Pole Rigs for Beginners

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

Pole rigs are complete float rigs (float, main line, shot and hooklength) that attach straight to the elastic in your pole’s top kit, with no reel involved. Because you fish them directly under the pole tip, they can be far lighter and more precisely shotted than a float rig cast on rod and reel.

Ready-made rigs are a fair way to start. The catch is that they are built around popular line diameters, which can be too strong or too weak for the water you fish.

Pole rig making at home fixes that. The six steps below take you from a kit list to a starter set of rigs stored on winders. For other set-ups, see our rigs guides.

Step 1: Gather the Kit for Your First Pole Rig

The tackle-shop rig wall holds hundreds of tiny packets, and most of them can wait. A first pole rig needs a short list:

Pole floats: buy several of the same size and pattern, so you can tie identical spare rigs.
Main line: pre-stretched mono. Diameters of 0.10mm, 0.12mm and 0.14mm are commonly used, stepping up near snags or when bigger fish are likely.
Hooklength line: a lighter diameter than your main line, so it breaks first and acts as a weak link.
Micro shot: sizes No8 down to No11, plus olivettes if you use heavier floats (more on both in Step 3).
Float rubbers: three per float, used in Step 4.
Hooks, winders and a jar: small hooks to suit your bait, pole winders, and a deep jar or clear container of water for testing the shotting.

The rig joins the elastic in your top kit, so fit the elastic before you build. Match its strength to the size of fish you expect, and ask the tackle shop or fishery what the regulars use. If you are still choosing the pole itself, start with our guide to getting started with pole fishing.

If you only buy one main line, 0.12mm is a common starting point. Adjust it after your first session.

Step 2: Choose the Right Pole Float for Your Swim

Two pole floats can carry exactly the same weight and still fish completely differently. The difference sits in three parts of the float:

Body shape: a rounder, rugby-ball body suits deeper water and bottom baits.
Stem: wire or carbon. Carbon is more robust.
Bristle: a fine, hollow bristle shows delicate bites; a thick one is easier to see in a ripple or poor light.

Float type	Best for	Watch out for
Rugby-ball body, wire stem, fine hollow bristle	All-round use, deeper water, small baits on the bottom in calm weather, shy bites from roach and skimmers	Wire stems bend easily
Thick-bristle float	Ripple, low light, bigger species, pellets for carp in cooler water	Wire stems can get damaged in busy summer fishing
Carbon-stem thick-bristle float	Bigger baits on commercial fisheries in warm water	-
Mini carbon-stem, ultra-thick bristle	Big baits in shallow swims in summer	A specialist pattern, not an all-rounder

If the float keeps dipping in a shallow carp swim and nothing connects, those are often line bites from fish brushing the line. A short, thick-bristled shallow-swim float makes them easier to tell from proper bites.

Watch what the regular match anglers at your venue are using and copy the pattern. See how match anglers approach a peg.

Best for: start with a rugby-ball, fine-bristle float for general fishing. Skip if: you mainly fish shallow for carp; a thick-bristle or mini carbon pattern suits you better.

Step 3: Shot the Float With a Bulk and Droppers

Heavy shot get the bait down; the tiny shot below them decide how it behaves at the end of the drop. Pole rig shotting usually follows one pattern:

The bulk: a group of heavier shot that takes the bait down quickly, past small fish in the upper layers. One common retailer method uses No8 shot for the bulk.
The droppers: two or three smaller shot (No10 in that same method) spaced below the bulk. They slow the final fall so the bait drops naturally.
Olivettes: a single streamlined weight that typically replaces the bulk of shot. As a rough guide, they come in on floats over about 0.6g.

Shot the float at home, not on the bank:

Put most of your dropper shot on first.
Add the bulk until the float body sinks just under the surface film.
Drop the rig in a deep jar of water and check that only the bristle shows.
Fine-tune with the smallest shot.

If the float lies flat or cocks slowly, there is too little weight or the bulk is set too high. If it sinks, take off the smallest shot first.

Bulk and droppers vs strung shot: a bulk gets the bait down fast, while evenly strung shot lets it fall slowly through the water. See float shotting patterns explained for strung shot and other layouts.

Step 4: Tie the Rig and Fit the Hooklength

Snap a rig on a snag and you can lose float, shot and all. A hooklength lighter than the main line prevents that, because it gives way first. Build in this order:

Check the float for damage where the stem meets the body and at the eye.
Thread the float onto the main line and secure it with three float rubbers.
Add the shot you worked out in Step 3. Slide any shot off line it has kinked or flattened.
Measure and cut the main line, then tie a small loop knot at the top end to join the elastic connector.
Tie a second loop at the bottom end for the hooklength.
Join a hooklength of typically 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) loop to loop, in a line lighter than the main line.

A typical starting layout from retailer guidance: one dropper close to the hooklength knot and the next about 15cm (6in) above it. Set the bulk just below halfway between the float and the hooklength. Keep the float within about 30cm (12in) of the top loop, leaving spare line to adjust depth later.

Move those positions to suit the swim. Pick the hook to suit the bait, and check your fishery’s rules on hooks.

The weak link helps the fish too: one that breaks off trails only a short hooklength.

The verdict: keep the hooklength lighter than the main line, and a snag costs you a hook, not a whole rig.

Step 5: Set the Depth and Fit the Rig to Your Top Kit

The line between float and pole tip matters as much as the depth below the float.

To find the depth, clip a plummet (a heavy weight) to the hook. Adjust the float until the bristle just shows, so the bait sits on or just off the bottom.

A short length of line between pole tip and float gives better control and quicker strikes. Top kits are typically 2.2 to 2.6m long (sections one and two), with short kits of about 1.9m for shallow or margin fishing.

Telescopic whips are usually under 6m, while put-together poles reach 16m or more. On longer poles, pole rollers protect the pole as you ship it back; two rollers are a common recommendation for anything over 11m.

Fit the top loop to the elastic connector and check the float sits upright at the set depth before you start feeding.

If you are new, fish at top kit length plus a section or two, and learn the rig before adding length.

Step 6: Store Your Rigs and Build a Starter Set

Ten minutes at home winding spare rigs saves a session on the bank, because a lost rig becomes a quick swap instead of a rebuild.

Wind each rig onto a winder slightly longer than the float, so the stem and bristle do not get bent. Label the winder with the line diameter, float size and depth. Tangles usually come from loose winding or slipping shot, so wind under light tension and pin the end.

A starter set of three or four pole rigs covers most beginner sessions:

Light, fine-bristle rig: roach, skimmers and bottom baits in deeper, calmer water, including far-shelf fishing on canals.
Thicker-bristle rig: slightly heavier, for a ripple or bigger species.
Carp pole rigs: short and robust on stronger line, for commercial margins and shallow pellet fishing. Our F1 fishing tactics guide covers rigs for F1s.
A duplicate: a second copy of whichever rig you use most.

Best for: your first few sessions on a commercial or canal. Skip if: you are tempted to build a big range before fishing this first set.

Frequently asked questions

Should I buy ready-made pole rigs or make my own?

Ready-made pole rigs are fine for your first few sessions. Make your own once you want control over line and shotting, because shop rigs use popular diameters that may not suit your venue. Step 1 lists the kit.

What line is best for pole rigs?

Pre-stretched mono is the usual choice, commonly in 0.10mm to 0.14mm diameters. Pair it with a lighter hooklength so the hooklength breaks first.

What is the difference between a pole rig and a waggler rig?

A pole rig is fished directly under the pole tip with no reel, so it can be lighter and shotted more precisely. A waggler rig is cast on a rod and reel. See our waggler fishing guide for how it is set up.

Do I need a fishing licence to use a pole?

Plan on needing one in England and Wales. GOV.UK says you need a rod fishing licence to fish for freshwater fish with a rod and line in England (except the River Tweed), Wales and the Border Esk region, including private lakes, plus the fishery owner's permission. Fishing without one can cost up to £2,500. Check current prices on GOV.UK, and see our fishing licence guide for the rules.