Classic fishing is divided into two large categories: catching predators and fishing for peaceful fish. Undoubtedly, pike is the crown of trophies living in freshwater areas. The toothy beauty is caught throughout the year, but the largest specimens are caught from autumn to spring. Many anglers are accustomed to active fishing methods. In this they are helped by a small rod and a set of various baits: balancers, vertical spinners, rattlins. However, adherents of contemplation use a different approach, which allows them to observe bites from afar.
Features of fishing with live bait
The winter girder is an analogue of the circle used in open water. Its design is simple, but has a number of features that take fishing to another level. The classic model consists of a round base, a bar with a coil and a flag signaling an attack by a predator.
Subtleties you need to know when buying gear:
- Structure height. Sometimes the fishing process is complicated by high snow or low air temperatures reaching negative levels. The high bar with the coil located in the upper third allows you to fill the hole with a large snowdrift, thereby retaining heat. Thanks to the snow cover, the hole with the equipment does not freeze, and the vent remains in working order.
- Coil performance. Every experienced angler has encountered a situation where, when biting, a loop is thrown onto the reel. Such incidents happen often, and they are associated with excessive freedom of movement of the coil. A competent tackle releases the line effortlessly, but with a sharp jerk the reel does not make an infinite number of revolutions. Balance can be achieved using a plastic washer secured between the reel body and the holder. Using an ordinary screwdriver, the tackle is pressed to the required state.
- Spring arc bending. There are also cases of empty triggers or situations when the fish is on the hook, but the flag is not thrown to the top. The upper part of the spring should be bent to the outline of the reel, and you also need to lower the red material a little lower to save yourself from scrolling when biting.
- Slot in the base. The factory tackle has a hole that is not cut all the way through. Often you have to carry out this procedure yourself. The diameter of the platform is also important, which should completely cover the hole. The width of the platform is of particular importance at the end of winter, when the holes are washed away by circulating water, making them wider. A narrow vent left unattended can sink to the bottom.
Read: Features of winter fishing for pike perch
As a rule, large fish work well on the last ice. Crucian carp is considered the ideal bait for the toothy inhabitants of reservoirs, although roach, rudd and silver bream are not much inferior in performance. Periodically it is necessary to check the presence of bait on the hook, since small toothy specimens are capable of knocking down live bait without touching the flag. A large pike takes more confidently and reels in a large amount of fishing line. Equipping the installation with a metal leash is mandatory, because pike, especially trophy pike, can easily cope with any thickness of fluorocarbon.
Fishing for pike in December from ice - search for places, gear, working baits
On many of our reservoirs, the pike bite weakens in December. This is a kind of transitional stage between the first ice and the deep winter. In some areas, this period falls just before the first ice. In warm canals and ice-free reservoirs, open water fishing with a spinning rod is possible. Let's look at how to catch pike in December from the ice, where to look for fish and what gear to use.
Choosing a fishing spot
At the end of winter, the spotted beauty becomes more active and begins to move around the reservoir in search of food. Peak bite occurs in the morning and evening hours. During the day, fish are also caught, but less readily.
As a rule, rivers become free of ice first, so the bulk of promising reservoirs are water areas without a current. The shallow waters are inhabited by pike, up to several kilograms in size; larger specimens are found in isolated cases. In spring, the toothy beauty comes out to relatively shallow places, where schools of roach and bream live. As a rule, the depth in these zones rarely exceeds five meters.
There may not be a toothy beauty in the pits, so the traps should be placed locally, exploring more promising points. If there are no bites within an hour, then the gear must be moved, thus trying to find an active predator.
Promising areas for placing vents:
- snags, submerged logs and trees;
- places with vegetation on the bottom;
- various shelters in the form of buildings, differences in depth;
- the upper part of dumps, channel and bank edges.
On public water bodies it is allowed to fish with five spears. This amount makes fishing more mobile, allowing the angler to easily move around the reservoir during the day. To observe gear from afar, many experts use binoculars. With their help you can also find out how your neighbors are doing.
Read: Tactics for searching for active roach in winter on lakes or reservoirs
Good results in the spring are brought by river branches, where the predator can enter both for the winter and at the end of the cold season. The depth in them rarely exceeds three meters, but they are densely populated with small fish. Fans of girder fishing stock up on live bait in advance, but there are situations that require a large amount of bait. In this case, a tiny rod with a reelless rod, which is present in any fisherman’s box, helps out.
The correctly chosen fishing location determines the final result. Fishermen adhere to certain tactics that they develop over many years. Your own experience allows you to better understand the reservoir and its inhabitants, which gives you an advantage over those who visit the water area for the first time.
Fishing for pike in winter on the first ice, in the dead of winter and on the last ice
And so it happened. We woke up with the first cuckoos. It is considered the most successful (besides pre-spawning in the spring) of the year; lucky both during the day and at night. This method does not always cause an improvement or noticeable increase in the bite of bloodworms, but it ensures that the school of fish is kept in place.
I personally am not aware of cases of catching pike perch in winter using shallow or surface attractants for catching predators in winter using wobblers. Mostly bream is caught on the rocker, but it can also be used for catching crucian carp. However, you can adapt
to everything, and come back with a good catch at any time of the year. A nod is a mandatory equipment for a fishing rod. Preference should be given to large bait with a small blade, with a high proportion of weight.
Large perches usually gravitate towards the middle of the reservoir. This is exactly the kind of game you need to catch pike perch in the middle of nowhere. Another thing is that pike activity is reduced.
When you notice a gap, quietly get closer to it and anchor 35 m from the border of the grass and the dump. Fishing for pike in summer has the following features: The reel itself should be wide, and the line should be wound so that the sides are left free: this prevents overlap. Fishing for pike in winter on the first ice, in the dead of winter and on the last ice
Pike fishing in December
In December, in those regions where the first ice sets in, pike are excellently caught from under the ice. Therefore, fishing is more successful when the ice is covered with snow. However, at this time, pike are caught quite well on rigs and set-ups during lazy trolling. It can also very often be found on the edges. We put silicone on the hook. Fishing in winter for chebak, as a rule, will begin from the place where it can be found. It is best to start fishing at dawn. Pike fishing in November: How, what and where to catch pike in November
Factors influencing biting
Pike, like other underwater inhabitants, is dependent on the oxygen balance. At the end of winter, there is not enough air dissolved in the water, and the fish begin to move in search of sources of oxygen. Pike are more active in reservoirs with many springs gushing underwater. It often goes out onto the current - the old river bed present in reservoirs. Fish are also present near dam outlets, at the confluence of streams and small rivers.
Pike activity is affected by:
- Atmosphere pressure. Sharp fluctuations in barometer readings put pressure on underwater inhabitants, causing them to fall into stupor. Often this situation can be observed when fishing for perch, when a dancing jig in the center of a huge number of striped robbers does not arouse their interest at all. At low pressure the fish bite a little better than at high pressure.
- Weather, wind direction and strength. Spring is characterized by strong gusts of air masses. Pike prefers moderate winds from the south or west.
- Times of Day. In the morning, the predator bites best, but this factor may differ depending on the characteristics of the reservoir. Some water areas “turn on” the bite by noon and it lasts no more than an hour.
- Water transparency. At the end of winter, the water becomes cloudy and this affects the fish. Underwater inhabitants are endowed with many senses that allow them to find prey without the aid of vision. The pike feels the bait along the side line, so the turbidity of the water area is not an indicator of a bad bite.
- The power of the current. Large reservoirs with dams depend on the width of the drainage opening. When the dam opens, a current appears that mixes the water masses and replenishes them with oxygen.
Read: Fishing on Bereslavka
At night, the toothy beauty rarely takes bait, however, when going to a reservoir for the night, it makes sense to leave the gear on the ice.
Where to look for pike in December
If the ice has recently risen, then you need to hunt the toothy one according to all the rules of the first ice. However, if this happens by the end of the month, the pike will already be standing in the holes, in the coastal reeds there will be only grass. In the first two or three weeks after the formation of ice cover (if the winter is average and not abnormal), the toothy fish usually drifts behind schools of forage fish. Accordingly, these can be both shallow waters and medium depths, closer to the pits. It all depends on the characteristics of the reservoir.
- In small rivers, pike are easiest to find in December. As at any other time of the year, landmarks are visible visually - quiet areas around the bend with grass, overhanging roots and branches of trees, snags, and other local anomalies. We also check edges and irregularities in deep holes and barrels.
- On a large river, pike are more difficult to find in December. Here you need to adhere to the bottom topography. Sometimes the toothy fish can stand under large edges, at depths of 5 meters along with pike perch, but more often - shallower. Promising places are dumps, edges, entrances and exits from pits.
- To look for pike in December on a lake or reservoir, we also focus on the bottom topography. It is good if it is studied in open water with an echo sounder. We explore and look for the same edges, grooves, braids - all the places where small and medium-sized linen crowd, the main object of hunting for the toothy robber. Let’s not forget the classic pike snags.
- The general trend is that at the beginning of December you need to look for pike shallower, closer to the shore edges and reed walls, at the end of the month - deeper, on dumps and drops further from the shore.
Subtleties of hooking
When biting, you should not run headlong to the girder. Firstly, spring ice is deceptive and you need to step on it carefully. Secondly, from the moment a pike attacks a live bait until it is hooked, a significant amount of time can pass. The predator takes the prey crosswise and then turns its head towards the esophagus. When there is a bite, the flag goes up, but the reel does not spin. You can tell that a fish is swallowing the bait by lightly pulling on the line. You should only hook if the reel is spinning.
If the gear was set up for the night and there are tripped flags among them, then you need to proceed as follows: the fisherman carefully clears the base of the rig from the ice, punching through the frozen hole with a slotted spoon or an ice pick. Then he moves the line with his fingertips until he hits something that looks like a “hook.” It is at this stage that hooking occurs.
The last ice is fraught with danger. In places rich in vegetation, gullies form, which are easy to fall into due to carelessness. It is best to approach the girders by following your own footsteps, since the ice under the trodden path has already been checked. On the last ice, fishermen take an ice pick with them and arm themselves with a rope tied to a weight. Precautionary measures will never be superfluous, especially when it comes to deceptive spring.
Techniques for catching pike with live bait
So, you equipped the girders, went to the pond and successfully placed them. What to do if the flag goes up? To begin with, we don’t run headlong shouting “THERE IS CONTACT!” Pike is a cautious fish; it can get scared and simply spit out the bait. As soon as we saw the flag, we quietly headed towards it. There is a wonderful proverb for this case: “hurry slowly.”
Once you arrive at the location, you should pay attention to the coil. If the line unwinds, you need to wait until it stops. Usually this is 2 - 3 minutes. As soon as the reel starts moving again, the pike has swallowed the bait and it’s time to hook.
We are still “moving slowly.” Gently give the slack with your finger, tilt the vent to the side and take out the slack. This should be followed by a short and sharp hook. If everything is done correctly and fortune is on your side, all that remains is to pull the fish out of the hole and equip the bait with a new one.
I would like to say a few words about the live bait themselves. You can buy them in advance at the store or catch them at the reservoir where you will install the girders. The second method is preferable, since the pike should respond better to the “local diet”. Live bait must be stored in fresh water, this will extend its service life.
Video: Catching pike on a girder in spring
If you do decide to use 0.6 to 0.8 mm line, try making at least one rig without a leader. Of course, at your own peril and risk, and only if you are actively fishing and do not leave the bait unattended at night. There is an opinion that live bait plays better without a leash, which affects the number of bites. With such equipment, do not forget to check the fishing line after each bite in order to replace the damaged area in time.
You can see more about this in the video. The author sets up homemade fishing rods and shows the fishing process, commenting on everything along the way.
Make several options and find yours that will bring you results.
Flashing
Spring fishing for pike in March, when a toothy one is found, will be effective using artificial baits. The main feature of March is unpredictability. Therefore, you need to try a variety of baits and ways of playing. It is better to give preference to small-sized decoys - up to 7 cm. Let's consider what to use to catch pike in March from the ice.
Balancers
To catch pike in March using balance beams, use ordinary standard baits with a bright and active game. It is better to use those that have already proven themselves on this body of water before. If the angler is absolutely sure of the catchability of the bait, then there is no point in staying for a long time on one hole - you need to move on, fishing as many promising places as possible. Changing the wiring and selecting baits can also bring a bite. However, you shouldn’t concentrate on balancers - it’s better to change baits, in case the predator goes for something else. An article about winter fishing for pike using balance beams.
Spinner fishing
In March, pike are caught using spoons in the manner familiar to this predator. The main thing is to find the right place. And then it’s a matter of technique to seduce the toothy one to grab it. Catching pike on the last ice with a spoon can be no less effective than with jigs. Due to its mobility, a spinner can catch much more places during a fishing trip than a spinner. Spoons for pike in March - the whole winter set. It is impossible to say in advance what will attract a predator on this particular body of water. Lures for fishing and their game must be selected directly while fishing. An article about trolling pike in winter.
Ratlins
How to catch pike in early March using ratlins? These bladeless wobblers can work when spinners and balancers are silent. But only with the right game. The capabilities of these relatively new baits have not yet been fully explored. However, it is already clear that ratlins sometimes excite pike more than usual baits. Rattlins for pike in the spring need to be selected in small sizes and experiment with colors and wiring. It is in the varied game that the main advantage of these baits lies.
Silicone and rubber
No one has canceled the ice jig. Edible rubber also works. Equipment with a jig head and silicone will help out when a predator is found in a strong current - you can catch it by pulling under the ice, which is difficult to do with spoons or balancers. The main thing here is to choose the working rhythm, color and the configuration of the bait itself. It may not be a jig head that will work, but a winter drop-shot or some other equipment.
