

Tackle

Rods

12ft

A 12ft rod with a soft action is ideal for smaller rivers and backwaters with limited access. A waggler rod with a casting weight of around 5 to 15 grams is about right for most small river situations.

13ft

The best allround length for waggler fishing on both rivers and stillwaters in my opinion. A 13ft float rod is typically three piece which gives it a lovely soft action in the tip section. This soft action allows us to scale down main lines and hook links without having to worry about getting broken off on the strike by bigger bonus fish.

Another advantage a 13ft rod has over a 12ft model is that the extra length helps pick up the slack line on the strike allowing us to hit more bites. 

 

Reels

3000 size

A small 3000 size reel is the perfect tool for the job. Float fishing on rivers requires holding the rod for the entire duration of a session including constant re casting. By keeping the reel by size small we can reduce the weight of the set up making sure we are comfortable throughout the session. 

Closed faced

A closed faced reel is a great option for windy days. The enclosed design stops the line from blowing off the spool whilst fishing and helps avoid those nasty tangles.

Mainlines

The majority of my river waggler fishing is done with a mainline of only 3lbs. The lighter the line the less resistance there is as it peels from the spool allowing your float to trot down the swim as naturally as possible. When fishing for bigger species like chub or bream then the mainline should be stepped up. I find around 5lb is usually adequate for the bigger species and is still fine enough in diameter to be able to fish effectively.

Floats

Insert waggler

The insert waggler is a straight float with an inserted tip for bite detection. With a fine insert usually made from a hollow plastic these floats are extremely sensitive and show up the slightest of indications. Insert wagglers are ideal for fishing just beyond still float range and when fishing for bites on the drop. Trying to fish with this style of float over depth will usually see the float being dragged under and when fishing in rough conditions or at a fair distance these floats can become hard to see and a straight or bodied waggler would be the better option.

Straight waggler

As the name suggests this is a straight float with a much thicker diameter tip than an insert waggler. These floats are probably the most popular on rivers due to their stability and extra bouyency. The thicker tip allows you to drag line along the river bed when fishing over depth without the float being dragged under. They can also be seen easily at distance even in windy conditions so they are an obvious all round choice.

Bodied waggler

The bodied waggler is basically a straight waggler with a large body at the bottom end of the float. This body gives the float added bouyency which means the float will require more shot. The advantage of the heavier bodied waggler over the two previously mentioned styles of float is it's stability. Having more shot bulked around the float means it will present your bait naturally even in a fast flow or windy conditions. 

The rig

My favourite waggler rig for rivers is as follows. I bulk most of the floats shotting capacity around the base of the float and then add a series of small dropper shot down the line. As a general rule I use one number eight or number six shot for every two feet of water plus a number eight dropper about eight inches from the hook. So if I was fishing a swim that was six feet deep I'd have one number eight shot on the hooklengh and then three more dropper shots spread evenly throughout the rig. This shotting pattern gives the rig a lovely slow fall through the water column presenting a hookbait that will act just like the free offerings. The slow falling hookbait can be intercepted by the fish at any depth giving it the term 'fishing on the drop'.

Step 1.

As you will see from the photo below most of the shot is bulked around the float itself. This gives the rig stability and means very little shot is needed down the line.

I thread a waggler adaptor on to the mainline and attach the float rather than having the float attached straight onto the mainline. This gives me the ability to swap and change between float patterns and sizes during a session without having to break down my rig making the rig very efficient with changes being made in seconds.

I put most of the shot on the side of the float towards the hooklengh and only the one shot on the the mainline going towards the rod tip. This makes the shot sit neatly when cast out adding stability and stopping tangles when casting.

Step 2.

The dropper shots are spread evenly throughout the rig. I use either number eight or number six dropper shot depending on how fast I want the hook bait to fall. Use one dropper shot for every two feet of water plus one on the hooklenght.

Step 3.

The hook length is simply attached via a loop to loop connection. 

Step 4.

The last dropper shot is always a number eight and is placed on the hooklengh around ten inches from the hook.

Step 5.

Hook pattern and size depends on the target species and hookbait. Here I have my favourite maggot hook which is a kamasan B525.

Click here to see my complete guide to hook choice

Top tips!

• I like to keep my rigs on winders. As my sessions are usually short ones this maximises fishing time once on the bank. Before attaching the rig to the winder I simply remove the float from the rubber waggler adaptor. I then attach the flat the the winder using a couple of my partners hair bobbles when she's not looking, This stops me from forgetting which float the rig was made for.

• I shot my rigs at home and then make slight adjustments once on the bank. This makes it much quicker to set up and maximises fishing time. I simply use an empty pop bottle with the top cut off but specialised tubes are available online.