The best baits for asp - fishing with castmaster and trihedral

The castmaster for asp is one of those few baits that has entered the spinning angler’s arsenal as a purely specific tool for catching this very careful, cunning and in vain fish that is not very popular with a larger circle of anglers. This predator, although its population is quite widespread in our reservoirs, due to the peculiarities of fishing, does not often become a trophy for spinning anglers. Many fishermen mistakenly believe that catching this powerful predator is a technically difficult and unsolvable task and do not even think that catching a large asp with a castmaster with a fly can bring quick and significant results even to a novice fisherman.

To completely dispel doubts about the difficulties of fishing, we recommend reading this article, which will reveal the secrets of catching this lively fish in the nuances of selecting equipment, places and times of hunting and the use of cut-type spinners, which allow technically simple but effective fishing.

Where to fish

The predator prefers to live in large rivers with moderate currents without regard to depth levels, since, depending on the season, it hunts in the water horizons where its favorite prey in the form of bleak descends. In the spring and summer months, small groups of predators, consisting of three to five fish feeding at relatively short distances from each other, stay in the upper layers of the water, where bleak and other small fish constantly rotate to collect insect carrion. In autumn, fishing is carried out in the middle and deep water layers, where our lively hero goes down to collect small things in preparation for winter.

Important! This fish does not like quiet and overgrown areas of water areas and stays in wide open water areas, adhering to the boundaries of mixing fast and slow water flows.

In summer, the fish can be identified by its characteristic fight on the water, when it crushes a school of small fish with its tail, subsequently collecting the stunned prey. In autumn and closer to winter, they look for trophies near winter roads, deep river holes where inactive peaceful fish stand.

How to choose a castmaster for an asp

Catching lures of this type are selected based on hunting conditions, which include the levels of water horizons at which fishing will be carried out, the strength of the current, the intensity of daylight and the activity of the fish being caught. The levels of wiring and current strength are compensated by the selection of spinners of various weights and sizes. Surface fishing involves the use of short spinners weighing 3–10 grams; deeper depths are fished with tools 10 cm long and weighing up to 30 grams.

Important! In sunny weather, colors with a tint of gold and copper shine are suitable. In cloudy weather, a pure silver color is considered the most suitable option.

Various kinds of holographic stickers, additional flies and silicones, red threads on the tees contribute to the success of the selection of spinners by an inactive predator.

Castmaster's choice

To choose the right castmaster, you need to know what it is. Castmaster is a bait that is used during horizontal retrieving, that is, casting and uniform reeling. It is best suited for active predatory fish like asp.

Catching baits should be selected according to the type of fishing conditions. These include:

Water horizon level.
The power of the current.
Light intensity.
Fish activity.

Important! On sunny, clear days, baits with gold and copper reflections are most effective.

And on cloudy days, the silver color will attract attention

Castmaster can come in different sizes and weights. If fishing takes place on the surface of the water, then it is better to use short baits weighing no more than 10 g. If the predator is at depth, you need to use a 10 cm lure weighing 30 g.

Spinning equipment

To ensure fishing, choose a medium plug spinning rod with a semi-fast action, in length from 2.1 to 2.7 meters. Due to the range of the bait, a longer tool is not required. The level of test parameters of 7–30 grams closes the implementation of postings at different depth marks. Inertia-free reels with a high gear ratio and a finely adjustable clutch with a spool with a capacity of 100 meters of 0.15-0.18 mm braid will harmoniously fit into the equipment package. The bait is tied directly to the cord, without leashes and a swivel, purely into the winding ring of the bait.

Important! The loads on the rod when retrieving a caught fighter, and the first blow to the bait is especially impressive in terms of power, is prohibitive. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase graphite or composite tackle, the material of which is highly durable under overload.

Technique for catching asp using castmaster

Asp are caught everywhere using castmaster. Having noticed a predator fighting on the water, you can safely move to a promising point and begin fishing.

Important! When casting bait, you need to try to throw the cauldron ten meters so as not to scare away the hunting fish by hitting the water with the spoon.

Having submitted the spinner to a promising place, the angler makes the necessary pause for the fishing tool to reach the required water horizon and only then begins the intended animation. We will consider the main stages of fishing techniques in more detail in the continuation of the material.

Wiring a castmaster when catching asp

Wiring a castmaster with a spinning rod when catching asp has four main fundamental differences, which are used based on the conditions available at the time of the hunt. When fighting fish with fry in the upper layers of water, wiring is used that allows the spoon to be driven in the upper layers of water. To do this, take the lightest variants of the bait and immediately after casting, without allowing the tool to go deep into the water, they begin a uniform, monotonous winding of the cord, leading the spoon at the same speed, along a trajectory passing through the center of the noticed boiler. The bait plays with its planes as a result of the factory settings.

Important! This result of the game is given by the winding ring, through which it is attached to the fishing line and in no case should it be removed from the spoon and replaced with a swivel. Changing the ring radically changes the performance of the bait.

The next method is based on the cyclicity of monotonous surface wiring with a short pause and a sharp toss of the tool. At the moment of the wiring described above, after the same period of time, the fisherman pauses for half a second, allowing the bait to go deeper 0.5-1.0 meter below the wiring level. subsequently a toss is made to the original trajectory. As a result, we get something similar to the fry collapsing from loss of orientation, which is what the asp is guided by when picking up stunned victims.

The fishing methods described below are carried out in deep layers, when the fight of fish is not visually determined, but there is confidence in its presence in the fished area.

Pelagic jig helps to catch fish that feed in the middle layers of water. Retrieving is carried out in steps with different frequency pauses and the same intensity of reeling without the spoon touching the bottom of the reservoir. The interest of the bait is caused by the possibility of its natural fall, which tempts the predator to attack.

Bottom jigs are carried out at high throws, which is achieved by rotating the reel handle not two or three times, but an order of magnitude larger number. The bait falls to the bottom from a greater distance, and when it touches the bottom, it makes a peculiar sound, attracting the trophy to the fishing area. The cord is wound at a slow pace.

Important! High-speed retrieving causes fear among asps, and bites at fast reeling rates almost never happen.

Castmaster for catching asp and pike perch on Akhtuba

There is a separate type of oscillating spinners - “Kastmaster” , very popular among lovers of catching Volga predators

fish In Trekhrechye, the confluence of the Akhtuba, Mangut and Kharabalyk rivers, 30 km from the city of Kharabali in the Astrakhan region, most experienced and not so experienced fishermen necessarily use this artificial bait for active spinning fishing. Castmasters are mainly used in casting (casting with a spinning rod using a spinner) for such trophies as “respected” by anglers, such as pike perch and asp , but the by-catch when working with this bait often includes other, no less valuable, species of predatory fish: bersh, pike, saberfish , perch and catfish.

The design of a Castmaster type spinner is very simple: the body of the spinner is made of an obliquely cut (sometimes at different angles) metal rod; winding rings in front and behind for attaching to the clasp on the main line and the tee and, in fact, the tee itself, which can sometimes be additionally equipped with a bright plastic petal or feathers. The weight of such spinners ranges from 7.0-35.0 g. with different body sizes, the parameters of which depend on the diameter of the rod, the angle of cuts and the specific gravity of the material. The standard color of the Castmaster is silver-white (the color of stainless steel), but there are many variations - from all gold to two-tone and with red and blue stripes.

A distinctive property of Castmaster type spinners is their excellent aerodynamics when casting, since the body of the spinner, made from a cut of a metal rod, has a correspondingly large mass with a small size and windage. Thus, the maximum casting distance is achieved, which is especially important when fishing from the shore, fishing in windy weather and catching the most cautious fish, which include asp and pike perch. The low drag of such spinners allows you to cast both upstream and downstream without compromising the performance of the bait. Sluggish, small amplitude, vibrations of a moving Castmaster, as a rule, quickly provoke an asp or pike perch standing in ambush to attack prey. In addition, Kastmaster, unlike other spinners, perfectly maintains the depth horizon set after a fall with a uniform, medium-fast retrieve. It should also be mentioned that despite the apparent simplicity of the design (body, winding ring and armature), those produced by the American company Acme, in contrast to cheap Chinese counterfeits, have a clear advantage in playing quality and reliability. Equipment for casting lure fishing Kastmaster: - many people make the mistake of replacing the winding ring for attaching the anchor with a swivel. Such a “revision” negates the bait’s play, since

the classic Kastmaster oscillates only in one plane; — the factory tee-anchor can in some cases be replaced with one of a suitable size for the intended production, but it must always be very sharp; — during fishing, you should especially carefully monitor the alignment of the points of the hooks, as this type of spinners tends to touch the bottom and the hooks often become dull on gravel, sand and dreisena (small bottom shell); — for casting fishing on Castmaster, you can use high-quality spinning rods with a length of 2.2-3.5 m, depending on the fishing conditions: longer ones are used from a flat bank, and shorter ones are used when fishing under cliffs, among trees and from a boat; — rod test is selected depending on the weight of the spinner and can vary from 15-25 to 30-40 g. The structure of the rod, taking into account the wiring features of this type of bait, can be from rigid to semi-rigid; — as a reel it is better to use an inertia-free 2000-3500 series with a large-capacity spool (150-250 m); — it is better to use a monofilament with a diameter of 0.18-0.26 mm as the main line when fishing with a spinning rod on Kastmaster, since it floats less in the wind, is elastic and is least noticeable in the water, which is important when fishing for pike perch and asp. It is advisable to use a fishing line “without shape memory”, which will ensure more accurate work with the bait at the moment it touches the water, and for the Castmaster this is very important. For the reasons described above, braided cords for Kastmaster are usually not used on Akhtuba; — if spinning fishing with Kastmaster takes place from a boat, it is advisable to take a special hook with you, since this type of spinner is prone to snagging on underwater snags, and there are a lot of them in Three Rivers. Moreover, flooded trees in Trekhrechye are favorite sites for pike perch and asp. Features of casting fishing for asp and pike perch using the Castmaster spinner: Regardless of the weight and size of the spinner, you can change the fishing horizon by changing the reeling speed. The faster the reeling, the closer to the surface the Castmaster will go; The “fall” type wiring is performed in the same way as with jig baits, that is, pull-up and pause, but you need to keep in mind that the Castmaster is characterized by predator attacks on the rise, not the fall. Retrieving of the “uphill” type should be performed as follows: “Castmaster” is lowered to the bottom, followed by a smooth rise of the spinning rod 45-50° up, and then a pause for 3-5 seconds, then a slight pull with the rod of 50-90 cm and reeling in the fishing line, pause again - while the spoon sinks to the bottom. It should be noted that this method of wiring the Castmaster is only suitable for areas with a clean bottom. You can use mixed fishing, which combines alternating several types of bait and allows you to determine the most effective one in a given fishing area. It should be noted that the frequency of bites is very dependent on the depth of the wiring. For example, an asp more confidently attacks a bait moving on the same horizon where he himself is currently standing, and somewhat less often - one that moves slightly higher. On the bait, which passes at a greater depth than the asp is located, he bites very rarely. There is an opinion that when fishing for asp, the Castmaster should be led almost along the very surface, but this is not at all the rule, since most often the most “catchable” horizon for guiding the bait is located at a depth of 0.20 -0.80 m, and sometimes even lower - up to 1.5-2.0 m. Some fishermen, when fishing with Kastmaster, use additional leashes with twisters, vibers, etc., installed above the main bait. For catching asp and pike perch from a boat, and especially from the shore on Akhtuba and similar channels, this method is not used due to the presence of a large number of underwater obstacles (snags, flooded trees, steep edges), which often lead to snags and loss of gear. And besides, this method of fishing is considered bad manners among serious fishermen, that is, not sporting. Fishing for pike perch on Kastmaster differs from fishing for asp only in the fishing method and depths, since the fanged King of the Lower Volga gravitates towards channel holes and deep-sea edges with a fairly strong current.

Fishing technique on the “Kasna pause”. In this case, stepped wiring with a high and sharp step is used. This is done like this: cast the bait - 5 second pause - sharp swing with the spinning rod - pause again (simultaneous reeling). Pauses are selected depending on the desired fishing horizon, and at this moment the quickly falling bait floats to the bottom, simulating a stunned fish. Such wiring can be performed at any depth and even in strong currents. As for catching pike perch, Kastmaster is also indispensable here when fishing in the summer on shallow bends, reaches and in the fall from a boat and from the shore at

fishing of rifts and backflows. Considering that this bait is quite deep-water even with strong currents, in the Three Rivers, in the channels of Akhtuba and Mangut, pike perch can be caught in this way until late autumn, when the fanged ones, gathering in schools, migrate to the areas of their wintering pits. Unlike catching asp, when the Kastmaster gives advantages in long-distance casting, when catching pike perch with the Kastmaster, the advantages of the Kastmaster manifest themselves in the casting form and great depth of water. In the summer, it is more convenient to catch pike perch in Trekhrechye in this way from a boat, with long casts covering the largest section of the riverbed in order to determine the parking place of a school of fanged fish and the optimal fishing depth. The wiring is done in steps, medium-fast. Having determined the location of the flock (it can be quite numerous), they continue to shine in a specific place. This kind of pike perch is not trophy size, but it bites confidently and often, which more than compensates the angler for the size of the prey. In the fall, you can catch pike perch with the help of Kastmaster both from a boat and from the shore, choosing deeper areas on bends where rip currents form and under riffles, where it lies in ambush, waiting for small fish that are pulled into the depths by the current. For catching pike perch on Akhtuba, the best choice would be a Kastmaster spinner of a classic silver color, with a slanted (highly elongated) shape, since the pike perch’s mouth is quite small relative to its body size. Sometimes painting the Castmaster blue, black or red on one side gives good results. Fishing for asp and pike perch If everything went correctly and, finally, at the other end of the fishing line the desired trophy is beating on the hook, do not rush. The main mistake of many beginners

fishermen - desperate attempts to reel in the fishing line as quickly as possible and grab onto their prey. Both of these predators are worthy opponents, and if you consider that pike perch and asp on Akhtuba can reach a weight of 5-10 kg, then the task may not be easy. Let's give some useful tips: - always have a landing net with you, preferably with a mesh made of thick fishing line; - the asp is a very strong fish, it fights on the hook until the last, from the first jerk to the end. When fishing for a large specimen, you should exhaust it as much as possible, keeping the line tight and absorbing sharp jerks with the rod and reel clutch; - pike perch, on the contrary, is not a fighter. However, the blow of a large pike perch when attacking the bait, and it attacks from the head, against the direction of the spinner, can give an inexperienced fisherman the feeling that he has at least caught a Macco shark. You should be patient, do not make sudden jerks (pike perch have weak lips) and pull it a little - even large pike perch quickly gives up and allows itself to be easily pulled into the landing net.

In conclusion, I would like to say that all of the above points are not dogma and often our own experience gained while fishing in the Lower Volga turns out to be many times more useful. Natural conditions change, the behavior of river inhabitants changes, and one day it suddenly turns out that my grandfather’s favorite copper spinner, with which he successfully caught perch in the Akhtubinsk Erik for several years, turned out to be useless this fall. This is what makes the fishing process interesting – constant experiments.

Someday go to Akhtuba, to the picturesque Trekhrechye Island, to enjoy some fishing and relax in nature in this fabulous corner of the Lower Volga. It's worth it - the positive emotions after the trip will last for a long time. And if you are a fan of comfortable living conditions or are traveling with your family, including children, on the banks of the Mangut River near the confluence with Akhtuba there is one of the most interesting and convenient fishing bases in these places - the Three Rivers Fishing Village.

No tail, no scales!

Catching asp with castmaster and fly

The addition of an additional type of bait to the spinner is also due to the low activity of the predator. The fly is mounted on a short and fairly rigid, up to 30 cm, lead, mounted in front of the spinner on the main cord at a distance of 20 cm. Despite the additional ties, due to the range of the spinner, the rigs fly well over long distances. When retrieving in combination, installation with additional chaotic movements of the hairy fly irritates the passive trophy, which in the end, in most cases, attacks the spinner when it stops. For the most part, this feeding option is used to catch baits in the upper layers of water.

Four main types of spinner baits when fishing for asp

Fast surface wiring

When we have the opportunity to constantly see the playing spinner almost from the maximum distance, this is ensured by the design of the bait, which is very easily adjustable according to the depth of the retrieve. After splashdown, we immediately raise the spinning rod vertically while simultaneously quickly rotating the reel handle until the “cut” appears on the surface. Then we reduce the speed to the minimum possible so that the bait does not go out of sight (which depends on the strength of the current and the angle between the direction of casting and the direction of the stream) - and maintain this balance. This method is most effective when the asp actively and en masse walks on the surface, but does not habitually “beat” the fry, with noise and splashes, but marks its meal with radiating “whiskers” from the dorsal fins and constantly arising powerful, but almost silent whirlpools. Such asp hunts are not uncommon on fairly large rifts and in their immediate vicinity, especially in low sun and weak wind conditions.

If the speed of the retrieve is such that your “cut” starts to jump out of the water from time to time, which can be achieved with short jerks of the spinning rod, then this may even be a plus, especially when the asp is positioned behind the bait, but does not take it right away. The most effective will be such a cast in advance of the wind, current and visible movement of the fish, so that it detects the spoon in a sector of 90 degrees in front of it at a distance of a couple of meters. Then the attack will be practically guaranteed. Well, the spectacle of such a superficial bite and the adrenaline obtained from it are of the highest quality.

Uniform wiring in the water column

Uniform wiring in the water column (or conditionally uniform, with a slight sway of the spinning rod - to complicate the game pattern) is the most common and simplest. This is exactly how most people usually catch it. And often it is precisely this monotonous movement of the castmaster that the asp responds most readily to. During active asp hunting, with all its sounds and splashes, no-frills guiding through the asp “fighting” area, carried out at about a meter depth or a little higher, may be optimal. If there is no “fight”, but you know for sure that the asp is present at a point (the area of the top of a riffle, the border of an overgrown lake, a large snag on the current), or the asp calmed down for a while on the surface, taking a pause and descending into the middle layers, then you should use a castmaster to process all horizons accessible to the bait, changing the depth, direction and speed of movement.

In general, trying empirically to find a combination to which the asp will still respond and attack the spinner. Often you manage to achieve your goal - not by washing, by rolling, as they say. And the result is very pleasing, since the asp bite usually occurs at a time when you are not expecting it at all. But personally, I prefer to avoid blind monotony - and quickly move on to other wiring when the asp does not visibly appear.

Pelagic jigging

The asp loves a bait that falls vertically and actively plays at the same time. Whether she reminds him of a stricken and helpless fish or whether some general fish instincts are manifested here is not so important for us. The very fact of the asp’s reaction is important to us. It is by no means a rule that an asp will always actively respond to the jig component. There are days, or even parts of the day, when the asp clearly prefers this movement of the spoon - and we focus on jigging in the water column. But it also happens the other way around: it almost does not react, but only chases the bait that is actively moving horizontally. Our task, regardless of what happened a few hours ago, and even more so yesterday - the day before yesterday, is to practically identify the momentary tastes of asp.

With this type of wiring, there is no need to try to take long pauses in the fall, hoping that this will increase the number of bites from the asp. The water is cloudy, and the asp will not attack the discovered spoon towards the bottom. The bait should be above or directly in front of it. Therefore, our task is not to overdo it with depth and not be left completely without asp. The first postings are made to the location of interest in the upper meter layer. After such processing of the area, we begin to gradually increase the depth by reducing the base reeling speed or increasing the pause until we find the desired one.

When fishing with rafting, we use the same type of wiring, only in a very short version. Casting as close as possible to the probable shelter of the asp, we focus on the next pause after the bait splashes down. It is at this moment that the asp attacks the spoon from his lair. If there is no bite from the asp after the first fall and the start of reeling, then the second pause (if there is one at all for physical reasons), as a rule, will be the last, after which you can quickly reel in your castmaster - and try on the next potential point before the boat passes past her.

This type of wiring often allows, during a massive “fight,” to cut off small asp that hunt just above the larger fish and quickly intercept the spoon with a uniform and jigging feed in the upper layer of water. When the small fish prevail, then after casting we lower the spoon to a slightly greater depth than it was when we last caught a medium-sized asp - and thus look for the limit below which it is not found. After this, you can already prepare for the real bite. If, of course, a large asp is mixed with a small one in this cauldron.

Jig bottom wiring

There are often cases when there is no manifestation of asp on the surface at all. It got colder or a strong wind blew, driving the “rams” along the channels of the Delta. The entire asp sinks to the bottom. The asp also descends after an active morning hunt. A section of the river is temporarily dying.

If we catch an asp, for example, on a riffle, where we had just caught a good catch from the surface, and suddenly everything calmed down, and not for a few minutes (which is normal, since the flock takes pauses in the hunt), but completely, then we can be sure that the asp is simply full. But the asp does not immediately leave the point. For some time the asp spins on the riffle close to the bottom, and his hunting passion has not completely dried up. You just need to get right under your nose with the bait. Moreover, falling, and not horizontally moving, to which the reaction for some reason is much worse. This is where classic bottom jig fishing comes to the rescue, but not with silicone, but with a spinner. Picking up one or two asps from the bottom from the very top of the riffle, i.e. from the fastest and shallowest place or just below is simply a classic and quite predictable case. Naturally, not every area is suitable for this fishing - the bottom must be clean. And this, as a rule, is either the mentioned riffle and its surroundings, or rather wide and shallow reaches on large channels. Both options usually have a sandy bottom and a decent current.

Asp bites when casting bottom jigs occur a few centimeters from the ground, a split second before the moment when you expect the bait to touch the bottom. They are quite neat - after all, he picks up the spoon and does not hit it, but they are solid and quite easily distinguishable from perch, which are usually somewhat fractional and nervous. By the way, you need to be prepared for the fact that perch will be caught constantly if the spoon falls to the bottom. The entire sandy bottom in shallow areas is simply covered with “sailors” pecking all day long. Whether this is good or bad is up to you to decide, but it is unlikely that you will be able to get rid of their annoying presence.

How to fish correctly

Asps, even with small sizes, show aggressive resistance to fishing, subjecting the gear to extreme loads, and the fisherman to a surge of positive emotional mood. After a powerful blow to the bait, which cannot be confused with anything else, the fish that took the spoon moves to the bottom, instantly reeling in and withdrawing the free cord. At such a moment, all responsibility falls on the clutch, the settings of which should save the form from destruction. The fish that lifts the spoon hooks itself and control hooks to fix the hook in the mouth in most cases are not required. Having taken control of the fish’s progress, they begin pumping out the trophy with the tackle, collecting the freed line with a reel. They bring the catch to the shallows or the side of the boat, where they take the asp into a landing net.

Source: IaRybak.ru

Catching asp with castmaster

Spring asp is the best fish for hunting. Believe me, every fisherman dreams of catching such a fish, and not just a simple one, but a bigger one! And such a spinner as the castmaster will cope with this task perfectly. This is exactly the type of spinner that you can customize for yourself. If you wish, you can even make a spinner yourself, however, here it all depends on your personal abilities and dexterity of hands.

Castmaster for asp has its advantages. Firstly, as mentioned earlier, it has the necessary heaviness that can help with long casting. Secondly, the simplicity of the design, because a castmaster can be made even from scraps of pipe and nuts. Thirdly, ease of use. Here the bait speaks for itself! Its heaviness allows you to cast the fishing rod into places with strong currents, and it is also convenient to wait for the moment. Experienced fishermen advise throwing the fishing rod directly into the center of the boiler and letting the bait lie in place for a while. Anyone, even a large asp, will soon forget that he is being hunted, and the castmaster himself will attract even the most cautious fish, which is the biggest plus!

If you want to choose a good castmaster for catching asp, then take a silver model: it is clearly visible in the water column, as well as through algae and silt, attracting the attention of the asp. As for the weight, then take a spinner, the mass of which will be about forty grams. The material can be anything: brass, stainless steel, bronze, plastic. The coating can also be absolutely anything, here everything depends on your desire. In any case, the main thing is that the castmaster moves well in the water, resembling a real fish, and also that it can be cast far. As we mentioned earlier, the spinner should therefore have an elongated shape.

Source: velesovik.ru

Spinner for asp - types of spinner

A spoon is an artificial bait made of a piece of metal, equipped with one or more hooks. The main materials of manufacture are:

copper;
stainless steel;
plastic;
bronze;
aluminum;
brass.

The top layer of the bait is covered with additional protection, such as chrome or silver. The color of the models can be completely different, it all depends on the type of prey that it imitates.

There are two main types of spinners:

rotating;
fluctuating.

Rotating

The first type is called pinwheels. There are a huge number of varieties. They are mainly distinguished by the type of loading and the shape of the petal. Depending on the load they are:

rear-loaded;
front-loaded;
without loading.

Pinwheels are used for fishing in small and shallow reservoirs. They are the most common and do their job quite effectively.

They are also distinguished by the shape of their petals. They are:

oval;
elongated;
mixed.

The choice of one model or another depends on the size of future production, the type of reservoir and the time of year. If the fishing spot is shallow and there are small fish there, you should take small or medium-sized spinners with a light weight. When the current in a reservoir is strong, it is worth increasing the weight of the bait.

"Spoon for asp"

If the fishing will take place in winter, then it is better to choose a heavy model, because the asp prefers to hunt near the very bottom in the cold season. The spoon should sink, and stay almost at the very bottom.

The size depends entirely on the size of the desired prey; the larger the fish in the reservoir, the larger the bait should be taken. If there is no bite for a long time, then you should change the size of the bait.

When choosing, the main thing is to choose the model that you can throw further.

In a body of water with a strong current, it is better to take an oval-shaped spinner; it will be able to play more effectively. The choice of color depends on the type of pond and weather:

if the weather is sunny and clear and the water is light, then use copper color;
when it’s cloudy and the water is muddy and dark, then silver.

Hesitating

This type of spinners is distinguished by shape; they are narrow and wide. At great depths, heavy models perform better. For long casts, slow retrieves and weak currents, it is worth using light and narrow spoons.

Most spinners are equipped with a single hook. Some fishermen prefer to replace them with treble hooks or double hooks.

Oscillating spoons work very well on asp. With them you can cast over a long distance and very accurately. Despite their not very active game, these models are very catchy.

The choice of size depends on the size of the asp's prey. If there are small fish in the pond, then the size should be small or medium. It is better to use baits weighing up to 30 g and 3-5 cm long. Silver, copper and gold are considered the most catchy colors.

Castmaster

Castmasters have long been asp baits, although they did not have that name. Our ancestors also successfully used nuts and pipe sections to catch the “river horse.” It is the “horse” that the asp is called for its strength and endurance in some regions.

The main advantage of castmasters is excellent aerodynamics during flight. Even a novice spinning angler can cast this bait far. Metal models fly best: pipe sections, jigs, triangular baits. And the wiring needed is quite simple. Uniform, rapid winding of the reel leads to the capture of the first asps. And then you can master the “step”, catching during the falling phase of the bait or during a pause from the bottom.

We talked about castmasters in more detail in this article.

Castmaster wiring

There are several basic ways to wire a castmaster. Firstly, high-speed uniform winding gives a good result. And although seasoned spinners consider it primitive, it is quite prey. The castmaster's long casting and high speed fishing in a certain water horizon are all the secrets of this fishing.

It will be much more interesting to catch asp “on pause”. In this case, a stepwise retrieve is performed, and the bait planning time is selected depending on the layer of water in which the “horse” is hunting. After casting the bait, there is a five-second pause, the bait floats in the water column, simulating a stunned fry. The line is pulled tight and a sharp swing is made with the rod. The castmaster rises high from the bottom and pauses to glide again. The result is wiring with a sharp and high step. It can be performed at different depths.

How to catch correctly

The basic tactic is fishing for a splash. The fisherman looks for where the predator strikes and sends the bait there. Immediately after splashdown, feeding begins at medium or high speed, imitating the behavior of an escaping fish. The bite follows within the first 10–15 meters of the retrieve; the sheresper rarely pursues its prey all the way to the shore.

In most cases, the asp is caught from the shore at a long distance, since it rarely allows the angler to get close.

In places where the asp patrols the area, moving along the coastal line, wait-and-see tactics are used. The fisherman first determines the route of the predator, and then serves the lure so that it passes as close as possible to the fish, provoking it to grab it.

Promising fishing spots

You can hunt with a castmaster everywhere, but it is especially relevant in asp cauldrons. The bait is captivating with its versatility, as it allows you to catch a predator anywhere. The main places to look for asp are as follows:

riffles, channel and shallow;
shallows and spits;
stone ridges;
steep banks and steep banks.

In cold weather, the fish rolls into deep holes, dumps, can be in long ditches and ravines, and stand on channel rifts and drops. But here, too, the jig helps out the fisherman, working productively in all horizons on different retrieves. In such locations you can fish while in a boat or on the shore.

Wiring methods

The cast master works on different animation techniques. The placement of the jig is selected according to the fishing horizon and the mood of the predator. The basic feed is uniform high-speed. Performed when the fish is feeding near the surface and is active. In addition to it, fishermen use:

wavy in the water column;
monotonous in the middle layers at moderate speed;
stepped at the bottom;
slow and uniform in the near-bottom horizon.

Demolition wiring along an arc shows good results. Performed when fishing in a strong current. The spoon moves due to the flow of water, and the angler performs smooth pulls with the rod and reel, picking up the slack in the fishing line. This animation technique is suitable for passive and active predators.

We recommend reading: Bottom tackle for carp

Fishing

The asp takes the castmaster sharply and most often detects it on its own. Hooking is performed only in order to duplicate the predator’s grip and more securely drive the hook into its mouth. It is necessary to do this, since the sheresper’s attack occurs at a long distance.

Once hooked, the asp behaves very playfully. This is a worthy opponent, capable of providing serious resistance so as not to end up in the hands of the fisherman. While fishing it, you need to keep the line in constant tension, and the jerks of the fish are dampened by the rod and a properly configured friction brake. However, the predator quickly gets tired and gives up already near the shore. It is better to take it with a landing net of large diameter.

Leashes with baits

The use of additional leashes with twisters or wabs, which are mounted above the castmaster, significantly activates the bite. The fisherman should take into account that the hooks on additional leashes must be large and strong in order to withstand the bite of a river corsair. Often the line breaks on the leash when a fish hits or while fishing.

The asp always offers fierce resistance to the fisherman. A spinning player should always remember about his strength and intransigence, especially when configuring the tackle.

Source: fishx.org

Catching asp with a castmaster is, as a rule, beneficial for the fisherman, but only if the castmaster is chosen correctly. The castmaster is good not only for its performance and generally good catchability, it is the kind of bait that can be thrown reasonably far without forcing a bombard. Of course, the kastmaster is not designed specifically for asp fishing; it is also good for catching pike, and perch bites well.

A spinning rod for catching asp on a castmaster should be about 3m long. A good choice would be a Shimano Katana spinning rod. To prevent the lure from losing its game, you should tie the leash using the “loop to loop” method. As for the fishing line, you need a lot of it, since it was said earlier that such a spinner as the castmaster can be thrown a decent distance without having a bombard. If strong winds interfere with fishing, standard fishing line can be replaced with braided fishing line. As for the fishing itself, everything is simple, we throw the spoon 70-90 meters, depending on the reservoir. We wait a little while the castmaster falls to the bottom, and begin to smoothly lift it from the bottom. Then several turns of the coil, and pulling in one chosen direction. The cyclicity is simple, twist it 2-3 times and pull it up. When biting, you need to sharply hook without changing the trajectory of the spinning rod.