Which live bait is better
According to some fishermen, the predator is more willing to take the bait that is caught in the same body of water. Well, what if it is not possible to use live bait from a given reservoir? What then? It turns out that there is no point in going fishing at all. And this is when another part of the fishermen boldly uses live bait caught in another body of water, and quite effectively. In fact, the predator is attracted by the appearance of the fish, its behavior in the water and its aroma.
It is permissible to use small fish of any species that are not prohibited from catching as live bait. Mainly used: roach, bleak, dace, bitterling, and also small crucian carp.
Crucian carp is considered the most tenacious fish, so it remains active on the hook the longest, attracting a predator. In addition, this is the most common fish in our waters. It can be found in places where many fish species simply cannot survive. Therefore, many anglers prefer to use crucian carp on the hook as live bait.
Live bait size
Live bait is selected depending on the size of the individuals that are supposed to be caught. The larger the fish, the larger the bait can be.
Perch fishing
If you are catching a small perch, then the bait will be a small fry, which prefers to be in the shallows, near the coastline. Larger perch also prefer larger live bait. As a rule, large perch are caught using live bait up to 10 centimeters in size.
Fishing for pike with live bait
Grass pike is best caught with small fish ranging from 8 to 12 centimeters in size. At the same time, she can take a larger bait, but she will not be able to swallow, therefore such bites are considered idle and are accompanied by gatherings. If you plan to catch trophy pike, then live bait must be of the appropriate size. A pike will be able to attack an object that barely fits in its mouth, and the pike’s mouth is not small. The pike's biting pattern is also influenced by the period when its teeth change. Many argue that during this period the pike stops feeding altogether. In fact, this is not so and the pike only switches to food items that are smaller in size.
Catching pike perch and bersh
Many people believe that pike perch prefers small baits, no larger than 15 centimeters in size. According to some statements, pike perch were caught on live bait up to 25 centimeters in size. As a rule, these were large specimens, the landing of which was accompanied by the release of a lot of adrenaline.
Catching catfish with live bait
As you know, this is a fairly large representative of fresh water bodies. In this regard, sometimes fish weighing up to 1 kilogram are used as live bait. Since catfish is a nocturnal hunter, you will have to catch it at night. Despite this, the catfish sometimes comes out of its hiding place even during the day, but this is rather an exception to the rule, but not a pattern.
Burbot fishing
Burbot is a predator that will not refuse any live bait. This is a nocturnal predator that does not overeat and will attack any baitfish that gets in its way. At the same time, catching burbot has its own characteristics. The fact is that burbot is considered a cold-loving fish and it is better to catch it in winter.
Asp fishing
The asp is a predator that feeds on fry, so to catch it you need to select live bait, from 3 to 8 centimeters in length. The most suitable bait for catching asp is considered to be bleak.
In this regard, we can conclude that the larger the fish’s mouth, the larger the bait is used to catch predatory fish.
What kind of live bait is best to put on a pike and how to put it on the hook?
To catch pike, you can take any live bait: crucian carp, roach, bleak, chub, sleeper, rudd, and so on. The main thing is that if you catch a small pike, then the size of the live bait can be small, about 10-15 cm. But if you want to catch a trophy of about 10 kilograms, then you will have to set the bait not small - from 20 to 35 centimeters. After all, a big pike is not interested in hunting small fish.
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Live bait can be baited in different ways. One of the most faithful is through the gills. You can also put it behind the back under the fin. But I prefer the universal method - with a sting upward through the upper lip.
In order for a toothed predator or pike to have the desire to hunt for live bait, the bait fish must move - be alive. Because pike is not a cancer - it does not need carrion. When she is really hungry and has no choice, she can become covetous and attack a dead fish.
Fishing takes place under the shore itself, preferably near vegetation, where small fish like to swirl. The fishing process is simple - with deft movements the fry is raked into the landing net. In general, to understand the whole procedure, you need to watch the video.
Methods for catching live bait in summer
Using a jar
The simplest but most effective way to catch live bait in the summer is to use a regular 3-liter jar with a lid. To do this you need:
- A hole measuring 2x2 centimeters is cut in the plastic lid.
- Pieces of bread are placed in the jar.
- The jar is tightly closed with a lid.
- Fills with water.
- A rope is tied to the neck of the jar.
- The jar is thrown into the water.
- After this, this place should be left so as not to alarm the fish.
Catching live bait on a jar
In about an hour you can come up and ask. If you don’t throw the jar too far, you can determine from the shore whether there is a fry in the jar, since the jar is transparent. It’s also not worth casting deep, since the fry prefers to stay close to the shore and at shallow depths.
Using a plastic bottle
You can make a fairly effective trap from a plastic bottle, at least 5 liters. In addition, a plastic bottle has better characteristics compared to a 3-liter jar: firstly, it does not break, and secondly, it is much lighter. To do this you need to have:
- A bottle with a capacity of at least 5 liters.
- Knife.
- Suitable rope.
- Cargo.
Manufacturing technology
- The upper part of the bottle with the neck is cut off at the level where the bottle narrows.
- The cut part is turned over and inserted into the bottle with the neck inward.
- You need to make holes around the perimeter of the bottle, for example, with a soldering iron. It is necessary to make holes in the cut off part. In short, the entire bottle should have holes in it, and the more holes, the better.
- Using a wire, you should securely connect the cut part inserted into the bottle, and also attach a rope with a weight to the bottle, since a plastic bottle without a weight will not sink.
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In conclusion, all that remains is to throw this trap into the water and wait a while.
The water that penetrates the plastic bottle slowly begins to wash the bait out of the bottle. As a result of this, its aroma begins to attract small fish, which enter the bottle through the neck, which is directed inward. The design is such that a fish that gets inside will no longer be able to get out. Therefore, this design can be left for a long time.
With the help of a spider
A spider is a special fishing tackle that consists of a square mesh, which is stretched in a square metal or wooden frame with little sag. This tackle, with the help of strong ropes, is attached to a long pole, with the help of which the spider is lowered into the water. As a rule, bait is attached to the center of the net, which collects fish in this place. The only problem is that to catch live bait you will need a fine mesh net.
Top or muzzle
It is currently considered prohibited tackle and looks like a plastic bottle with the neck cut off and this neck secured inside. The only difference is that the top or muzzle, as it is also called, is larger in size compared to a plastic bottle. It is made either from willow branches or woven from strong thread. There are designs made of metal wire. This gear has a special hatch to get fish out of it. Usually the top was installed for a long time, but was regularly checked for the presence of fish.
It was installed near the shore in such a way that it would not be difficult to check it. If you make a small top, then you can throw it into the water with the help of a rope, and then, after a while, pull it out of the water and check for the presence of live bait. Again, you need to make the tackle in such a way that fish of a certain size penetrate the top. It is imperative to provide a small hatch so that you can get the fish out without any problems.
Catching live bait with your snout. How to catch live bait?
Tulle, gauze, piece of fabric
If you urgently need live bait, but there is nothing to catch it, then you can use a piece of fabric such as gauze or tulle, which easily allows water to pass through. You will need a piece up to 1 meter long and up to 0.5 meter wide. One stick must be tied to the short ends. In addition, you will also need a couple of fishermen who must take this tackle by sticks from opposite sides. At the same time, the lower part of the homemade part is lowered into the water as low as possible, and the upper part should be at water level. You need to move towards the shore. Approaching the shore, the lower part rises sharply above the water level. After the water has drained, select the fish of the desired size. If you try, one person can do it, but it will be very difficult.
How to catch
Having entered the water, you need to spread the sticks to the sides and wade. The remaining actions are performed as in the first case.
Using a fishing rod
It is better to catch live bait, especially if there are no helpers, with a fishing rod. To do this, you will need a short rod, since small fish prefer to stay away from the shore, at shallow depths. A fishing line is tied to the fishing rod, to which a small hook and a light, sensitive float are attached. It is not necessary to attach the sinker. A slowly sinking bait quickly begins to attract small fish. The thickness of the line is 0.1-0.12 mm, which is quite enough for catching fish of this size.
How to catch pike with live bait in the summer
In summer, pike are less active compared to spring and autumn, but do not stop feeding at all. She continues to lead an active lifestyle, usually going to the depths and hiding in the thickets.
In July, the peak of fat comes, the pike lacks oxygen and its activity drops to a minimum. Catching a large specimen at this time is not an easy task. However, a small pike up to 2 kilograms will still willingly bite near the shore.
To find out where the pike is, you need to sit comfortably on the shore and watch for 30-40 minutes. From time to time, schools of small fish will jump out of the water, escaping from the ruthless hunter.
In summer, the best time for pike fishing is early morning or evening, when the heat subsides, in cloudy and rainy weather. Fishing on a sunny day means leaving without a catch.
You can catch pike both from a boat and from the shore.
From the boat
Fishing from a boat is available almost throughout the open water season. Having a watercraft, an angler can explore any body of water and place mugs and summer baits in the most promising places.
Many people equip their boat with a fisherman’s assistant – an echo sounder. It allows you to examine all the deep places of the reservoir. And, if you find a cloud of food fish, then a predator is somewhere nearby.
From the shore
Homemade stand for live bait fishing
The most ancient way of catching pike is fishing from the shore. To successfully fish from the shore, you need to carefully study:
- habits of representatives of the pike family;
- get acquainted with the types of fish living in the reservoir, so as not to make a mistake with the bait;
- study the shore and bottom features;
- examine snags and thickets.
And only then proceed to installing gear and directly to the fishing itself.
In summer, pike’s favorite places are channel edges, return streams, places with vegetation, and snags. It can also be found where water is mixed and enriched with oxygen. These are mouths, branches in the river, places where streams flow.
It’s another matter if the harvesting is carried out for the winter, and long-term storage of live bait is required. In this case, fishing for fry should begin during the autumn cooling, at the end of September or beginning of October. There is no need to postpone until November.
Live bait is harvested in several ways depending on its species, place of catch and season. Basic fishing methods:
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Separately, we need to mention the unforgettable plastic bottle. Let's secretly say that it also makes an excellent trap for live bait. To make the tackle catchy, you need to do it like this:
- Cut off the top part of the bottle by about a third.
- We insert the cut off top, neck first, into the bottom of the bottle, having first unscrewed the cap.
- We fasten both parts of the bottle with wire.
- We make additional small holes for water.
- We tie a strong rope to the resulting structure.
Before throwing such a trap into the water, we put bait in it and weigh it down with something so that it does not float up, especially in the current. The fry easily penetrate the bottle through the neck, but not everyone succeeds in getting out through the reverse cone.
Now we need to talk about the time of harvesting live bait. If you are planning a fishing trip this coming weekend, then you should not prepare live bait for salting. After all, one of the main tasks of an angler when hunting a predator is how to keep the bait alive and mobile. Moreover, it is not worth just thoughtlessly destroying even any small, from the point of view of ordinary people, waste fish.
It’s another matter if the harvesting is carried out for the winter, and long-term storage of live bait is required. In this case, fishing for fry should begin during the autumn cooling, at the end of September or beginning of October. There is no need to postpone until November.
Firstly, in late autumn in November the predator’s feeding is already in full swing; live bait prepared in advance will come in handy. Secondly, in very cool water, the carp bite is less active, and it’s not comfortable to fish; it’s better to stay at home in such weather.
Crucian carp is considered the most tenacious fish, so it remains active on the hook the longest, attracting a predator. In addition, this is the most common fish in our waters. It can be found in places where many fish species simply cannot survive. Therefore, many anglers prefer to use crucian carp on the hook as live bait.
Historical information
Few people know that such a fish as the spined loach lives in rivers. She leads such a lifestyle that it is difficult to catch her, especially with a fishing rod. At the slightest danger, she buries herself almost completely in the sand, leaving only part of her head with eyes outside in order to see everything that is happening around her. At the same time, spined lance can serve as an excellent live bait, since it can stay on the hook for a long time, remaining active. Previously, she was caught in an unusual way. To do this, they entered the water up to their waists and began to move with the flow. At the same time, when you pressed the bottom, you could determine that something was moving under your foot. The following actions boiled down to the fact that after a sharp squat, the sand was scooped up with the palms of the hands and quickly washed ashore; as a rule, this very pinched fish was found in the sand. This fish is a desirable food source for many predatory fish.
Ways to catch live bait in winter
Catching live bait in winter is not an easy task, but sometimes it is very necessary.
Using a jar
With the help of a jar, just like in the summer, you can also catch live bait in the winter. The main thing is that the size of the hole allows you to squeeze a 3-liter jar into it. And yet, the second option is more suitable - a plastic bottle with a large number of holes. It is much easier to both immerse and remove from water, since water quickly pours out of the container through many holes.
Using a scarf
A scarf is a special tackle for fishing in winter. It is called a scarf because it has a triangular shape. It is not a sports fish, but you can catch small things with it if you use a net with small cells. For successful and simpler use, it is necessary to punch a hole so that the scarf can easily submerge in water. The technique for using the scarf is the same as for the screen. Practically, this is the same tackle, which differs only in its shape.
Screen (TV)
The screen presents a grid connected by a rectangle. The same does not apply to sports equipment. The principle of fishing is the same as with a scarf, but a wooden block is used to tension the net. The design also includes a cord, with the help of which the screen is lowered into the water and pulled out of the water. Naturally, catching live bait in winter is accompanied by a number of difficulties to which you have to adapt.
Using a firecracker
This is a fairly effective tackle for fishing at any time of the year, both summer and winter.
Appearance
This design consists of two arcs connected movably. If both arcs are opened, you will get a circle with a diameter of 1 to 1.5 meters. The frame is made of wire with a diameter of 8-10 mm. Inside the circle there is a fine mesh mesh fixed around the perimeter of the circle. A rope is attached to the top of the arc. There should be two such ropes, since there are two arcs. The length of the ropes should be such that the tackle can lie on the bottom of the reservoir.
Techniques for catching live bait with firecrackers
Before starting the process, the cracker should be opened to put bait into it. You can not just lay it down, but also secure it. After this, the firecracker is closed and sent into the water. But before that you need to punch a hole of a certain size. When the cracker sinks to the bottom and the ropes are loosened, it will open. Before you pull it out of the water, you should pull both ropes sharply so that the firecracker closes. After this, the caught fish will not go anywhere.
Catching live bait with a fishing rod
With the help of a winter fishing rod you can successfully catch live bait for catching predatory fish. In this case, even small perch will do. To do this, you need to take a fishing rod with a thin fishing line (0.08-0.1 mm) and a small jig weighing up to 4 g. A “devil” type jig will do. It is advisable to have a fairly sensitive nod installed on the fishing rod.
How to get live bait to catch a predator
There are several ways to get live bait to catch a predator. Let's find out where you can get live bait. There are 3 most correct options:
- buy at a fishing store;
- catch with a light float rod with a small hook and a light float;
- catch a small fish.
Which method to choose from these 3? Let's find out.
Purchased live bait is only suitable if the predator is in a period of gluttony or is hungry due to insufficient food supply in the reservoir. But even then, you need to take into account the main diet of the predator and choose live bait in the store based on this criterion. As I said above, the behavior, color and even smell of purchased live bait may differ from the local inhabitants of the reservoir, which negatively affects the bite.
A float rod is great for catching live bait. Feed the fishing spot and, using a light bait, catch roach, bleak, minnows or any other small fish and can immediately use it as live bait for a predator.
The only negative is that it will take time to catch live bait. While you are catching live bait, live bait fishing rods for pike, perch or other predator will remain idle.
You can catch a lot of live bait and quickly with a small fish. The malyavochnitsa is a fine-mesh mesh stretched over a frame. Similar to a large and almost flat net. The size of the little fish for catching live bait is one meter per meter. The toy is tied to a long stick and lowered into the water. First you need to feed the place where the fry is caught and put something tasty in the fry itself - for example, a piece of bread. After 30 seconds to 2 minutes, the little fish rises and is usually full of small fish, which are excellent for the role of live bait.
The only downside is that you won’t be able to catch a goby or a minnow with a little fish. Therefore, if you need just such a live bait, catch it with a fishing rod.
It’s optimal to stock up on store-bought live bait and immediately put your predator gear on alert. After you catch live bait yourself, you can replace the purchased one with the caught one. This way you can save valuable time and your live bait gear will not be idle.
This is how you can get live bait to catch a predator. I hope my article helped you and you will rate it below by giving it a star and sharing it on social networks
