How to fish rivers
Moving water where current decides everything. Fish hold where they can rest out of the flow while food is carried past them.
Last reviewed 26 September 2026 · Editorial policy
How this water works
A river sorts itself into riffles (shallow, broken water), runs (steady, moderate depth) and pools (deep, slower water). Fish rarely sit in the fastest current; they hold behind rocks, under banks, in slack water beside the flow and along the seams where fast and slow water meet. Rising, coloured water after rain changes where they sit, often pushing them toward the margins.
Where fish hold
Current seams
The line where fast water meets slower water. Fish sit in the slow side and dart out to take food drifting in the fast side.
Behind and in front of rocks
A boulder creates a cushion of slack water both upstream and downstream of it. Drift a bait or lure past both.
Pool heads and tails
The head of a pool is oxygenated and brings food in; the tail is where fish drop back to feed as the pool shallows.
Undercut banks and overhanging trees
Shade, cover and falling insects. Cast tight to the bank and let the current carry the bait under.
Outside of bends
The current digs deeper water on the outside of a bend. It often holds the biggest fish in a stretch.
What suits this water
- Rod
- Longer rods help control line over current — float rods, light spinning rods or fly rods depending on method
- Weights
- Enough to hold or trot at the speed you want; carry a range and change as the flow changes
- Useful extras
- Polarised glasses, wading staff if wading, a range of float sizes
Stay safe
- Rivers can rise quickly after rain upstream, even under blue sky where you are.
- Wade only where you can see the bottom and know the depth; wear a buoyancy aid in strong water.
- Check local rules — many rivers have closed seasons and method or bait restrictions.
Where it goes wrong
- Casting into the fastest water where fish can't hold.
- Letting a bait drag unnaturally — a line bowed by current pulls it faster than the flow.
- Using a weight too light to reach the bottom or too heavy to move naturally.
Fish you'll find here
Techniques that work here
How-to guides for this water
Common questions
Where do fish sit in a river?
Out of the main force of the current but close to it — behind rocks, along seams, under banks and in the slower water of pools — so they can feed without spending much energy.
Should I fish upstream or downstream?
Both work. Casting upstream and letting a bait drift down looks natural and keeps you behind the fish; downstream lets you hold a bait or swing a lure across the flow.