River Fishing Gear: Everything You Need To Succeed
During my first ten years of fishing, I bought all kinds of fishing gear that I probably didn’t actually need for river fishing. I wish I knew somebody who could tell me exactly what I needed and what I didn’t need. Now that I am a river fishing guide, I recommend essential and non-essential river fishing gear to many of my clients.
Actually, this page started as a way to answer my client’s questions about what gear I recommend for river fishing and what I use. I wrote it so they always have an ongoing and updated gear list that they could reference anytime they needed to.
Using the right gear for river fishing can improve your success and keep you safer on the river. Essential river gear is something that you MUST have in order to fish. When it comes to the essentials for river fishing, you will need the following:
- Rods and Reels: Get the right ones suitable to the type of fishing you want to do.
- Fishing Line: Some fishing lines are good, and some are not-so-good
- Hooks: Using the right hook will increase your hooking percentage and holding percentage, which means you will land more of the fish you hook.
- Bait or Lures: You need at least one of these. Using the most effective ones will increase your success.
- Release Tools: You may not always need it, but you will eventually need pliers or forceps to remove hooks from the fish’s mouth.
Non-essesntial gear is also important, however, you could still fish without it. Non-essential gear just makes fishing, landing fish, and releasing fish easier. Non-essential gear includes:
- Waders: Allows you to get into a better position to fish, cross rivers, stay warm, dry, and comfortable, and they protect your legs.
- Fishing Jacket: Keeps you warm and dry with the added bonus of extra pockets for your gear.
- Pack or Vests: Keep all your gear on your body and mobile.
- Wading Net: In my opinion, this is an essential tool. However, you can fish without one.
- Terminal Tackle: Stuff like weight, swivels, snaps.
- Tools: Nippers, scissors, thermometer, fish handling gloves, and a whole lot more.
- Polarized sunglasses: Although not really essential, I guarantee I would catch a lot fewer fish without them, so they are important!
- Clothing: Proper clothes and a hat are also important.
If I recommend gear, you can be sure that I have used it or that I know other guides or anglers who have both tested it and proven that it’s a good product.
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We Test River Fishing Gear Annually
What makes a product a good product is that it needs to do the job it was intended to do and it needs to do it well. It also needs to be durable, competitively priced, and come from a company that stands behind its products and has good customer service.
The last thing you want is to buy a pair of waders that leak on your third trip, or a reel or line that breaks on the first or second fish.
1. Rods For River Fishing
When river fishing you can use fly rods, spinning rods, bait cast rods, or float rods.
The rod you use will depend on the type of fishing that you want to do.
Fly Fishing Rods
For a general-purpose fly rod for trout, I recommend a 9 foot 5 weight fly rod like the 9 foot 5 weight Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod. I actually just bought three of these to test out this year’s version.
See more recommended fly rods.
I discuss all fly fishing gear on my page Fly Fishing Gear: Everything You Need To Fly Fish.
Spinning Rods For River Fishing
Spinning rods are good for lure fishing, float fishing, and bottom bouncing.
For really small rivers less than ten feet wide with smaller trout, I suggest a five or 6-foot ultralight spinning rod like the 5-foot ultralight St.Croix Premier trout rod.
For bigger rivers over 15 feet wide and with bigger trout, a rod in the 7 to 10-foot range is good for lure fishing, float fishing, and bottom bouncing. I prefer a longer rod like the 8.5″ St.Croix Premier Trout Rod for a good all-purpose trout rod.
For big rivers and big trout and steelhead, I like 10 to 13-foot rods like the 10-foot med-light G. Loomis E6X Steelhead Spinning Rod at FishUSA.com – HERE.
If you want to float fish for steelhead, a good 12 to 14-foot rod works best. If float fishing or Centerpin fishing is your thing, you can also check out my 5 Best Float Rods page.
2. Reels For River Fishing
The reel you choose will depend on your preferred method that you want to use, the size of the rvers you fish, and the size and species of fish.
Some anglers like to fly fish, and this means using fly reels, which you can see my recommendation at that link.
If spin fishing is your thing, you will need a good spinning reel. I use spinning reels for trout, steelhead, and salmon. For my recommendations on spinning reels check out my page 4 Best Spinning Reels For River Fishing.
Centerpin fishing for steelhead, salmon, and trout in medium to large rivers has become very popular with river anglers. I teach a lot of new Centerpin anglers every year. Centerpin fishing requires a special reel called a Centerpin reel. Check out my page on the 5 Best Centerpin Reels Of 2021.
Waders For River Fishing
I practically live in waders for over 300 days a year.
The best waders are called breathable stocking foot waders. They are lightweight and comfortable.
There are a bunch of good brands. Stick with reputable brands like SIMMS, Patagonia, Orvis, or Frogg Toggs.
See my Best Waders article.
My Top 3 Wader Recommendations
- SIMMS G3 Guide Waders are worn by many pro guides and many hardcore river anglers because they are the best and they last. You can check the price or buy them at Trident Fly Fishing.com. Another great but less expensive wader is the SIMMS Men’s Freestone Stockingfoot Chest Waders.
- For other good mid-priced waders, check out the Orvis Men’s Clearwater Stockingfoot Chest Waders at FishUSA.com
- For inexpensive waders that get good reviews check out the Redington Crosswater Waders – Check Price.
- Alternative Discount Waders – Frogg Toggs Men’s Hellbender II Stockingfoot Chest Waders at Bass Pro Shops – HERE or check the price at Amazon – HERE
If you are a female or if you need waders for the wife or girlfriend, check out the Orvis Women’s Clearwater Stockingfoot Chest Waders at Trident Fishing – HERE or check out the Simm Freestone Womens Waders, or if you want the best waders for women, then check out the Simms G3 Womens Waders.
It’s a great idea to get your kids out on the water fishing, but it’s not always easy finding waders for them.
Try these waders:
Boot foot waders or for winter fishing, these waders are the best boot foot waders that I have tried and are what a lot of other guides and anglers are using to keep their feet warm:
- Best Overall – SIMMS G3 Bootfoot Wader – Check Price.
- Best Value – Frogg Toggs Steelheader Bootfoot Waders – Best Value Boot-Foot Waders – These get good reviews and are the best breathable winter waders under $200.00. Check the price at Amazon.com.
- Economy – Cabela’s Classic Series II Neoprene Boot-Foot Waders – I tested these waders for one season and they are the best choice for anglers on a budget- You can check the price at Bass Pro Shops.
You can see all recommendations for keeping yourself as warm as possible when fishing in cold weather on my Fishing In The Winter – Stay Warm With These 10 Tips page.
Wading Boots For River Fishing,
Part of the reason that I don’t wear boot foot waders is that I believe that stocking foot waders paired with a good wading boot is much better for ankle support and traction, ans safety, and they are more comfortable.
I have been a big fan of the Korkers brand wading boots for a long time simply because they allow me to quickly change the soles on the bottom to suit my needs. I also like the SIMMS boots, and I am now wearing ORVIS wading boots.
Keep in mind the regulations for your area or areas that you might travel to since some areas are now banning the use of felt.
For slippery rocks in the river, I believe that felt provides the best grip, but in snow, the snow can pack up on the bottom of your boots which can make walking dangerous.
The rubber tread boots are good in most conditions, and if you add studs to both the felt or the rubber soled boots, it can also really improve your grip on the rocks.
The wading boots that I’ve been wearing for the last three years are the Korkers Devils Canyon Wading Boots. I am on my second pair of these boots becauuse I really like these boots.
Other great boots to consider are:
These Korkers Buckskin Wading Boots are the ones that I lend to my clients when they need boots for a guide trip. These have been good and durable boots for the last few years and are still going strong.
I just saw them on sale at Trident Fly Shop, but they usually sell for about $150.00.
If you want a boot that has serious ankle support, I tested out the Korkers Darkhorse boot, and I’ve never used a wading boot that was so solid and felt so firm.
Best Wading Jackets For River Fishing
Wading Jackets are an important part of your fishing gear because they will keep you warm and dry in wet weather and will have good storage for your fishing gear.
You want to look for a jacket that is waterproof, breathable, lightweight, and has lots of storage pockets.
A good wading jacket will also have functionality like hooks for your fishing net and other tools.
Most wading jackets will be short on the bottom so that you can wade deeper without your jacket being submerged. Your wading jacket should also blend in well with your background.
GUIDES CHOICE: I’m currently using the Simms G3 Jacket and have been in this jacket for about four years. It’s the best wading jacket I have ever owned. You can get this wading jacket at tackle and fly shops that sell river fishing.
If you are the type of angler who wants the best, then one step up from the Simm G3 is the Simms G4 PRO Wading Jacket.
BEST MID-RANGE JACKET: If the high-end Simms G3 Guide Jacket is out of your budget or beyond your needs the Simms Freestone Wading Jacket is an excellent choice.
A good alternative and one I have been testing out, is the Orvis Clearwater Wading Jacket.
Other great wading jackets are:
BEST UNDER $150.00 – If you are looking for an economy jacket under $150 dollars you should consider the Frogg Toggs jacket. I wore one for 2 years of hard guiding and I liked it.
The Frogg Toggs Pilot III Wading Jacket gets great reviews.
If you are on a tight budget and want a decent wading jacket under $100, check out the FROGG TOGGS MEN’S CASCADE SPORTSMAN’S WADING JACKET.
HONORABLE MENTION: The Orvis Pro Wading Jacket is one of the best wading jackets on the market. Many anglers in my area wear this wading jacket including friends and some local guides.
You can get this wading jacket at Orvis Clear Water Wading Jacket
GUIDE TIP: Wading jackets are not normally insulated so they can be worn in hot or cold weather. You will need to layer in the colder months and I discuss my layering system to keep me warm on my page Fishing In The Winter – Stay Warm With These 10 Tips
The Best Vests And Packs
As river anglers, we don’t carry around tackle boxes to store our gear.
Instead, river anglers and guides will pack all our small river gear in a waist, hip, or sling pack like the one you see in the picture, or we use a fishing vest.
I personally wear a hip pack like the one in the picture because I carry enough gear in my pack for ten guys and that means that my pack can be really heavy at times.
A good pack will also be waterproof or water-resistant so it keeps all your gear inside dry when it’s pouring rain out.
GUIDES CHOICE: This is a great pack that is water-resistant but not waterproof and has a mesh water bottle or thermos holder. This Simms Freestone Hip Pack is almost identical to the one that I wear now and I suspect I will be replacing my old pack with this one very soon. It’s a big pack with lots of room and has a double zipper for easier access than most packs.
GREAT CHOICE: The FISHPOND Thunderhead Submersible Pack is one of the best packs on the market.
I like this one because it is big and it is waterproof which is great for those times when you get stuck in the rain or get too deep in the water. Save all your flies and gear with waterproof packs.
BEST BY FISHPOND: The fishpond packs are very popular and this is FishPonds biggest pack. The Fishpond PRO Waterdance Guide Pack for you guys that need more storage and features, or the Fishpond Waterdance Guide pack which still holds a ton of gear and is worth the $100.00 price tag.
There are smaller versions of these packs for those anglers that don’t need a big pack. As long as you stick with these three brands you should be safe. You can check out all the packs at FishUSA.com and at Trident Fly Shops.
MORE ON PACKS:
I reviewed 21 fishing vests and break down the advantages and disadvantages of each style of fishing pack. Get Updates on new packs that have recently become available and get the lowdown on the best waterproof packs, best hip packs, best sling packs, and the best chest packs all on my page Best Fly Fishing Packs.
Fishing Vests
I started using a fishing vest over 35 years ago and to be honest, I like them better than a pack. I find that they organize and spread out your gear better than a pack.
The waist packs are much easier on your back and shoulders but I find packs sometimes harder to access and keep your gear organized.
GUIDES CHOICE – The Simms Guide Vest at $229.95 or the Simms G3 Guide Vest at $175.95 are two of the best fishing vests on the market and worn by many anglers and guides.
I like them the best because they have tons of room and pockets and they are well built.
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT AND COOLEST VEST – The Fishpond Men’s Sagebrush Pro Mesh Vest is a great vest for year-round fishing but it excels during the hot days of the summer because most of the rear of the pack is made of mesh.
You can check out all the features and prices at the link below.
If you are looking for a cheaper option, the Fishpond Flint Hills Fly Fishing Vest is very similar, but it’s under $100.00
Best Economy Vest – If you want a basic vest under $40.00, the White River Fly Shop Aventur1 Mesh Fly Fishing Vest is a good choice and is backed by good reviews. You can check it out at Bass Pro Shops – HERE
Be sure to check out our pages on the 21 Best Fishing Vests for river anglers.
Hats For River Fishing
A real river hat will protect your neck, ears, and face from too much sun exposure, but there is one more big advantage to wearing a hat on the river that most aangler do not realize.
For me, the primary reason I wear a hat is that it keeps the sun out of my eyes which allows me to read the water better and that nables me to see things that my clients without hats can’t see well.
For me as a guide and for you as an angler, this is really important and is why I always wear a hat when fishing.
Baseball caps are good for keeping the sun out of your eyes but they are not so good for covering and protecting your ears and neck from the sun.
The best hats for river fishing are the Cowboy style hats or Tilly hats as seen in the picture above. These hats cut out more sun for seeing into the water and for sun protection.
For a good fishing hat, check out this Airflo Tilly hat for river anglers which you can get at Bass Pro Shops.
Also, check out the Simms Bug-Stopper mesh hat for keeping those mosquitos off you.
Clip-on Magnifiers
I get asked about my clip-on magnifiers all the time. They make tying small tippets and small flies much easier.
If you have problems tying very small flies onto very small tippets and you do not want to always reach into a pocket to grab glasses, this is a great option.
I use the Orvis Flip Focals which you can get at Amazon HERE. I think to avoid problems it’s important to get good magnifiers.
The issue with these types of magnifiers that anglers sometimes complain about is getting clear vision out of both lenses.
Some of the cheaper magnifiers are not durable and may not work as well as other better versions. The pair that I’m wearing in the picture above are over ten years old and still work great.
I’m also not opposed to going with a very strong magnifier strength.
Polarized Glasses Are Essential
Polarized glasses cut the glare on the water and help you see the fish, the structure, the snags, holes or pockets, the river bottom, as well as things you could trip on when crossing the river, and they will also help you see your floats or flies better.
I couldn’t guide or fish as well without my fishing glasses which I why I would consider them to be an essential part of your fly fishing gear.
Not only that but they protect your eyes from the sun and from stray hooks.
I prefer glasses like the ones on my hat which are tight wrap-around style glasses that block out more light. Blocking out more light allows me to see deeper into the water to see all those fish holding spots and more. A combination of the glasses and a good hat is a must-have on the river.
I wear darker grey lenses during high bright sun and prefer the brown or amber lenses during low light times.
Higher-end glasses like the Oakley Fuel Cell Polarized Sunglasses will work better than cheaper glasses.
I highly recommend polarized glasses. I buy most of my fishing glasses from Bass Pro Shops.
Hooded Sun Shirts
A good sun shirt should have a hood, be lightweight, and be SPF50 or more. It should be thin enough that a light breeze will go through it to keep you cool and it should blend into the background.
The AFTCO Hooded Performance Long-Sleeve Shirt was designed by a pro angler for anglers. You can check out this fishing sun shirt and some others at See Details and Price HERE.
The Columbia Terminal Deflector Zero Long-Sleeve Hoodie is designed for summer fishing and has the added thumbholes to keep the tops of your hands covered. This shirt doesn’t come in green color but the blue blend into the sky and the tan color is not bad either. You can also get it at Cabelas.
BUG SHIRT – Something else to consider and also similar to the sun shirt is the Simms Men’s BugStopper Hoody that I like when the bugs are out in full force in the springtime.
Gaiters And Buffs
Face and neck protection has become popular with river anglers. Call them buffs, face guards, or gaiters, they are all basically the same.
This Fish Monkey Flare Performance Face Guard from Bass Pro Shops is a ventilated mouth gaiter. The vented mouth prevents your breath from fogging up sunglasses and just makes it more comfortable to breathe. Not an essential part of river fishing equipment but still nice to have.
Sun Gloves and Winter Gloves
I prefer sun gloves over sunblock because sunblock can make my hands slippery when holding and casting my fishing rod.
I also believe the smell of sunblock on your hands can get onto your flies or bait, and that can prevent fish from biting.
If you want to try sun gloves, consider these Buff Aqua+ Glove Fishing Gloves from Bass Pro Shops
Winter gloves are an essential part of your fishing gear in cold weather. Some winter gloves suck for fishing because they make fishing very difficult. You want to get good gloves that are designed for winter fishing.
If you want to know which gloves I use and recommend for winter fishing, check out my page called Fishing In The Winter – Stay Warm With These 10 Tips.
Be sure to check out all my recommend winter and summer fishing gloves in the article, The 19 Best Fishing Gloves That Guides Use.
Wading Staff
A good wading staff is something you should consider if you are not very stable on your feet or if crossing faster rivers is hard for you. It’s amazing how much extra support and balance and good fold-up wading staff can provide.
The best wading staffs are over $100.00 but they are lightweight, packable, and won’t break on you halfway across the river.
For the best wading staff, look at the SIMMS wading staff or the Orvis Ripcord Wading Staff at FishUSA.com.
For a less expensive wading staff under $50.00, consider the Hareline Wading Staff.
Simms Wading Staff Retractor
The Simms Wading Staff Retractor is a great way to keep your wading staff secure and ready. This retractor connects to both your wading staff strap and the sheath with three feet of extremely strong retractable braided Spectra cable. It extends up to 3 feet.
Or check out this alternative – Fits most staffs: Gear Keeper RT4 Wading Staff Tether
Simms Wading Staff Rubber Tip
The one thing I hate about most wading staff is the noise they make on the rocks and the potential to spook the fish.
The Simms Wading Staff Rubber Tip grips between rocks and crevasse and is quieter in the water than the standard aluminum tip. I recommend rubber tips to all my clients.
Wading Nets
I am a big fan of wading nets, and I think every river angler should have one. They are an essential part of your river fishing equipment.
A good wading net will be lightweight, small enough to carry on you but big enough to land big fish.
I have an entire page on the best nets for river fishing. Check out 5 Best Trout Nets And A Guides Advice On How To Attach Them
GUIDED CHOICE – The trout net I use the most when trout fishing is the Frabill 13″ x 19″ trout net which will handle trout up to 28 inches.
When I’m fishing and guiding for steelhead, I use the Frabill 17″ x 25″ Steelhead / Salmon net. You can get these nets at Bass Pro Shops for less than $40.00.
Forceps
You may not think of forceps as an essential piece of gear until you get your first 7-inch trout with a hook really deep and your big pliers won’t fit in its mouth.
Forceps are cheap and easy to use so get some, you will need them. I prefer forceps with scissors built-in like the Orvis Scissor Forceps because I can and will use them to cut tippets, leaders, and even to trim off excess material from my flies.
Nippers
Nippers simply cut your line. Some nippers are crap while others are sharper and better. Check out this $15 dollar Montana Fly Company River Steel Wide Body Tungsten Carbide Nippers or the Simms Pro Knippers.
Retractors and Zingers
Retractors or zingers are spring-type or wire cords. The purpose of them is to secure your small tools like nippers and forceps on the outside of your jacket, vest, or pack.
They are a good tool to add to your river fishing equipment.
You can get the Simms cord retractors that I like at FishUSA or check out the popular Fishpond Swivel Retractor, which is always a great choice for a retractor.
I prefer the spring version because they seem to hold up better than the wire ones.
Stream Thermometer
If you are fishing for summer trout and the water gets over 68F the trout will often stop biting.
Many guys would just keep fishing and would likely catch nothing, but if they checked the water temps and then moved to colder water they would likely catch more fish.
A stream thermometer should be a part of your fishing gear.
The stream thermometer in the picture is mine and is very accurate. You can get it at Bass Pro Shop HERE.
If you want a higher-end stream thermometer, check out the Orvis Stream Thermometer.
Tippet Holder
As the name implies, the tippet holder simply holds and organizes your tippets better than just putting them all in your pocket. The tippet holder goes on the outside of your vest o pack which makes grabbing your next piece of tippet easy. This is a nice little tool to add to your gear.
The Rio Headgate Tippet Holder is a good choice.
Baits, Lures, Hooks, Weights, Swivels, Floats
You need terminal tackle and baits. The terminal tackle is the small stuff that goes on your line like the weights, swivels, snaps, hooks, floats, and indicators.
Weights – With all bait fishing methods and with some fly fishing, you are going to need some weights on the line to get your bait or your fly down to the fish. I use and recommend a weight called a split shot for most methods, but not all weights are good for river fishing, and I discuss the best weights and why at best weights for river fishing.
HOOKS FOR RIVER FISHING – The right hook can make or break your day of fishing. Many anglers use the wrong hooks and then wonder why they can’t catch and fish. For my favorite hooks, when I use them, and which hooks work best with different baits click the link.
FLOATS FOR RIVER FISHING – Bobbers are also known as floats, but they are not necessarily the same. In river fishing, the correct term is actually a float.
There are bobbers made for lakes and then there are floats made for river fishing. Lake bobbers generally do not work well in river fishing but river floats are good for lakes and rivers.
River floats, can and will help you catch more trout if you use them properly. If you want to learn how to catch more trout with floats, and which floats are the best, click the link.
Swivels For River Fishing
I like the Raven Micro Swivels for trout and steelhead fishing. You can get them at FishUSA.com -HERE
I discuss how to set up your leaders for float fishing on my page Leaders For Steelhead and Trout.
Gear For Fly Fishing
If you are a fly fishing angler and you want to know all the gear I recommend for fly fishing I have a page just for you. I discuss the best rods, reels, lines, the best leaders and tippets, and all the essential tools and fly boxes. Click the link to check it out.
Keeping Up To Date On Gear
Every year I will be testing and reviewing the latest and greatest fishing ger so check back and see what is new. You can also follow us on Social media, see the links for that below.
If I missed something or you have a question or even some advice about the gear I recommend for river fishing, let me and other readers know in the comment section below.
Tight Lines
Graham
Hi Graham I have a 13ft medium moderate 8-17lb Luhr Jensen Legacy float rod but I find it to heavy when using smaller 4-7 gram floats for steelhead. I find I don’t have control when casting or managing the line. I was thinking about getting a 13ft raven im8 but someone said that I should go with an even lighter rod for steelhead. I normally fish the Nottawasaga and some other mid sized rivers. I know you guide with the IM8 but I just wanted to see what you would recommend for a strictly steelhead rod around $300 or less.
Thanks, Alex
Hey Alex, 8 to 17lb is a beefy rod and would be good for big water like the Niagara river but for the Nottawasaga River look into the 13 foot 2 piece Raven IM8 from http://www.fisheadsCanada.net . Tell him Graham sent you.
That rod is great for most Ontario and great lake tributaries.
What do you recommend to keep/preserve fish that you’re gonna eat?
Hi Zack,
I cut mine into meal serving sizes and either just freeze them plain in ziplock bags. I use this method for short periods. or, I use a bribe solution method for longer periods and I put them in the freezer in ziplock bags.
I’d look that up until I have the time to do an article on how to preserve fish.
Graham
Hi Graham what do you think about oakley prizm shallow water glasses and which glasses do you think are the best for river fishing?
Hey George,
Unfortunately I don’t have personal experience with those glasses on the river, however I checked with a buddy and he likes them for low water trout and steelhead rivers. I do know that copper based lenses and green mirror lenses are great for sight fishing and that is basically what the Oakley prism glasses are.
If you do end up getting a pair, let me know what you think.
Graham
Hey Graham thanks will let you know
Hi there Graham,
Just starting out with Steelhead fishing up here in MI. HAd some questions and was hoping you could just e-mail me directly please. Mainly re. wader bags and storage and also logistic questions as well.
Thanks,
Dave
Hey Dave,
I don’t use wader bags and I don’t really recommend them for general fishing but they might be good if you are traveling by plane..
I discuss storage and cleaning of waders on my page Best Waders For Steelhead.
It’s best for me and other readers to keep all questions here, please.
Thx
Graham