Fishing for burbot in December
The peculiarity of catching burbot in December is that it is at this time that spawning begins. And, as you know, before spawning, any fish begins to actively feed, which, of course, means active biting.
Catching burbot in December is a real pleasure for an angler. Burbot prefers a hard and rocky bottom and tries to avoid areas covered with silt, due to the fact that it is difficult to tolerate an environment poorly enriched with oxygen.
Catching burbot before spawning, during the accumulation of fat, is most promising at a depth of no more than 10 meters, preferably close to coastal dumps and edges.
As soon as spawning begins, it becomes very difficult to catch it, since only young individuals that have not reached sexual maturity remain active.
It is best to catch burbot at night, as it is considered a nocturnal predator that is active at night and less active during the day. In frosty and inclement weather, the burbot bite improves.
General trends in December fishing
As soon as the reservoirs are covered with the first solid ice, winter fishing starts. Small rivers are already ready to receive the first fishermen, and in deeper rivers the ice thickness is even less than 5 cm. By the middle of the month, fishing in December becomes full. You can fish on almost all frozen rivers and lakes.
On vast bodies of water, the ice thickness varies. At the beginning, shallow water areas and the coastal zone freeze well, and then gradually the pits and deep water areas become covered with ice. The strength of the current significantly affects the rate of freezing. The weaker it is, the faster the river section will become solid. During the first ice, the fish are active and bite well on jigs and bloodworms.
Bream fishing in December
Bream is a bottom and deep-sea fish. Spends most of its time at depth, but not in December.
During the first ice season, with the onset of the first frosts and the appearance of ice, it from time to time leaves the depths and goes out into shallow water to feed. Bream does not like muddy places, preferring a sandy or clayey bottom.
The most important thing in successfully catching bream is to choose the right place for fishing, feed the hole well and choose equipment with bait that is suitable for the place of fishing. For December bream fishing, you can use any fishing rod, preferably with a reel.
As long as there is enough oxygen in the water, the bream bite is active and it can be successfully caught in large quantities. As soon as the reservoirs are completely covered with a thick layer of ice, and the oxygen in the water begins to fall, its activity will decrease.
Where to fish in December
Winter is coming into its own, there is less food for fish, and their activity noticeably decreases. This happens differently in different bodies of water. Somewhere the fish quickly fall into torpor and stop feeding. Somewhere they continue to feed, and therefore fishing in December will bring its winter trophies, the main thing is to choose the right place for fishing. During the period of first ice, while the water has not yet cooled down, the fish are quite active throughout the day in all reservoirs, with the exception of days with a north wind, but after that, fishing in December in different reservoirs differs significantly.
Fishing in December in small bodies of water
Fishing in December ceases to produce results first of all in shallow enclosed reservoirs with abundant grass vegetation, where, after the formation of ice, there is a lack of oxygen, as a result of which the fish become less active and lose their appetite. In small bodies of water, fishing after freeze-up can last for only a few days.
Fishing in December on flowing waters
Fishing in December will be more productive in flowing lakes and rivers, provided that there is no sharp drop in atmospheric pressure and no north, north-west or north-east wind. If the fish is not disturbed, then every year it stands in the same place near the bottom, where the water is warmer. Due to uneven freezing, most of the catch in early December is made up of fish that live in shallow water: small perch, ruffe, roach. As the ice increases, it becomes possible to fish in December for large fish: pike, pike perch, large perch.
Fishing for pike perch in December
Pike perch is one of the most delicious fish in our waters. Pike perch is a predatory fish and moves strictly along its own paths, so knowing its habitats will help in successfully catching it.
In December, pike perch should be looked for at depths of 6 meters and deeper, near edges, holes, bottom irregularities, as well as in close proximity to the main river bed.
Most anglers at this time catch it exclusively with a balance beam. The shape and color of the balancer are selected strictly individually according to the fishing conditions and pike perch bite.
Roach fishing in December
Roach is most often caught in places where perch are caught. Only roach, unlike perch, can be caught both at the bottom and at the very edge of the ice.
When fishing for roach, it is advisable to use cold water bait, with a small addition of food bloodworms. They catch it mainly using a jig with bloodworms. More experienced fishermen catch it with a reelless bait. As they say: “Everything is known by comparison!”
Pike fishing in December
Pike fishing in December is just as exciting as in other months of the year, but the best bite still comes in the first half of December. At this time, you need to catch pike at depths of up to 3 meters, preferably in a coastal zone with the presence of aquatic vegetation.
Pike fishing is very popular among anglers:
Zherlitsy;
Balance.
Features of winter fishing in open water
By nature, this type of fishing is no different from summer fishing, despite the fact that the level of comfort is completely different, and the fish do not behave as actively as in summer. Despite this, in winter it is also possible to count on catching large specimens. In this case, a lot depends on the availability of food in the reservoir.
What specific gear is used?
Winter fishing in open water involves the use of the same gear as in summer. Eg:
- Fly fishing rod.
- Match fishing rod.
- Spinning.
- Plug fishing rod.
- Feeder.
- Onboard gear.
- Winter fishing rod.
Selection of gear for winter fishing. Recommended:
- Choose a rod up to 6-7 meters in length. It is necessary for the fishing rod to be light, because your hands will quickly get tired and cold.
- The rod must be durable because it is possible to catch large specimens.
- The thickness of the fishing line must be at least 0.15 mm.
- The float should be heavier than for summer. The movements of the bait should be smooth in temperament, without sudden movements.
In most cases, a spinning rod with these features is chosen for winter fishing:
- Choice of spinners. Oval-shaped baits made of bronze or cupronickel, 1-1.5 mm thick, are more suitable. The tee is chosen wider than the spinner by a couple of millimeters, with an attractive red plumage.
- Choosing a balancer. Lures Nos. 2-9 are the most catchy at this time. It is necessary to have elements that additionally attract fish - these are beads or flies that have a more striking color.
- Choice of live bait. Crucian carp is suitable as live bait, as it is the most tenacious fish.
Fishing from a boat requires the following gear:
- In the case when fishing is carried out from a boat, both the summer and winter options may be suitable. In this case, the tip of the rod should be used to detect bites. When fishing at depths of up to 6 meters, a meter rod is suitable, and for fishing at shallower depths, take a rod up to 1.5 meters long.
- Choosing a jig. For winter fishing, a jig such as a “line” with a length of up to 20-25 mm is suitable. If the bite is sluggish, it is better to take smaller baits.
- Hooks. For example, tees should have eye-catching elements, such as eye-catching beads or cambrics.
Groundbait and bait
The choice of bait and bait depends on the nature of the reservoir and the type of fish that is intended to be caught. Based on this, there are a number of recommendations, such as:
- Baits such as bloodworms, worms or maggots are in demand at any time, both in summer and winter. If fishing is carried out in winter, take measures to ensure that the bait does not freeze. Based on this, you need to have a special device where the bait always remains alive and active.
- It is better to prepare bait at home, otherwise near a pond, especially when it is cold outside, it is not at all comfortable to prepare it. The bait should also be stored in a special container so that it does not freeze.
- In winter, it is better to give up various bite activators, such as flavors, and rely on natural scents.
The subtleties of winter fishing in open water
Winter fishing in open water comes with some special features that you should be aware of. Eg:
- The fishing rod should be light and mobile, since you have to hold it in your hands for a lot of time.
- To prevent the line from getting tangled, the sinkers are placed in the following sequence: the heaviest pellets first, followed by lighter pellets. For the most part, pellet-type sinkers are used.
- Retrieving the bait should be smooth, without jerking.
- During the winter period, dress up as warmly as possible.
- When fishing from the shore, the length of the rod is selected depending on the fishing conditions.
- In cold weather, freezing of the coil and guide rings is acceptable.
Fishing for crucian carp in December
It is possible, and even necessary, to catch crucian carp on the first ice. At this time he is still quite active.
The tackle for winter crucian carp is an ordinary fishing rod with a nod and a jig, with a bloodworm at the other end of the line, no more than 30 cm.
Crucian carp are active only in the first half of December. Further, the activity of the crucian carp rapidly decreases, it becomes slow and passive due to the lack of oxygen in the water.
