Catching ruffe: tips, descriptions, photos and videos

Description of ruff fish

The appearance of the common ruffe depends mainly on the environment. Basically, the fish has a gray-green color, and the back and fins are dotted with black spots. The sides are yellow and the belly is white or gray. The fins consist of sharp spines. In reservoirs where the bottom is muddy, the colors of the ruffe are dominated by dark shades. Where the bottom is sandy, the color is lighter.

Important! In order to preserve the population, it is not recommended to catch ruffe during the breeding season.

The length of the ruff can reach 10–12 cm. The weight is 15–20 g. Sometimes there are individuals weighing up to 200 g with a length of 10 cm. The fish is quite unpretentious, obtaining its food by hunting invertebrate organisms, as well as small fish. Rarely feeds on aquatic vegetation. It is noteworthy that the fish feed most actively in low light, that is, in the morning or evening hours. It can live in both fresh and brackish water.

Lives in a flock, moves and camps in groups. Does not tolerate waterlogging. Spawning begins in mid-spring and lasts until early summer. The fish lays its eggs mainly at the bottom of the reservoir and does not protect them. Next, you should study in more detail the habitats of the ruffe, as well as understand the intricacies of its behavior at different times of the year.

Description and lifestyle

Ruff
Ruff

- fish of the perch family (gymnocephalus cernua).
The body of the ruff
is compressed from the sides. It is covered with small, tightly fitting scales, the edges of which have denticles. The head is not covered with scales. The lateral line is complete. The snout is blunt. The mouth is small and retractable. The eyes are big. The dorsal fin is one, fused from two. Its front part, slightly rising above the back, consists of spiny rays, the back - of soft ones. Spiny rays are also present in the ventral and anal fins.

The body color is dark gray, with a large number of dark spots and dots, most of which are on the upper half of the body, as well as on the dorsal and caudal fins. The back is grayish-green, the sides are yellowish-green, the belly is greenish-white. The eyes are yellow. The color of the ruffe may vary somewhat, depending on the color of the bottom soils. On sand its color is lighter than on silty soils.

The ruff leads a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. It stays in relatively deep places with a sandy or somewhat silty bottom in both lakes and rivers, where it avoids areas with strong currents. Prefers quiet and deep reaches near steep banks, steep places, near bridges and other structures. The ruffe lives in flocks consisting of individuals of different sizes. He rarely leaves his favorite places. The ruffe leaves its pits only during the breeding season, when it enters the floodplain, often meeting at spawning sites with other species of fish. On dark nights, ruffs emerge from deep areas to the spits. On bright moonlit nights such movements are not observed.

The ruff reaches sexual maturity in the second or third year of life. It spawns at a water temperature of 5-8 degrees on hard sandy soils among vegetation, at depths of up to 1.5 m. It lays eggs in portions, and therefore its spawning is very extended. Fecundity is relatively high.

The ruffe feeds on bottom organisms, including insect larvae and pupae, worms, small crustaceans, water donkeys and others. These same organisms are consumed by more valuable fish species, such as bream. In this regard, a large number of ruffe can limit the nutrition of bream and other more valuable fish species.

Habitats

Ruff lives in dams, lakes and rivers. In lakes it sticks to the bottom, and in rivers it prefers to be closer to the shore. A sandy or muddy bottom creates ideal cover for this fish, so it is recommended to study it before fishing. In addition, parking areas may be located near coastal thickets. It can be found in the middle of a pond or lake near aquatic vegetation, or in the bottom zone.

Find out the difference between sea ruff and flounder.

The ruffe can also be found at the confluence of the river and the sea. Brackish water creates optimal conditions for this fish to live; moreover, in such an environment there is a greater choice of food. This type of fish always lives in the same place, therefore, having determined the area where its school gathers, fishing can be resumed there the next year.

Video: catching large ruff on the Volga

Successful ruff fishing, tips and tricks

Ruff is a small inhabitant of reservoirs, an extremely unwelcome guest of the fisherman. Problems with removing the hook, low weight, a very prickly, sail-like fin - a nightmare for an angler who wants to “hunt” another species. All these problems fade into the background when fish soup is cooked from this fish. The incomparable taste more than offsets all the difficulties associated with catching this fish.

• Where does ruff live?

This little fish cannot stand currents and lack of oxygen. Staying mostly at the bottom, the ruffe sticks to “trodden” paths. It is extremely difficult to get him off them. Even bait doesn't help. “Stubborn as a donkey” is about our ruff. Choosing the unevenness of the underwater relief, the ruff confidently circles in the same way, which is an extremely thankless task to find, but an interesting one.

• Winter hunting strategy

The habits of the ruff determine his search. Finding the path where these little fish walk is a tedious task. Holes are drilled frequently, every meter. When fishing, single bites can confuse you. You shouldn’t pay attention to them while sitting in one place. If the bite stops, you need to move on to the next hole. Searches can take a lot of time, but if the path has been explored all season, you can come to the same place.

• What to fish with

Read: Catching a very large ruff in the summer
A common myth that exists in the minds of amateurs, that a brush can be caught even with a stick and a rope, is dispelled from the first minutes of winter fishing. Cold weather makes the small predator more demanding on gear. Based on its qualities, the best option for catching ruffe is a jig. Fast response, ability to fish from the bottom, sensitivity. Ruff is a predatory fish, so it bites better on bait of animal origin. Bloodworms, worms: delicacies that are always relevant, regardless of the time of year. Despite its small size, the bite of the ruffe can easily be confused with the bite of a larger fish. Aggressive attacks on a float when it unexpectedly goes under water are worthy of respect. The moment the float goes under water is the time of hooking. A good reaction is the key to catching this fish.

• Fishing time

Morning and evening hours are most favorable for catching ruffe. During the day, he sits out in the thickets of grass. Catching ruffe in such conditions is a thankless task. Large individuals move better in the morning.

• Ruff soup

All conversations and stories about this fish end with fish soup. The secret to making ruff is simple. When fishing, ruffs are placed in a separate bag. Small brush is not gutted or washed. It gets into the pan, immediately bypassing the sink. Cold water should cover our catch by about a quarter. The ruffs simmer over low heat for about two hours. After the fish is cooked, strain the broth and boil for several minutes. Add spices (onion, pepper and dill.) The finished broth is salted to taste.

• A small conclusion about a small predator

Read: Methods of catching ruffe

Yorshik is an interesting fish that appears unexpectedly when there is a hunt for other representatives of this species. The search and catching of ruffe itself is a complex and interesting task, and the fish from it, without any doubt, pays for all the difficulties of catching it.

At what time of year does the ruff bite best?

Ruff can be caught all year round. However, it should be taken into account that it has periods of activity and rest, when the chances of catching fish become less. Thus, the best bite of the ruffe is observed in the spring, when its so-called zhor begins. This period lasts for a month, from March to April . Spawning begins in April. At this time, it is strictly not recommended to disturb the fish. After the end of reproduction, it replenishes nutritional resources again, so fishing will be catchy from the end of spring.

It is worth noting that in summer, fish activity decreases. In the morning and evening it will be more difficult to catch than in spring and autumn. This is explained by the fact that the ruff prefers cool water. During the heat, it buries itself in the sand or silt at the bottom. The most suitable time of day for catching such fish is evening twilight or predawn hours. The ruff bites best in cloudy weather. For convenience, the ruffe fishing schedule is compiled in the form of a table.

You can catch ruffe in winter too. This fish does not hibernate and is well caught even at sub-zero temperatures. Can withstand temperatures from 0°C to -35°C. The probability of successful biting in winter is 60–69%. Next, you need to figure out what gear is suitable for fishing, as well as how to choose the right bait.

You will be interested to know the description and other features of the ruff fish.

What time to catch ruffe?

The best time for fishing is from 10 am to 2 pm. During this period, the ruff is most active. Sometimes a full worm is not placed on the hook, but divided into pieces no longer than 2.5 centimeters. If fishing takes place on the shore, then you need to look for steep banks with deep places that begin near the shore itself.

Ruff is usually used for food, preparing fish soup. Due to its unattractive body structure, it is not suitable for preparing other dishes. The fishing rod must be strong and elastic. Ruff bites are similar to perch bites; they are distinguished by sharp jerks.

When removing the fish from the hook, you should be careful, as you can injure yourself on the fish's spiny dorsal fin. The pricks of this fin are very painful. It is worth noting that a worm that is too large is not suitable for catching ruff. It will be extremely difficult for him to swallow such bait. Many fishermen neglect this fish, but its importance cannot be underestimated.

During fishing, the ruff actively resists, so you should not reel in the line too quickly, the fish may get away. In some cases, caught fry are used as live bait for pike perch, but only after dividing the fish into small pieces without a dorsal fin.

Using these tips in your fishing practice, you can successfully catch this fish throughout the entire time in open water. In stagnant water the ruffe is not very active. There is an opinion that when feeding a ruffe, he does not pay attention to the bait, and the cloud of turbidity that forms in the water column often simply scares him away. Therefore, the best places for fishing remain places with strong currents and holes in the reservoir.

What gear is used in fishing for ruffe

Ruff lives on the bottom, so you should use bottom gear for fishing. They should be selected based on the fishing location. So, for fishing over a large area you will have to make long casts. In this case, you can use a spinning rod with a bottom casting rig. You can assemble it yourself. Any spinning rod is suitable for catching small predators. The longer it is, the easier it will be to equip it with a donkey.

It is better to choose an inertia-free reel, with a set of spare spools and equipped with a friction adjustment function. As the main fishing line, you can use braid with a diameter of 0.2 mm or a thread with a thickness of 0.3 mm. You can load the equipment with a heavy feeder or flat weights that will slide in the water. An important condition for this is that the load must weigh 40–60 g . The equipment must have bite alarms.

You can use regular bells for this. They need to be attached to the main line at the tip of the rod. Hooks and leashes should be selected based on the chosen bait. Considering that the ruffe is a predatory fish and feeds mainly on live food, hooks No. 13–No. 17 are suitable for fishing. It is advisable to have a set of leashes with a diameter of 0.2–0.12 mm.

Did you know? The vitamins and minerals that make up ruffed meat have a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system and increase bone strength.

You can assemble the snack as follows:

1. Attach the feeder to the main line at a distance of 15–20 cm from the end.
2. Attach a jumper to the end of the fishing line.
3. Attach leashes to both sides of the jumper.
4. Attach hooks to the leashes.
5. Place baits on the hooks.
6. Place bait in the feeder.

When choosing gear for catching ruffe, the main condition must be observed - the nozzle must touch the bottom.

In addition to spinning with a hook, the following gear is considered effective:

• float rod;
• bottom tackle;
• jig.

Each of the listed devices has its own characteristics and is used for different fishing methods, so you should study each one in detail separately.

Learn how to cook fish soup from sea and river ruff.

Float rod

For catching ruffe, a regular, inexpensive float rod is suitable. This type of tackle is indispensable for boat fishing, when the fish moves closer to the middle of the reservoir. The rod should be light and of medium length. The fishing line should be taken with a diameter of 0.15–0.20 mm. To signal a bite, small floats, about 10 cm in length, are better suited. Hooks must be designed for live food. A suitable option would be No. 10–No. 13 . You can take 1-2 pellets as a sinker.

Bottom tackle

Bottom tackle is the most preferable for catching ruffe. It is designed for luring and fishing fish from the bottom.

How to catch a ruff

What kind of fish should a novice fisherman prepare gear for so that the fishing is successful? To the ruff! How to catch a ruff ?

Of all the fish that are found in the river, the ruffe is considered the “master of the river.” It is also found in ponds, and is easier to catch than other fish for the following reasons:

1. if there is a ruff, then there is a lot of it;
2. he takes it so correctly that it does not require much skill to fish it out.

That’s why guys almost always begin to get involved in the sport of fishing by catching ruffs.

Fishing is especially good in the early evening hours, when the wind subsides and the water surface becomes smooth. Fishermen can be seen everywhere and most of them are teenagers.

Some settled on the shore, others stood on anchor stones in boats not far from the shore. The boats are placed on one stone, downstream, and on two stones, lowered from the bow or cape, and from the stern, across the current.

They catch mainly ruffs.

Tackle for catching ruff

The gear for catching ruffe is the simplest - fishing rods, either float or bottom.

Fishing rods are used with two hooks on different leashes. For ruffs, hooks with a long shank are tied in case of swallowing. The bait is short reddish-yellow dung worms, which can be obtained from a pile of old humus.

They also catch ruffs using bottom fishing rods. Local fishermen usually use the so-called filly - a rather rough-looking homemade tackle.

Ruff bite

The ruff's bite is decisive; it instantly sinks the float. And if you’re even a little late with hooking, you take out the ruff with the hook swallowed. And it is very difficult to release the hook, since it has very spiny fins.

The best baits and lures

Having chosen the appropriate gear, you should choose the right bait. For a successful bite, you should take into account the personal preferences of the fish. In this case, it is supposed to catch predatory fish, therefore, the bait should consist of food of animal origin. These include worms, bloodworms, small fish, fry, and caviar. In summer, you can add insects such as dragonflies, butterflies, and grasshoppers. There is generally no need to enrich the bait, however, to increase the chances of a successful bite, you can add crushed worms to it.

Also read about what bait to choose for chub fishing.

Rules for preparing bait:

1. It is advisable to first smear the worm in the ground to give the bait maximum naturalness.
2. The baits must consist exclusively of animal products. Fish will not be interested in plant food.
3. It is better to catch ruffe during rain, since the noise created by falling drops will drown out the splash of water when the bait is immersed.

Choice of bait

Before fishing, the fish must be fed. This is necessary in order to concentrate the flocks in one place. Only live food is suitable for feeding the ruffe. To lure a small predator, you need to throw bait in a certain place for a short time. For this purpose, food is placed in the feeder. For feeding, a mixture of worms, bloodworms and fish meat is prepared. You can add a little bread crumb. You can bind the mixture together using clay.

Important! The fins of the ruffe are equipped with prickly needles, so you need to fish it out of the water with extreme caution, trying not to get hurt.

Features of fishing depending on the season

In spring, summer and autumn, ruffe are caught using spinning rods, float rods and bottom tackle. In winter, jigs and float rods are considered effective. Bottom tackle can be used from the shore and from a boat. It is recommended to explore the bottom in advance and try to cast the fishing rod into the recesses. It is in such places that the small predator most often lives. At the same time, it is important to make precise casts in the place where the fish were baited in advance. You can set a landmark in the form of a buoy so as not to lose sight of the fishing spot.

The donka should fall into the water and reach the bottom. For winter fishing, you need to choose a place where fish are expected to live. It is advisable to do this in advance, in the fall. Then make a hole in the ice and launch the jig. You need to play with the tackle a little to attract the attention of the predator. The ruff greedily grabs the bait, damaging vital organs with its sharp hook.

Find out what beginners need for ice fishing.

You need to fish it out carefully, without sudden movements, otherwise the fish will die instantly. Many anglers catch ruffe only for the purpose of using it to bait larger predatory fish, such as pike. However, few people know that this small fish produces incredibly tasty and appetizing fish soup. You can catch it throughout the year in fresh water bodies. Properly selected tackle and bait will increase the chance of getting a plentiful catch.

Where and when to catch ruffe in summer

Even such a “nano-ruff” is capable of swallowing a worm whose length exceeds its own.
It is more difficult to catch a ruffe in hot weather than in cooler seasons. This fish loves the coolness in the shade. In summer, the ruffe is passive, lives at great depths or seeks shelter under water among snags. Found in places where tree branches hang over the water. Active biting in summer is rarely observed, since the fish do not eat for most of the day. At noon it spends its time rather inertly, “coming to life” only in the evening and in the morning.

Ruffs love cool water, so it’s worth looking for places with cold spring water. The best time to catch remains early morning, dusk or night.

Before fishing, use protein baits with sufficient addition of bloodworms and soil as complementary food. A good catch should be expected in rainy or cloudy weather. In bad weather, the heat subsides, the fish feels confident and comes out of hiding. It is difficult to catch a spiny predator near the bank of a wide river. It is worth going to the pier or fishing from a barge or raft. In this case, it is better to use winter types of fishing rods with a nod or short float rods.

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