Amphipod spoons for winter fishing - equipment and fishing techniques

Winter spinners have heard about amphipod spinners for winter fishing. Few people used these baits. An even smaller part is constantly used for fishing. Such baits are not common, but they really catch (under certain conditions). You just need to catch it correctly. There are a number of features and nuances, subject to which these spoons work effectively against winter predators.

Spoon amphipod

The amphipod bait is a logical continuation of the development of the winter bait Kiev Helicopter. The Dnieper helicopter is a heavy bait, a kind of hybrid of a jig, a winter spinner and a balancer for catching predators in the current and depth (mainly, of course, pike perch). The game of the Kyiv helicopter is not very rich - simple twitching, tapping on the bottom. But this tackle has successfully proven itself in winter fishing for passive predators. The winter amphipod spoon is an improved version of this bait. The main feature is a shift in the center of gravity and suspension angle. The shape of the spoon is flatter, convex on one side. This change in design made it possible to give the spoon that unique game for which it is famous.

Homemade Kyiv helicopter

Modern Kyiv helicopter

Transverse spinner

Kyiv wasp

Amphipod wasp

What is amphipod for fishing

This is a heavy spinner for vertical fishing of a special configuration with an oblique suspension to the main fishing line with a sliding fastening. When properly rigged and played, no other winter trolling lure gives this type of play:

• Specific movements in the horizontal plane;
• Circulation around the anchor axis (main line) during jig fishing;
• And most importantly - circular movements when swinging. This movement repeats the attempts of the fry to hide from the teeth of the predator and drives the pike perch crazy, forcing the fanged one to make a grab.
• This game is determined by the shape of the bait, the location of the through hole through which the bait is mounted to the fishing line.

The correct amphipod performs these three elements of wiring to varying degrees. This is the main condition for catchability. Let's highlight what a fisherman needs to do to get effective gear:

1. Find, make or buy the bait itself. The quality of the game will be determined experimentally.
2. Make winter equipment correctly.
3. Installation of the gear must be done at home, with a container of water (barrel). Only in practice, by changing the methods of binding, is it revealed whether the bait works well or not (more on this later).

What is amphipod and how to work with it

Amphipod is a kind of ordinary spoon bait, it is quite often used for vertical fishing. It is during the winter season that it is in great demand for fishing from the bottom. Amphipods can be compared to balancers only externally, but in game they will be very different.

Some features of amphipods:

1. It has an elongated body and a through hole across the side;
2. The center of gravity is slightly shifted due to the peculiar geometric features of the bait;
3. The body of the amphipod is slightly concave on one side, and convex on the other;
4. A tee or one hook is tightly attached to the part of the tail. It was approximately parallel to the bait.

The amphipod got its name due to certain features of the external appearance of the bait and the corresponding game. Many people like to compare it with the amphipod crustacean, but we must admit that they have absolutely nothing in common. The crustacean is only natural tackle for perch or any other fish.

Working baits

The main headache is the poor distribution of baits in stores. Practice proves that the “cunning ability” of a purchase applicant cannot be determined in advance. This is done only during operation and practice on the reservoir. Thus, initially several different spinners are taken - half are then eliminated. But those who turn out to be workers will do more than one fishing trip. The best catching spoons are handmade by home-made craftsmen. If a fisherman finds such a working homemade amphipod for winter fishing, he has caught his luck by the tail. You can plunge into the manufacturing processes yourself - it’s serious, long and interesting; for such a task, your hands should grow from your shoulders.

At first glance, all such baits are similar. But in reality they are very different. At a minimum, there are several aspects by which they are classified:

• Symmetrical and asymmetrical;
• Heavy and light;
• Relatively flat and relatively voluminous;
• Various in shape - wasp (straight and curved), sprat, bullet, diamond, tooth, etc.

Some lures show aggressive movements underwater, while others work smoothly. The amplitude of these oscillations also differs. Amphipods are a whole world of baits and baits, among which effective options are developed in the course of practice on a pond. But if such a thing is found, the lure turns into mowing the fish out of the hole. The performance of the bait also depends on the method and side of the suspension, and there may be several of them (more on this later). Therefore, they can be used in different ways.

How to make amphipod with your own hands

Some zander fishermen try to make amphipod spoons with their own hands. Craftsmanship combined with fishing experience creates such effective lures that you will never find in a store. Some craftsmen sell such baits via the Internet, Google can help. If you have the skills to work with metal and solder, you can try to do it yourself. Making amphipods with your own hands for winter fishing is a creative and interesting process in itself, especially when the piece of iron you made yourself on a pond begins to effectively catch fish.

DIY amphipod for pike perch

Many anglers spend a significant amount of personal time making baits for fishing, both in winter and summer. Why not? After all, it’s interesting, and fishing is much cheaper.

First manufacturing option

This method is considered one of the simplest and most affordable, both in terms of time and materials.

To make an amphipod you will need:

• A piece of polystyrene foam or foam rubber.
• Lead or tungsten pellet with a diameter of about 4 mm.
• Hooks from No. 1 to No. 5.

Manufacturing technology:

1. First of all, a blank is cut out of polystyrene foam or foam rubber, 2-3 mm thick and having a longitudinal shape.
2. The workpiece is placed on a hook along its entire length.
3. After a few millimeters, the thread is stretched and cut, leaving a tip about 5 mm long. These will be the legs of the crustacean.

So, the jig is ready and you can go to the pond to catch fish.

How to make amphipod wasp - winter bait for pike perch with your own hands

Second manufacturing option

Some materials and tools will be required. For example:

• Lead.
• A piece of wood.
• Polystyrene foam or other suitable material.
• Scissors.
• Ruler.
• Adhesive tape (scotch tape).
• Alabaster.
• Knife.
• Tee.
• Hooks.
• Zelenka.
• Dye.
• Paint brush and other components.

Step-by-step production.

1. At the initial stage, they are engaged in making a bait model. 1.1. A material such as polystyrene foam is suitable for this. This is where the blank is cut from. The better the workpiece is prepared, the better the finished product. 1.2. Take a piece of wooden block and cover it with tape on all sides. It will serve as a kind of formwork for further operation. In this case, you need to check that the height of the formwork is at least 20 mm.
2. A solution of alabaster is prepared and poured into this form.
3. It should be remembered that alabaster hardens quickly, therefore, as soon as the solution is leveled, the workpiece is half immersed in it. To make it easier to remove the workpiece, it is lubricated with a soapy mixture. The form will harden in 15-20 minutes, after which work continues in the same way.
4. Taking a knife in your hands, you should create 2 recesses that will serve as a kind of guides for the second half of the part.
5. The entire surface of the mold, along with the workpiece, is treated with a soap solution.
6. Again, formwork is made using tape, as in the first case, after which it is filled with alabaster solution.
7. When the alabaster hardens, the two parts of the mold are separated and the workpiece is pulled out. Using a knife, make holes for filling: there should be two of them. Air should escape through one of the holes when lead is poured into the other hole. After this, the pouring form is left to dry: it should dry well. This process should not be forced, as the shape will lose its strength. In about a day, you can begin further operations.
8. Alabaster has a low thermal conductivity coefficient, so the castings are of high quality. If the mold does not dry well, the lead may seem to shoot out of the mold. In this regard, it is better not to rush and let it dry as it should.
9. To make the body of the amphipod two-colored, one of the halves of the form can be painted green, for example, with brilliant green. Such models are considered more attractive to fish.
10. The next stage is determining the center of gravity. The bait should be in the water column with its nose slightly raised, and one of the ribs should be higher than the other. With this calculation, a hole for fastening is drilled.
11. Finally, the bait is given an aesthetic appearance by painting. 11.1. Before painting, the part is carefully processed, if there are burrs or any manufacturing costs, and only after that the surface of the bait is primed. 11.2. After the primer has dried, they begin the final stage - painting. There are a lot of painting options, but you should take into account the fact that pike perch has its own color preferences. Quite often the body of the bait is painted a bright lemon color.
12. There remains one more, no less important operation - the formation of the tail and fastening of the tee. At this point we can assume that the bait is ready for use.

Amphipod Manufacturing

How to knit amphipods?

It is worth focusing on two options for attaching the amphipod. Here they are:

1. Fastening from the tackle side, when a monofilament line is threaded into the hole where there is a wide plane, and then a tee is attached.
2. Fastening, when a corkscrew is installed on a monofilament line, a tee is attached and another corkscrew is installed. The end of the fishing line is wound through the body of the bait and attached to the tee, just like on a jig.

How to properly equip an amphipod

So, the winter amphipod spoon is in the hands of the fisherman. The first item on the list has been completed. Let's now consider how to properly attach the amphipod to the fishing line. The main condition for performance is the correct game. Therefore, before proceeding with the equipment, we prepare a test site by filling a barrel or bathtub with water. The correct hang is at an angle of the plane of the spoon, with the nose slightly raised.

The equipment itself looks simple - a piece of durable fluorocarbon 0.3-0.4 mm, 20 centimeters long, passed through the through hole of the spoon. Fluorocarbon is used to avoid damage or chafing of the fishing line on the metal of the bait. A swivel is tied at one end. This is necessary, since a normal amphipod rotates when playing. At the other end there is a tee or a winding ring, possibly with a rubber stopper, so that a falling spoon during play does not injure the unit. The game depends on which side the spoon is mounted on, where the tee is located (sliding on top of the bait or blind at the bottom), and whether there will be one at all. Metal leashes are not used, as they significantly impair the game.

Installation

Installation is carried out in two versions. Unlike the Kyiv helicopter, where there is only one way of tying, this bait with a shifted center of gravity is tied with the convex side up or down. Installation of the amphipod to the fishing line in the first option is the main one. In this form, wiring gives the most aggressive amplitude action, the bait makes a circle when swung, rotates when shaken. This type of tying works better on active fish. On the Internet, this installation method is often called the “correct” one. The secret is that the binding, on the contrary, can work on passive fish. The game in this case is also interesting, but it is less amplitude, which may appeal to an inactive predator.

Variations of the game depend on the method of equipping the tee:

1. The tee is tied at the end of the leash, and the amphipod slides freely along it.
2. At the end of the fishing line there is a locking ring, and a tee is located on top between the spinner and the swivel. The catch-up sliding tee is equipped with red hairs. After tossing and releasing the fishing rod, the heavy spoon goes down first, and then the tee falls on it, creating the illusion of a small creature being attacked by a larger object. This turns on the fish's food competition reflex. It is noted that up to 70% of bites occur at this moment.
3. Without a tee (just on the winding ring), the spoon works more aggressively, with amplitude, but the number of bites is reduced. This method is good for catching aggressive fish on the first or last ice, during peak activity.

Equipment options are first tested at home, and then on a pond. Thus, even with one spinner, using different mounting methods, we get completely different game options.

Amphipods for winter fishing: fishing features, installation of amphipods

Winter fishing is a separate art form, and success in it depends on many factors - the experience of the fisherman, gear, choice of place, bait. There are many winter baits on the market today, and one of the most interesting is amphipod. Many people associate this name with a small freshwater crustacean often used as bait, but ice fishing amphipods have nothing in common with it. Outwardly, it looks like a small fish, and got its name due to its behavior in water - it rolls from side to side, thus attracting predators. You can fish for amphipods both in winter from ice and in summer from a boat.

Amphipod Dancer No. 7052 color 87 Helios 200 for 1 piece. Amphipod Dancer No. 7052 color 91 Helios 200 for 1 piece. Amphipod Dancer No. 7052 color 96 Helios 200 for 1 piece. Amphipod “Classic - 15 g” (color 07 silver, gold black) ProfiLux 182 for 1 piece. Amphipod Dancer No. 7052 color 81 Helios 200 for 1 piece. Amphipod No. 11 Premier Fishing 139 for 1 piece. Amphipod “Classic - 10 g” (color 07 silver, gold black) ProfiLux 182 for 1 piece. Amphipod OSSA 15H Lucky John 264 for 1 piece. Amphipod OSSA 13H Lucky John 264 for 1 piece. Amphipod Osa, color 07 Surf 200 for 1 piece.

Choose a catchable amphipod

What is amphipod?

For fishing to be successful, you need to understand the operating principle of the chosen bait. Amphipod is a successful alternative to other lures, capable of stirring up even passive fish that ignore other types of proposed baits.

The main advantage of this horizontal spinner is its unique action, which can be changed by wisely using different fishing methods. This way you can fish a large area with just one type of bait. Among the shortcomings, some fishermen note the absence of a lower tee, but this can always be corrected with your own hands. To make the bait attractive, the tail part is decorated with a woolen tassel.

Amphipods are made from the same alloys as other winter lures - lead, tin, copper. Weighty baits are used at great depths and strong currents; in calm waters it is more advisable to use lighter models. Although amphipods are distinguished by weight, size and color, there is no clear classification of this bait. These products are cast, soldered, and can be equipped with a single or triple hook.

Amphipods were originally used for catching pike perch, but other predators, such as pike and perch, also bite well on them. If we compare the amphipod with the balancer, then the amphipod has an advantage for catching nimble fish.

Amphipod equipment

There are no tricks in equipping amphipods; we collect standard winter gear:

• It is better to choose a rod with a length of no more than 60 centimeters, while the whip can be hard or soft. If the handle of the fishing rod is straight, then select a whip with a hard tip, and if you are more accustomed to a shaped handle, which makes it possible to make a hook with the movement of the hand, then a soft whip will be appropriate here.

Winter fishing rod. HFTC-3 with carbon whip reel (HFTC-3C-R) Helios for 1 pc. Winter fishing rod Ice Battle 45 carbon (N-IB45) Nisus 910 for 1 pc. Rod PERCH Soft 51cm Salmo 1,993 for 1 piece. Winter fishing rod Ice Sensor EVA 55 Hard (N-ISE55H) Nisus 1,240 for 1 piece. Winter fishing rod Tele-Pro 65 (N-TP65-3) Nisus 945 for 1 pc. Winter rod PAN/SEAT yellow 24 GRIP Cara NOBLE 1,151 for 1 piece. Winter rods in the catalog

• Winter inertial reel. Choose a model that is comfortable for you, it should be lightweight and durable.

Reel NORD 42mm (N-D500-40) Nisus Nisus 625 for 1 pc.
Reel NORD PRO 62mm (N-PRO-D500-60) Nisus Nisus 775 for 1 pc. Reel NORD 52mm (N-D500-50) Nisus Nisus 655 for 1 pc. Reel Black Betty FreeFall 2.5:1 Gear Ratio -Trigger System w/ NEW Line Window - Left H 13 Fishing 11,350 for 1 piece. Winter reel Arctic Char 60 mm PRO Stinger 815 for 1 pc. Reel Nelma-Z-3 (right-handed) Colored body Nelma 2,770 for 1 pc. Inertial reel KP-64 Luxe (right-hand side) Black body Nelma 2,750 for 1 piece. Winter reels in stock

• Fishing line. A high-quality monofilament is perfect for fishing with amphipods. Its thickness for fishing a predator must be at least 0.25 mm so that the prey does not break the fishing line.
• A leash is used only when there is a high probability of catching pike or pike perch in the reservoir where you are going to fish. Without a leash, this predator breaks the line and leaves along with the bait. The leash can be made of tungsten or fluorocarbon, no more than 25 centimeters long.

How to tie an amphipod

There are several ways to install amphipods.

Classical

The bait lies with the convex side up, a fishing line is threaded through the hole in the middle, then we fold the fishing line in half to make a figure eight, form a loop, rewind its base four times and tighten it. We thread the resulting loop into the ring of the additional tee, after which we throw it over the amphipod’s tail and tighten it again. The bait is ready.

Installation of amphipod with beads

We pass the fishing line through the hole in the amphipod, as in the method described above, after which we thread it through the bead and form a loop, pass the fishing line through the ring on the tee, put a loop on it and tighten it. As you can see, both methods are quite simple, you can choose either one, and both are suitable for winter fishing. Equipping an amphipod with a tee is not necessary; each fisherman decides for himself.

How to fish with amphipods

In general, fishing with amphipods in winter is not much different from the same fishing with a balance beam, however, there are some tricks here too. First you need to find the habitat of the intended prey. The best option would be a body of water that has already been studied, since in winter the predator is very passive and rarely leaves its habitable places. It usually hides behind flooded snags or in holes. Perch and pike often hide near the shore.

If the reservoir is new, then an echo sounder will help you find a high concentration of fish. Without this useful device, you will have to drill many holes at random, looking for irregularities on the bottom where fish may be hiding.

You can fish for amphipods at any time of the day, in the early morning there is a good bite for pike and garish, towards noon the perch becomes more active, and in the evening there is a chance to catch pike perch. Fishing for amphipods is especially successful in windless and frosty weather.

On a well-known reservoir, first drill several holes, moving from the shore to the middle of the reservoir. There is no need to remove the snow cover, as the sun's rays can scare away hidden fish. The optimal distance between holes when searching for interesting terrain is 10-20 meters. To determine a good place for fishing, you need to make about 10 wires in each hole.

Amphipod fishing technique

There are no difficulties here - we lower the bait to the bottom, then raise it by 5-10 centimeters, after which we smoothly raise the amphipod 30 cm above the bottom surface, then there is a sharp drop to the original point. After an eight-second pause, you can continue playing the amphipod again. This is a great way to attract even a passive and capricious predator. Fishermen call this technique 8x8, where the first eight is a pause of 8 seconds, and the second is the number of retrieves. If after eight repetitions there is no bite, move on to the next hole. Well, if the bite has started, then the place has been chosen correctly and you shouldn’t leave it just yet.

When the working hole goes quiet, a few more are drilled at a distance of two to three meters from it. When retrieving, carefully monitor the fishing line and the tip of the rod, because in winter the fish are not so active, and even a pike bite can be unnoticeable. Sometimes a bite can be signaled by a slightly noticeable nod or lifting of the whip.

In addition to the classic wiring method, there are others:

Balance wiring

, in which the toss of amphipods by 10-12 cm must be alternated with pauses, the duration of which is determined only experimentally;

Jig and muscle wiring

, when to attract fish you need to create the illusion of the fry moving. To do this, we make slow, smooth movements with the fishing rod, thanks to which the bait will sway, rotating around its axis;

Asynchronous or stepped wiring

. This method is different from others. First, we lift the amphipod from the bottom, after which, playing with the bait, we carefully lower it down. Such a stepped dive, alternating with smooth ascents, can interest even a very cautious and timid predator. If there is no bite, then you can move to another place, lift the bait a few centimeters up and continue the game, or increase the range of movements.

Often fishermen, preparing for winter fishing for amphipods, try to make the bait more catchable, for which they decorate it with additional beads and colored cambrics.

We advise you to prepare the installation of amphipods at home, without going out into the cold. Directly on the pond, all you have to do is attach the finished amphipod to the leash. This makes it easier and faster to select working bait in specific weather conditions on site. It is convenient to store mounted amphipods in boxes with compartments for bait.

Box 36x22x5cm (HS-ZY-049) Helios 625 for 1 pc. Box 18x11x4.5cm double-sided (HS-K-DS-18x11x4.5) Helios 780 for 1 pc. Box 13.2x10.5x3.3cm for wobblers, balancers (HS-L-1) Helios 235 for 1 pc. Fishing box (7006) Salmo 200 for 1 pc. Box 2-3600-00 Plano 920 for 1 pc. Box 23x11.5x6cm double-sided (HS-TB-4500) Helios 400 for 1 pc. Box TOP BOX LB-1700 (20*17*5 cm), orange base, 20 pcs/pack. TOP BOX 435 for 1 piece. Box 8.8x19x3.2cm (HS-L-85) Helios 220 for 1 pc. Box for lures LCB 2-sided. 200x126x36 yellow/clear top (#100-P21-Y) PONTOON21 1,028 for 1 piece.

Tight lines to you, our winter fishermen!

How to catch amphipods in winter

The basis of the winter fishing technique with gear with amphipods is the usual winter lure, tosses, pulls, step-downs, shaking. But the details of these movements (amplitude, frequency) are selected individually for each equipment option, for example, at home in the bathroom. The tackle needs to be carefully checked during setup, the game selected, and then put into practice on the pond.

Winter amphipods are used, integrating their use into the general fishing tactics when searching for a predator, together with balancers and spoons. But you can only fish with them, experimenting with installation methods and sizes. When fishing, amphipods are good both as a scout and as the main fishing tool. The immediate tactics for catching amphipods from ice in winter depend on the body of water and the specific type of fish being hunted.

Equipment and installation of bait

The amphipod is tied so that the convex side is directed upward. If you tie it the other way around, i.e. concave side up, then the bait will no longer play so sweepingly that it can only be used for catching a low-active predator.

Now regarding the fishing rod. Many fishermen use tackle with a curved handle, explaining this by the fact that at the moment of hooking the line will go up and it will be possible to reliably detect the pike perch. Thanks to this, you can use a fishing rod with a soft whip.

When fishing with a straight rod, you need a hard whip, otherwise the line will not go as it should, and the hook will be unreliable. The fishing line used is monofilament, with a diameter of 0.24-0.28 mm.

Also, for experimental purposes, you can attach a tee with woolen threads to the fishing line just above the bait.

To properly equip the amphipod we will need:

• The amphipod itself
• Needle
• Scissors
• Nipple
• Tee
• Braid, diameter 0.14-0.18 mm

When equipping, be sure to take into account that the amphipod must be located on a flat horizontal surface so that 2 single hooks are at the bottom. This is the only way he will show the right game.

1. First of all, using a needle in the bait, carefully clean the hole for the fishing line.
2. Next, we make a small loop of several turns from the braid, which is needed to quickly change the bait using a carabiner.
3. From top to bottom, through the hole in the side of the bait, we thread the braided line and put a nipple on it, which will protect the knot from increased loads and fix the tee.
4. Next, we tie a tee, the dimensions of which we select based on the size of the amphipod. The equipment is ready.

Fishing

The game of this winter snag is attractive to all types of predators. Traditionally, the main hunting objects in our reservoirs are pike perch, large perch, and pike.

Zander

Catching pike perch in winter with amphipods is a classic of the genre. The bait itself appeared thanks to the evolution of special pike perch spinners. Naturally, this is why these lures are pike perch baits by default. Some of these pike-perch decoys are available in fishing stores, for example, the amphipod Lucky John Ossa. Finally, you can simply buy the famous wasp, and not reinvent the wheel in your workshop. Flashing and searching for fish is carried out according to the canons of winter pike perch fishing. You need to experiment with the fanged one, try different options for suspensions and games. He especially likes the movement in a circle, as well as the sliding tee-catch-up with red threads.

Other predators

Of course, fishing with amphipods was originally invented for winter fishing for pike perch, but other predators also encroach on this bait. The smallest spoons are used for winter fishing for perch and bass, and the largest ones can be used to freely pull pike out from under the ice. Any predator can be provoked by the right game - circular movement. No other decoy has such fluctuations. Therefore, in skillful hands in winter, a wasp turns into a killer of predatory fish.

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Amphipod models

If we talk about store options, then we can highlight the following.

Amphipod "Wasp"

One of the most popular options, having an original shape and bright predatory coloring. Such baits are available in different sizes, weighing from 8 to 17 grams. The largest of them have increased resistance when playing, which makes their behavior completely unpredictable. And even with slow wiring, the “Wasp” is capable of performing real miracles. That is why it has practically no competitors in reservoirs with standing water and weak currents.

Amphipod "Classic"

This bait is made in 3 weight varieties - 10, 15, 20, 25, 35 grams. A distinctive feature of lighter models is the ability to dive smoothly for a long time and make sweeping turns with simultaneous vibration. All this will not leave any predator indifferent. It has proven itself well on ponds, lakes and rivers with weak currents.

As for heavy universal amphipods - 25 and 35 grams, they are used at great depths, showing a bright game both directly under the hole and at a significant release. It is advisable to use it in areas with a moderate current, when caught in it, the bait, moving in short jerks, vibrates finely and tilts.

Universal amphipod

Here the name speaks for itself - the bait works in almost any conditions, a strong current will not be a hindrance for it. It is distinguished by a more compressed shape; when playing, it turns over on its side and makes a turn. Less active in the current, but in no way inferior in its effectiveness to other baits.

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Fishing tactics

What lures to use for pike on a spinning rod

First of all, upon arriving at a reservoir, you need to examine the most likely fish sites. During the first ice, pike and perch are searched for in the coastal zone, where they rise, following the fry.

Pike perch and bersh do not stand still, but constantly follow schools of white fish, which move along a closed curve. Here the tactics can be twofold:

1. Moving behind the moving schools of pike perch, marking the next stop site with catches. From the outside it seems that the mass of fishermen is moving chaotically across the water area, but this is a consequence of the movement of the fish.
2. Waiting at the catch point. Such places are located at a fracture or bend in the underwater relief, near snags, at the border of underwater shell rock or vegetation.

In mid-winter, fish should be looked for in places with running water or underwater springs. Any predator moves to an area of ​​oxygen-rich water.

On the last ice, points with an influx of spring meltwater, carrying oxygen under the ice crust, work best. These are again shallow waters, the confluence of streams and tributaries.

Attention! A modern device - an echo sounder - will help you find a school of fish of interest. It will eliminate the need to drill a large number of holes to determine the depth of the reservoir and its topography.

There are also different fish activity levels during the day:

• Early morning is considered optimal for catching bersh and pike.
• Over time, by midday the perch become active. And a second wave of pike emergence is also observed.
• Evening is mainly the time for pike perch to bite.

The given recommendations are very conditional; the given data can vary greatly on each specific reservoir and during different periods of winter.

In order not to be left without a catch, you sometimes have to fish from dawn to dusk.

Fishing technique

Having found the optimal depth difference, we begin fishing. The technique of fishing with amphipods is in many ways similar to that with a balancer. Since pike perch are mainly caught with this bait, we will describe the game with bait for it, noting that smaller movements are made to catch perch, and when fishing for pike, wider and smoother movements are made.

So, to catch pike perch, we do this:

1. We lower the bait into the bottom horizon and place it 5–10 centimeters from the ground.
2. We make a sharp stroke with the brush until the fishing rod is almost vertical, then sharply lower it to its original position.
3. We pause; most often the bite occurs precisely at this phase. Its duration ranges from five to thirty seconds, depending on the activity of the fish: the more passive the pike perch, the longer the pause. While waiting, you can lightly play along with the tip of the spoon, making smooth swings with an amplitude of one or two centimeters.
4. After making 5–7 repetitions, we raise the bait by 25–30 centimeters and again do several repetitions. Having reached the edge of the ice, we repeat the same thing in another hole.

Some of the catchiest amphipods are the baits of the Lucky John company.

The above recommendations are not dogma; any animation should always be modified and some additions made to it:

• make movements smoother;
• shorten or lengthen throws;
• move the amphipod from side to side;
• make jig steps.