Winter fishing on the river - search for places, selection of baits and methods

A small river in winter promises the fisherman surprises in the form of catching a wide variety of fish. Success is ensured by correctly chosen tactics for searching for promising places, mastery of gear and the use of local baits.

In February and early March, when fish in low-flowing reservoirs experience a lack of oxygen, I go to some small river in the Moscow region or a nearby region. At this time, there is often a snowstorm, and behind the high banks of the river you can always find shelter from bad weather. In addition, if you know the places well, you can expect a bite from large fish.

In winter, in a small river, where even some algae do not die off in the current, roach, perch, chub, burbot, pike, bream, gudgeon, ruffe, podust, bleak, silver bream, dace behave actively, and sometimes some This is how a trout escaped from a pond farm.

So, on the Lopasnya River below Khatun, my friends from a local village twice caught a kilogram trout using a jig. In small rivers in the northern regions of Moscow, grayling sometimes bites in the middle of winter. It was possible to catch grayling at different times on the Tvertsa, Unzha and its tributaries.

In addition to trophies, small rivers also attract me with their coziness. They meander beautifully through forests and fields, and when you move along the river in search of fish, you expect some kind of miracle at every turn. However, you must always be vigilant on the river, since on a fast flow, even in frosty weather, there may be areas of unreliable ice.

When searching for areas that are promising for fishing, I focus on the width of the water areas (the river sometimes narrows and sometimes widens), on the banks (high or low), on dry algae rising above the snow (reeds, sedge), on the valleys of flowing streams, on the outlets of springs, on thickets of bushes frozen in the ice, on snags and trees that had fallen on the water. With this you can easily read the bottom topography and look for fish.

If you haven’t been to the river you’ve chosen for fishing for a long time, you need to understand that the bottom topography changes from year to year. Spring floods have a strong impact here, washing out the bottom in some places and washing up in others; those areas that were deep become shallow, and shallows, on the contrary, can become deeper. In this regard, the fish can change their favorite areas.

I will describe winter river fishing, as I understand it, and as I fish it myself.

First of all, I check the small tributaries of the mother river; very often, in late autumn, a cloud of fry enters there on high water. Not only predatory fish rushes after it, but also the conditionally predatory ide, chub, and even large roach feeds on the fry with might and main. But in the tributaries the current is usually weak, which is bad for fishing, because in the rapids the fish take it much more boldly. Therefore, after checking small rivers, I go to the mother river, where you can catch large fish, the same chub, using a large black jig with yellow sparkles, baited with a dung worm. By the way, the large lobster does not like large company in winter, and its bites, as a rule, are sporadic. Therefore, catching chub from ice in winter is a dark topic for many fishermen. I found this fish in holes with a solid current, but you can expect a bite for several hours. Therefore, it is advisable to know that the place is really chub-rich, that there have already been bites of large fish here, only then the bite is expected with due confidence and there is no desire to blow yourself up and run to another place.

Where to look for bream in winter

In order for bream fishing in winter to be productive, you need to accurately determine the working square. Beginners often have difficulty finding promising spots when hunting on an unfamiliar body of water.

It is optimal to search for fish with an echo sounder that can quickly measure depth, study the topography, and show the presence of underwater objects in a specific place. The use of an echo sounder is especially important during currents. A modern gadget allows you to see how bream reacts to bait, where the school is concentrated. The tactics for finding winter bream depend on the fishing location and the type of reservoir.

On small and medium-sized rivers near pits

Dreissen

Often the fish is located near the waterways, where calm water borders on a strong current. In winter, bream feeds on mollusks and zebra mussels. You can find a flock in the lower sections of riverbed slopes, on hills in depressions, and sometimes in irrigation areas. In large water areas, fishing should be done on rocky ridges; it is through them that the bream’s food “passes.” Food can also be collected at the bends of the riverbed, under steep cliffs near calm reaches or near rifts. When there is an abundance of food, the bream moves either down or up. If the atmospheric pressure decreases, then the fish goes to depth; if it increases, it stands on the middle or upper edge.

On a lake, reservoir

If the enclosed body of water is unfamiliar, then drilling holes is more effective in the deepest places. Basically, bream stays in a certain place and practically does not move away from it. Catching large bream in the reservoir in winter will be successful if you drill holes near the active ones, retreating 8–9 m from them. In order not to scare away your prey, when fishing, adhere to the rules of camouflage, do not create unnecessary fuss, and do not make noise.

On a lake, working points can be deep-water areas with access to shallows. It is preferable to fish for changes in relief; flat tables often turn out to be of low yield.

During the first ice, winter bream fishing will be successful if you follow the following recommendations:

Drill holes not randomly, but after studying the terrain.
Fish, first of all, dumps and edges.
Drill holes along the riverbed in a checkerboard pattern, retreating 10–15 m between them.
Areas with a muddy bottom are not suitable for schools of bream; it is better to pay attention to sandy and clayey areas.
Fishing in December involves activity in moving around the reservoir using a jig.

Read how to catch bream on the first ice.

During the deep winter period, bream experiences a lack of oxygen due to thickening ice. Searching for bream in shallow areas of a reservoir is not effective; look at areas with a depth of 7–10 m. It is better to hunt for a school in a weak current. Deep-water channels should extend from the pits along the riverbed. During thaws, bream rarely stands at a depth of 2–3 m. In severe frosts, it is found in holes.

In order not to waste time in winter looking for jobs, in the fall it is worth studying the bottom of the reservoir, measuring the depth and identifying bream trails. Often, sites are located in channel or pit dumps near rocky ridges.

Best baits for the river

As for the best baits, here you can form a kind of attractiveness rating for river fish. At the top of this rating is a maggot sandwich plus coagulated blood, small pieces of which I make with scissors and attach to a jig hook, and I bait small maggots on top. If any of the fishermen have the opportunity to get the blood of animals, and who knows how to use this ancient bait, be sure to use it, it works just fine on the river! A bunch of maggots is firmly established in the second position - 2-4 pieces. Then comes the Chernobyl fish, I put it on a medium-sized hook of a small jig in the amount of four to six pieces. At the end of the ranking of catchable winter baits are bloodworms, lard, and worms. As for the bloodworm, which is popular with many fishermen, river fish do not particularly like it in fast currents. It is very likely that other fishermen have a different opinion on this matter - I will not insist.

Winter fishing on a small river

Winter fishing on small rivers from ice has its own characteristics. If we talk about ice conditions, even in winter, gullies often form on a small river. A day ago I walked along the river to the beach near the pioneer camp, where I usually caught roach. There was one dark ravine-spot in the middle of the river. Apparently, at the bottom there is a sandbank with snags and an eddy current. And this morning, a ravine opened up next to the ski track in the form of a hole where open running water is visible. When I returned back, I had to go ashore and ski along the coastal windfall, since the water had already washed away all the ice under the ski track. And this is a clear danger, even though it’s January. But this happens on small rivers with fast currents. Moreover, such ice does not warn with a crash, does not bend under your feet, but immediately collapses, and then you can only hope for the help of a friend. It is not always possible to crawl out from under the ice on your own. And you can’t always rely on the fact that the path you’ve walked along all winter will be reliable. The insidiousness of such a path often lies in the fact that its appearance does not undergo any changes, but it is already a kind of trap and under a thin layer of compacted snow and ice, the water has washed away all the bedrock ice. Take a step and you'll fall into icy water. Tested for myself...

Tackle

On the river I use winter fishing rods with metal nods of varying degrees of hardness. The reel must have an easy stroke, without any problems it must return and wind a core with a diameter of 0.10 to 0.22 mm. Thin fishing lines are especially needed in slow-water areas, but even in fast currents you shouldn’t overuse thick fishing lines - “ropes” - control over the bait deteriorates somewhat, and the number of bites drops.

Choosing the shape of the jig is the second thing, color comes first! One of my favorites is bright purple, made of lead, 15mm long, 7mm wide, size 7 hook. I usually use it on a fairly thick 0.17 mm fishing line.

Burbot. Fishing with bait

Fishing for burbot in winter on a small river can also be very productive. Fishing with winter girders is quite naturally combined with fishing with the simplest bottom gear - set-ups. In busy areas where there are quite a lot of anglers, these rigs are more suitable for being left unattended overnight. These gears are not so sorry, unlike the girders, if people who are not very burdened with conscience get to them. And the bait consists only of a sinker, the main fishing line, one or two leashes with large single hooks.

It is better to make one of the leashes metal and put a live fish on the hook. The metal leash serves to resist the grip of the pike, which can also grab from the bottom, where live bait usually sinks to catch burbot. The second short leash can be tied directly to the main leash, about 30 centimeters long, ending with a metal leash.

Cut fish are most often placed on the hook of the second leash: roach, ruffe, gudgeon and other small fish. Worms are also used, which are planted with large brushes. But the disadvantage of such bait is that the worms are sucked on by various bottom trifles. And the bait is often not saved until the burbot comes out. In addition, small and medium-sized burbots are mainly caught on worms.

There are often difficulties in catching small fish. And here you can try using fresh sprat purchased at a fishing store or even in the fish department of a regular store. Burbot often bites on sprat, especially on the Volga.

Fishing process

How to find fish on the river? Only with a drill and checking with a fishing rod. It's good to sit on the section of calm and fast water currents. Promising places are at the bends of the river, almost along the entire width, and you never know in advance where and what you will find, even if you have studied the river very well.

So, I drill holes across the stream, if the river is small, then from bank to bank a meter and a half apart, so as not to miss. It is useless to feed in a strong current - a powerful stream will carry the bait far away, and even the fish along with it. But the river stream should not frighten, it is a helper, not an enemy. Of course, I will try to fish on the river with a light jig near the shore. I’ll throw the same bait into both the second hole and the third if the current doesn’t get stronger.

When retrieving, I take into account that the main bites occur on the descent of the jig and on its separation from the bottom. The descent speed of the jig is from 10 to 50 cm per second. I start at a lower speed, lower it, watching for the nod. As soon as it plays back, signaling contact with the bottom, I abruptly stop the descent. The current should lift the jig off the bottom and continue to lift it. Very slowly I raise it by about 10 cm and again accelerate the movement of the fishing rod downwards - touching the ground - stopping - dropping the vein from the fishing rod drum. When retrieving quickly, I do the reset quickly, but carefully so as not to tear the line. You shouldn’t hesitate too much - during the release the fish may bite, and you need to notice the bite in order to hook it in time. I do the reset like this: I grab the line at the hole with my left hand, and with my right hand I raise the fishing rod as high as possible, releasing the line from the reel. The whole wiring process looks like this: moving the jig down – touching the bottom soil – stopping – resetting (about five to six seconds after stopping, a snap may occur within two to three seconds).

If the weight of the jig and the diameter of the fishing line are chosen correctly for a given flow speed, then the cycle can be repeated with the release of the fishing line up to 25 m downstream from the hole. At the same time, bottom control is not lost (in order to avoid problems with the sensitivity of the tackle, using low-stretch fishing line). It is not advisable to release the bait further - at considerable distances the bite is very difficult to see, and you can only count on self-hooking. You can find out the approximate location of the fish from the hole by counting the number of line drops until the bite occurs - this has helped out more than once. If the jig is too light, then most likely we won’t reach the bottom, and if it’s too heavy, it won’t allow for under-ice fishing even with two throws of line from the reel.

Winter fishing in the Moscow region in February on small rivers

Usually in February, in reservoirs without a current, the activity of fish drops sharply, which seems to manifest itself as a decrease in the intensity of the bite, but in fact, it simply begins to move less around the reservoir and if you do not know exactly where to stop, it can be very difficult to find it. During the real, February dead winter, it is best to switch to fishing in rivers, rivers and even streams, since in small stagnant reservoirs, oxygen starvation has already occurred, so there is nothing to do there. Therefore, winter fishing in the Moscow region will be effective on those rivers that themselves are tributaries of other rivers and in which the water level practically does not change throughout the winter. In the Moscow region, these include the Moscow River, Istra, Pakhra, Iskon and the upper reaches of many others.

Small rivers

The first acquaintance with fishing on one of these reservoirs took place on the Berezaika River. It is very deep in its upper reaches. With an average width of 20 m, the depth in it can reach 4-5 m. The river is very winding, and washed-out holes near the banks alternate with riffles. The current is smooth and strong enough, so ice does not form along the riverbed every year. But in tiny bays the ice thickness reaches thirty centimeters or more. The size of such bays allows two anglers to sit with greater or less comfort; there simply would not be enough space for more anglers.

Berezaika River, in search of a catchable place

In bays and rare backwaters, the layer of water under the ice barely reaches 20-30 cm, but even this is enough to sometimes accommodate a whole flock of perches and roaches. Fishing here has its own characteristics, although it is carried out using traditional winter gear. When fishing on a small river, the success of fishing is determined by the choice of location. This applies not only to ice fishing, but also to open water fishing. On small rivers, fish stick to some favorite habitat spots from year to year, which change or shift only during a significant change in water level due to floods or because a favorite log or stone has disappeared from the bottom. The smaller the river, the more strictly this rule is observed.

Search for fish

Often places of mass accumulation of fish are separated from each other at a distance measured in kilometers. Moreover, between the fish sites there may be a dozen very similar places, but there are no fish in them; of course, this means that there are fish of a decent size. The important thing is that, unlike fishing in large bodies of water, there is no way to move the fish from its home with any bait. A rare exception is when the fish sticks to the rapids, but this is observed only in areas where the current is weak. However, even in such places the fish sticks to either a bush of vegetation or a twig lying on the bottom.

Therefore, searching for a place to fish from ice is in many ways similar to line fishing in the summer, when an angler consistently fishes sections of the river that seem promising to him. In winter it is even easier, because non-predatory fish, with the exception of the largest specimens, almost never go to the core itself - they prefer to stick to the upper slope of the barrel, where the food is carried by the current. But fishing here is dangerous because the ice is thin. When fishing, there is no point in trying to fish on the core itself, not only because it is easiest to swim here, but also because usually in shallow areas with strong currents, bottom ice forms due to the strong turbulence of the water flow.

In such places, fish do not stay, so there is no point in wasting energy fighting the current, and there is no food here. Where fish have accumulated for the winter, usually all the holes, without exception, located exactly on the border of the current “work”. This conclusion suggests itself when fishing for roach and bream on the Moscow River, above the confluence of the river. Istra. It is important not to drill extra holes and thus not alert the fish. The statement that it is better to look for fish at the edge of the current or on the edge of a barrel does not require any special explanation. But the statement that bays with a rocky bottom are good places for fishing, I think, needs a separate comment.

In bays with a rocky bottom, fish look for caddis flies and amphipods; “water donkeys,” daphnia, dragonfly larvae and a lot of other food spend the winter here, which is why such places are the most catchy. About ice fishing for grayling, taimen, etc. read about flies - here . If the thickness of the ice allows, then in addition to bays, you can choose areas located behind islands, shallows or in relatively deep places with a smooth and gentle current. The easiest way to find a good spot is to look at the bottom through the hole. Since the ice thickness on the rivers is small, you can see a decent area of the bottom.

Animal bait

Before you go fishing, you need to stock up on bait. The peculiarity of clean, small rivers is that the food for fish here is almost exclusively caddis flies and amphipods. Using a traditional bloodworm as a bait can be justified only if you find a large school of active fish that is ready to grab almost everything that appears under its nose, and also when the found “fishy” place can be baited with bloodworms. This happens if, besides you, no one else is fishing in the chosen place.

But even in this case, instead of bloodworms, use maggots or bark beetles, or even better, take the baitless tackle out of the box. You can find caddis flies on the nearest non-freezing riffle, but if there is bottom ice, then the caddis flies move to the bottom of holes and barrels. Then you can do the following. In a calm bay, lower a branch or stick into the hole, wrap aquatic plants around it, remove it onto the ice and select caddis flies and amphipods from them. The plants must be returned. It’s even easier to stock up on these baits at the nearest lake with clean water.

Jigs

For fishing, it is better to use regular jig tackle. Jigs are selected of medium size and with an elongated shank, because the caddis fly needs to be placed on the hook not like a bloodworm - by the head, but like a worm or - with a “stocking”. Otherwise, the roach tears off the precious bait with impunity. The same applies to the bark beetle. But it is still advisable to fish without bait. In the current, at shallow depths, baitless jigs become so effective that there is simply no point in exhausting yourself by preparing a bait. It is only important to first select a jig of the required weight so that it can reach the bottom.

You have to have up to a dozen equipped fishing rods in stock so as not to have to tie jigs on a pond. And, as practice shows, from a dozen jigs you can always choose the one that will be “working” today. If the reservoir is familiar to you, then you usually have to choose between a “devil” and a jig. Sometimes fish are better caught with a “devil”, and sometimes with a reelless jig. With a high degree of probability, we can safely say that at this time of year in a small river you will catch large fish only with baitless bait.

Jigs for current

All baitless jigs for fishing in the current are distinguished by the fact that they clearly have a hole for the fishing line shifted to the head part of the jig. Long jigs work well; instead of a hole for a fishing line, there is a hook eye on the body that extends out from the body. This is done so that the jig in the current always takes a position parallel to the current, with the hook in the direction of the current. Then the play of the jig is not chaotic, but measured and geometrically correct, attracting the attention of the fish.

I had to catch roach in shallow water many times using a jig, which was simply lowered to the bottom and was only oscillating with the flow of water. At the same time, there were not only bloodworms or maggots on the hook, but even cambric or beads. Very promising are jigs, in which it is the tail part of the body that has high drag. Such a bait is always turned with the flow under the influence of flowing water. And this is very important. It is believed that a reelless small jig arouses interest in fish only when it moves in the water with certain axial vibrations. Lateral vibrations are difficult to control and can spook fish.

Specifics of river bites

Based on the nature of the bite, you can guess who is taking it. If a chub bites, the nod jerks sharply and immediately straightens up, I hook it right away. If it's a roach, then the nod fails, often with a strong blow, which can even knock the fishing rod out of your hands! The dace takes in different ways, but a characteristic feature of its bites is the failure of the nod, then, a little later, a sharp but short jerk follows. You need to hook after the nod fails, otherwise you may not have time. The ide “shakes” vigorously, but a successful hook can be made only after the nod falls down - a very difficult moment.

When releasing a large line, I do not forget to hook wide and vigorously. I don’t immediately hear any resistance, but I don’t give the slightest slack! I choose a line “arc”, running away from the hole up to 8 m against the current. Then I throw the fishing rod and, picking up the line with my hands, I move again to the hole to take the catch. This is a pretty quick job with your hands. Why not otherwise? And try, in an open river area, under a strong wind, carefully laying at least 15 m of fishing line under your feet. What will happen? That's right - lump, "beard". And if a caught fish falls into it, then this fishing rod will no longer work.

If there are no bites, then I drill new holes, moving up or downstream by the length of the line - still the same 20-25 m. When a decent perch lands, and more than one, then it’s better to take a suitable fishing rod and try to use a vertical spoon , fishing with a “piece of iron” - a spoon, in such cases, is more effective than a jig. Afterwards, in the same place, you can place several girders - large pike love to walk along the hunting trails of striped robbers. Although I myself am not particularly keen on installing girders in winter, I prefer active fishing.

Fishing on ice-free small rivers

Small rivers are attractive because they do not freeze in winter, and chub continue to be caught with most popular summer gear.

Using a feeder

Diagram of a float rod for fishing from the shore

When fishing on ice They use more fishing rods made of foam plastic or corks, which do not allow their hands to freeze. Lures include jigs, spoons and balancers. Winter fishing line is thin - up to 0.14 mm, frost-resistant, of medium hardness and reduced elasticity. Line volume up to 20 meters. The fishing rod must be resistant to sub-zero temperatures. The use of “filly” tackle is due to its strength and reliability. The function of the sinker is performed by small lead or tin pieces of pellets, which are installed above 15 cm from the hook. You need to choose a hook that is thin-wire and sharp. The size of the hook must correspond to the bait: bloodworms require size No. 2-3, piece bait No. 5-7, fry up to number 10. A foam gray or brown barrel-shaped float should be selected in accordance with the depth and strength of the current so as not to scare away the wary chub. Worms are suitable for bait; it is better to plant them in bunches, maggots, bloodworms and bread.