Where and how to catch the cockchafer: effective methods and recommendations

Description

The body of the insect, whose length reaches four centimeters, is covered with a chitinous shell. Its color varies: from dark red to black. The body consists of three sections: head, thorax and abdomen. There are three segments on the head and eight on the abdomen. The limbs are located not only on the chest, but also on the head. There are none on the abdomen.

The cockchafer is endowed with three pairs of limbs. Each has several segments with motor ability and claws. With them, the insect clings to a support, which can be leaves or bark. The insect needs the forelimbs to dig the ground for laying eggs, which is why the beetle has strong ones.

Wings have different structures and purposes. Only the rear ones take part in flight. The cockchafer is a clumsy insect, its flights are slow and heavy. The beetle's senses help it orient itself in space: sight, smell and touch. Beetles use their long antennae (the organ of smell) to find food. Sometimes they have to travel long distances in search of her.

The female is capable of laying up to 70 eggs. To do this, she has to go 10 centimeters into the ground. After this procedure she dies. After 45 days, white larvae hatch from the eggs and live in the ground for 3-4 years.

What time do cockchafers appear?

The genus of these insects includes 24 species, 9 of them are inhabitants of the territory of our country. Their mass appearance coincides with the onset of spring, with the peak of distribution occurring in May.

The beetles appear when oak buds and birch leaves begin to bloom. At this time, you can see cockchafers crawling out of the ground and immediately flying up. They sit on trees and begin to eat their vegetative parts, including flowers in their diet, thereby causing irreparable harm.

Fishing with May beetle larvae

For fishing, larvae about 25 mm long are used. Before using them, they should be placed in water and the dark contents carefully squeezed out. They are then placed in small boxes with sawdust mixed with a small amount of cottage cheese. It is better to store them at a temperature of +4 - +10 °C.

You need to place the hook on the hook from the head, bringing the tip of the sting out from the tail side of the body. May beetle larvae are an excellent bait for catching medium and large fish: chub, ide, catfish, carp.

Any fish loves the larva of the cockchafer. When catching small fish, the larva is cut, the sting of the hook is brought out through. But if you come for a “large fish,” then bait it entirely, removing only the head and the dark back part. Large perch, ide, carp, chub or pike will not swim past such a “dessert”. The nozzle needs to be checked and changed periodically, because... the fry can eat it up little by little.

Khrushchev

This is another name for the insect and its larvae. Where to catch the cockchafer? It is easy to find in places of habitual habitat, which are rotted foliage, greenhouses, hotbeds and other areas with black soil. The life expectancy of Khrushchev is short - three years. They grow up to 30 millimeters in length.

How to catch the cockchafer? Until it turns into an adult, its larvae are dug out from the soil in which they are hiding. The depth of the beetles is five to six centimeters.

The larvae appear towards the end of summer. Plant roots are enough to feed them. When the growth of the larvae ends, they pupate, after which the cockchafers are born. Avid fishermen use them to catch fish: chub, asp, catfish and others. Rooks help determine where larvae accumulate in the ground. They flock to this place, since Khrushchev is their favorite delicacy.

Larvae can be found in large numbers on trees. When the poplar fades, cones appear on its branches. If you open them, you can see the larvae.

Fishing with the Maybug

In May, when the lilacs begin to bloom, excellent bait appears, which is a delicacy for many species of fish. This bait is the May beetle, or beetle. When this insect flies out, a large number of it ends up in the water, where it immediately becomes food for river inhabitants. Therefore, the period of flight of cockchafers is the best period of time for fishing with this bait. Along with the May beetle, its larvae are also an excellent delicacy for many species of fish, which can be used as bait throughout the warm months of the year.

May beetle and its larva

The cockchafer and its larva, which is also called the omentum, are excellent food, and therefore promising bait for the following types of fish:

chub or smut. A lover of turbulent river flows, riffles, whirlpools and current boundaries, this river inhabitant feeds on insects and their larvae and can weigh up to 8 kg. The smut does not mind eating a cockchafer that has fallen on the surface of a reservoir. This fish is very cautious, so tackle for it should be very delicate and without bright colors;
asp or sheresper. This predatory owner of river spaces is distinguished by great cunning and caution. In terms of habits and habitats, the sheresper is very similar to the chub. Living in the same places as the chub, the asp can reach 12 kg;
ide. Living in sandy or pebble shallow places, ide can feed on fallen insects and various larvae at the bottom. Therefore, both Khrushchev and Seal will be an excellent bait for ide, which can show a very large appetite both during the day and at night. Ide can grow up to 7 kg in weight;
bream. This river bottom inhabitant can reach 4 kg. Only large specimens of bream can show interest in beetle and omentum. Therefore, when fishing with bottom gear using these baits, the likelihood of biting small inhabitants of the reservoir is cut off, and it becomes possible to focus on larger individuals;
carp and carp. These standards of strength and durability won't give up on one or more glands on the hook. Fishing must be done with bait, luring giants from a long distance. Carp can reach a weight of 20 kg;
perch. The large striped humpback whale can also feast on the seal, which can feed at any time of the day and in a variety of places in the reservoir. Can reach a size of 4 kg;
catfish The seal can serve as an excellent bait for catching river giants. It is advisable to equip the hook with a bundle of seals. Catching catfish with seals must be done at night in places that border holes in the reservoir. Catfish can reach enormous sizes - up to 300 kg. However, such specimens are rare, but any angler can easily catch a catfish weighing up to 100 kg.

Smut does not mind eating a cockchafer that has fallen on the surface of a reservoir

Collection of beetles and larvae

With the arrival of May, a buzzing swarm flies out at night, which is not indifferent to light sources. For fishing, the most convenient way is to trot the branches of an oak or birch tree and collect the required number of these insects. If these types of trees are not nearby, you can try searching on other plants and trees. Khrushchev can be collected until mid-June.

The larva of the cockchafer must be looked for under heaps of rotten and last year's leaves. Gardeners often come across them when digging up their garden. The seals are located in a layer of earth about 10 cm deep. If a flock of rooks lives nearby, they will definitely indicate the place where the top layer is densely populated with cockchafer larvae.

The most convenient way is to trot the branches of an oak or birch and collect the required amount of these insects.

How to attach a beetle and larva to a hook

There are several options for attaching the cockchafer:

across the body behind the front;
across the body behind the back;
behind the center of the beetle with the hook sting up;
along the body with a sting towards the back of the body;
along the body with the sting towards the front of the body.

There are many opinions and debates on how to properly place a cockchafer on a hook. One of the best options for equipping a hook with a hook is considered to be a nozzle along the body, where the sting comes out of the belly in the back. With this attachment, the beetle is securely held on the hook, moves its paws, and there is a high probability of self-hooking.

How to place a cockchafer larva on a hook so that it stays on it as long as possible depends on what kind of fish is being caught:

when fishing for bream, ide, perch and carp, it is necessary to attach along the body, starting from the head of the larva;
when catching catfish - 2-3 larvae across the body in the head area.

For fishing with khrushchev and gillfish, you can use a hook with a long shank No. 6-10 according to Soviet numbering. The best choice would be hook #8.

How to attach a beetle and larva to a hook

Tackle

The gear used to catch the cockchafer and its larvae can be divided according to the type of fish for which it is intended:

chub, ide, asp - delicate tackle for catching the cockchafer from above the reservoir;
bream, carp, perch - bottom tackle for fishing with a seal;
catfish, carp - reinforced bottom tackle for fishing with a bunch of seals.

To catch surface fish species - chub, ide and asp - a telescopic rod 4-5 meters long with a spinning reel is used. This choice of fishing rod is justified by the fact that these types of fish are very careful, and when catching them, camouflage is one of the required attributes. The long length of the rod allows you to fish from behind coastal vegetation, camouflaging behind it. It is advisable to use a fishing line with a diameter of 0.25-0.3 mm without a float. If long-distance casting is necessary, then it is necessary to use a stick from coastal vegetation as a float.

To catch bream, carp and perch with bottom tackle, it is most convenient to use a feeder rod equipped with braid. The parameters of the rod are selected depending on the depth, strength of the current of the reservoir and the required casting distance. To make leashes, fishing line with a diameter of 0.25-0.3 mm is used. The equipment must use a feeder, which will help attract fish from long distances.

For fishing with reinforced bottom tackle, a high-quality feeder rod with a test weight of up to 150 grams and a spinning reel with a baitrunner are used. The tackle is equipped with a braided line with a diameter of 0.2 mm and a leash made of fishing line with a diameter of 0.3-0.4 mm. To attach a bundle of oil seals, you must use hook No. 12-14 according to Soviet numbering.

How and where to catch

Surface fishing for the cockchafer is carried out by throwing it into promising places and then floating it downstream. The bite is observed visually - when the beetle has disappeared from the surface, then after a few seconds it is necessary to hook the fish. When fishing this way, you must not forget about camouflage and silence. Surface fishing will bring the greatest results:

in places where bushes and trees hang over the water;
next to the snag;
in places where the strength and direction of the current is constantly changing;
at the boundaries of strong and moderate currents.

Bottom fishing with the larvae of the cockchafer is carried out using bait, to which it is necessary to add live components. The best living ingredient is maggot. The bite may not occur immediately; you need to wait until a large fish approaches the feeding site. Fishing must be done in places with uneven bottoms and on the edges of the river, where turbulence is visible on the surface of the water. At night, the bait must be cast closer to the shore, on the closest edges.

Bottom fishing for catfish and carp using the seal is carried out on the edges, which are located upstream from the snags. These are the places where these fish live. At night, the catfish comes out to feed on the edges and shallows upstream, and the carp must be lured out of this shelter with bait.

Bait storage

The cockchafer can be stored well for several months in a container with holes. Small twigs with tree leaves should be used as food. It is necessary to periodically check and remove dead beetles from the container. For a longer period, Khrushchev can be stored in the refrigerator in a container with pieces of ice.

The seal is stored for several months in a container with holes in cool places, such as a cellar or basement. You can feed this bait with cottage cheese - it makes it tough.

As you can see, the cockchafer and its larva are bait for large river inhabitants, and fishing with this bait is original and unique. It requires the fisherman to have patience and strong fishing gear, knowledge of the habits and habitats of various species of fish. But the result is worth the time spent and grueling fishing, because when fishing with these baits, only large and strong specimens of river inhabitants compete for them. Therefore, the probability of catching trophy specimens is much greater than when fishing with other baits.

Source

Published 12/26/2016 at 12:01

handf.mirtesen.ru

Trapping

How to catch the cockchafer? To do this you need to prepare properly. To collect a large batch of insects at one time, you will need a flashlight, a bag and a tin funnel. From these components you need to assemble a simple structure. The lantern should be hung among the branches of trees, a funnel should be placed under it, and the bag should be tied to the very neck of the funnel, the diameter of which should be larger than that of the lantern. This is explained by the fact that when catching cockchafers you need to hit a tree. The insects then jump away. If the funnel and the lantern have the same diameter, the beetles will not fall into the trap, but will begin to fall to the ground. There should be no holes or holes in the bag.

How to catch the cockchafer in the evening? This can be done using the described design. In the evening, when it becomes dark, the flashlight turns on. Beetles are very attracted to light; they will begin to fly towards the lantern, bumping into its walls. Given that the beetles fly at a certain speed, they will crash into the lantern, falling into a funnel whose walls are smooth. Insects fall quickly, so they do not have time to catch their paws on the edges, and they end up in the bag. All that remains is to check the traps and collect the beetles in the morning.

For a larger catch, it is recommended to install several similar structures. The collected beetles can be easily transferred to a storage container. They will live there for some time, and they will be completely healthy, since they did not receive any damage during the fall.

Catching a beetle in the evening

How to catch the cockchafer? The best time for this is May, due to which the insect got its name. It is during this period that beetles are most active. They fly out of the ground hungry, so you can find them everywhere; they inhabit shrubs and trees, regardless of the species. At the same time, the May beetles buzz continuously. In the evening you can collect beetles as follows. A white sheet is spread under the trees and a lantern is turned on. Bugs will begin to flock to the light. They need to be knocked down with your hand, jacket or cap. Before they come to their senses, the sheet is rolled up and the insects are placed in a jar for storage.

Fishing with the Maybug

May beetle and its larva

Who bites on the cockchafer and its larvae?

The cockchafer and its larva, which is also called the omentum, are excellent food, and therefore promising bait for the following types of fish:

chub or smut. A lover of turbulent river flows, riffles, whirlpools and current boundaries, this river inhabitant feeds on insects and their larvae and can weigh up to 8 kg. The smut does not mind eating a cockchafer that has fallen on the surface of a reservoir. This fish is very cautious, so tackle for it should be very delicate and without bright colors;
asp or sheresper. This predatory owner of river spaces is distinguished by great cunning and caution. In terms of habits and habitats, the sheresper is very similar to the chub. Living in the same places as the chub, the asp can reach 12 kg;
ide. Living in sandy or pebble shallow places, ide can feed on fallen insects and various larvae at the bottom. Therefore, both Khrushchev and Seal will be an excellent bait for ide, which can show a very large appetite both during the day and at night. Ide can grow up to 7 kg in weight;
bream. This river bottom inhabitant can reach 4 kg. Only large specimens of bream can show interest in beetle and omentum. Therefore, when fishing with bottom gear using these baits, the likelihood of biting small inhabitants of the reservoir is cut off, and it becomes possible to focus on larger individuals;
carp and carp. These standards of strength and durability won't give up on one or more glands on the hook. Fishing must be done with bait, luring giants from a long distance. Carp can reach a weight of 20 kg;
perch. The large striped humpback whale can also feast on the seal, which can feed at any time of the day and in a variety of places in the reservoir. Can reach a size of 4 kg;
catfish The seal can serve as an excellent bait for catching river giants. It is advisable to equip the hook with a bundle of seals. Catching catfish with seals must be done at night in places that border holes in the reservoir. Catfish can reach enormous sizes - up to 300 kg. However, such specimens are rare, but any angler can easily catch a catfish weighing up to 100 kg.

Smut does not mind eating a cockchafer that has fallen on the surface of a reservoir

Collection of beetles and larvae

The most convenient way is to trot the branches of an oak or birch and collect the required amount of these insects.

How to attach a beetle and larva to a hook

There are several options for attaching the cockchafer:

across the body behind the front;
across the body behind the back;
behind the center of the beetle with the hook sting up;
along the body with a sting towards the back of the body;
along the body with the sting towards the front of the body.

How to place a cockchafer larva on a hook so that it stays on it as long as possible depends on what kind of fish is being caught:

when fishing for bream, ide, perch and carp, it is necessary to attach along the body, starting from the head of the larva;
when catching catfish - 2-3 larvae across the body in the head area.

For fishing with khrushchev and gillfish, you can use a hook with a long shank No. 6-10 according to Soviet numbering. The best choice would be hook #8.

How to attach a beetle and larva to a hook

Tackle

The gear used to catch the cockchafer and its larvae can be divided according to the type of fish for which it is intended:

chub, ide, asp - delicate tackle for catching the cockchafer from above the reservoir;
bream, carp, perch - bottom tackle for fishing with a seal;
catfish, carp - reinforced bottom tackle for fishing with a bunch of seals.

How and where to catch

in places where bushes and trees hang over the water;
next to the snag;
in places where the strength and direction of the current is constantly changing;
at the boundaries of strong and moderate currents.

Bait storage

The seal is stored for several months in a container with holes in cool places, such as a cellar or basement. You can feed this bait with cottage cheese - it makes it tough.

Catching a beetle during the day

This insect is quite awkward. How to catch a cockchafer during the day? The fact is that the flight of insects occurs at low altitude, so it is not difficult to catch them. All you need is a net or a small piece of fabric.

Beetles are not active in extreme heat. Where to catch the cockchafer during the day? During the peak of the sun, insects sleep with their paws clinging to the leaves of trees. The plants need to be shaken harder, and the beetles will fall to the ground. All that remains is to collect them and place them in some container.

How to put a beetle on a hook

You need to carefully place the cockchafer on the hook.

First you need to thread the hook near the head from below, and then bring the beginning of the hook through the abdomen. But, you need to remember that there is no need to pierce the beetle deeply, because it should float on the surface, and not just drown.

You can thread the hook through the chest shield and bring it out through the abdomen.

It is very good to catch on the larva of the cockchafer, but before you put it on the hook, you need to squeeze out all the dark insides from it. In general, it is not so important how you attach it, the main thing is that the point of the hook is open.

How to save insects until May next year?

The storage secret is very simple. A refrigerator is used for this. The beetles should be placed in a glass jar and sprinkled with pieces of ice. About twice a month the jar is opened and the beetles are checked to see if they are spoiled. If any are found, they are thrown away, the jar is tightly closed again and left in the refrigerator. Moisture should not get into the glass container. Ice needs to be changed periodically.

You can store beetles without refrigeration for up to four months. Spent tea is poured into a glass jar or wet poplar sawdust is poured. The beetles are placed in the container, covered with a lid and placed in a cool place. Until frost, fishing is provided with fish bait.

How to catch a chub using a cockchafer?

If fishing takes place on a river of small width, use large steel hooks of small thickness. If the river is wide, another float is installed on the fishing line. Fishing with the Maybug is carried out without a sinker. The idea is that the insect floats on the water surface, moving its legs, it is not immersed in water. Although to catch large fish, the beetle is carried along the bottom.

It is best to catch a large chub or asp early in the morning, at sunrise, or in the evening when it sets. The favorite habitats of these fish are riffles, calm river flows, or areas under flooded bushes and trees.

Usually fishermen make several casts of the fishing rod, but not along the river flow, but across it. When the bait is already on the surface of the water, there is no need to reel in the fishing line; it will already stretch under the influence of the current. On the contrary, it needs to be thrown off the reel, as the beetle will be carried a long distance. After several casts, the beetle will, of course, get wet and drown; you need to put another one on the hook instead.

Where to find the cockchafer

Everyone understands that you need to catch the cockchafer in May. But the word “catch” is said loudly; it would be more correct to say “collect”. The most common habitat of the cockchafer is maple , oak or linden . A lot of these beetles fly near the bushes in the evening.

The easiest way to find cockchafers is to hit the trunk with a stick and collect those that have fallen. You can also just look near a lighted place, there should be a lot of them there, since they love light very much and flock to it.

In the jar where the beetles will be kept, you need to add some leaves from the tree where the “bait” was found.

Video show about catching chub on Mayfish. Lots of interesting and useful things, let's take a look.