After the rain for brook trout

The spring spawning ban on fishing with spinning rods can be treated differently, but nothing can be done about it, you have to put up with it. Someone, of course, hides in the bushes, risking falling into the clutches of a fierce fisheries inspection, receiving an impressive fine and being left without gear, but I think it’s better to go to some cultural fish farm (KRF) and enjoy your favorite activity in a calm environment. For example, at night...

It must be said that fishermen visiting the fishery can be divided into several groups. Firstly, for those who travel out of necessity - due to a ban on public water bodies. Secondly, those who, due to lack of time, cannot get further than ten kilometers from the dacha, and who are satisfied with everything - both the prices and the not-so-wild nature. A separate group includes trout fishermen who spend all their time in various farms, preparing for the next competition and honing their skills - choosing the colors and smells of bait in order to seduce this strange, in my opinion, fish - pond trout.

I consider myself to be in the first group of fishermen - my visits to the fishery are mainly due to urgent need. But so far I cannot boast of deep knowledge in all the intricacies of Aryan trout fishing (or trout area fishing). Yes, in fact, I don’t pretend to give out smart advice in this area. I just want to talk about one feature of Aryan fishing, about a certain variation of it, if you like, namely, night fishing.

I want to say right away that although this topic is new, I was far from being a pioneer in this area, but, as always, it was mastered by athletes who spend a lot of time on trout reservoirs. In this connection, I will conduct my story with reference to the experience of my good friend Mikhail Klimov, who, as you already guessed, is one of those same athletes.

A little background

the Nikitskoye fishery is considered the birthplace of night trout fishing (at least for Moscow and the Moscow region) . It was here that dissatisfaction with daytime fishing forced Mikhail to linger until dark - and, so to speak, open a new chapter in area fishing . To continue the conversation, we need to make a small clarification and say that “Nikitskoye” is a farm where open water is maintained in a certain area of ​​the reservoir throughout the winter. And if you don’t rule out fishing with summer gear in sub-zero temperatures, you can always come here and fish.

But why am I saying this? Moreover, at certain times of the year the length of the day is different. In winter, accordingly, darkness comes much earlier - and the duration of twilight fishing is much longer. And what can be considered night fishing in winter and early spring will only be fishing at dawn in May. But be that as it may, we managed to successfully catch until midnight. It is possible that fish are caught later, but it has not yet been possible to verify this due to the fact that cultural fish farms have so far refused to switch to round-the-clock operation.

Trout in autumn

Autumn is a great time for trout fishing. Trout go to spawn in the fall and actively feed. During this period, fly fishing often gives positive results. Fly fishing and spinning are used for fly fishing. It is important to choose a spinning rod that allows you to cast light lures.

A float rod is used throughout the entire period of open water. A match fishing rod is perfect for making long and accurate casts. But with the right choice of place and fishing method, more budget-friendly types of float gear also work well. The main thing is to choose the right bait or plant attachment.

Lures

I want to say right away that the main type of bait for night fishing has become “rubber”. Perhaps over time the situation will change, but for now neither wobblers nor “oscillators” can be considered as serious competitors to silicone “worms”, “crustaceans” and “cuttlefish”. At this stage, my favorites are the baits made directly by Mikhail himself. A certain basic set has already been formed, and you only have to select the size, color and degree of glow. Yes, yes, exactly the glow!

Lures for night fishing should glow. And just like during the day, we select the color of the bait for the dark time of day, choose the shade of the glow and its brightness. Sometimes greenish works, sometimes pink, sometimes blue. It is clear that the glow of the bait is given by the light accumulator, which is part of the body of the bait. And every fisherman knows that he is charging with a flashlight. But not everyone knows that it is faster and better to do this with an ultraviolet flashlight. Ordinary ones, of course, can also be used, but then the more powerful they are, the better.

It would seem a trifle, but at the same time important, because... the degree of luminescence, or brightness, if you like, also has to be selected. After all, as a rule, bites do not happen on the very first cast after charging the light accumulator, more often it is the third or fifth cast, and then the glow becomes less bright. It is problematic to predict this, which is why you have to charge it to full and “rinse” until the glow becomes completely dim.

With aromas, it’s also not very simple - you need to select it according to the location, but lately lures with a cheese smell have been working well for me. As for the choice of bait weight, I had to work with jig heads from 0.2 to 2 g, and if we talk about night fishing, the emphasis is definitely on the lightest baits.

After the rain for brook trout

It just so happened that bad weather overtook us in the form of torrential rains. For the third day in a row it poured like buckets, including at night. On Sunday morning the rain began to subside, but the general cloudiness remained, plus the wind of 7 - 8 meters per second with gusts of up to 15 practically put an end to fishing. But there is no escape from withdrawal symptoms, and “turning on the family” for one more day would become a crime. I had one plank where you can choose not far from home to wet your gear; the weather is very “trawdy” for these things. Even the advice of my comrades could not stop me, they say there is now no option for flooding and “coffee with milk”, I know that this is not so because mentally I am already there and have scouted everything out :). So, the forest river is calling, if I don’t catch it, then at least I’ll look at the water and breathe some fresh air. In place the picture turned out to be very good, the level was still in the banks plus the transparency was 50/50. I assemble the 510 Yamaga, take the box with the micro-oscillator and run to the river. I didn’t go into the chacha, I decided to look at a small section of the river almost in the village itself. In principle, he always brought me fish before.

I’m making my way along the “downstream” river, the banks are already all green, the wet nettles up to my neck and the loaches are a little annoying, but the cabanos have kindly trodden the paths and if you look around, you can walk along the intersection. I waved across the river into the field, walked a little more and decided to start here, in principle I should see all the main places. I look into my wallet and think, what should I wear as a bait? On whom does the finished Decoy fastener weigh? And it hangs on a Forest Miazora Miu 2.2 gram lure - that’s where we’ll start! A dozen test casts, the heat and level are normal, but the transparency is on the verge in places, especially not in quiet periods. I reached a familiar riffle, it didn’t change much, only the snags were carried away by the spring flood. I’ve never caught anything here, it seemed like there was only one bite and that’s not a fact. So this time, having missed the roll, I don’t see any activity. As a result, I changed the spoon to Nories Rooney 2.2 grams and from the first cast I got a bite from the stream. We fought with it a little, it was such an interesting fish and its size was “not nano”, which was definitely pleasing. Here's food for thought: the fish stands in the current, but takes it selectively.

I move on, photographing the nature of the river along the way. Gloomy and wet, but no less beautiful. After the rain, all sorts of slugs and snails came out, but mosquitoes and other vermin were present in minimal quantities. He nailed one of them on his finger during a photo shoot, splashing drops of blood on his hand, when did he manage to suck so much? Unclear. I come to a very fatty place, the river bifurcates into two branches, there is an island in the middle, and a riffle on the right. I fish the exit after rolling around the island, it’s empty. I made my way to the island itself, changed the shaker to a slightly smaller Smith Pure 2 grams and threw it onto the stream of riffle. I started from the top, then the middle, and then an unsuccessful cast and the bait falls much lower and goes out of sight. I had to come out of the shelter and at that moment a fish landed, the size of which I have never seen here before. Okay, for half a kilo. A candle, one more and that's it. They know how to do this, it’s a shame

I'm moving on. I found a crayfish trap with a piece of dead fish and a mustachioed crayfish, what are you forgetting here, buddy? A couple of steps later there is a roadside sign - a sign with the name of the reservoir; it used to be a kilometer upstream. Having passed quietly and not seeing any bites, I went out again to the pebble riffle, but there were no bites until I put on the Nories vibrator again. The fish came out and bit 200 grams, but did not reach the shore. Then downstream cast and another “nano” trout. By the way, there were no small things besides it, and after it the bites were all angry. Having reached the “fundamental” (c) place (a powerful tree with roots in the water, and under it a hole and a stream) and having just thrown it around it, I was puzzled. Last year I constantly caught good fish here, but this year it was a bagel. For some reason this house doesn't attract stains anymore. But the next section of the river brought the fish again, after two bites I caught up with the bait near the shore and took it very effectively.

A short photo session and the fish goes back to the river. A charge of positive emotions has already been received and fishing can be considered successful. The water was rising before our very eyes, in the last section before the destroyed mill I got a couple more good hits, but the transparency left much to be desired and apparently the fish was just missing. I went a little further up beyond the bridge and looked at what the flood had done there. I didn’t see any fish and decided to end my fishing there. Time to go home for lunch and get on the bike!

Line or braid?

High sensitivity when fishing with “rubber” in the dark is simply necessary, so preference should be given to “braid”. I use cords from #0.175 to #0.3 according to the Japanese classification (this is 0.069 - 0.09 mm). The use of such thin “webs” allows you to achieve the most harmoniously balanced tackle. But there will also be some fishing line - a fluorocarbon leader. By the way, the bait must be tied directly to it, excluding all kinds of carbines. This way the clarity of the transmitted sensations will be higher.

Annual cycle

Probably in all the books whose authors dealt with trout fishing, it was written in black and white that it is best to catch trout both on a spinning rod and on a fishing rod throughout the whole year in spring and autumn. I won’t immediately refute this, because everything may be different in different areas, but as regards trout fishing specifically in Belarus, this stereotype is completely wrong. Practice shows that the highest results in trout fishing with a spinning rod (not with a fishing rod!) can be achieved in the summer, in the very heat. Moreover, if in the spring the bite is good on one day, and on another, one might say, none, then in the summer the trout takes very consistently every day.

Naturally, if the day is cloudy, with light rain, then the bite is much better, but in general it’s quite difficult to completely “fly by” and not catch anything. This stability of the bite cannot be explained except by the optimum temperature in the river. Moreover, just when summer begins, the water temperature rises so much that the trout becomes most active and feeds better than at any other time, for example, late autumn or spring.

Based on the analysis of entries in the fishing diary, which I have been keeping for more than 12 years (and I go fishing at least twice a week), it follows that in Belarus, daytime water temperatures in summer in trout rivers are approximately in the range from 10 to 18 degrees of heat. This trend continues throughout June and almost until the end of July. Even when the swimming season is already in full swing, the temperature of trout rivers remains quite low. Often, walking along a trout river in the heat and accidentally meeting float fishermen, you catch surprised looks at yourself - they say, why does he want to catch trout in such and such heat, after all, even the crucian carp has become soft from the heat! Usually, to the snide question: “How is it biting?”, I answer that it’s strange, but not at all, and move on. How surprised they would probably be to see my real catch! But the trout fisherman is a man of few words and, apparently, that is why the beautiful fish has not yet disappeared from numerous grabbers and poachers.

You can understand the floaters, because in the nearest pond, where they usually catch their crucian carp, the water is almost boiling, and all living things are in a half-asleep state. But other processes take place in the trout river, and everyone doesn’t need to know about them!

This situation continues until the end of July, and then the cold spring rivers gradually begin to recede under the pressure of the heat. During this period, the water temperature in them already exceeds 20 degrees, and the trout also begins to hibernate, that is, it becomes motionless and does not feed at all. By the way, as Sabaneev himself wrote, during this period you can really easily catch trout with your bare hands, putting them under a washed-out bank or snags, you can even stroke it. Where have her lightning speed and famous caution gone now?

Statistics show that this “dead” period lasts, depending on weather conditions, 2-3 weeks. Even rain cannot bring trout out of their short “summer” hibernation! Every year the time of this hibernation shifts slightly in terms of timing, but it is definitely present.

Around mid-August, trout begin to wake up, and this is no wonder, because the day has already begun to wane and the heat has begun to subside. Trout are very active during this period, and they feed again all day. Spawning is coming soon, and you need to gain more strength. The water temperature during the day is again in the optimal range, from 12 to 16-17 degrees. By the end of September, the peak of the bite begins, and after a few weeks, all the trout, which are preparing for spawning, “lose” (that is, change color) and stop responding to spinning baits. For a true trout fisherman, this is a sign that the trout season is already over. Now you can only catch small things that are not capable of spawning, and this is unsportsmanlike!

Reels

Such a thin “braid” requires adequate coils. Adequate reels in this case are those that do not shed loops and lay the line well. You understand that the use of thin “threads” is obligatory. And, of course, a minimum amount of play in the reel mechanism. Some people probably sighed heavily and thought: “Well, here we are again being persuaded to buy expensive gear.” Nothing like this! As a reliable option that meets all requirements, I can suggest Innova Ultralight from Stinger . It costs quite a lot of money and at the same time has the qualities inherent in more expensive Japanese models: good installation, a screw-on handle, no backlash, and so on.

Don't forget a thermometer at home

It is absolutely impossible to determine the water temperature in a river without a thermometer - the error will be too high. Therefore, you should not rely on your own feelings and determine the temperature purely “by eye” - otherwise any theory can be smashed to smithereens. The subjective sensation of water temperature may differ by several degrees from the actual value.

In this regard, one incident comes to mind. It was summer. My friend and I went to our river N. This river is 15 meters wide, and in the place where we went, it receives several small tributaries, let’s call them A and B. The value of this place is that we have everything at our disposal on the site 2 km long there were as many as three trout rivers - N, A and B. I, as always, took the thermometer, since I always have it in my vest pocket, and my friend Dima washed his vest and simply forgot to put the thermometer back.

Upon arrival, we went in different directions and started fishing. Naturally, the first thing I did before I started fishing was measure the temperature in the N. River itself. Wow, in just three days it rose by as much as four degrees and was 19 degrees! Three days ago, Dima and I had a fabulous time catching trout and took 3-4 “qualified” fish, and both Dima and I caught a 1.5-kilogram specimen - for Belarus such trout are quite large. In addition, at that time I had a “monster” weighing under 3 kg. Naturally, we longed for a “repetition of the banquet”...

So, after measuring the temperature and thinking about it, I decided not to waste time and immediately check tributary A, which has always been famous for the coldest water. I decided to start fishing directly from the place where it flows into the N. River. Now it’s a tributary... I quickly measure the temperature. A sigh of relief. The temperature, as expected, is 15 degrees. I assemble the spinning rod, make the first cast up the stream, immediately hit the spinner, and the line begins to ring. The trout is good, casts upstream, downstream, beautiful candles... Finally it gives in, and I carefully take it with my hand. Yes, an iron kilogram! I put it in the basket, take two steps, and there’s a bite again! What is this, have all the trout entered this tributary! Fight, and another “test” tail.

I won’t describe the fishing further, but I’ll just say that I’ve never had such successful fishing before. Of course - the sun is shining, it’s hot, not a single cloud, and such a bite! By lunchtime the bite had subsided and I took the temperature. Yeah, it's already 8 degrees. That's it, period, you can assemble the spinning rod. I leisurely have lunch and go in search of Dima. I didn’t have to look for him for long - I saw Dima lying on the grass and sunbathing. “Well, how’s the bite?” - I ask. “No way,” he answers, “what about you?” I take the heavy basket off my shoulder, open it, and Dima, almost crying, asks how it happened. I told my version, and he agreed with it. Most likely, in the cold tributary A, the trout from river N decided to wait out the heat. He didn’t take this moment into account, and carefully fished the river all day, seeing only a couple of empty bites. No matter how many times Dima and I went trout fishing, he would rather leave a basket or spinning rod at home than a thermometer...

Rod

Spinning is probably the most controversial element in equipment. This is largely a matter of personal preferences, so I will make do with only general recommendations. Test - about 5 - 7 grams, no more. As for sensitivity, it is clear that it is problematic to feel the touch of the bottom with a 0.6 g jig head in your hand. Of course, the bait also weighs something, but still... And still, I would recommend sticking to the most sensitive options. It is clear that fishing rods made from high-quality materials are very expensive, but this is exactly the case when it is not worth saving.

Daily extremes

Ichthyologists have proven that the optimum temperature for rapid growth of trout should be recognized as the range from 12 to 16 degrees. Trout begins to actively feed from 8 degrees. This does not mean at all that if the temperature is lower, then there is no need to expect a bite at all. In winter, trout are also caught and mostly large ones! But the fact that cold water sharply reduces its feeding activity is for sure. It turns out that if a slight thaw occurs after frost in winter, then even a slight increase in water temperature by 0.5-1 degrees is enough to encourage trout to feed.

In winter, the best bite can be expected at lunchtime; when it's usually warmest. Although, again, it is more profitable to focus not on lunch time, but on the actual water temperature. If there are no bitter frosts in winter, then in the morning and evening the water in our Belarusian trout rivers is usually 4 degrees, and in the afternoon - 4.5-5.5 degrees.

This is the situation in spring. For some reason, when the water temperature is from 8 to 10 degrees, trout take the bait best. Moreover, daily temperature fluctuations are again quite pronounced: if in the morning the water temperature is 8 degrees, then at lunchtime or in the late afternoon it is already 910 degrees. Then he begins to take the bait! On a spinning rod, a good bite begins only with a water temperature of 12 degrees. It turns out to be a paradox: in winter, trout can be caught with a spinning rod with a greater probability than in spring, when the water temperature is actually higher than in winter. Apparently, the answer here lies in the increased turbidity of the water and the fact that the trout mainly stays at the very bottom. When fishing in spring, the best results can be achieved by fishing with a diving wobbler that goes near the bottom. The real trout bite on a spinning rod, which turns into a zhor, in which the fish grabs everything, occurs at a water temperature of 12 to 16 degrees. Here my practical observations completely coincide with the optimum temperature for trout, which was determined by ichthyologists.

After spring comes summer, and the water warms up even more. Here the inverse relationship begins to work: the lower the temperature, the better the bite. Remember the superstition that in summer trout fish better in cloudy weather, after rain, etc. Doesn't the water temperature also drop? That's right - it's going down! It is the decrease in water temperature that explains the amazing bite in summer on a warm, windless sunny day. During the summer day, the earth heats up, and at night it begins to give up its heat to the water. Every crucian fisherman knows that in the morning before sunrise the water is warm, like fresh milk. The same thing happens with the river. Early in the morning the trout river experiences its highest water temperature of the day!

It is even higher than at noon or in the evening. After sunrise, the earth, which gave up heat to the river during the night, begins to take it back from the river. This phenomenon is observed in many trout rivers. The lowest water temperature in the river is around 10-11, when the Sun is already shining! This period of low temperature can last from 40 minutes to two hours. If you find yourself on the river at this moment, I guarantee that the trout bite will be simply fabulous. I missed this period a little and in a day there may not be a single bite again. The river seems to die out until the next day. I will not describe the processes that occur in the fall, since this is the period of trout spawning, and real fishermen do not catch it, giving them the opportunity to calmly produce offspring.

Wiring

Wiring, or, as more correctly in this case, the animation of silicone baits, is an aspect of fishing that cannot be put into any specific framework. Each angler, often without realizing it, adds something of his own to the basic elements. And trout fishing opens up enormous scope for creativity in this direction. As general, so to speak, wishes, I can recommend striving for the slowest animation possible.

If during daylight hours sharp throwing of overloaded baits is possible, then at night you need to strive for the most delicate presentation. Again, as basic recommendations, I will give several options that you can already work with and give them some unique features. Despite the fact that very often we deal with silicone “worms”, which, as we know, have little or no “game” of their own, uniform slow wiring is very relevant. Depending on the fishing horizon, it can be varied with pauses and slight rocking of the spinning rod tip.

A good option for animation is light twitching, so to speak, with pauses of varying lengths. Pauses, again depending on the fishing horizon, can last up to five seconds. Most often, wiring is carried out at the bottom, less often - in the water column. I have not yet encountered a situation where fish would bite at the surface.

Well, that’s basically all I wanted to say for now. As you can see, this is not a guide or instruction on the topic “how to catch trout at night.” This is a topic for thought. I hope this material will encourage someone to take the first step in mastering night fishing, to find something new. And together we will complete this story.

What to catch trout with

Trout bait is varied in its composition and structure. The only feature that distinguishes these baits from baits for other types of predators is their miniature and small size. This is directly related to the physiology of the fish, which does not have a very wide mouth. In natural conditions, fish are more involved in gathering than directly hunting. A favorite pastime of trout is collecting insects that have fallen to the surface or picking up floating food in the water column. Fish are sensitive to attractants, especially the tastes of fish oil, shrimp and fish fillet itself.

In addition to insects, the predator likes to feast on worms, bloodworms and maggots, which floaters often use, and will also not refuse pieces of fresh fish meat, shrimp or crayfish. But the greatest interest of anglers is caused by the possibilities of hunting fish using artificial baits, the most popular types of which we will present in the continuation of the article.

Wobblers

Trout wobblers are used in spinning fishing and predator fishing using a bombard float. The best options for this kind of bait are cranks, with the ability to play their own game, which is distinguished by its fine frequency and the creation of a strong vibration wave, which causes additional interest in nearby fish. Wobblers of small masses from 2 to 10 grams with bright colors, which are preferable for contrasting highlights on gray and black tones in the form of dots, are carried out on uniform movements in different water horizons, looking for promising levels of fish parking. During the period when predators are feeding from the surface of the water, small-sized poppers are ideal for fishing. Retrieving surface baits is carried out in a jerking manner.

Spinners

This type of bait is applicable in shallow waters where water levels do not exceed 3–4 meters. Mepsian pinwheels with oval petals, the Aglia type, of the smallest size are considered a classic hunting tool. By analogy, trout fishing enthusiasts select baits from other brands or make spinners of a similar type on their own. Typically, silvery petal base colors with dots of red and blue are the most catchy. The spinners are driven through the water column at medium speed, without pauses or stops, with the tool lowered to the bottom. Lake trout bite in the water column, attracted by the vibration and glimpses of the petal.

Microoscillators

This type of spinner is no less popular than spinners, and in terms of color design, promising spinners are similar to the rotating type of spinner.

Important! The trapping tool must have a distinct point of attack.

In combinations with a spinner, flies are used that are attached to the tees of the spinner itself or launched on a separate leash next to the leading bait. An excellent example of a spinner for trout fishing is the castmaster spinner, the wiring of which is done in the water column in the form of a step in a calm and non-aggressive style. Trout spoons rarely exceed a mass of 10–12 grams and a length of 4–6 cm.

Silicone baits

Silicone simulators of all kinds of small fish, insects and aquatic inhabitants are a fairly catchy and inexpensive bait for trout. In trout fishing, silicone is used both as the main bait and as an auxiliary bait, retrofitting them into the tees of spinners. Silicone is served on stationary jig heads or in spaced equipment.

As a rule, the length of artificial fish does not exceed 5–7 cm, and vibrotails look more preferable for a predator. Slugs in the form of worms and crustaceans have also established themselves as forms of particular interest to predators. The use of edible rubber with the smell of fish oil and meat, especially in the autumn, significantly increases the number of attacks by predators. Silicone in eye-catching, unnatural colors is suitable for trout fishing. Postings are carried out using the jig fishing method, trying to make steps without the bait touching the bottom.

For trout paste

One of the innovative types of trout bait is paste. This plastic bait is made on a base of plant dough, in which manufacturers include various elements that attract trout to the fishing zone with their scents. Each manufacturer has its own recipe for preparing the composition, the ingredients of which are kept secret. Fishing practice shows that the bait can be considered universal, used in float, spinning and feeder fishing throughout the year. Fishing for trout in winter on ice from ice also cannot be done without the use of paste; choosing from a wide range of scents and colors, you can always find the key even to fish that are passive at this time of year.

Important! Trout paste is used to make balls and shapes in the form of worms and fish, which are used to equip hooks.

Incredibly distinct color schemes complement the taste appeal of the paste, making it a must-have attribute of trout hunting.

Where to fish?

Trout mostly lives in dark places of mountain rivers:

• grooves;
• projections;
• seaweed;
• whirlpools;
• a lot of stones;
• pits;
• next to trees and bushes near the banks;
• connection with other rivers or streams.

Fishing for trout is not difficult, the main thing is to be careful and careful. Of course, you shouldn't overdo it. The fisherman is not an Indian hiding in the bushes. But listening to loud music, making noise, or shouting on the shore is still not worth it.

It is impossible to say exactly where the fish most often lives, in the water column or on the surface. Before finding a flock, it is better to check all the hiding places. Night fishing also has good results.