Winter fishing allows you to enjoy the fishing process from start to finish. After all, the fisherman takes part both in the process of drilling holes and in the fishing process, which is characterized by rather active actions of the fisherman.
Any winter fishing brings a lot of fun, including catching rudd. The fact is that preparing to catch a specific type of fish is always more difficult, so the result is always desirable. Naturally, it’s easier to go fishing, drill a hole, throw tackle into the hole and wait for some fish to bite.
Catching rudd requires knowledge in terms of where to catch them, when to catch them and what to catch them with. Without knowledge of the behavior of this fish, effective fishing will not work.
Where to look for rudd in winter
Rudd will be caught in winter when the conditions in the reservoir are sufficient for this. If it is a large body of water, with significant depths, without shallow areas with thickets of reeds and sedges, the rudd is unlikely to become active. In such conditions, she simply hibernates, and you should not count on her biting.
Therefore, shallows with the presence of last year’s vegetation are considered the favorite places of this fish. For many other fish species, such places are not promising, but for rudd this is what is needed. If you see a crowd of fishermen in such places, this means that they are hunting for rudd.
Therefore, a promising place for catching rudd is in areas of the reservoir no more than one meter deep, where remnants of reeds peek out above the ice surface. Fishing in such places is quite difficult, because most of the vegetation is under water. This leads to frequent hooks and breaks in the gear, but this factor does not stop fans of winter rudd fishing.
Since the depth is not great, the rudd hears everything that is happening on the surface of the ice, especially after a hole has been drilled. It is possible that she will leave the hole for a certain time and will be able to return to her original place if silence is maintained.
Some anglers drill several holes and begin to fish them one by one. At the same time, you should move very carefully. You need to be prepared for the fact that after lowering the gear into the water, bites may follow within 10-15 minutes.
When and where to catch rudd
Rudd does not like currents, so you should always look for it in low-flowing ponds, lakes, oxbow lakes and backwaters. Throughout the warm season, when the water is freed from the shackles of ice, you should look for rudd in shallow water, in thickets of algae and reeds. Often fills windows between thickets of aquatic vegetation. In one such window you can catch more than a dozen of this fish.
Rudd is caught exclusively during daylight hours. It bites throughout the day, without taking a break even at lunchtime. Like the bite of any other fish, the bite of the rudd becomes more active in the morning and evening dawns. Morning dawn is the most catchy period of time when catching rudd.
The rudd collects fallen butterflies and various mosquitoes from the surface of the water, which often reveals its presence. You can often notice how a bug that has fallen into the water is immediately grabbed by “someone” from under the water; one can easily assume that it was a rudd.
Sometimes rudds reveal themselves in the evenings when they grab flying insects from the surface of the water. You can see how their golden sides sparkle, which means it’s clear where you should stop with your fishing rod. From under the wide belt of reeds, rudd are best caught from a boat. I anchor about 15m from the reed beds and cast my baits 1m to the first stems.
The combination of red corn with strawberry flavor (from Pescaviva) and yellow maggots also worked well. Another bait I trust when catching rudd is breadcrumb pieces. The bread crumb is unsurpassed on ponds where passers-by constantly feed the ducks. There is enough bread left for the fish, and they have become accustomed to this extra food.
Catching baits
Since rudd are fish that readily take food from the surface, they can be caught using drifting bread crumbs. It is best to throw a few pieces of bread crumb into the water before fishing while walking along the shore of the reservoir to see if the rudd are interested in the bait.
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If you are interested, use a hook with an attachment made from a piece of bread crumb. A carp controller serves as a casting weight. Rudds swallow midges and other insects from the water surface. Therefore, it would be good to try to catch these “gold bars” with grasshoppers. A water ball will provide the necessary mass for casting here.
Floating baits
When fishing for rudd, the bait should sink very slowly. Therefore, it should be given a little buoyancy. This is best done using artificial maggots, artificial bread and foam rubber. You will need a buoyant body that will allow the bait to float only slowly and balance the mass of the hook.
Critically balanced (balanced almost to neutral buoyancy) is what the British call this bait. So, the hook must sink as slowly as the portions of loose bait, otherwise the rudd will become suspicious. When it comes to making baits buoyant, your imagination knows no bounds. You can take a piece of foam from Ohropax earplugs, plastic maggot or caster (Balzer), a piece of artificial bread crumb (Enterprise Tackle) or foam rubber of various colors.
Most often, buoyancy is adjusted using scissors so that the bait really slowly sinks to the bottom. It is advisable to check in shallow coastal waters whether the desired effect is actually achieved. Floating bait near the float rarely brings bites.
Rudd on a fishing rod in overgrown places - classic fishing
The rudd is very numerous, inhabits many reservoirs that are not poor in oxygen, and is caught by almost all fishermen with a fishing rod. Sometimes it is a passing catch when catching other fish. Sometimes it is caught purposefully, special gear, bait,… are created for catching it. Catching rudd with a fishing rod is interesting and exciting, athletes train on it...
Where and how does the rudd bite?
In open water, active rudd biting begins at the end of April. The fish are caught all day long, and gather very closely in the feeding area.
In large reservoirs with a rich food supply, river mouths, and estuaries, the rudd reaches more or less impressive sizes, and its catches on a float rod can amount to tens of kilograms.
In April - May, rudd are mostly found in shallow water, in places where the water warms up faster. At this time, you need to choose a fishing place with a depth of up to 1 meter, preferably overgrown with “grass”, and it is better to catch rudd from the bottom. In summer, it is preferable to fish at depths of 1 - 2 meters, with the hook placed 0.5 - 1 meter from the ground, although even at this time the rudd can perfectly take not only a floating bait.
Rudd on a fishing rod in overgrown places - classic fishing
The fishing rod should be light
For catching rudd, the most suitable tackle will be a fly rod. It is optimal to choose the following:
- the length of the rod is 5 - 6 meters, and for wading fishing in weeds - 4 - 5 meters,
- main line – 0.1 – 0.12 mm,
- leash – with a diameter of 0.08 mm and a length of 10 cm,
- float with a load capacity of up to 1.0 grams, for long rods and windy weather - up to 2.5 grams,
- loading - 2 - 3 weights, hook - under a bloodworm made of thin wire.
With such a light and elegant float, provided it is loaded correctly (only the antenna should be above the water, and the floating body is completely immersed in the water), the slightest bite will be noticeable.
Coloring the floats and selecting the hook
It is necessary to have floats with different colors of antennas, and use them depending on the lighting and fishing conditions. This greatly reduces visual fatigue and makes fishing a complete relaxation. For example,
- for a dark background of water, a white antenna is good,
- for a background that glares in the sun - black,
- for the wave – red-orange.
The hook is used with a straight tip, made from the thinnest wire. The size of the hook rather depends on the type of bait, because the rudd boldly takes large hooks. For bloodworms No. 20, for worms - No. 15, for a slightly smaller dough - No. 16-17. It is recommended to prepare a set of leashes with hooks at home so that you can quickly adapt to the fishing conditions and the mood of the fish.
Rudd is better caught with bait
Fishing for rudd is usually carried out by feeding the place. You can use store-bought bait, but if you have the time and desire to prepare food at home, you can use this simple recipe:
- 1 part breadcrumbs,
- 1 part ground sunflower cake (or preferably ground roasted seeds),
- 0.5 parts ground oat flakes,
- It’s a good idea to add something dusty and buoyant, at least wheat bran...
You need to add the bait you are using into the bait - bloodworms, chopped worms, pearl barley. It is advisable to flavor the bait; for example, the following flavors work well: strawberry, duchess, coriander, anise. Soil, ground through a sieve and added in small quantities, will change the color of the bait, add turbidity and make the bait more durable.
You can mix the ingredients at home, but you need to moisten the food only with water taken from a reservoir, with a fish-like odor. Bleaching impurities in water are simply unacceptable.
Bait and catch
Various doughs, bread crumbs, bloodworms, worms, and pearl barley work well as attachments. Moreover, it is advisable to use the same flavorings for the test baits that were used to prepare the bait.
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To soak bread crumbs, it is better to use water from a pond. To prepare dough and cook various recipes, it is better to use purchased water or water from a spring. Such seemingly trifles have a significant impact on the final catch, and the rudd’s fastidiousness is only apparent.
When fishing, it is very useful to experiment and not settle on one thing. If the bite weakens, try changing the depth and changing baits. It is better to start catching rudd from the bottom, then fish in half the water. It is useful to periodically throw small pinches of food or a few pearl barley into the fishing area. This creates excitement in the school, and the fish takes the bait more confidently. And the rudd will not leave you unattended, and a great mood will come with it.
Constant feeding is a bit of a tedious process. But only a good dose of dusty, dry bait that creates a cloud creates a good stir and the fishing goes on confidently...
You can watch the video “Fishing in the Nizhny Novgorod Region” online in good quality on our website for catching rudd with a float rod in the summer in June on Lake Obukhovo, near the village of Memory of the Paris Commune. Enjoy watching!
You can watch the video “Fishing in the Nizhny Novgorod Region” online in good quality on our website for catching rudd with a float rod in the summer in June on Lake Obukhovo, near the village of Memory of the Paris Commune. Enjoy watching!
Searching for and catching rudd with a float rod in the channels between lakes. In the morning, after feeding the place, we started fishing with a float rod. The bites started right away, but the size of the rudd was not encouraging. After changing many places and giving up bait, we found and began to catch a large rudd.
The equipment must have a leash made of fishing line with a cross-section of 0.12 mm, a hook No. 3-4, with a short fore-end. It is recommended to install the sinker at a distance of 20-25 cm from the hook; if fishing conditions allow, then the distance can be safely increased.
What do you use to catch rudd in winter?
You can catch rudd in winter using both natural bait and jigs. The most common baits are:
- burdock fly larva;
- amphipod larva;
- caddis larva;
- bloodworm;
- maggot;
- small brown leech.
Most fishermen use the most accessible and fairly catchable baits, such as bloodworms or maggots. Other baits are used less frequently due to the difficulty of acquiring them. In addition, bloodworms and maggots have very acceptable catchability, which satisfies many anglers.
In addition to this method, you can use the traditional winter method - fishing with jigs. To catch rudd, jigs no larger than 3-4 mm in size are suitable. In clear weather, it bites well on flesh-colored baits, and in cloudy weather it prefers brighter colors. Oddly enough, shiny jigs worsen the bite of rudd. Therefore, you can count on results when using baits in matte shades.
Depending on weather conditions, rudd may be interested in a bait of a certain shape. Therefore, when going winter fishing, it is better to have a whole set of jigs that differ in shape and color.
Fishing with a float
Fans of active winter fishing do not like float rods due to the passivity of the process. But with the right approach, this method is completely justified, providing the fisherman with a good catch.
In winter, rudd becomes very cautious and suspicious, so gear should be as inconspicuous as possible. Large specimens of this fish are rarely found and you can safely use very light and thin equipment.
1. Fishing rod. A simple short fishing rod with a foam handle and a plastic whip 25-30 cm long is enough.
2. Coil. Any convenient reel with a diameter of 40-60 mm.
3. Fishing line. It is selected depending on the size of the rudd in the pond. It is often recommended to use a monofilament with a thickness of 0.12-0.18 mm, but this is justified when fishing in places with hooks and the likelihood of large fish being bitten. Otherwise, a fishing line with a diameter of 0.06-0.10 mm is suitable.
4. Float. Easy to make from rigid foam or polyurethane foam. To do this, you need to cut the workpiece in the form of two cones connected by their bases and pierce it along the main axis with a red-hot wire or needle. Then insert the match into the hole.
The upper part of the float is painted in a bright color, clearly visible on the water (red, yellow), the lower part is brown or black. After painting, it must be opened with clear varnish. According to many fishermen, such homemade floats are more reliable than factory ones.
5. Sinker weighing up to 10 grams and a pair of small hooks.
The equipment is simple - a weight is attached to the end of the main fishing line, and a little higher there is a pair of hooks attached to short leashes.
Baits and groundbait
In winter, rudd, like many species of fish, almost completely switches to protein feed, rich in calories. It is quite difficult to guess with bait - rudd is quite picky and can often change preferences on the same body of water.
Main baits: – bloodworms; – maggot; – burdock moth larva; – small brown leech; – amphipod; - caddisfly larva.
The rudd rarely takes the last three baits in winter, but there are times when bloodworms and maggots do not work at all. Then you will have to make money directly on the reservoir, making wormwood far from the fishing site.
The bloodworm attachment is made not with a bunch behind the head, but along. This will not affect the bites, but the number of successful hooks will increase significantly. You can try some herbal baits:
– dough or bread with the addition of anise oil.
When fishing for rudd in winter, bait is necessary - most of the time the fish are very sluggish and poorly responsive to bait. The main purpose of bait is to create a cloudy cloud of tiny nutrient particles in the water, which attracts fish to the hooks. You can buy ready-made bait mixture or prepare it yourself.
The main ingredients of bait can be:
- breadcrumbs; – crushed bran; – small fish food; – boiled porridge; - top of the head.
Best time to fish
Unlike other types of fish, which can be caught throughout the day, with a short break for lunch, rudd bites only in the first half of the day. Counting on her to bite after lunch is a waste of time. If there are frosty days outside, then going fishing with the hope of catching a rudd makes no sense. During this period, it will lose its activity or go to depths, where it will be warmer.
When the temperature outside begins to approach zero or a slight minus, the rudd returns to its favorite places. Most likely, this is due to the fact that oxygen enters the water through vegetation that breaks through the ice. Therefore, in such places there is more oxygen in the water and the fish behave as actively as in summer.
Although the rudd resists, just like in the summer, its strength is not enough to prevent the angler from pulling it out of the hole or damaging the tackle.
Despite this, there is a possibility of catching a large specimen, weighing up to 1 kg. You need to be prepared for this and when fishing, do not rush or make sudden movements.
Winter tackle for rudd
Some anglers use winter fishing rods with a nod, while others use a float so as not to sit above the hole. Therefore, what to catch rudd in winter depends on the choice of the fisherman.
And although the rudd loses practically little in terms of activity in winter, it does not have such strength as to break the tackle. At the same time, it should be remembered that the thinner the line, the more active the bite can be. If you have some experience, then on a fishing line 0.05 mm thick you can pull out a fish weighing about 1 kg. At the same time, it should be remembered that fishing in such places can bring a lot of hooks, and these will certainly be cliffs. To minimize breakages, anglers use fishing line with a diameter of 0.18 mm. This approach will not only reduce the likelihood of cliffs, but will also help in case another, more powerful fish bites.
Lead-colored or brown jigs have worked well. Experimental casting will help you find a catchable bait. At the same time, it should be remembered that in clear weather, rudd takes dark baits better, and in cloudy weather, brighter ones.
When choosing a method for moving a jig, you should make your choice on smooth, slow movements. As experience shows, sudden movements are contraindicated.
Ways to catch rudd
Fishing in the fall requires special care and caution, because faded algae have made the water clearer, and the rudd has become more timid and passive. To catch such fish, you often have to change not only the bait, but also the fishing method
And there are quite a few of these methods: fishing with bait of animal origin or artificial, vertical or long-cast, with a float rod or spinning rod, bottom tackle or fly fishing. Let's talk a little about each of them.
Fly fishing for rudd
In the autumn, before frost, rudd prefers to be in the middle layers of water, so wet flies and nymphs are more suitable as bait for fly fishing. It is better to use a sinking cord. After casting, you need to wait for the bait to submerge, retrieving evenly with short pauses. The bite usually occurs while moving.
Catching rudd with a float rod
When fishing for rudd in the “classic” mode in autumn, the tackle is adjusted in such a way that the bait sinks very slowly and smoothly. This is achieved by removing the main weight and moving the secondary weight directly under the float, while the use of a transparent float brings greater results. Bait for fishing in the fall is only of animal origin - worms, bloodworms, maggots, pieces of fresh meat. To catch large specimens, there should be a lot of bait on the hook.
Long cast
If fishing for rudd will be carried out in areas remote from the shore, then you can use long-casting or match gear. A rod with a large number of guides, equipped with a lightweight spinning reel and a self-loading float. With the help of such equipment, you can accurately deliver bait even to small “windows” at a distance far from the shore. Fry or verkhovka are used as bait. The bait is placed in the middle and upper layer of water, slowly and smoothly, pulling and pausing.
Catching rudd on a fishing rod with a nod
In calm weather, to catch hard-to-reach places among aquatic vegetation, they practice catching rudd using gear with a direct or side nod. This type of tackle is a 6-8m telescopic carbon fiber rod with a nod made of a thin metal plate, lavsan or plastic. The nod provides a sensitive connection between the bait and the rod. This type of gear is used for fishing with jigs or micro jig heads. Bait can be either animal or artificial. In particular, for nanojig fishing, jigs less than 0.5 g are used, with an artificial bloodworm attachment, the retrieve is uniform without pauses. For microjig, jig heads up to 3 g, with silicone bait up to 5 cm, are more suitable. Fishing with 5-7 gram jigs with bait (worm, bloodworm, fry) or baitless is also practiced.
Catching rudd with ultralight tackle
To catch rudd, you can use an ultralight spinning rod. This is a small rod up to 2.4 m made of light materials with appropriate gear. Namely, a small reel that must be balanced with a blank and a fishing line of 0.12-0.16 mm. The bait used is ultra-light spinners up to 5 grams, fly fishing flies, microjigs and microwobblers weighing 2-3 grams of sinking type or suspenders.
These are the ways to catch this beautiful fish. Choose the one that is more suitable for your pond, and of course, choose a good day so that the rain does not ruin your fishing. After all, fishing in the fall is not only an opportunity to get a good catch, but also a great way to have a good time in the fresh air.
Lure
The use of bait when fishing for rudd is absolutely justified, as it increases the number of bites. Rudd may be attracted by a cloud of turbidity that appears at the bottom of a reservoir. Considering the fact that the depth is not great, you can take a stick and reach the bottom with it to organize this mess.
Any porridge or ordinary poppy seed will serve as bait. The bait is poured into the hole in small portions so as not to alert the fish.
Winter fishing not only brings a lot of pleasure, but also poses danger. Under no circumstances should you ignore the rules of behavior on ice, especially when it is not yet strong. You will never catch all the fish, but swimming in cold winter water is easy. Therefore, you should always listen to the recommendations of those services that have information about the condition of the ice surface. If they warn of danger, they should not be ignored.
