Catching pike with live bait in winter. What live bait should I use to catch pike?

What kind of live bait does pike prefer in winter?

In winter, pike behave differently, unlike days when it is warm outside and may not immediately swallow the bait, but keep it in their mouth for some time. The best bait for pike hunting is the fish that is found in the greatest quantity in a particular body of water and which the predator is accustomed to feeding on. For example, you can put any small fish on the girders. But the following fish are considered the best live bait for pike:

perches;
crucian carp;
roach;
rudd.

By studying the stomach contents of already caught fish, you can find out with almost 100% accuracy what the pike prefers at the moment and, based on this information, make the right choice of live bait.

It is impossible to say unequivocally what kind of baitfish the pike will like at one time or another, since each body of water has its own and each has its own advantages and disadvantages, which are discussed below.

Rotan

Perch

Perch is considered a durable and tenacious fish if you follow the rules when using it as bait. To make the bait last longer, do not thread the line through the gills or lip of the perch. If the gills are damaged, then very soon catching pike with live bait in winter will turn into hunting for dead bait. It should be noted that it is difficult to store caught perch at home, as they quickly die out. It is better to catch perch directly while fishing before fishing for pike.

Gudgeon

Gudgeon is a small but quite catchable bait for pike and is suitable for almost all types of predatory fish. This fish is found mainly in rivers and shallow reservoirs. They can be caught in any weather using a net and small worms. The gudgeon has the ability to dive to the very bottom, which will undoubtedly attract a predator.

About

Using girders

The concept of pike using live bait in winter immediately evokes an association with girders. In any fishing store, the first gear that is offered for winter hunting for predators will be this. The design of this stationary fishing rod is primitive; its manufacture is available at home and does not require special tools or knowledge. In the standard version, a plastic or wooden round base is used to install the fishing line reel and alarm. There are many modifications of this homemade gear. You can see how to make it on the Internet.

Live bait is used as bait when fishing with girders

For successful bites on girders, it is not necessary to place 50–100 traps on the ice. It is not the number of fishing rods that brings a big catch, but the correct fishing tactics. It is enough to use 5–10 bets, but constantly change installation locations in search of active fish. This principle should not be observed in cases of using girders as an additional method when fishing for white fish on baited holes.

The depth of lowering the charged tackle into the water is selected experimentally. Several fishing rods are installed with bait supplied near the bottom, others - at half-water and 30-50 cm from the ice. After several successful bites, you can rearrange all available gear to the triggered depth of placement of the fry.

You should not hook immediately after the alarm goes off; you must give time for the bait to be swallowed. The moment of hooking is determined by the intensity of unwinding of the line from the reel or tactilely, by picking up the line and determining the behavior of the fish by sensations.

The most successful time for hunting with zherlits is the period of the first and last ice.

Catching pike with dead bait in winter

Experienced fishermen note that in many reservoirs, large pike often prefer dead bait, which lies motionless on the bottom, and do not chase live bait. If the water in the lake is cloudy, then the fish rely mainly on their sense of smell rather than their sight. Hunting for pike using dead bait has become the most preferred method for many anglers recently.

If you catch pike with large live bait, you should attach hooks to different parts of it, since otherwise the pike may eat the bait without reaching the hook.

It should be noted that whole small fish can be used as dead bait, but it is better to divide large fish in half. This method will allow you to quickly attract a predator due to the distribution of internal substances of the dead bait. In this case, it is better to cut the fish diagonally before putting it on the hook.

If a pike has caught a dead bait more than once, it may become suspicious and not swim up to the stationary fish. To do this, some fishermen use a trick by inflating the fish’s head with a syringe in advance or inserting a piece of foam into it. This will keep the head of the bait higher than the body and attract the attention of the predator.

For frozen capelin

Often, instead of live bait, frozen capelin is used for pike. This bait can be prepared in advance and for future use. One of the disadvantages of such bait is its immobility, to which pike rarely react. The movement of frozen live bait can only be achieved by the flow of the river, which is not always the case. However, the smell and unusual taste of capelin still attracts many predators, so many fishermen use this bait in the absence of live fish.

About

Features of fishing with girders

Winter fishing can be quite varied. It differs primarily in the climatic conditions of the period when the fisherman decided to go out to the reservoir. That is why it is extremely important for both beginners and professionals to understand what the main nuances of pike fishing are in early December, January, February or early March.

On the first ice

After the icing of the reservoir appears for about two weeks, the pike does not change its lifestyle. She does not swim away from her typical habitat, continuing to hunt in them for a certain time. This is due to the presence of a relatively significant number of fry in this area. Most often this concerns edges - places where there are significant differences in depth.

Catching pike on ice rigs on the first ice can be quite effective, but being on a body of water requires extreme caution.

In the wilderness

In the dead of winter, the danger of falling through the ice is usually minimal. That is why the precautionary rules during this period of time are less strict than when the first ice appears.

The main feature of pike fishing in the dead of winter is that the predatory fish at this time goes hunting for only 20 or 30 minutes. If you miss this period, the catch may be minimal. Often after fishing you can return home with nothing.

In order to catch a pike in winter in severe frost, you need to try hard. At the same time, you should have self-control, correctly following all the rules regarding such fishing.

On the last ice

The main feature of catching pike on girders in early spring is the need to follow certain safety rules. This is due to the fact that during this period of time the ice is significantly thinning. That is why experts recommend that fishermen adhere to the following rules:

Under no circumstances should you go to the pond alone.
You should always take an ice pick with you.
In addition to all other devices, it is advisable to have a rope in your inventory.

In early spring there is a high chance of catching trophy pike. As a rule, by this time they gain weight both in lakes and rivers. To catch fish on the last ice, it is best to use small roach or rudd as live bait. In the first days of March, predators are of little interest in perch or ruff.

Conventionally, all girders for pike fishing in winter can be divided into several main groups. Let's look at them more closely:

What size should a live bait be for pike?

The size of pike that a fisherman intends to catch depends on the type of bait used. Accordingly, the larger the bait, the larger the fish you can catch. But don't overdo it. The best size for pike is considered to be a live bait size of 8-10 cm, but you can use smaller ones.

For large pike

Such fish, as a rule, are found in deeper reservoirs and are best caught with large live bait. The bait for large pike should be at least 10 cm in length. You can use larger fish, for example 20-25 cm. For large trophy-sized predators, you need really large live bait, for example crucian carp or roach weighing at least 200 grams. It should also be noted that it is better to catch a large predator using live bait than artificial bait.

How to catch live bait?

You can catch live bait directly on the pond using several basic gear:

Float tackle. To do this, use a short 4 - 4.5 meter lightweight carbon fiber rod with sensitive equipment, including a fishing line 0.12-0.14 mm thick, a float with a weight of up to 1 gram, a small swallow hook No. 18-19 according to the international classification or 2-2.5 according to domestic standards. As a bait, depending on the season, use bloodworms, maggots, mastyrka, and dough.
Jig tackle. To catch live bait in a pond in winter, use a light balalaika-type fishing rod with a thin line with a cross-section of 0.08-0.1 mm and a small tungsten jig. The nods in this gear are made of lavsan, sensitive, 8-10 cm long. Catch live bait at shallow depths, using small bloodworms as bait. If you are actively biting and using small sports jigs, you can refuse bloodworms.
Malyavochnik is a lift consisting of a fine mesh sheet measuring 1x1 meter, four arches made of springy wire and a bracket (cross). Fix the wire arcs with one end in the corners of the mesh fabric, and the other in the holes in the bracket. Using a string fixed to a bracket, tie the resulting tackle to a long thick stick.

Malyavochnik

Jig tackle

Float rod

Catch live bait using smallmouths in places where there are a lot of them.

To attract fish, pour the bait mixture into the special pocket at the bottom of the canvas:

breadcrumbs;
bran;
small food bloodworms;
chopped worms.

What is the best live bait for pike in winter?

Many anglers believe that the best live bait for pike in winter are perch and roach. This is explained by the fact that pike attack these fish especially aggressively, and on a large river they are often the only live bait suitable for catching a predator.

Sometimes, when attacking a perch and clinging to a hook, a pike may think that these are its spines, and this is also convenient for the fisherman. In addition, the dense scales of the perch force the pike to hold it in its teeth longer without feeling the catch. These live baits are also distinguished by their special survivability at home, so they can be caught several days before pike hunting. In winter, perch can often be found closer to the shore, and roach in shallow water where there is a lot of vegetation.

Ideally, the best live bait for pike in winter is the one with which it is caught in a given body of water at the right time. Which one and what is better can only be determined experimentally.

How to catch pike?

Selecting a location

Where pike stay in a pond largely depends on the season:

Spring - at this time, pike, in the pre- and post-spawning periods, prefer to stay in shallow, well-warmed areas of reservoirs.
Summer - during the summer months, pike spend most of their time in the coastal zone among aquatic vegetation, under branches hanging over the water. Large specimens are kept in holes and deep pools.
Autumn - until the weather gets colder and aquatic plants begin to die off, pike stays close to the shore, then, with a decrease in water temperature, it begins to gradually move to the depths.
Winter - on the first and last ice, pike prefers to hunt in the coastal zone; in the dead of winter it is located on deep edges, in holes, and channel ditches.

Techniques for catching pike with live bait

The technique of catching pike with live bait, consisting of casting, retrieving, hooking and retrieving, is somewhat different for a float rod and a spinning rod.

Fishing rod:

For large predators, in order not to break the rod and not miss the prey, it is better to cast for a while . Cast the rig with bait bait correctly: with a gentle pendulum movement, trying not to hit the fish too hard on the water.
Periodic movement. Move the live bait every 30-40 minutes, which will increase its mobility and reduce the risk of falling asleep. To move the rod tip, use short, smooth movements.
Sweeping. Hook if the float suddenly goes under the water or quickly begins to move to the side.
Fishing. Fish out small and medium-sized pike as quickly as possible, without giving it the opportunity to tangle the fishing line in nearby grass or snag branches. In order not to break the rod and not miss the prey, it is better to lead a large predator for a while, then slowly pull the fish to the shore and, without lifting it from the water, put it in a landing net or hook it with a hook.

Spinning:

Cast the bait fish attached to the hook carefully . Cast. Cast the hooked baitfish carefully. The fish should be thrown a short distance - up to 15-20 meters - and its flight should occur as close to the surface of the water as possible.
Wiring. After all the equipment has touched the water, wait a while and make 3-4 smooth turns with the reel handle, moving the bait a short distance from the original point. After waiting for some time, perform smooth winding again.
Sweeping. Hook at any suspicious strike that is clearly felt by the hand holding the rod.
Fishing. When fishing for hooked pike, position the blank so that the angle between it and the water is about 40-450, adjust the friction brake in advance to allow the fishing line or cord to come off when the critical load for the blank is reached. Bring small and medium-sized pikes to the shore by evenly winding the line with a reel, fish out large ones using the “pumping out” method - after pulling the line with a rod, very quickly reel out the resulting slack with a reel and again perform pulling and reeling in the slack until it is possible to bring the fish into landing net or take it with a hook.

Fishing tips

When fishing for pike, follow the time-tested and experience-tested recommendations of anglers:

Catch pike in places where there is a large concentration of small fish - the predator visits such areas with enviable regularity.
Small pike live in shallow coastal depths, while large ones live on the contrary. Therefore, you should not hope to catch a trophy pike in shallow water and in grass thickets.
When choosing live bait, always pay attention to the integrity of its fins and gills - a fish with damaged fins and diseased gills will be inactive and quickly fall asleep.
When catching a small pike, carefully , without injuring the fish, remove the hook from its mouth and release it into the reservoir - this will give you the opportunity to hope to catch large fish here in the future.

Making mugs with your own hands. Material for production

Fishermen with extensive experience in mug fishing advise taking linden for this tackle, as it is the easiest to process. And for better fixation of the pin, close the central hole with a plug.

However, making a homemade mug is not an easy task, requiring time and patience.

To make the disc more resistant to moisture, it is better to impregnate the wooden surface with drying oil. This will also prevent it from deforming and cracking when left in water for a long time.

Finally, the disc is covered with a layer of moisture-resistant paint. You have to do painstaking work, so mugs are rarely cut out of wood.

Typically, propylene foam or fine-grained foam is used for tackle, it’s easier and faster. These materials are not afraid of moisture, and paint (usually red) is only needed to cover the top part.

To simplify the task of cutting out a disk, take a regular canned food can with the required diameter. The preparation for a circle is completed in literally 1 minute:

Remove the top (cut off) from the can and carefully cut out a disk of foam using circular movements;

Next, cut a groove for the fishing line using a triangular file or knife. To make the line slide off the disk easily, you will need to sand the groove with sandpaper.

A little about the pin

At the bottom it is slightly thickened (shaped like a mushroom or a ball). Thanks to this configuration, the pin does not fall out of the central hole, i.e. this is a kind of limiter.

A hole is made in the thin part of the pin (top), and a fishing line is then inserted into it.

It is important to make a medium-sized hole, because with a very small hole, the predator will not be able to pull out the cord, and if it is too much, the line will unravel spontaneously.

Taking into account the fishing conditions, you will have to adjust the height of the central part of the pin above the disk, for example:

If the wind increases or decreases, it is necessary to adjust the windage;

Or you will need to set a shorter pin length to prevent fraudulent bites caused by excessive activity of large baitfish. To do this, the shape of this section is made cylindrical.

When making a homemade circle, I advise you to abandon mono fishing line, it is characterized by frequent slipping and tangling, and it is also springy.

The best option would be braided or twisted nylon fishing line about 2 mm thick. Do not take thinner ones, since when pulling out a large specimen, there is a high risk of damaging your hands on the fishing line.

There are no special requirements for the length of the line; everything is determined by the depth in the area being fished.

In the loose state, the disk with live bait must have a cord reserve of at least 6 m. Otherwise, the pike that has swallowed the bait will prematurely feel the resistance of the tackle and release the hook.

A mono-line, 1-2 m long with a cross-section of 0.4-0.5 mm, is attached to the end of the fishing line. A sliding sinker weighing 10-15 g is installed on it (when using large bait, a heavier weight is taken). This is the so-called pendant.

Finite elements of the mug:

Swivel to prevent line from twisting;

Leash;

And a hook.

Catching pike with mugs requires a leash made of steel or nichrome (the latter is better).

What should it be like? Elastic, 20-30 cm long, with a cross-section of 0.2-0.3 mm. If you catch a predator in a deep area, then to fix the depth, a small piece of rubber or foam is attached to the cord of an already loose disk with live bait.

Each fisherman has his own opinion regarding the choice of hooks (single, double, tee or combined). For many, the best option is double. Due to the fact that it is inserted directly under the gills of the bait, the live bait is less injured and attracts fish with its activity for much longer. And even if the bait is deeply swallowed, the toothy beast will not be able to escape from the double hook.

It happens that after trying the bait, the pike refuses it. To prevent such situations from happening, make sure that the size of the bait and the hook match. In this case, you need to hook the bait symmetrically on both sides of the head. The permissible length of the visible sting is maximum 2 mm.