Pole fishing: read depth and feed the right line
Course pack: Depth and feeding-line planner. Coach Willy, our virtual AI coach, can explain each step, set you a practice task and check your understanding.
Who it's for
New to this? Perfect — no experience needed.
Where and when
Done on the bank. Best in: all.
What you'll work through
- 1Investigate the swim and depth
- 2Choose a manageable set of lines
- 3Practise accurate consistent feeding
- 4Review presentation and switching decisions
Step 1: Investigate the swim and depth
Alright mate, let's get stuck into pole fishing: read depth and feed the right line. I'll walk you through what to look for, what to try and how to tell whether it helped. We'll start with investigate the swim and depth, then work through a proper practice job at each step. Take it at your own pace and keep a few notes so you've got a useful plan for next time.
By the end of this step
Have a go at: investigate the swim and depth.
Check first
Check fishery/club rules and GOV.UK rod licence rules before fishing; use the relevant national authority outside England and Wales. Stay on stable ground and do not wade for this exercise. Never use a pole near overhead power lines, and leave if thunder threatens. Handle hooks carefully when fitting the depth weight.
Willy’s take
Before feeding a single pellet, find the depth properly. A plummet is a small weight fitted to the hook for checking depth; a pole cup is for feeding, not plumbing. Lower the plummet gently on the pole so it rests on bottom.
Adjust the float until its normal tip shows with the plummet on bottom, then check a few spots close in and farther out. Note shelves and clear patches, not just one depth. I'd start on a comfortable line where the rig settles cleanly and I can land fish without trouble.
Set the hookbait just on bottom, remove the plummet, then try a soft hook pellet where allowed. Feed a tiny cup of loose pellets only once the float settles properly. If it won't settle, sort depth or a tangle before adding more bait.
Kit I'd start with
- Pole kit for general depth and feeding work should scale to the fish you expect, not a single universal setup. A 6-8m pole with a few spare top kits covers most commercial and natural water pole work.
- Make up two or three rigs on winders: a fine rig with 0.10mm line, size 18-20 hook and a soft solid elastic (grade 3-5) for small silverfish, and a stronger rig with 0.14-0.16mm line, size 14-16 hook and a hollow elastic (grade 8-12) for carp, tench or bonus bream, since running the mismatched elastic, line and pole strength can leave too little control or overload a component.
- A plummet, a pole cup or two for accurate feeding, a small bait box with maggots, casters or pellets, a landing net sized to the venue, and a top kit protector to stop damage when shipping back a fish. The example elastic numbers aren't interchangeable across makers.
- Check that exact elastic's line range and your pole's limit; more stretch may play small fish gently but give too little control near obstacles. Choose open water rather than trying to cure a snaggy swim with stronger elastic.
On the bank
Worked example
Imagine you've got three potential pole lines but haven't plumbed any of them yet. Hypothetically, would you just pick the closest line and start feeding, or plumb all three first to see which has useful depth features?
Your turn: Investigate the swim and depth
- 1
Plumb depth on each potential pole line
- 2
Note any shelves or sudden depth changes
That's the free sample — this is where it stops
The full step keeps going with the rest of the practice job, common mistakes and fixes, a check-your-understanding quiz and your Depth and feeding-line planner. Then 3 more steps, each with its own task, and Coach Willy on hand to talk it through.
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