Match Masterclass - Complete Guide to Waggler Fishing

Let’s kick off with the setup. Today, I'm using the Matrix XRW light waggler rod in 13ft , paired with a 4lb mainline on a 3000 size fixed spool reel and a 1.5g drennan Hi-Viz No.5 Waggler float. These Drennan floats are perfect because they’ve got a long  hi-viz tip bristle that's easy to see and very sensitive. I can even see each shot going down as the bait settles in the water! They are also pre loaded with the bulk of the shotting weight and they’re interchangeable with one another which will become important later on.

I’ve got the rest of the shot set up with a small bulk and then some No.8s spaced out down the line. This way, the float settles gently and the bait falls naturally, which is key when you’re targeting F1s and other finicky feeders.

The biggest things with waggler fishing are consistency and accuracy. I’ve clipped up just past a nice clear spot, a gentle cast out. Every single cast, I’m aiming to hit the clip, let the float settle, and then three quick turns of the reel and flick the rod upward sharply to get the line sinking beneath the surface from the rod tip all the way to the float. 

This ensures I'm fishing effectively and in exactly the same spot every time. As soon as that float hits the water, Im then grabbing my catapult and keeping a consistent trickle of bait, which is what we shall cover next. 

One little trick that’s made a big difference today is how I’ve prepared my maggots. I’ve been using the Dynamite Shake & Catch to give myself a real edge and I do this in my match fishing as well as my pleasure angling. It’s a flavoured Powder that binds to the bait and adds a burst of attraction as the maggots fall through the water. It also makes them a super Vibrant red colour compared to standard red maggots that you can buy from a store.  I just tip a handful of the Shake & Catch powder into the maggot box, give them a quick shake to coat them, and they’re good to go. It’s a dead simple way to boost your bait without very much effort and you can really tell the difference in how the fish respond compared to regular un-boosted maggots. These F1s here at Reepham have been all over them!

One of the things I always tell people is “don’t be afraid to feed”. I’ve not held back on the maggots today, and it’s paid off. They’re a brilliant all-year-round bait – F1s, Carp, Ide, and silvers all love ‘em and now that the water is starting to warm up you can afford to feed a little more because the fish are becoming more active.

A lot of the bites come as the rig is falling, especially within the first minute or two. That’s often your prime bite time, so if nothing happens after a couple of minutes I’ll give the float a little twitch, just a quick turn of the reel to lift and drop the bait. That little bit of movement can often trigger a bite, if not Ill give it another 30 seconds and start the process again. Movement is really the key.

Plumbing up with a waggler is something loads of people struggle with, especially newer anglers. Here’s my number one tip: use a heavier, more buoyant float when plumbing up. Today, I swapped my 1.5g fishing float for a 3g version of the same length. You can do this with the interchangeable floats simply by popping the float section off the preloaded weight at the bottom. Swapping to a more buoyant float means when you cast out with your plummet, you can see much more easily if you are over depth because the float will be sticking up much higher than with the lighter float you are using for your fishing.

After getting that depth right, the bites just kept coming. It doesn’t always go this well when the camera’s rolling, but today was one of those magic sessions where everything clicked. And I stayed on a bit longer after we had finished filming to make the most of the session. In the end we had a good number of beautiful condition F1s and a few smaller carp mixed in.

Honestly, I should fish the waggler more often. It’s just so enjoyable and as I’ve shown today, you can catch just as well as you can on the pole in the right situation. It’s a great way to keep things moving, cover water, and just enjoy fishing in its simplest form.