Ledgering for Beginners

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

Ledgering means fishing a bait still on the bottom, held in place by a weight, with no float. The bite shows at the rod end instead, on a quivertip, swing tip, butt indicator or bobbin.

You’ll also see it spelt legering, or called ledger fishing. When the weight is a plain bomb with no feeder attached, anglers call it bomb fishing or straight lead fishing. Outside the UK the same method usually goes by the name bottom fishing.

It’s one of the core coarse fishing techniques, and the kit is simple: a rod, a weight, a hooklength and something to show the bite. The seven steps below run in the order you’d work through them on the bank, from deciding the method suits your swim to reading your first bites.

Step 1: Decide When Ledgering Beats the Float

A bomb can beat the pole even a few rod lengths out. Match angler Dale Calvert explains why in Angling Times: in summer, fish feeding hard swim into the line between a pole float and the hookbait and give false indications. A bomb takes that stretch of line out of the picture.

Ledgering is the better tool when:

the fish are beyond comfortable float range
strong wind or surface drift is dragging your float off line
the water is deep
you want a bait held still in one spot on a river
fish are feeding confidently on the bottom

The float still wins when fish feed up in the water, when bites are shy in shallow swims, or on calm days.

Ledgering and feeder fishing are close relatives. A feeder is a ledger weight that also carries feed. Plain ledgering uses a bomb, and you feed separately.

I float fish and feeder fish for bream on Windermere, and on a windy day I’ve found a float hard to keep still. That’s usually when I put a bait on the bottom instead.

If your float won’t sit still or the fish are out of float range, ledger.

Step 2: Choose the Right Lead: Bomb Shapes and Sizes

Too heavy a lead and a taking fish feels the resistance while your tip barely moves. Too light and it rolls out of position in flow or wind. Use the lightest lead that holds bottom and reaches your spot.

A bomb is the plain weight used on its own, and fishing one with no feeder attached is what anglers mean by straight lead fishing. For bomb fishing, Angling Times advises starting with the lightest bomb possible and stepping up only if conditions worsen. A quick-change swivel lets you swap weights without retying.

Shape matters as well as weight:

Streamlined or pear-shaped bombs cast further and fly straighter.
Flatter shapes grip the bottom and resist rolling in flow.

Now the law. The Control of Pollution (Anglers’ Lead Weights) Regulations 1986 ban the supply and import of lead weights between 0.06g and 28.35g (1oz) for weighting fishing lines. Weights of 0.06g or less, and over 28.35g, are exempt. The rules cover supply and import rather than use, and non-lead bombs and shot are common in that size range. Check the current regulations and your fishery’s own rules before you buy.

A light bomb shows more bites. A heavy one holds in flow and casts further.

Step 3: Tie a Running or Fixed Ledger Rig

Should the fish feel the weight or not? Both answers are right, depending on the rig.

Running ledger

The lead slides on the mainline, on a boom or link, above a stop bead or swivel. A taking fish pulls line through with little resistance, so the bite shows as a pull round or a drop-back. It’s the general-purpose choice, especially on rivers.

Fixed bomb

A fixed or semi-fixed lead and a short hooklength make the fish prick itself against the weight. This is Dale Calvert’s short-range summer set-up for aggressive fish:

Tie a 6 inch twizzled boom at the end of your mainline to stop tangles.
Clip the lightest bomb that holds onto a quick-change swivel.
Attach a 6 to 12 inch hooklength loop to loop below the boom. Line of 0.18mm is strong enough.
Use a size 10 hook.
Bait it to match your feed, such as a banded 6mm or 8mm pellet.

That’s a close-range summer recipe, not a rule for every swim.

Float ledger

Thread a float and a weight onto the mainline, add a rubber quick bead and attach the hooklength to it. Cast, rest the rod and tighten until the float stands. It’s popular on commercials as a visual indicator for a bottom bait.

See our step-by-step ledger rigs for knot-by-knot versions.

Best for: a running ledger on rivers and for wary fish; a fixed bomb for close-range, aggressive feeders. Skip the fixed lead if bites are shy and keep dropping off.

Step 4: Pick a Bite Indicator: Quivertip, Swing Tip, Butt Indicator or Bobbin

Match the indicator to today’s swim and half the bite-reading problem is solved before you cast.

Indicator	How it shows a bite	Best for	Weak in
Quivertip	Fine tip built into or screwed into the rod end bends round	All-round use on rivers and stillwaters	Strong wind, unless you set the rod low (Step 5)
Swing tip	Hinged tip hanging from the rod end lifts or drops back	Still or slow water, shy bites from fish such as bream	Strong wind or flow
Butt indicator	Clips or hangs on the line between reel and butt ring and moves up or down	Simple fishing on calm stillwaters	Less sensitive at range
Bobbin	Weighted indicator on the line near the reel rises or drops	Static baits for bigger fish such as tench, often with a bite alarm	Fast, finicky bites

Learn the quivertip first because it works on both rivers and stillwaters; our quivertip fishing guide goes deeper.

The swing tip is the classic stillwater choice for delicate bites, but wind and current swing it about on its own.

Butt indicators and bobbins sit back by the reel, so you watch line movement rather than a tip. They suit baits left out for long spells.

When I’m feeder fishing for bream on Windermere, I use a quivertip. In my experience it reads well whether the bite is a pull or a slow lift.

If you’re buying one rod, buy one with quivertips. Add a swing tip or bobbins later for calm stillwaters.

Step 5: Set Your Rod Position for Stillwater or River

The tip is bouncing in the wind and you can’t tell drift from bites. Often the fix is rod angle, not a new tip.

Use two rests, a front rest or feeder arm and a butt rest, with the rod supported at roughly its midpoint.

On a stillwater in wind

Set the rod low and sink the line below the surface so the wind can’t catch it. Angle the tip at roughly 90 degrees to the line. A bite then bends the tip clearly.

On running water

Put the rod up high, at about 45 degrees, so most of the line is lifted clear of the current. Rods of 13ft or more help here because they keep more line out of the flow. The hand-held exception is touch ledgering: hold the rod and feel bites through the line over your finger.

Close-range bomb fishing

For short-range bomb work, Angling Times points the feeder arm almost straight ahead with a slight angle. That aids self-hooking and stops the rig dragging.

If you can’t tell bites from wind or flow, change the rod angle before you change anything else.

Step 6: Cast, Tighten Up and Read Your First Bites

You strike at a sharp knock and reel in a bare hook. That knock was probably a fish brushing the line, not taking the bait.

Cast to the same spot every time, using a far bank marker or a line clip.
Let the lead settle on the bottom.
Put the rod in the rests and wind down until the indicator is just set: the quivertip slightly bent, the swing tip hanging just off vertical, the bobbin hanging part way down.

Then learn the three bite types:

A steady pull round or lift is usually a fish. Strike.
Small sharp jabs that don’t develop are often line bites from fish moving through the swim (Calvert’s point in Step 1). Leave them.
A drop-back, where the tip or bobbin falls slack, means a fish has moved towards you and shifted the lead. Wind down to the slack, then strike.

Strike with a smooth sweep sideways or upwards, not a jab. On a fixed bomb the fish has often hooked itself, so just lift. Keep the landing net within reach and play fish steadily.

Feeder fishing for bream on Windermere, I’ve found their bites are often slow lifts or drop-backs rather than a firm pull round.

Skip striking at single knocks. Wait for the tip to keep going.

Step 7: Fix the Common Ledgering Mistakes

These six mistakes cause most early ledgering frustrations, and each has a quick fix:

Tangles on the cast. Use a boom, such as the 6 inch twizzled boom from Step 3, and feather the line as the rig lands.
Lead too heavy. Fish feel the resistance and drop the bait. Step down to the lightest that holds (Step 2).
Indicator too tight or too slack. Re-tighten after the lead settles (Step 6). Too tight and the tip fights the fish; too slack and bites never register.
Striking at line bites. Wait for a bite that develops into a pull or lift (Step 6).
Wrong rod angle. Rod low for wind on stillwaters, high for rivers (Step 5).
Hooklength too long on a fixed lead. For short-range bomb fishing, stay within 6 to 12 inches (Step 3).

Once the basics work, ledgering is the starting point for tench fishing on still waters and chub fishing on rivers. The step up from there is adding feed to the hook spot with a feeder.

A standard rod licence in England and Wales covers two rods, so you can fish two ledger rods side by side where the fishery allows it. The FAQs below cover the licence detail.

Frequently asked questions

Is it ledgering or legering?

Both spellings are correct. Ledgering, legering and ledger fishing all describe a static bottom bait held by a weight, with no float. The opening section explains the method.

Do I need a licence to go ledgering?

Yes. In England and Wales you need an Environment Agency rod fishing licence to fish for freshwater fish with rod and line from age 13, including on private and club waters. Under 13s need none, and the 13 to 16 junior licence is free. You also need the fishery's permission. A standard licence covers up to 2 rods; 3 rods needs the 12-month 3-rod licence. Check the current price on GOV.UK, because it changes each April. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. See our fishing licence guide.

Are lead ledger weights illegal in the UK?

Using them isn't banned as such. The 1986 Regulations ban the supply and import of lead weights between 0.06g and 28.35g for weighting fishing lines; smaller and larger weights are exempt. Check the current rules and your fishery's rules before you buy (see Step 2).

Can I ledger on rivers in the close season?

It depends on the water and the nation. Close season rules can apply to coarse fishing on rivers, and they vary, so check the Environment Agency byelaws and any local or club rules before you fish. See our fishing seasons guide.