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Practical how-to guides, rigs, baits and tackle advice from an angler sharing what he's learned on rivers, lakes and canals across the UK.

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New to coarse fishing? Browse guides on rigs, baits, floats and pole techniques written from hands-on experience.

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Dink float tactics for chub in fast-flowing runs

A small, unobtrusive dibber-style float can transform a tough session on a fast run into one of the most rewarding ways to catch chub. The dink float - a short, slim-bodied waggler or stick pattern fished shallow - is brilliant for presenting a single offering just overdepth in turbulent water where bulkier floats would be dragged under.

For Australian coarse anglers who have made the pilgrimage to the Test, the Hampshire Avon, or the Welsh Dee, the dink float is a secret worth keeping. Most Australian tackle shops now stock UK-bred gear, and the Environment Agency rod licence differs sharply from the state-based systems used in New South Wales or Victoria.

What makes a dink float different

A dink float is essentially a reduced, streamlined waggler with a thin antenna bristle and minimal weight under the belly. Its slim profile offers very little resistance to the current, so the bait drifts through the run at almost the speed of the surrounding water - exactly what chub look for in a natural invertebrate drifting past their snout.

The float usually takes 0.4g to 1.5g of bulk, so you are fishing genuinely light. That sensitivity is the whole point: a chub sipping a caster off the deck produces the merest dip of the bristle, and on a heavier pattern you would never see it. On a Thames Association stretch, this is often the difference between blanking and banking a brace of river chub.

Tackle for shallow water fishing

A soft-actioned rod in the 11-12ft range is plenty for this style, and float rods from 2018-2019 model lines still represent solid value. Pair it with a fixed-spool reel loaded with 4lb mainline, a 3lb hooklength, and a size 14 or 16 spade-end hook. Many readers will find a familiar Shimano or Daiwa reel in their collection that suits perfectly.

Chub in fast runs rarely require big hitting power; they hook themselves when the rig settles correctly. Keep a disgorger, forceps, and a small unhooking mat folded into your seatbox - BCF in Alexandria and Anaconda stores nationwide ship most coarse essentials.

Rigging the dink float properly

Start by setting the float to take just enough shot to cock it correctly. Two No.8 Stotz or a single SSG at depth, then another tiny shot 30cm above the hook gives the traditional lift-bite pattern. Pin a single caster, a lump of bread flake, or a lobworm on the hook, then plumb the depth so the bait ticks along the bottom.

The lift-bite shot is what gives the rig life. As the float drags through the run, that last shot lifts slightly off the deck with each pull, and a confident chub will pounce on the momentarily suspended bait. Most bites come as the float slows or lifts rather than as a steady dip.

Reading fast runs and finding the chub

Look for the inside of bends, rafts of streamer weed, and any cover that breaks the current - overhanging trees, submerged branches, or gravel shelves where the water shallows slightly. Chub are current-loving fish but rarely hold in the fastest part of the run; they sit just behind features where the flow eases enough for them to hold station.

Loosefeed four or five casters every minute before picking up the float rod. Pre-baiting for half an hour draws fish onto the peg without spooking them, which is especially important on clear southern chalk streams where Australian travellers often find the fishing tougher than expected.

Casting, feeding, and presentation

Cast upstream of the feature and let the current sweep the rig down and across. Keep a loose line so the float drifts naturally without dragging. Feed a small handful of casters or hemp across the line every three or four casts, building a neat little corridor that the chub follow.

Strike at any hesitation, lift, or unusual movement of the bristle. Chub rarely give long, drawn-out bites - the strike should be a confident lift rather than a jerk, as many fish are lost through over-striking on light hooklinks.

Bait choices for a confident catch

Casters remain the number-one bait for chub in a run, followed by bread punch, lobworms, and tinned sweetcorn in autumn. On heavily pressured venues, a single white bread punch fished on the deck often outscores more visible baits because chub associate it with natural food items drifting past.

Avoid piling bait in heavily, as this can pull the fish out of the run and into slower water where you cannot present the dink float properly. A little and often is the rhythm for fast-run chub fishing.

Practical hints for the session

Several small details make the difference between a frustrating blank and a memorable bag of chub. Pre-bait for at least thirty minutes before casting a rig, and keep the hooklength no shorter than 60cm to delay spooked fish. Always fish the inside of the bend before committing to the main flow.

A shortlist of essential pointers keeps you focused when the swim is busy:

Set the alarm for 5am, pack the float rod with half a pint of casters, and be on the bank by first light with a steady loosefeed underway before the morning breeze builds.