Catching predatory fish with a spinning rod is the same as hunting. During this process, the fisherman will not be able to sit in a permanent place. From time to time you need to look for the most suitable places where you can go fishing.
Knowing the places where predatory fish, such as pike perch, live, its habits, and having reliable and properly selected equipment, we can assume that fishing will be effective.
When catching pike perch with a spinning rod, you need to master the technique, select the appropriate equipment and a rod with a reel. When choosing them, it is also necessary to take into account the place of fishing, the time of year and the habits of the fish.
Those who are just starting their training in spinning fishing for pike perch need to practice casting a little on the shore in order to have an idea of delivering the bait to the right place and learn how to hook correctly, since the predator is a strong fish and will do everything to free itself.
If you hook it correctly and in a timely manner, the fish will become numb and its fixation will be reliable.
Choosing a spinning rod for jig fishing
It is not always easy to decide on the choice of spinning rod for jig fishing, since the abundance of products offered for this type of gear is very large and varied.
The main thing in this matter is to decide that the chosen rod provides the opportunity to:
- make long casts with a twister, vibrotail, with a jig head with a weight of about 10 - 40g
- so that the movement of the bait and its contact with the bottom is felt
- so that the weakest biting movements of the pike perch can be felt
- holding the heavy weight of the jig head.
When using a spinning rod with a jig bait, it is planned to carry it out in stages and at great depths. During this process, you need to feel when the bait has hit the bottom and you need to reel in the reel so that the bait continues to move.
Key points when choosing a jig rod:
- quality indicators of the material
- "voice" (sensitivity)
- speed and super-fast construction
- length 2.4 - 3.0 m
- test range from 5 to 40 g
The test range can change in both directions.
Reel and line
For jigging, inertia-free reels are often used; they are not difficult to use, “beards” are rarely formed, and there is a large selection of them.
In addition, you need to pay attention to some characteristics of the coil, which you need to focus on when choosing:
- enlarged spool
- equipped with instant reverse stop
- high quality spool and roller
All this is very important, since it involves a large load during wiring and the use of braided fishing line with abrasive properties.
When using inertial coils, preference should be given to multipliers that have high wear resistance and higher sensitivity, allowing the index finger to capture additional information.
The fishing line can be either monofilament or braided. The latter is preferable. The braid does not stretch and transmits information from the bottom in an instant, and a missing memory will not be able to bite the line.
You can choose the thickness of the fishing line in a practical way when assembling all the equipment, taking into account the naturalness and softness of the presentation of the bait. Thin fishing lines are not suitable for these purposes.
The main line needs to be protected with leashes that have an exact breaking load, less than 1/3 of the warp.
Tackle
Tackle for catching pike perch using a spinning rod includes several components, the choice of which will determine the success of your fishing. You should always choose gear and equipment depending on the fishing conditions and your own preferences. The main components are:
- Spinning;
- Coil;
- Fishing line;
- Equipment.
Spinning
It is necessary to choose a spinning rod for catching pike perch based on the fishing conditions. The only prerequisite is that the rod has sufficient strength and rigidity
.
Because pike perch is a fairly strong fish and heavy baits are used for fishing. And the pike perch’s jaw is quite tough, so it needs to be hooked promptly and strongly. Fast action spinning rods
are more suitable for such purposes .
There is such a class of spinning rods as quivertips - soft spinning rods specially designed for fishing for pike perch. They can be recognized by the brightly colored top of the form. But the bright fluorescent paint is not intended to draw the attention of fishermen to the spinning rod in the store; its task is to clearly show the bite.
Another very important note: a spinning rod for pike perch must have ceramic rings
. Well, for those who like winter fishing for pike perch with a spinning rod, a fiberglass blank is better suited. Other materials lose their properties in the cold, or they deteriorate noticeably.
Coil selection
Catching pike perch with a spinning rod can be done using spinning reels. But it must be powerful and reliable; if possible, it is worth buying models with a metal spool. According to Shimano classification, the reel size should not exceed 3000.
But you shouldn’t immediately rush to extremes and buy the most expensive reel. To begin with, you should try to go fishing with a budget model, and after that, if you become interested in fishing, you can buy yourself a better reel.
Line selection
Pike perch are caught equally well using braided line or fishing line. True, the braid does not stretch and has increased strength in comparison with fishing line of the same diameter. The diameter of the braid must be no less than 0.25 millimeters. But braided tackle is always characterized by increased sensitivity.
If your budget is not designed to purchase braid, or you simply don’t like it, then the diameter of the fishing line you buy should not be less than 0.3 millimeters. You are guaranteed decent resistance when playing a fanged predator, so you should take care of the strength of the fishing line.
It is not advisable to use a leash for such fishing, since the pike perch’s teeth are small and it will not bite the fishing line. But, if in a pond there is even the slightest chance that a pike will attack the bait, then it is better to play it safe and use a leash made of fluorocarbon fishing line.
Equipment
Catching pike perch with a spinning rod will be most effective using jig rigs. A special feature of this type of fishing is placing the bait near the bottom. But given the fact that pike perch prefers to stay in snags and stones, there is a high probability of being left without bait. But this problem can be easily solved by installing it on a diverter leash. If such tackle gets caught on an obstacle at the bottom, then you will only lose the sinker, and the bait will remain in place.
Spinning rod equipment for pike perch
Steel and other hard materials for pike perch leashes need not be used in reservoirs that have other predators (pike) that can bite the fishing line. At shallow depths, during active trolling, a pike can do such a nasty thing.
The most popular spinning equipment is considered to be a retractable leash for fishing pike perch.
The main line has a sinker at the end (Cheburashka 24 g), a 1 m flucarbonate blind wire is tied a little higher than 20 centimeters. A jig bait without weighting is installed at its end. It could be a twister or a squid.
A drop-shot is equipped with tackle used when fishing for pike perch with a boat or when fishing from a steep bank. This type of bait fishing requires working not horizontally during the retrieve, but vertically. In this case, lowering and raising is done with an angle of 20-45 degrees.
Popular spinning baits for pike perch
There comes a period when the pike perch is actively biting. At this time, any artificial or natural bait is applicable.
If you make a choice based on the popularity of baits, then most often fishermen use:
- vibrating tails
- twisters
- floating and sinking wobblers
- spinners with rotation and oscillation
Each of these baits requires its own conditions and wiring. In spring and autumn, it is better to use soft baits and spinners. In summer, priority should be given to wobblers.
How to catch pike perch using a spinning rod in the spring?
In spring, pike perch constantly lives in shallow places, but not in shallow waters, but at a depth of 2-6 m. In spring, pike perch spawns, starting from the second half of April and almost until the end of May.
Its zhor begins before spawning during spring floods and lasts from one to two weeks. This is the time to catch pike perch.
Large pike perch do not take at this time, the weight of caught individuals barely reaches 1.6 kg, and two-kilogram ones are less common.
As soon as the water level begins to rise, you need to go out for pike perch. Moving from place to place, catch as many places as possible. If a strike is noticed, you need to stand and fish in this place.
The type of leash should be changed more often to stepped and uniform. The bait is cast by jerking the rod and lightly reeling in the fishing line.
If you manage to get on the zhor, the bite will be decent. Having started abruptly, the zhoring stops just as abruptly. Yesterday's bite may be completely absent today.
Where to find a predator?
Nature has created two biological forms of pike perch: resident pike perch and semi-anadromous pike perch.
Residential pike perch lives in fresh rivers, lakes and ponds, and semi-anadromous pike perch lives in desalinated inlets of the seas. Only to spawn in the spring does it enter river mouths.
But not every river will become a haven for pike perch. He loves running water rich in oxygen. The habitat of the fanged predator is deep waters with strong currents. The bottom should be hard, preferably rocky, with ledges and holes.
You will be lucky if a meter-long pike perch “greets” you, because this is its maximum length. But the weight of such a giant reaches 16 kg. Large individuals of semi-anadromous pike perch live at the mouths of large rivers flowing into our southern seas: the Black, Caspian and Azov.
You can also find this fish in rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea. The Finns also catch it in their lakes.
How to catch pike perch using a spinning rod in the summer?
The time to catch pike perch in the summer is from sunset until dark, early in the morning before dawn. Night biting by this predator is quite rare.
In summer it is found in clean rivers, lakes that have running water and in reservoirs. They love to be in holes and pools, in snags and drifts, in the underwater remains of bridges and dams.
Zander like to attack and a target that is in motion can lure it. If he bites once, then you need to continue fishing, since the bite will most likely continue.
When a pike perch is hooked, it becomes quite pliable and its resistance weakens significantly. If you come across a large predator, more than 5 kg, you need to carefully fish it out and pick it up using a net or hook.
As soon as the pike perch is hooked, it begins to pull to the bottom. If you climb behind a snag, you won’t be able to pull him out of there. The most correct way out in this situation is to force the prey to the surface.
How to catch pike perch in June using a spinning rod?
In June, the time of active post-spawning feeding begins for pike perch. In the middle of the month there are only females in the catch, the males take care of the offspring. Catching females at this time has its own characteristics.
You need to install special anchored circles at the exit from the hole in which they lie and present the bait directly to the predator.
At a difference in depth and with a rocky bottom in the morning (9-10 am) - it’s time to catch pike perch in June. During the day the bite will be unimportant.
Lures
Catching pike perch with a spinning rod can be done using various baits. Depending on the fishing method, pike perch can be caught on:
- Silicone baits;
- Spoons;
- Wobblers.
Each type of bait has its own characteristics. And in different fishing conditions, the effectiveness of baits will be corresponding. The choice of one type or another depends on many factors, but the main ones remain: the characteristics of the reservoir and the time of year.
Silicone baits
For pike-perch fishing, vibrotails and twisters are most often used, which show excellent results when fishing with jigs. In the spring, pike perch does not hesitate to attack squids and frogs from edible rubber. Spinnerbaits with silicone fish are great for fishing in the thickets.
Spoons
Oscillating and rotating spoons are a classic for catching any predator, but they also work well for pike perch. This is a reliable bait that a predator cannot damage with its teeth. Oscillating spoons
It is better to choose one with a narrow body, about 7 centimeters long. It is best to fish with such baits in areas where the depth exceeds 4 meters. The main advantage of such baits is the casting range.
Spinners
do not have good flight qualities, and are most often caught from a boat. True, you can only fish with spinners in places where the depth does not exceed 3 meters. And pike perch will bite on them only during periods of increased activity.
Modern models of spinners differ from old ones in sufficient efficiency. Most likely this is caused by the use of modern materials and technologies in manufacturing. As well as many years of experience and advice from fishermen.
Wobblers
Rattlin and minnow wobblers are great for pike-perch fishing.
. Moreover, sinking and neutral models perform equally well. It is better to avoid baits with positive buoyancy, since pike perch are a bottom predator.
How to catch pike perch using a spinning rod in the fall?
The main thing in autumn pike perch fishing is the place chosen for this purpose. If a site for this predator is found, the catch could be impressive.
As the temperature drops, pike perch takes bait very greedily due to the autumn hunger. Weather conditions at this time do not particularly affect the bite.
Fishing for pike perch in October
From the beginning of October, pike perch can be found in the same places as in the summer. In addition, it can be on the shallows of the coast or located on medium and strong currents.
A little later he goes deeper and gathers in flocks. Catching predators at this time with a spinning rod - next to snags, deep dumps, river beds and in whirlpools.
It is best to fish from a boat. A spinning rod should be 2.5 - 2.7 and the weight up to 40 g.
The location dictates the choice and configuration of equipment:
- rotating spinners and wobblers of appropriate depth
- different jig baits
- fish from foam rubber
- wiring – uniform and stepped
- hooks equipped with anti-snag antennae
Fishing should be successful in the morning, evening and at night. At the same time, the bite is observed not very far from the shore. The daytime bite is bad, but if you have excellent pike perch hunting skills, you can have successful fishing at this time.
Cheapest
3. Maximus Work Horse SWH21M
This is one of the cheapest models, and this design is distinguished by its universal action, which allows you to use the rod both during shore fishing and when fishing from a boat. The handle is ergonomic, made of cork materials that do not begin to slip even when wet, and fits well in the hand. The balance of the tackle is ideal - you can hold it in your hands almost the whole day without feeling the slightest fatigue. It refers to plug-in structures, that is, it is a composite structure that can be disassembled into two parts. The spool holder is also universal and can be classified as a classic one. The blank is made of graphite, the rings are lightweight, which allows you to increase the range of maneuverability of the bait.
More: Top 10 best table hockey games
This rod comes complete with a two-section case, which makes it very convenient to store and transport this tackle. If necessary, it can replace a tube, but it is quite flexible, so the rod, even when placed in a case, should be handled as carefully as possible. The internal inserts of the rings are made of silicon carbide - a material that provides minimal friction. It is allowed to use both fishing line and special braided cords that can withstand significant weight. The rings are of high quality and do not fail throughout the entire period of operation of the model.
Advantages:
- Excellent quality;
- Quite reliable design;
- Withstands shock and other loads well;
- High sensitivity – you can almost instantly feel a fish bite.
Flaws:
- Not suitable for very large individuals.
Maximus Work Horse SWH21M
Sniper ULTRA SPIN 25
The model is equipped with a lightweight handle made of cork, which does not absorb moisture and practically does not conduct heat. This allows you to comfortably fish at night and in the morning. The material will not become damp even if it is in water for a long time; it fits quite tightly to the palm. Compared to the handle, which is covered with a layer of foam rubber, the model weighs significantly less - this will be important at the moment when you need to hook a fish. Similar foam products are less durable due to their low strength. The cork handle is easy to manufacture and has virtually no effect on the cost of production. The blank itself is made of durable carbon fiber. It is quite rigid in bending, with its help you can easily get a large or even a trophy specimen without damaging the rod.
Carbon easily withstands even significant physical stress, including temperature changes, and behaves steadily in strong gusts of wind. The design of the spinning rod is plug-in, so the casting accuracy is very high. Unlike analogues, using this model the bait can be thrown over a considerable distance. The product is perfect for mid-season or summer fishing. It is characterized by versatility: with such a spinning rod you can fish in running or still water, with a spinner, a wobbler, or with a very ordinary float.
Advantages:
- The cork handle fits well into the palm;
- A rigid rod helps to cope with even very large and strong fish;
- Withstands moisture, wind and temperature changes well;
- Universal products;
- Provides high accuracy of bait casting.
Flaws:
- It quickly loses its original appearance, but retains useful characteristics.
Sniper ULTRA SPIN 25
Shimano ALIVIO CX SUPER SENSITIVE 300 ML
This model is rightfully considered one of the best among the cheapest models on the market today. When unfolded, it is 240 cm long, when folded it is only 123 cm, so it is quite convenient to transport it even in public transport. Despite such decent overall dimensions, the weight of the tackle is only 148 grams, it is designed to use bait weighing from 3 to 15 grams. The rod is made of composite materials of medium hardness, but very resistant to bending loads. The appearance is not particularly exciting - the rod is painted gray and black, which looks rather dull, but this is even for the better, since it will not be too noticeable to the fish.
The handle is made of cork mixed with foam rubber. It is quite large, but is characterized by high ergonomic properties - it fits easily and comfortably in the hand, and does not slip out even when fishing for a large specimen. The reel seat is classic and very reliable. There are 9 rings on the model. Even at first glance, it is clear that they are budget-friendly, but made of high-quality material with minimal friction.
Advantages:
- Good value for money;
- Increased blank power;
- It performs excellently both during shore fishing and when fishing from a boat.
Flaws:
- The average in terms of the maximum weight of the bait used is only about 15 grams.
Shimano ALIVIO CX SUPER SENSITIVE 300 ML
Catching pike perch with a spinning rod in winter
The period for catching pike perch is considered favorable from the beginning of winter until the moment when the ice begins to melt. In winter, the excellent bite begins on thick ice.
Therefore, it will not be possible to catch this predator with a spinning rod. But in rivers flowing through cities, where the ice is gone and the temperature is higher, pike perch are caught well.
Spinning fishing with a good bite begins in mid-February, when the summer begins to fade. At this time, pike perch is caught using a “spinner”, an oscillating spoon and a silicone fish.
Catching pike perch with a spinning rod at night
At night, pike perch are caught in different places than during the day. These are the rifts and next to them. Small pike perch are biting throughout the river. At night, pike perch bite a lot, especially at the beginning and towards the morning.
Spinning should be:
- with medium tuning
- with dough 5 - 30 g
- 3 m long
- with a simple fishing line 0.2 - 0.24 mm
- with bait - wobbler
You need to look at the place in the daytime, throw with “night” wobblers, study the bottom and its topography, and measure the depth.
Pike perch is usually found on currents, in underwater shelters, near stumps and snags at a depth of 0.5 - 2.5 m. You need to take a closer look to see if there are small forage fish, whitebait, this is where the pike perch will be. He loves places like this.
To fish for this predator, you can use a boat, or you can catch it from the shore.
Conventional technique:
- the bait is thrown perpendicular to the current
- Wiring with a wobbler is done so that at the end of it the pike perch has time to swim to the top
- after casting, the current should carry the wobbler down a little
- as soon as this happens, slowly pull it out with a spinning rod
- wind the fishing line tightly onto the reel
The pike perch bites carefully at the beginning, as soon as the hand feels a bite, the hook should be sharp, sweeping and long.
Technique and tactics
Taking into account the fact that it is better to catch the described predator with a jig, it is worth focusing on stepped wiring. First of all, to catch a pike perch, you will need to perform a number of actions
- Make a cast to the right place with maximum accuracy.
- Wait until the bait is at the bottom of the reservoir. The tip of the spinning rod, which will tremble, or the fishing line (cord), which sags after touching the bottom of the equipment, will help determine the right moment.
- Move the bait using a rod, reel or their tandem in such a way that it rises for short periods of time and falls back to the bottom. In a similar way, the behavior of a real fish that is looking for food, injured or trying to hide is imitated.
When fishing for fanged predators on the shore, it is more convenient and efficient to perform the described wiring using a reel. After the bait falls to the bottom, it is enough to simply make 2-3 turns and pause, allowing the bait to fall again. After 1-2 seconds, these simple manipulations are repeated. In the evening and at night, donka becomes an alternative to spinning for many pike perch hunters. Naturally, live bait is used as bait.
When making casts, it is important to consider that at this time pike perch can hunt both at depth and closer to the shore, that is, in places where potential prey accumulates
Another popular way of catching fanged fish is using wobblers. It is noteworthy that this fish has a negative attitude towards excess noise, as well as fast bait movements. Therefore, it is recommended to drive the wobbler rather slowly with 10-15 second stops. This is relevant when fishing against the current, when the nozzle will play on its own. Sometimes it is possible to attract a predator by pulling the bait 2-3 meters with the tip of the rod and after a few seconds returning it to its original position.
Therefore, there is no need to rush into hooking. At the same time, it must be energetic, since the fanged fish squeezes the bait with its jaws when it captures it. The contact of fish with bait is felt in different ways. For example, if the catch was at the moment the nozzle was immersed, then the fisherman may not fix it.
In such a situation, the load will be felt already when lifting the bait. If the hooking turns out to be untimely, the pike perch will simply unclench its jaws and leave. This predator has a bony mouth, which is quite difficult to penetrate with a hook. In addition to all of the above, it should be borne in mind that small individuals most often randomly attack the bait until they are able to capture it. By the way, their larger brothers often behave in a similar way. In such situations, the correct solution would be to replace the bait.
In the next video you will find additional information about catching pike perch from the shore in the fall.
How to catch pike perch using a spinning rod from the shore?
The bait for fishing from the shore is a jig.
For these purposes you can use:
- twister
- foam rubber
- vibrotail
- bucktail
The weight should be sufficient for the place chosen for fishing. The size of the bait should be kept to a minimum in order to reduce its windage when casting.
Jig-spinning fishing ideally located at the peak of the shore edge. The cast should be far away, somewhere 60-65 m from the shore.
How to catch pike perch using a spinning rod from a boat?
Fishing from a boat is done with the same gear as on the shore. Baits should be used in front of different types. Foam fish are best suited.
In addition, twisters and ejector tails of bright colors would be suitable baits to provoke pike perch to bite.
Search for pike perch sites
During the cold period, pike perch begins to bite as the water rises; at this time, it is in the coastal zone. If the water level decreases, the predator moves to the channel edges.
In small streams and medium-sized rivers it occurs at a distance of about 6-7 meters from the shore. Autumn and winter drives the predator into holes and changes in depth. Usually pike perch travels in a school, but in small rivers it disperses throughout the entire reservoir.
The influence of water temperature on catching trophy pike perch
The time for catching trophy pike perch is the season of cold water, usually the end of its cooling from five to six degrees to two to three. In central Russia it is October - December. At this time, the water has not only cooled down to the specified temperatures, it has already managed to mix - and the indicators of the temperature sensor of the echo sounder on the surface differ little from the indicators at maximum depths. The peak of the bite often occurs at the boundary of 5 - 6 degrees, and with further sharp cooling it happens that the pike perch goes into a stupor and stops moving and feeding. Only small pike perch—up to a kilo—show any activity. And it happened that a sharp drop in air and water temperatures, the formation of edges or even the freezing of significant areas of the reservoir led to a sharp activation, the beginning of the zander’s feeding.
The next period of cold water fishing is spring, its very beginning is March and April. There is still snow along the banks, but on many rivers the ice has already been destroyed by strong currents, and the pike perch has begun to wake up and wash itself after the winter. During this period, it is important to catch the peak of the bite - it often occurs several days before a friendly flood, bringing a sharp rise in water and muddy water. And muddy water negatively affects the bite.
