Current Fishing: Real Case and Complete Tackle Pairings

Real Case: What Happened and What You Can Learn

A 2008 Bassmaster river Carolina report recorded author Bruce Ingram drifting downstream with Duane Richards, casting slightly downstream to the side, and catching a keeper smallmouth on the second cast over a fast-water shoal.

Read the original report.

The key choice here is the bait’s direction relative to current. Fixed casts upstream, side-drifting with the flow, and dead-sticking in slack water can all work, but serve different purposes. Below, first identify slack water where fish can hold, then choose a route that delivers the bait to the slack-water entry.

Complete Pairings of Rigs, Rod, Reel, and Line

The following are this site’s starting configurations for the scenarios in this chapter; they are not unsupported pro gear lists. Feet are used for depth and rod length, inches for bait length, lb is stated line strength, oz is weight. 1 oz is about 28.35 g; 1 foot is about 30.5 cm. M, MH, H indicate medium, medium-heavy, and heavy power; fast action describes bend location, not a requirement to retrieve quickly. A reel’s 7:1 denotes gear ratio per handle turn; actual IPT also depends on spool size.

Moderate-shallow current: 7-foot M fast spinning, 2500 reel, 10 lb braid to 8 lb fluoro, 3.5-inch tube with 1/4 oz internal head. Deep seam: 3/8 oz drop shot, #1 hook, 4-inch straight tail, 30 cm hook-to-weight distance. Big rocks snag-avoidance: 7-foot MH casting, 7:1 reel, 15 lb fluoro, 3/8 oz Texas with 3/0 EWG and 3.5-inch craw.

Scenario-Based Application: Boat Position, Targets, Presentation, and Adjustments →