Trotting is the method of allowing a float to travel naturally with the river current, carrying the bait at the right depth and pace to intercept fish feeding in the flow. It is the most traditional form of UK river fishing and one of the most satisfying – watching a stick float or Avon float travel twenty, thirty, or fifty yards downstream and then seeing it stab under when a chub or roach intercepts the maggot is a pleasure that never really diminishes regardless of how many fish you have caught.
This guide covers everything needed to trot effectively: float selection, how to set the rig for different river conditions, feeding strategy, bait choices, and the technique for making the float travel as naturally as possible.
[Image placeholder: A float angler standing on a classic English river bank holding a long match rod, the float visible on the water surface 15 metres downstream, trees and far bank behind]
What Trotting Is (and Is Not)
Trotting refers specifically to allowing the float to travel downstream with the current – a controlled, moving presentation that covers water progressively. The float is not fixed in one position (that is static waggler fishing); it travels with the flow, keeping the bait at depth as it moves through the swim.
Trotting is most effective on rivers with a consistent, fishable pace. Very fast, turbulent water prevents accurate float control; very slow or still water requires a different approach (static waggler fishing).
The key to effective trotting is mending the line – managing the bow of line that forms between the rod tip and the float, so that the float travels at the pace of the current and neither races ahead of or drags behind the natural speed of the water.
Floats for Trotting
Stick float: The definitive river trotting float. A slender, balsa-bodied float with a cane or wire stem. Designed for rivers with a consistent, moderate-to-fast pace. Carries 2-6 shot, fished with the bulk of the shot in the middle of the rig and one or two dropper shots near the hook. The stick float is attached at both ends (using float rubbers both top and bottom) which gives excellent control in the current.
Best for: steady glides, moderate pace, depths of 0.5-2.5m.
Avon float: A thicker-bodied, more buoyant float with a balsa or polycarbonate body. Carries more shot (6-12BB+) and is designed for faster, deeper water where a stick float would be buried by the current. Also attached at both ends.
Best for: deep swims, faster water, carrying a heavier bait (a worm or small piece of meat rather than a maggot).
Chubber: A large, thick-bodied float for big bait presentation (bread flake, cheese, large lobworm) in streamy swims targeting chub. Carries a large shot load. Attached top and bottom.
Waggler (straight or insert): A straight waggler, attached only at the bottom, is used in flowing water where the current speed is more varied or where fishing further from the bank (where casting a stick float is difficult). The waggler is less controllable in the current than a stick float but allows fishing at greater range.
Shotting Patterns
The position of the shot on the hooklink affects how the bait behaves:
Bulk and dropper pattern: A bulk of shot (3-4 BB grouped together) around two-thirds of the way down the hooklink, with one or two smaller dropper shots closer to the hook. The bulk gets the bait to depth quickly; the droppers control the final fall to the hook. Standard for stick float fishing in moderate pace.
Evenly spaced (“strung out”): Shot spread at regular intervals down the hooklink. This slows the descent of the bait and gives a more progressive fall, which can trigger bites from fish intercepting a slowly sinking bait. More effective in slower water or when fish are intercepting the bait mid-water rather than on the bottom.
All shot near the top: Most of the shot close to the float, with only a small hook shot near the hook. The bait almost freefalls. Used in very shallow, fast water where getting the bait to the bottom quickly would result in dragging.
Setting the Float
Setting depth correctly is critical to trotting effectively. The bait should travel at the depth the fish are feeding:
If fishing for bottom feeders (barbel, chub in a slow swim, bream): Set the float so the bait drags very slightly on the bottom. The hooklink should be slightly longer than the water is deep, creating a “drag” that slows the bait.
If fishing for roach, dace, or chub in mid-water: Set the float to run 15-30cm over depth – the bait hangs below the main rig at a consistent depth rather than dragging.
If fish are intercepting mid-water or near the surface (evening surface feeding): Set shallower to present the bait at the feeding depth.
How to find the correct depth: Begin with the float set slightly under the actual depth and deepen gradually (using the float collar or moving the float up the line) until you start getting false bites (the float stalls unnaturally) from the hook catching the bottom. Then reduce by 2-3cm. This is the correct trotting depth.
How to Trot Effectively
Step 1: Feed the swim. Before casting, introduce loose feed – maggots or casters by hand or catapult – upstream of the target area. The feed sinks and drifts downstream into the feeding lane you intend to trot through. Introduce small quantities (8-12 maggots) every cast or every other cast rather than a large initial bed.
Step 2: Cast. Cast slightly upstream so the float lands 2-3 metres above the feeding area and the bait sinks to fishing depth before reaching the fish.
Step 3: Control the float. As the float travels downstream, manage the bow that forms in the line between the rod tip and the float: – Hold the rod at shoulder height or slightly above – Feather the line off the reel so the float travels at exactly the pace of the current – not faster (belly in the line dragging it) and not slower (holding the float back) – “Mending”: if a belly forms in the line, lift the rod tip and flick the line upstream to straighten it without moving the float
Step 4: Strike. When the float dips or moves unnaturally, strike with a smooth sideways sweep of the rod – not a sharp overhead strike. Trotting bites are often confident; dithering costs fish.
Step 5: Trot the distance. A good trotting swim should be fished to its full extent – allow the float to travel 15-30 metres if the current allows. Fish at the tail of the glide, where current slows, are often the largest fish in the swim.
Feeding Strategy
Getting the feeding right is as important as the float fishing technique. Key principles:
Regular and consistent. Small amounts of loose feed introduced every cast or every other cast is more effective than large infrequent introductions. The constant trickle of food travelling downstream keeps the fish focused in the feeding lane.
Match the hook bait. If you are feeding maggots, fish a maggot (or two maggots) on the hook. If you are feeding hemp, fish caster or hempseed on the hook. Mismatch between feed and hookbait reduces conversion rate.
Feed upstream of where you expect to catch. The feed sinks and drifts; by the time it reaches fishing depth, it is downstream of where it entered the water. Introduce feed slightly upstream of the position where you expect the float to be when fish take.
Species and Bait Selection
Roach: Double maggot, single caster, or pinkie on a size 16-20 hook. Loose feed with maggot and caster. A size 16-18 hook with single bronze maggot on a 2-3lb hooklink is the starting point.
Dace: Single maggot or caster on a size 18-20 hook. Dace are fast-biting and intercepting the bait mid-water; a slightly shallower float setting can produce more confident bites.
Chub: Bread flake on a size 12-14 hook (presented under a chubber or Avon float), two maggots on a size 16, or a single caster on a size 16. In summer, large chub can be taken on trotted slug or large worm.
Barbel: A worm section or small piece of luncheon meat on a size 8-10 hook under an Avon float in streamy water. The rolling presentation of a trotted bait is one of the most natural-looking presentations for barbel.
Grayling: Single maggot, small worm section, or a weighted nymph pattern. Grayling bite quickly and decisively; a faster strike reaction than for roach is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between trotting and legering?
Trotting uses a float and allows the bait to travel with the current at a controlled depth. Legering (or ledgering) anchors the bait to the bottom using a lead weight. Trotting is better for covering ground and presenting a moving bait to fish spread over a long run; legering is better for holding a bait in a specific spot or in conditions where the current is too fast for float control.
Can I trot with a fixed spool reel?
Yes. A fixed spool reel with the bale arm open and the line controlled by the index finger of the rod hand, or using the anti-reverse to let line out gradually, allows line to peel off freely as the float travels. Many dedicated river float anglers prefer a centrepin reel (a simple drum reel with no bale arm) for trotting because it gives more direct line control and a more natural feel – but a fixed spool works well.
How far should I trot?
This depends on the river and the swim. In a typical glide of 20-30 metres, trot the full length and then retrieve. In a long glide of 50+ metres, focus on the productive section (typically where the current pace changes or where there is a feature at the end). The most productive fish often come from the lower third of the trot.
What depth should I set the float?
Start with the float set at estimated water depth (or slightly over). Deepen progressively until you get occasional false bites from the hook touching bottom, then reduce by 2-3cm. This is the correct starting depth. Adjust based on where bites are coming: shallow bites (early in the trot) suggest fish are higher in the water; bites at the end of the trot suggest bottom feeders.
When is trotting most effective?
Trotting produces throughout the coarse fishing season on rivers, but is most effective when rivers are running clear and at normal levels. In very coloured or flood conditions, ledgering with a static bait (meat, boilie) is usually more effective. In very cold winter conditions, slowing the trot (using the “hold back” technique, where the float is held momentarily against the current) to present the bait very slowly can be extremely effective for chub and roach.