Catching carp on a donk: making a hook with your own hands

Donka for carp is an old, proven method of fishing for the giant of our reservoirs. In the last 5–7 years, sport fishing for carp, or carp fishing, has been actively popularized, and serious financial investments are required to practice this sport. But budget fishing deserves no less attention, so catching carp on a donkey on a river or lake has become a favorite pastime for most anglers.

Why we are talking specifically about carp is understandable, because it is one of the most common inhabitants of our reservoirs. In addition, unlike crucian carp, adult carp reach large sizes, and catching a qualifying trophy is the dream of every angler.

Carps are found both in rivers and in closed reservoirs and perfectly adapt to natural conditions. The main thing is that there is a food supply, thanks to which young individuals grow quickly, gain weight and, as a result, are of great interest to fishing enthusiasts.

In this article we will talk about how bottom tackle for carp is tied, in what conditions it is best to use it and how to properly catch this strong fish.

Where to look and how to catch carp on a donk

A few secrets for beginners

Experienced fishermen know almost everything about bottom carp fishing, but beginners often get confused about the very basics. A good result is influenced by: the fishing season, the characteristics of the reservoir, bait compositions, etc. Let's look at some features of good carp fishing:

Do not hang baits made from flour compounds such as dough, mastyrka, or bread on a hook. In most cases, they fall off the hook before even reaching the water. It is better to give preference to animal baits - they will be much more effective. Baits and attachments should stimulate the carp's appetite, activating the fish's bite. Dusting boilies work well, as they only awaken the fish's appetite without satiating them. Do not forget to treat the bait with various flavors.
For each season, different types of food are selected: if in spring and autumn it is better to place nutritional components with proteins and sharper odors in feeders, then in summer it is better to use sweeter aromas.
It is very important to correctly and accurately throw the tackle to the intended point. If you don't have enough experience, it's worth practicing this in advance.
It is advisable to throw food into a small area. Otherwise, the fishing results will not be very good.
If after some time there is no bite, leave the selected point and try your luck at another one. After a while, come back.

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Carp tackle

How and what to feed

Another important factor influencing the effectiveness of carp fishing for donka is the quantity and quality of bait that is offered to the fish. Only in early spring and late autumn the amount of food should be minimal, because the carp is not active and its metabolism is slow.

It is very easy to overfeed in such conditions and this must be taken into account when determining the volume of the feeding mixture. When fishing in warm water, it is necessary to feed the fish and it is necessary to choose the correct ratio of ingredients. It’s worth saying right away that catching carp without feeding the fishing point is much more difficult and it will most likely be a fish passing by by chance.

Even in small bodies of water, feeding is necessary, especially since the bait mixture contains accessible and cheap components.

For feeding it is used:

boiled and fermented corn;
boiled peas;
wheat;
rape;
millet;
sunflower cake.

All grains are available and have a low cost, so their use is justified in amateur bottom fishing. There are reservoirs where bait made from sour peas or corn performs well; they are also used as bait.

In order not to make a mistake in choosing the components of the bait mixture, you need to ask what the owners of the reservoir feed the fish (if it is a “private owner”), because it is accustomed to this food. Most often, grains from nearby fields are used as food, because both carp and grass carp happily feed on such food. So the guards of the reservoir will certainly suggest the right decision.

If fishing is carried out on the river, the universal bait is boiled and dry corn, which works for carp and carp at almost any time of the year. When the equipment is delivered, 3–5 grains of dried or boiled corn are poured into the fishing point, and after each bite the same amount of bait is added. If, when fishing on the river, there is no bite for 2-2.5 hours, you need to supplement the point and change the bait to a fresh one.

Don’t be afraid to overfeed fish in warm water, because young carp can eat more than their own weight in food per day. And corn and peas are the ingredients that will help attract fish to a given point, and to catch them, bottom equipment, or simply a donka, is used.

The best baits for fishing

Donk fishing requires the correct selection of bait. It is advisable not to take dough, bread, pasty mass or anything that cannot be fixed well on the hook. Carp and carp are caught at a long distance and with sharp casts the bait will fly off. In priority:

boilies;
worms;
corn kernels;
maggots;
peas;
insects and more.

In the spring, carp are caught on the bottom using baits of animal origin, in the summer - vegetable baits, and in the fall the bite weakens, but you can try a worm.

It is important that the bait is not as tasty and nutritious as groundbait - the fish will get enough of it prematurely and will not bite. Therefore, it is recommended to treat what is on the hook with dips, and to include fine-grained elements in the bait.

How to collect donka for carp

In this article, we are not considering sports carp or feeder gear; we are talking only about amateur fishing and all available equipment, the purchase of which does not require significant costs.

You don’t need to think that to catch trophy fish you need imported equipment, rods, reels and fishing lines, because carp have been successfully caught in our reservoirs since time immemorial, and there are no obstacles to continuing to do so.

Rod

The length of the rod is selected depending on whether the equipment will be brought in on a boat, or cast from the shore “by hand”. For imported fishing, budget telescopic or plug rods with a length of 2.7-3.00 are used, which are convenient to handle in cramped conditions while sitting on a boat.

For long-distance casting from the shore, you need a rod with a length of 3.3 - 3.9 with a cast of at least 100 grams. It doesn’t have to be a carbon “stick”; a “crocodile”, well known for its reliability and durability, capable of withstanding heavy loads, will also do.

We will not offer specific names of fishing rods, because the assortment in stores is different, the main thing you need to understand is that they catch no less fish with a budget form than with an expensive one, so it’s better to save money.

Coil

A spinning reel with a 4000-5000 spool is an ideal option, but in its absence, even a 3 thousand reel will provide convenience when casting and retrieving fish, even if it is somewhat more difficult to do. The technical characteristics of budget reels are not much worse than products from well-known brands, so don’t chase names, functionality is much more important.

Considering that amateur carp fishing involves a large number of rods, reducing the cost of gear is only welcome. But it’s better not to skimp on fishing line, especially if fishing is carried out in the current, in snags and hard-to-reach places. After hooking, the carp will probably show fierce resistance and in order to prevent it from going into the reeds or getting caught on snags, a strong and low-stretch line is needed.

fishing line

For fishing from the shore and casting, a monofilament line with a diameter of 0.3-0.35 mm is best suited. If you choose a thinner line, there is no complete confidence in the reliability of the gear, especially when you encounter a large fish. A main line with a diameter greater than 0.35 limits the casting range, and when fishing long-distance it is very difficult to accurately place the equipment at the point.

When fishing from a boat, especially in snags, it is best to choose a braided line with a diameter of 0.2-0.25 mm as a base. The low stretch of the braided cord makes it possible to make a clear hook, and when fishing, it is easier for the fisherman to hold the fish and not let it go into the reeds or snags.

The cost of braided cord is higher than monofilament fishing line, but with proper use it lasts for several seasons, the main thing is to dry the base after fishing and store it in a dark, cool place. Before fishing, be sure to check the condition of the fishing line, because it will be very disappointing if, when fishing for a trophy, the tackle breaks due to a poor-quality base.

Monofilament fishing line is also stored in a dark and dust-free place; in extreme cases, the reels are placed in plastic bags. Most often, more fishing line is wound onto the reel spool than is needed for fishing, and after several fishing trips it is rewound to another spool so that the working part remains fresh.

Leads hooks and sinkers

When fishing for carp, you need to be prepared for a trophy fish to bite, so the hooks you choose are strong and sharp. Every time before casting or bringing in the rod, check the sharpness of the hook, because your catch ultimately depends on it. Hook size 2-6 according to the classical classification, preferably Wide Gape shape, with a wide hook.

As for specific manufacturers, the choice depends on the fisherman’s budget; the best option is Hayabusa KX-1 hooks. This is a budget, but high-quality hook that can hold trophy fish.

Now there are many good Chinese hooks, but you need to choose them only after visually verifying their high quality and sharpness. To knit leashes, use soft leash material or a strong cord that ensures the reliability of the tackle.

Important! Remember that inattention when choosing a hook and tying the rig will result in an unfortunate loss of fish.

Cargo requirements:

dark, better camouflage color;
weight sufficient to hold the current and hook the fish on its own;
streamlined shape (bullet, cylinder).

Homemade cast weights do their job well, and you can paint them a camouflage color using dry paint. Using such cargo is another opportunity to save money.

Fishing technique

In order to use bottom gear for carp fishing most productively, you should correctly perform such basic techniques as casting equipment, hooking, and fishing:

Casting a donkey is done vertically. You should hold the rod with both hands, place your legs slightly wider than your shoulders, and stand slightly sideways. First, we lift the rod vertically, and placing it as far behind the back as possible, with a sharp whipping movement, returning it to its original position, we cast. The line with the equipment should be released at the moment when the form, describing a semicircle when moving from behind, is as parallel to the surface of the earth as possible.
Installation of gear and alarm. After casting the tackle, we place the blank on the holder, reel in the slack and, after making a few turns of the reel, create such tension on the cord or fishing line that the tip of the blank is in a slightly bent state. We attach the bells to the top or the second knee from it; swingers, pendulum alarms are secured between the reel and the first throughput end of the butt leg of the rod. We attach simple bells to a fishing line coming out of the tulip of the rod in such a way that the alarm attached to it creates a slight slack.
Sweeping. You should hook when the alarm is activated for a long time and there are strong jerks, visually observed at the tip of the form. Hooking is performed by briefly and sharply lifting the rod up from the stand. You should not make a sweeping and very strong hook, which can either tear the soft lips of the fish or pull the hook with the nozzle out of the fish’s mouth.
Fishing. Small carp should be fished out quickly. When fishing, larger specimens should first be slightly tired on a line stretched like a string, and only then slowly pulled to the shore, where it must be quickly placed in a landing net with a large bucket and a strong handle.

Nozzles

The best baits for catching carp on donkeys are old dry corn and sour peas, this has been tested by many fishing trips on different bodies of water. There is no need to invent anything if there are baits whose catchability is beyond doubt. Large corn is drilled across and placed directly on the hook tip.

The second option is to attach corn or peas to the hair, which is also effective and works both on the river and on the lake. Even after standing in water for many hours, dried corn remains dense and remains attractive to fish. This is natural food that will not alert even large fish and will entice it to bite.

If you want to experiment, you can try boilies or pellets, but then you need to feed them with a mixture that contains the same ingredients. On some reservoirs, especially closed ones, boiled potatoes, diced, and even pieces of fried lard performed well.

Places for catching carp with bottom tackle

Upon arrival at the place of the upcoming fishing, you need to study the reservoir and find catchable places where fish accumulate. This is usually:

accumulation of snags;
eyebrows;
bottom potholes;
tributaries

It will be successful to catch carp on a bottom in reed thickets and on a muddy bottom. Bloodworms and other food accumulate there in large quantities.

The location of trophy carp can be determined by splashes on the water surface. Fish starts games early in the morning and at sunset. Just the splashing of fish does not mean that this is where it feeds. But in any case, it is better to catch carp where it is definitely present. The main thing is that it is convenient to cast from the shore. Therefore, they look for an area free of vegetation.

Montages

The choice of rig for catching carp on a donk depends on:

fishing conditions;
the presence of a current in a reservoir;
distances;
way of feeding.

If fishing is carried out in a well-fed place, additional means of delivering bait such as feeders are not needed. If you have to cast while fishing, a rig is tied using a spring feeder or a plastic feeder, so that after each cast an additional portion of bait gets to the fishing point.

Installation for fishing on the current

To connect a rig for fishing in the current you will need:

leash with hook;
sinker with a through hole;
swivel;
stop bead or rubber stopper.

The equipment is knitted on a separate piece of fishing line 40-50 cm long and mounted on the base using the loop-to-loop method.

Installation procedure:

tie the swivel to the fishing line;
put on the rubber stopper and lower it to the swivel;
put a sinker on the line;
put on another stopper;
at the free end of the fishing line, make a loop for attaching to the base;
tie the leash to the swivel.

The result is a sliding installation, and the sinker moves freely along the fishing line, limited on both sides by stoppers. After the fish takes the bait, it does not feel resistance for several seconds, because the line glides freely. Only after the load rests against the upper stopper, the soft tissue is caught and all that remains is to bring the fish ashore using a boat, or manually.

The length of the leash is 20–30 cm and soft leash material or cord is used for tying it. This is important, since a leash made of monofilament line or fluorocarbon is too hard and may not be liked by the fish, and hooking on soft leashes is more reliable.

It is not necessary to take expensive leash materials for tying leashes; a budget cord will also do, the main thing is that its breaking load is sufficient for calmly playing the trophy.

When fishing from a long distance, you should not tie several leashes. The fish will still find a hook with a nozzle in a pile of food, and an extra leash becomes a hindrance when fishing, especially from a distance.

The weight of the load must be such that the equipment is not carried away by the current, and reliable self-notching occurs. But a sinker that is too heavy should also not be used, because it will only complicate the task of landing fish due to the additional weight.

Installation with a spring feeder for fishing on a standing pond from the shore

Casting rigs are tied on a fishing line or cord, the thickness and strength of which is higher than that of the base.

This is necessary so that in the event of a snag, only the installation itself comes off, and the base remains intact. Usually a break occurs at the junction of the rig with the base, and to continue fishing all that remains is to tie on a new rig.

To make the installation you will need:

a piece of thick fishing line from a cord 40–50 cm long;
spring feeder;
two swivels;
two leashes with hooks.

Knitting order:

tie a swivel to the end of the fishing line;
put a feeder on the fishing line;
at a distance of 20 cm from the bottom one, tie the second swivel;
make a loop at the free end to connect to the base;
tie the leashes to the swivels.

The result is an installation with a spring, and the leashes with hooks are located at a distance from each other, which increases the chance of a bite. The spring feeder moves freely along the line, and notching occurs when it rests on the upper swivel.

The weight of the feeder is selected depending on the fishing distance, so that it is convenient to cast, but large enough to catch fish. In this case, it is not the net weight of the feeder itself that is taken into account, but the weight with bait. If the spring feeder is not loaded, during installation it is necessary to use an additional sliding sinker, otherwise the notch will be unreliable.

The size of the spring is chosen at your own discretion, the main thing is that the finished filled feeder is convenient to throw at a given distance. There is no point in placing more than two hooks; their location at the top and bottom of the feeder is most attractive to fish, and extra leads only get tangled and interfere with fishing.

What weather should you catch carp in?

The weather does not greatly affect the activity of carp when catching it with bottom gear, both on a small lake from the shore and on a large reservoir from the bridge. We must take into account:

Donka for carp is most effective in the summer months, when the water has warmed up to a temperature of more than 20-220C. At the beginning of summer, before the heat sets in, in clear, warm weather, carp can bite throughout the day;
In the middle of summer, with the arrival of heat, due to an increase in water temperature and a decrease in the oxygen content in it, carp becomes inactive during the day, hiding in snags, in the channel ditches of reservoirs, under steep banks at great depths. The fish are most active at this time in the morning and evening hours. Daytime activity can be observed when the heat subsides, the onset of warm, windless, cloudy weather with short rains;
At the end of summer and beginning of autumn, the water temperature gradually drops, and the carp begins to become active not in the morning, but as the water warms up, from 9-10 o’clock. At this time, it is better to catch carp in clear, windless and not hot weather;
In mid-late autumn, carp activity is very low - the fish become active only after a long and steady warming. Carp bite in the fall, usually in the afternoon.

Fishing technique and tactics

The tactics for catching carp with bottom tackle depend on whether a boat is used when bringing in equipment and landing fish.

From the shore

When casting from the shore, after selecting and baiting a point, the fishing rod is clipped and the tackle is cast all the time to the same point. It is important not to forget to remove the line from the clip after casting, otherwise the fish that bites will pull the rod into the water and you will have to swim after it.

To make it easier to identify and fix the point, a beacon in the form of a plastic bottle or a large float is placed at the place chosen for fishing. At night, a firefly is placed in a bottle for float fishing and then the lighthouse is visible even if the moon is not shining.

When casting, there is no need to always try to land directly in front of the bottle, because large fish prefer to take baits from the edge of the bait spot.

For example, one cast is made 5-7 meters to the right of the fishing point, the next one is 5-7 meters to the left. Accordingly, you need to feed an area of 8–10 meters.

After casting the rod, it is placed on a stand, and in order to see bites, electronic or mechanical signaling devices such as bells or bells are used. Carp fishing requires patience, as bites are not very frequent, so several rods are used, cast at different points.

Bait and feeding techniques

The fishing result depends on the correct bait. Carp is one of the aquatic representatives that loves to eat tasty food and quickly gains weight. Therefore, the fisherman must prepare a delicacy. You can buy ready-made bait in a specialized department (for example, formulations under the Dunaev or Minenko brand). Only professionals make bait mixtures with their own hands.

The feeder for catching carp is filled with fine bait

The universal cooking recipe is as follows:

Take the base (breadcrumbs, ground sunflower seeds and cake).
Add heavier ingredients (canned sweet corn, peas, maggots, bloodworms).
Add flavorings (vanilla, honey, garlic and carp additives).

It is easier to make carp bait from millet, peas and pearl barley. The latter must first be boiled over low heat (so as not to burn).

The food should be served in stages. First, the filled feeder is thrown several times in the selected area. Then they wait half an hour, fill it again with a viscous mass, string the bait onto a hook and send the whole thing to the prey’s habitat.

Hook characteristics

When choosing hooks, it is important to pay attention to a number of characteristics, without which it is impossible to make the process of carp fishing as comfortable as possible. The determining factors include:

The determining factors include:

type of fishing tip;
beard;
hook color and size;
the type of bend on it;
selection of rings or blades.

Below are the nuances of choosing the right fishing equipment.

There are three main types of hooks for catching fish:

straight;
curved inward;
curved outwards.

If the first two options can be easily used when catching carp, then the latter has practically ceased to be used, since it is inconvenient (the sting becomes dull very quickly). When choosing between a straight and curved type, it is extremely difficult to choose the optimal one. Although many fishermen claim that it is the curved sting that provides the best hook for the carp, so that the fish will not fall off the hook even with a lot of weight and an unstable hook.

When choosing a carp sting for fishing, it is also important to pay attention to its sharpness. To check it, you can simply touch the hook with your nail plate and run the tip along it (the angle should be the same as when hooking a fish). If there are grooves left on the nail, then the level of sharpness is sufficient

Sometimes it happens that the tip simply slides along the plate without leaving any marks, which indicates the need to replace the equipment

If there are grooves on the nail, then the level of sharpness is sufficient. Sometimes it happens that the tip simply slides along the plate without leaving any marks, which indicates the need to replace the equipment.

Beard

In recent years, more and more companies producing hooks have been producing beardless specimens. To understand the difference, you need to understand the function of this very beard: it is needed in order to prevent the fish from breaking off when playing it. Although experts say that this type of hook is a little more difficult to drive into the lip of a fish, which is not always convenient when you need to act quickly.

That is why beardless options are used in professional (sport) fishing, and equipment with a beard is used in amateur fishing.

Also, an increasing number of fishermen are inclined to think that the fish are less injured in the first case, which is very important if they are then released back into the reservoir

Long or short forend

To catch big fish, you can use both handguard options. The only difference between them is that with a long carp it will be much faster and better to hook

But at the same time, they are more noticeable in reservoirs, especially considering that carp is an extremely cautious fish. In this case, short handguards will be optimal.

They can also differ in their shape: they can be straight or curved. The latter provide a quick hook due to the almost instantaneous rotation of the hook in the fish’s mouth.

Bend

Hooks can have either a narrow or wide bend. Each of them has advantages. The massive type is suitable for fishing with floating boilies. Using such a hook, the fisherman can be confident in the quality and strength of the hook, because the capture of the labial tissue of the fish will be much greater. This variety is also suitable for zig-rig type equipment. Sometimes there are still cases where a narrow bend is more suitable. Such hooks are durable and will definitely not break, especially when it comes to large specimens.

Ring or spatula

The use of one type of structure or another depends entirely on the type of gear. If a fisherman prefers to catch carp using a feeder, and also attaches additional floats, then hooks with a spatula would be the best option. In this case, the entire structure will have a much smaller mass, which will have an optimal effect on the supply of the nozzle. The fish will bite more actively than with a ring. But it also has advantages, for example when using a hair rig or a Gardner loop.

When fishing for carp, it is best to use hooks with a camouflage coating (bronze or nickel). The color itself can be dark green or even black, which will blend perfectly with the appearance of the reservoir and confuse the fish. Experts additionally clarify that the first option is more acceptable for reservoirs with dense vegetation at the bottom, and the second - for ponds with a smooth coastal zone

The specified bronze or nickel coating additionally performs a protective function, as it prevents corrosion on the surface of the hooks, which is important when gear comes into frequent contact with water.

Secrets of fishing

We must remember that crucian carp is a slow fish. He is never the first to come to the bait, especially since splashes of water at the time of feeding frighten him. Small and fast fish always come first for bait: roach, bream, bleak. They eat up all the small food. Therefore, it is necessary to include large fractions of ingredients in the bait, of such a size that small fish cannot swallow them;

The bites of crucian carp on the donk are sharp and rapid only during periods of hunger

On other days he pecks carefully, self-hooking extremely rarely

Sometimes, to activate the bite, you need to pull the tackle a little closer to the shore.

Fishing tackle

A distinctive characteristic of equipment for carp is that it is made taking into account the likelihood of the fish spitting out the bait. This gear provides additional time for the angler to hook.

The spring is attached to the fishing line using a shock leader. It has much greater strength than the fishing line, and it bears all the load that occurs when casting the sinker and pulling the prey ashore. Another difference from other types of equipment (top, float, feeder) is that with the help of a spring you can hunt carp in reservoirs with weak currents, for example, such as Strizhen.

When choosing equipment for carp fishing, you need to start with the rod. It should be chosen taking into account the size of the expected fish that will be hunted. Features of the choice are reliability and massiveness. You can purchase a bottom rod 2-3.5 m long, plug-in or telescopic type. It is recommended to select a test of at least 40 g. The reel should be moved far from the rod so that in a possible fight with prey it does not break.

Selection of reel and line

It is worth taking a spinning reel with a volume of approximately 3500-4000, which has a rear friction brake. It is possible to use a carp reel with a baitrunner.

It is necessary to set up the reel well so that during its operation the line does not break and all the equipment is preserved. The reel should hold 100 m of fishing line, no less.

It would be more correct if you use monofilament fishing line with increased strength with an average diameter of 0.3 mm. For long fishing distances, it is worth purchasing braided threads with a load of up to 5 kg.

Types of springs

There are 2 types of springs: “donut” and “combine”. To make a donut spring, 2 mm thick wire is used. The finished spring can have an internal diameter of up to 20 mm. You can tie from 3 to 6 hooks around the entire circumference. The spring is filled several times one by one. There is no need to attach additional weight to the donut.

The “harvester” spring is convenient to throw and easy to make. A simple stainless steel is used and twisted into a cone. A cambric is put on top. Thanks to him, the leashes are brought out in different directions. The spring is secured to the cambric using a central leash (you can buy it in a store or make it yourself).

First you need to take a stainless steel or copper wire 2 mm thick. Wrap it around some pin, for example, a bolt up to 12 mm thick. The result will be a tube approximately 7 cm in diameter. It should be stretched by 20 cm and twisted into a circle with a diameter of 2.2 cm. Using a soldering iron, you need to fasten the ends. Then attach 6 leads to the spring. You should take a thicker thread or thin fishing line. You need to prepare a thread 15 cm long. After tying it to the spring, you need to make sure that the spring will be at a distance of up to 6 cm from the hook to be attached.

Hooks need to be tied to each thread, preferably vanadium or hardened ones of high quality. It is desirable that they are quite sharp. It must be remembered that hooks that fit in the mouth of the prey are needed. Finally, tie the spring to the fishing line.

Equipment for carp fishing with a spring

There are 2 types of gear:

Feeder (regular). Take a fishing line 0.3 mm thick. For ordinary tackle, you need a length of about 1 m; a loop should be made at the end. Using it, secure a rubber stopper (or a bead) and a 5 cm long PVC tube. After this, secure the spring to a fishing line with a carabiner at the end (if the equipment is possibly replaced). It turns out to be a tackle with a cargo feeder in the form of a spring.
Real fishing with a spring. You should take an “oak” spinning rod. This rod should support up to 8 kg of weight. Take a fishing line or cord 120 m long and with a load of up to 5 kg. An inertial coil with a ratchet is also needed - it will serve as a good signaling device. Hooks numbered 8 and 9 should be attached to the spring using leads with a smaller diameter than the fishing line. Baits are placed on the hooks. The hooks need to be hidden in the bait so that the carp gets caught on the hook when eating it.

Choosing a fishing line for carp for bottom tackle

For bottom carp tackle, you can use both monofilament fishing line and braided cords:

When fishing in small reservoirs, ponds and stakes, where the weight of the carp does not exceed 2-3 kg, you can use high-quality monofilament with a cross-section of 0.27-0.35 mm;
For large reservoirs, as well as ponds where trophy fish weighing over 6-8 kg are found, braided cords with a cross-section from 0.16 to 0.2-0.22 mm should be used.

When choosing a fishing line, preference should be given to special carp models that are characterized by high strength and durability.

Where can you fish

Donka for crucian carp can be used from early spring to late autumn; throughout the entire open water season, this tackle will bring excellent catches.

Victoria Leshchenko

I've been working hard in the fishing tackle department for the past six years. I can help you assemble almost any gear.

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During the spawning period, it is advisable not to use this gear in reservoirs where restrictions have been established.

Tackle for crucian carp can be used on reservoirs with different characteristics:

water areas with standing water and a muddy bottom, this includes ponds and small lakes;
with moderate currents, medium and large reservoirs and lakes, creeks, backwaters;
with medium to strong currents, these are large rivers.

However, it is worth taking into account the installation features; completely different types of feeders and bait are used for standing water and rivers.

Features of crucian carp fishing

Fishing for crucian carp: bait and basic fishing gear

How to make donka

Bottom gear is easy to make. This topic will not be discussed in detail in the article, but below we will talk about what elements will be needed and how to choose them correctly.

The simplest do-it-yourself carp feeder has the following elements:

Hook for carp. The shape and size of the part are selected based on the size of the carp that the angler plans to catch, as well as the type of bait. Often, according to the international classification, hooks numbers 6, 8, 10 are used.
Bite alarm. You can choose what you like best: a quivertip, an electronic device or a bell. Using the last element, it must be removed when landing fish and casting a donkey.

Equipment for baits and bait

Speaking about carp equipment, one cannot fail to mention the equipment of the hook. In carp fishing, unlike other fishing methods, there is no ordinary baiting on a hook. Here, hair installation is used to attach boilies. Here is a short procedure for knitting it:

At the end of the leash we knit a tiny loop for the boilie stopper.
We put a piece of silicone tube on the shank of the hook.
We thread the leash through the silicone.
Having measured the desired length of hair, we thread the end of the leash into the ring of the hook.
We knit a “knotless” knot.
We put a heat-shrink tube on the hook ring and a section of the leash and crimp it by gently heating it in boiling water. The length of the tube is such that its end coincides with the intersection of the leash and the imaginary line from the tip to the fore-end.
We knit a loop at the second end of the leash.

PVA sticks

An interesting installation is used when feeding a fishing point using PVA sticks. This is the name for bags made of water-soluble PVA thread with bait.

A special carp needle is threaded diagonally through the stick filled with bait (you can use a metal crochet hook).
Hook the needle hook into the loop of the leash with the hair rig.
Pull the needle back, so the loop comes out on the opposite side of the “candy”.
Attach the leash to the main fishing line.

After casting at the fishing point, the PVA stick disintegrates, and the bait is released and placed around the hook.