For more than 25 years I've been fishing in rivers from coast to coast and in that time I've learned some tips that will make anyone a better and more effective angler. This article contains some of the best fishing tips that I've learned for rivers. These tips came from a combination of factors.

Some of these fishing tips were taught to me by my fishing mentor and some have been learned through my own experiences. The point is that these tips will help anyone catch more fish, especially in small rivers where wading is necessary. There is no question that fishing in this manner (wading in small rivers and/or streams) has always been my personal favorite form of fishing. There is something about standing in a flowing river that speaks to my soul. For some reason river fishing while wading has always just felt right to me.

In any case, shall we get down to the tips so that you can add them to your river fishing repertoire? Sounds good.

1. Learn To Read The Water - Reading the river that you're fishing is integral to your success. You need to know where certain species if fish like to spend time in and when. Knowing the difference between a run and a riffle is integral to river fishing success. Unfortunately there isn't enough room to explain "reading the water" here, so a little research will be necessary. As a generals rule runs and pools hold the most fish, but there are area within theses areas that are more productive than other. Learn to read the water and you will be a much more successful river angler.
2. Have A "Go To" Technique - This rule is true with all types of fishing and is a great fishing tip for rivers. Although you should have two or three techniques available (such as throwing a small spinner, plug, or fly below an invisible bubble) you should also have a "go to" technique that you are very familiar with. My "go to" technique has always been drift fishing a live worm. When it comes to fishing in rivers, especially small rivers while wading, make sure that you are proficient with at least one "go to" technique.
3. Have An Efficient Way To Carry Bait - When wading in a river, most anglers don't have an efficient and effective way to carry their bait. This wastes a ton of time baiting up, re-baiting, and trying to remember where you bait is. This is where a bait bag comes into play. A bait bag is a small bag that hands from your fishing vest or shirt and holds your bait while you fish. This way your bait is always at your fingertips for baiting up and re-baiting, and you know right where your bait is at all times. This saves a ton of valuable fishing time. The bait bag works great for carrying live worms while river fishing.

These simple fishing tips for rivers will hake you a much more efficient and effective river angler. As I said add one or all of these tips to your river fishing repertoire and find out for yourself how effective they are.