Catching burbot in October on a donka from the shore

Who is burbot

Burbot is not known to every fisherman; many, due to inexperience and ignorance, often confuse it with catfish, but these are completely different representatives of the ichthyofauna of our reservoirs. Catching burbot in summer is a waste of time; its season begins as soon as the water cools down.

Distinctive features of burbot behavior are:

low activity in spring and summer, when air and water temperatures are high;
after the temperature drops, the burbot will not immediately go out to feed; it will wait for inclement weather with wind and rain;
The fish has a specific route for searching for food, and it never deviates from it.

It is worth understanding that the cod representative is a predator; its capture from the shore is carried out using bait of animal origin. Plant baits are not to his taste.

The habitats of burbot are in the north; the further north the body of water, the larger the specimen you can catch.

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Burbot can grow to large sizes, but nowadays catching an individual weighing 2-3 kg is already happiness. Wikipedia officially describes an 18-kilogram burbot, about 1.2 m long. However, in the Urals, according to fishermen, a trophy weighing 34 kg was caught.

general information

Burbot is considered the most interesting and little-studied freshwater fish, which differs significantly from other representatives of the fauna in its behavior. During the summer heat, the predator is practically motionless, but as soon as the water and air temperatures drop, it becomes very hungry and active. And the lower the thermometer readings, the higher the chances of getting a trophy fish from the depths. During the daytime, the fish settles in holes near snags and stones, and when night comes, it swims out and hunts.

The burbot's nutritious diet includes crustaceans, worms, and even small fish. Unlike other inhabitants of the depths, such a predator continues to bite well even with a sudden change in weather, pressure surges or prolonged precipitation. Any weather deterioration does not spoil the burbot’s mood in any way, so there is a strange fact in its behavior: the worse the weather, the better the bite.

Read: How to catch burbot in summer

Fishing methods

Catching burbot on the Volga will differ from catching it in smaller bodies of water. However, for any body of water you need high-quality equipment.

There are several methods for catching burbot in the fall on a large or medium-sized river, each of which involves the use of animal bait. Most often, representatives of cod fish:

on the donk;
to the feeder

You can try a spinning rod or float tackle, but given the active nocturnal activity and some features of swallowing bait, it will be difficult to catch using these methods.

Donka can be collected with or without a rod. An excellent version of the throw came to us from our grandfathers; all the tackle was collected on a round reel, which is called a self-reel. It is installed on the shore after casting and secured with a stick. The hook stays in this state all night; in the morning the fisherman checks what he hooked.

Collecting gear for catching burbot in the fall

The best method for catching cod in fresh water is feeder or bottom gear. They will be formed approximately the same, and the gear will allow for more active burbot fishing on the Irtysh and other rivers.

Tackle for catching burbot almost always has the following composition:

a sinker is attached to the end of the base;
A leash with a hook is tied about a meter before the load.

This is how blind equipment is assembled, but experienced fishermen recommend making equipment with a sliding weight. To do this, the base of the tackle is threaded through the sinker, and a stopper is placed before and after it. Next, they knit a leash with a hook; this method will help to detect well not only burbot, but also other representatives of the animal world of the selected reservoir.

Burbot. Catching burbot in the fall. How to catch burbot. Fishing for burbot. | All about fishing

Late autumn, off-season. For true fishing enthusiasts, this is the most terrible time. Summer methods no longer work, there is no ice yet - fishing has stopped. Even spinning anglers are not going through the best of times, but there is one fish that helps out a true fishing fan, saving him from the tedium of sitting at home - this is burbot.

Rod

It is more reliable and more common for everyone to catch burbot in the fall on a donk using a rod. Most often, carp baits or feeder forms are used for bottom fishing. Choose a strong rod; this will be necessary when fishing for a trophy after notching.

The most suitable length is 2.4-2.7 m; it is not recommended to use longer forms; casting the tackle will be problematic.

Coil

It is advisable not to save money and equip the form with a non-inertia version with a baitrunner. This type of reel will allow you to easily remove not only burbot, but also large catfish, while preserving your tackle.

fishing line

Fishing for burbot in late autumn is carried out using coarse tackle; this is not a hindrance for him. Thick versions of monks are used as a base; 0.4-0.6 mm is ideal. If the choice fell on the cord, then its optimal thickness is 0.3-0.34; there is no need to install a rope.

It is recommended to use thinner options as a leash; a monk is enough to be about 3 mm thick, and the cord is 0.20 mm thick.

When choosing a cord as the basis for collecting any fishing tackle, pay attention to its shape. It is better to give preference to round options; they will not produce loops when casting, and if one does form, it will be easier to untangle.

Sinkers

It is worth understanding that catching burbot on the Volga will require one weight of sinkers, and catching burbot on the Kama will require a completely different weight. It is based on the selected reservoir and the depths at which fishing is planned that the load is selected. The following are general recommendations:

for blind equipment, choose a load with a swivel, but for sliding equipment this is not suitable;
The weight of the sinker should not be less than 40 g, but the maximum weight is set by the rod used.

An important criterion is that the load lies perfectly on the bottom and is not carried away by the current. On rivers, sliding versions of a flat shape are used more often, sometimes with lugs.

Hooks

Catching burbot on a donk mostly involves the use of large single hooks. Do not be afraid of large sizes; even a small fish has a large mouth, which allows it to swallow large baits along with the appropriate hook.

Fishing in the fall on a feeder is carried out with hooks of numbers 8-12 according to the domestic classification.

Doubles are also used, but their use is not always justified.

Accessories

An important point in assembling the tackle will be the use of high-quality small parts to connect all parts of the tackle. Swivels, clasps, and winding rings are chosen only of excellent quality and from a trusted manufacturer. You shouldn’t skimp on these little things; sometimes it’s a high-quality swivel that will allow you to catch a large specimen of burbot or catfish while fishing.

When choosing accessories, you should not dwell on small options; burbot is not afraid of rough tackle; when hungry, it grabs everything in its path without fear.

Burbot fishing tactics

So, in order to successfully catch burbot, you must first detect it in a reservoir, find its paths along which it regularly goes in search of food. Burbot moves around quite a lot during the night, so finding its routes won’t be too difficult, although it may take several fishing trips.

In order for the search for burbot to be as effective as possible, it is advisable to use several donks, at least three, and preferably at least five. Then you can immediately explore a large area of water and increase the chances of a bite.

Donks are thrown at a distance of at least 15-20 meters from each other and always at different distances from the shore - some closer, some further. If there were bites, it means there are burbot trails here and fishing in this place will bring results next time and in general, this place will remain promising for next fall.

If there were no bites from the burbot, it means either he doesn’t come out here in search of food, or he didn’t like something else - your bait, the chosen fishing time, or the weather was too warm. In this case, next time it is better to look for burbot in another promising place, and mark this as unsuitable for catching it.

The burbot bite is very interesting. The fish picks up your bait and begins to slowly absorb it, without moving from its place, which causes the bite alarm to not work. Only after swallowing the bait well does the burbot begin to move to the side, while its bite looks quite powerful.

Due to such a bite, the fisherman regularly encounters the fact that the hook ends up in the burbot’s stomach and it is impossible to remove it directly while fishing. Therefore, most often, catching burbot ends with the angler having to cut the leash and then tie a new hook.

Burbot is an excellent trophy and catching it in October on a donk is a very good time to start the opening of the autumn burbot fishing season. Further, as winter approaches, the burbot bite will only improve. Well, since you are now armed with the knowledge that the site rybkolov.ru gave you, you can easily cope with catching it and will definitely achieve success in this matter. And as a token of gratitude to the site, you can leave your comments. No tail, no scales.

Lures

Burbot on the Yenisei and other rivers perfectly accept bait of animal origin; plant options will leave it indifferent. To ensure that the trophy specimen does not pass by, it is advisable to take several types of bait with you, this way you will definitely be able to interest the cod brother.

The best bait for burbot in October, according to experienced fishermen, is:

live bait;
piece of fish;
leeches;
frogs;
crawls;
dung worms;
insect larvae;
small crustaceans;
chicken liver.

Burbot is excellent for catching on shrimp, and gudgeon is considered a delicacy for it. In most cases, several donks with different baits are placed, and the fish’s preferences are determined by the bites.

Fishing with live bait

This method will be successful in catching burbot on the Volga, but small bodies of water are also not far behind. Live bait is a universal type of bait for burbot; it works always and everywhere if the freshwater cod brother lives in the reservoir.

It is best to use fish caught in the same body of water as bait; burbot will not pass by:

minnows;
ruffs;
perches.

These three options work exclusively, but sometimes burbot may prefer only one species, and this depends on the reservoir itself.

Fishing for burbot using the liver

This type of bait also perfectly attracts the cod brother; an important indicator will be the freshness of the product used. If it has a slight odor, then burbot can avoid it, but catfish will covet it.

The ideal option would be to fish with chicken liver; he definitely won’t miss this delicacy.

The liver must be prepared for fishing; it is placed in a bag and the whole piece is taken with you on a fishing trip. Cut into strips immediately before baiting the hook.

Fishing with a worm

It’s good to catch a worm in the autumn, and crawling is preferable to its dung counterpart. For fishing, not one, but several worms are used at once. No more than two crawlers are planted to catch an average-sized burbot, and a bunch of dung can contain five.

It is precisely the bunching of bait on the hook that will allow you to drive away small things from the hook, which will also want to feast on the offered delicacies. Burbot will be able to swallow such a delicacy without problems, so you can safely put several worms on the hook at once.

Nozzles used

The taste preferences of burbot are very diverse and can vary depending on the water temperature and the characteristics of a particular reservoir. To catch this predator, anglers usually use the following baits:

dung worms;
crawls;
crushed ruffs;
chicken liver;
pieces of capelin;
lamprey meat;
fresh shrimp.

The dung worm is usually used in stagnant reservoirs, which is due to the softness of this attachment. When fishing in the current, the worm quickly flies off the hook. In addition, the ruffs that live next to the burbot are very fond of this bait. If there is a lot of ruffe in the reservoir, then you will have to give up fishing with a worm, since these voracious fish will tear the bait off the hook immediately after casting. It is advisable to use this delicate bait when burbot is passive and does not want to pay attention to other types of bait. 5-7 worms are placed on the hook, piercing them through in the middle part.

The crawler has a denser skin and holds the hook well, so it can be used both for fishing on the river and for fishing in still water conditions. Ruffs and other small fish are not able to rip the crawler off the hook, which is the main advantage of this bait. For crawling fishing, a fairly large hook No. 4–2 is used, which has additional barbs on the shank that prevent the bait from slipping during the fishing process.

The crushed ruff is the favorite bait of burbot, with which it can be successfully caught throughout the autumn season. A crushed fish emits a smell that attracts predators and can attract burbot to the fishing site from a distance of several tens of meters. The odorous properties of the bait are especially important when fishing on a river, where the current promotes the rapid spread of the smell. When fishing with a ruff, use classic hooks with a round bend No. 2–1.

In October, burbot sometimes grabs silicone baits and becomes prey for a spinning angler

Chicken liver is also one of the traditional baits when fishing for bottom predators. This bait also emits a strong aroma that attracts fish from afar to the fishing spot. The only disadvantages of chicken liver include its soft consistency, which makes it impossible to use this attachment in the current.

On a note! Anglers who practice burbot fishing have long noted the high catchability of such bait as pieces of capelin.

This is explained by the specific smell that is inherent in this type of fish. In addition, capelin pieces stick well to the hook, which makes this bait quite versatile. The capelin is placed on the hook in such a way that the hook tip remains open.

Lamprey meat is used for burbot fishing quite rarely, which is due to the inaccessibility of this bait. However, if the angler managed to get a lamprey, then his chances of success increase significantly. This fish contains a large amount of blood, which attracts the predator to the fishing point and awakens its appetite. A small piece of lamprey measuring 3–5 cm is placed on the hook.

Fresh shrimp is one of the best baits for fishing for burbot on the current. The shrimp holds well on the hook and is not at all susceptible to attacks by the ruff. Burbot really likes the specific smell of shrimp, so it is consistently caught with it not only in the autumn, but also in early spring.

Since burbot hunts mainly at night and cannot rely on visual organs, the smell of the bait is of great importance when catching it. In order for the bait to better attract a nocturnal predator, it should be treated with special attractants, which can be purchased at a fishing store. Such odorous substances are designed specifically to attract burbot and usually have the smell of fish or crustaceans. If the fisherman does not have the opportunity to purchase specialized flavors, then he can treat the bait with fish oil, which will also have a positive effect on the fishing result.

The whisker located on the lower jaw allows the predator to easily find food items in the dark.

Important! If you treat the bait itself with an attractant, the odorous substance will quickly be washed off with water and the bait will lose its attractive properties. It is better to impregnate a small woolen rope with flavoring, which is tied in the area where the hook and line connect.

A woolen rope impregnated with an attractant retains the aroma that is attractive to predators well and significantly reduces the consumption of the odorous substance.

Lure

To enhance the bite, burbot bait is used in the fall. You won’t be able to find this type of food in the store; they usually prepare it themselves. For this, boiled peas, sunflower cake, and breadcrumbs are used as a base.

So that he does not get scared, chopped bait elements are added to the prepared bait. It is worth thinking in advance about what the fish will be used for; if it is the liver, then pieces of it should be present in the food.

Flavorings and attractants cannot be added.

When to fish on a feeder in the fall?

Experienced fishermen know that burbot is a nocturnal predator, which is why it is better to catch it in the dark. In daylight it is almost impossible to catch him; during this period he hides at the bottom of deep holes or in snags and does not react at all to the offered bait.

Fishermen arrive at the reservoir in advance to find the most promising places without flashlights. In daylight, you can also mark landmarks for repeated casts.

Autumn burbot prefers inclement weather, so in the rain and wind you will definitely not be left without a catch, if, of course, you dare to get out into the reservoir. You can fish in complete calm, with relatively high thermometer readings, but you shouldn’t hope to catch burbot. This is precisely the main explanation for why there are so few hunters for the freshwater cod species.

Often, to lure them, they light a fire on the shore and make a lot of noise.

Fishing technique

You also need to be able to catch burbot in the fall with a bait; one rod or one donka will not be the key to successful fishing. To accurately find the burbot trail, one fisherman sets up at least 3 rods on the shore.

The ideal option would be 5 casts, with the bait being cast at different distances relative to the shore. This will allow you to fish a large area at once and find out where the fish pass in search of food.

If there was not a single bite during the night, then most likely the place for catching was not entirely successful. Next time you should be more careful when choosing a fishing location.

It is difficult to determine the bite of a burbot; it simply swallows the bait offered to it, detects it and waits for fishing. This is where the difficulties begin, if the fisherman feels that there is a catch on the hook, he must be taken out of the water quickly and sharply. Otherwise, he will curl up and grab the bottom with his body, which will significantly complicate the task.

Donka fishing in October is exciting; the main thing is to choose the right bait, assemble strong gear and take a responsible approach to choosing a fishing spot.

Burbot fishing in October: tricks from those in the know

The first autumn colds activate the burbot bite.
Good fishing happens in October if the tackle is selected correctly, a feeding area for fish is found and an attractive bait is offered. One of the most unique freshwater fish in Russian waters is burbot. This representative of the cod order is often confused with catfish. However, apart from external similarity and a predatory lifestyle, these two species have no other degrees of relationship. For example, catfish is a typical representative of heat-loving fish, and burbot prefers cold water. Therefore, after a successful summer season, fishing fans can prepare for a good burbot bite in the fall. In October, the fish begin to feed heavily in order to prepare for the mating season, which runs from December to February. For a successful hunt, it is important to know some secrets of autumn burbot fishing.

It also stands out for its gastronomic qualities. Many delicious dishes can be prepared from fish liver; fish soup is very tasty; the meat is used as a filling for delicious pies.