Method

Legering: how to get started

In legering, a lead holds your bait on the bottom. It suits eel, carp, bream and tench.

Good for

Plan a day of Bottom fishing

What you need

Leger rod: 3 to 3.60 m long, about 60 to 80 g casting weight
Fixed-spool reel with a solid drag or a free-spool function
Monofilament main line, about 0.30 mm
Running lead, rubber bead and swivel as a stop
Hooklengths with hooks to match the bait
Bite indicator: rod tip, bobbin or electronic bite alarm
Rod rest and a head torch for the evening
Landing net, disgorger, tape measure, priest and knife

Step by step

Check the drag and set it to suit the water and your target fish before you cast.
Build the running lead rig: lead on the main line, then a bead and a swivel, with the hooklength and hook tied to the swivel.
Bait up: worm for eel, sweetcorn, paste or boilies for carp, maggots or worm for bream.
Cast out, put the rod in the rest and tighten the line slightly. Leave the bail arm open or switch on free spool so the fish can take line.
Fit the bite indicator and watch the rod tip. With shy bites, a longer hooklength helps.
When the fish takes line, pick up the rod, close the bail arm and strike.
Play the fish gently and net it. If you keep it, stun and kill it straight away in a humane way.

Common mistakes

Drag not set: the line breaks while you are playing a fish or the fish pulls the rod into the water.
Not knowing the bottom: mud, weed or branches hold the lead and stop line from running.
Starting with complicated rigs instead of the simple running lead.
Leaving rods in the water and walking off: if you leave your spot, reel in your rods.

Tips

A single maggot often catches more than a big bunch of maggots.
Eels mainly bite at dusk and at night, so pack a head torch.
Use a lead beforehand to find out how deep it is and whether the bottom is hard or soft.

Quick questions

Which lead should I use for legering?

To start with, a running lead is the simplest choice: the fish can take line without feeling much resistance. Choose the weight to suit casting distance and current, it must not exceed the casting weight of your rod.

Which bait is good for legering for eels?

The classic is the worm. A dead bait fish threaded on with a baiting needle also catches eels. Live bait fish are frowned upon in Germany and expressly banned in many federal states, so do not use them.

How long should the hooklength be when legering?

With the simple running lead rig, fairly long, so the fish can take the bait calmly. Rule of thumb: the shyer the bites, the longer the hooklength. With fixed lead rigs for carp, on the other hand, it is short.

Check the rules

Closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each German state (and by each country abroad) and can be stricter on individual waters. We are building an overview with sources and check dates. Until then, check the local fishing regulations and the rules of the club or permit for your water.

Sources (4)

Last checked 2026-10-10. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

Know more?

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