Catching chub with a spinning rod: preparing gear, searching for fish, choosing and serving bait

A chub caught on a spinning rod is the pride and joy of any angler, especially a less experienced one. It’s not so easy to find and persuade a handsome red-feathered bird to strike. For successful fishing, you need to know the habits of the big-headed daredevil, its camping and hunting places, and have in your arsenal suitable tackle and bait aimed at catching chub.

Successful, targeted chub fishing is a step up in skill; a spinning angler, once he has mastered it, will never give up hunting for a worthy opponent.

Moreover, from season to season, from river to river, from region to region, all factors are changeable and you need to be able to quickly navigate an unfamiliar body of water in unfamiliar situations. And this is possible if you know how to analyze a body of water, weather conditions and other factors.

Some may say that in the spring, for example, chub can be more successfully caught using hooks, a feeder, or a fishing rod. There is some truth in this, but, alas, there is no such danimi and beauty as on a spinning rod.

So, what do you need to successfully catch chub with a spinning rod? There are four components of success:

1. You need to have verified suitable gear.
2. You need to choose the right bait for fishing.
3. You need to know exactly where the chub stands at one time or another on a particular river.
4. How to properly present bait.

Stage one - select and assemble a spinning rod for catching chub, prepare equipment

It is better for the goosefish to have two spinning rods on hand. One is an ultralight class with a dough in the region of 1-8, 2-12 grams and the second is a medium class with a dough in the region of 5-21, 8-30 grams. It all depends on the bait used, the intended predator and fishing conditions.

It should be remembered that the grip of the handsome big-headed fish is sharp and biting, plus you often have to catch it in the current. Therefore, the form is needed with a safety margin for the test. In addition, a powerful rod will allow you to remove a lively and strong chub from rocky rifts, grass, and boulders.

A spinning rod for catching chub should be of fast action, but with a fairly sensitive tip.

In order to increase the casting distance of light baits on relatively heavy gear, you should use slippery braided cords with a thin diameter of 0.1-0.12 in absolute terms. For strong places, you may need a more powerful braid - you need to proceed from the specific conditions.

If desired, you can use monofil or fluor. Diameter is around 0.18-0.23.

The length of the rod is from 2 meters. Longer for the shore, shorter for the boat.

The spinning rod equipment for chub should also include a high-quality reel 1500-2500 according to the Shimano classification. In this case, the cord must fit tightly onto the spool without overlapping turns; a finely tuned clutch is required. You need a high-quality fluorocarbon leash and the most delicate fittings (fastener, swivel 000 when fishing with spinners), connecting all the units of the tackle.

Universal tackle in our understanding, based on practical experience: the optimal spinning rod test for chub is 3-15 grams, rod length is 2.1-2.2 meters (this form is suitable for both a boat and the shore), fast action, a compromise cord of 0.1-0.12 diameter. The spinning rod should not “fail” when biting and playing, but at the same time be quite catchy. A specific rod can only be found experimentally to suit certain conditions.

The bullhead's equipment includes:

• wading boots or a suit for fishing on the rifts;
• trout landing net for careful catching of fish;
• kukan;
• polarized glasses will allow you to more clearly understand what exactly is happening at the surface of the water - to distinguish obstacles under water, to observe the play of bait in the distance, and sometimes even the fish biting;
• a shoulder bag or a special fishing vest with many pockets for baits and related equipment;
• A lipgrip (special grip) is used for the same purpose as a landing net.

Habitat and fishing time

The main places where this fish “resides” are rivers with fast currents, an abundance of riffles and rapids. The bottom of the reservoir should not be silty, but preferably have a clay or sandy structure. The body structure has everything necessary to fight strong currents. Also, the places where the river passes through the forest become the site of the “lobasty”. It is quite simple to explain this fact - insects fall from trees into the water, and this is easy prey. You should not look for it in bays and backwaters with stagnant water, where there is a lot of dying algae and grass. He loves fast water with plenty of oxygen in it - it is in such places that you should start looking for it.

The chub is one of the first to awaken from hibernation and the fishing season can open from the moment the ice melts and you can fish throughout the entire period of open water. The “lobasty” shows the greatest activity in May and the second half of August - it is at this time that the chub is caught consistently. And if in the first case the best way is surface fishing, then at the end of summer the chub is in the water column and rushes to any bait that it likes. If you focus on the time of day and weather, then it is preferable to travel in the windless evening dawns.

Stage two - forming a universal set of baits

The following baits are mainly used for catching chub:

• wobblers (crankbaits, shads, minnows);
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• rattlins;

• microoscillators;

• spinners;

• silicone baits.

Wobblers always work if you make the right choice

Most often, when catching chub, they use small cranks (here it is very detailed and relevant), shads, and minnows. The most universal size is 4-7 cm, weight 3-8 grams. Sinking, suspending and floating models are used.

Sinking ones have the advantage of being more striking, this is an important factor. Plus, sinking wobblers with a depth of 1-2 meters can be driven to the bottom, which sometimes gives the best result. Option for use: riffles with a depth of one meter, pits near the shore, points near snags and boulder rubble.

At the same time, floating models can be fed to chub using the rafting method. They are also more relevant on shallow rifts of 0.5-1 meters, where the chub rises to the very surface in search of prey. Therefore, it is worth proceeding from the fishing conditions and behavior of the predator.

Popular catching and universal models of wobblers for chub include:

1. Yo-Zuri 3DS Flat Crank. 5.5 cm, 7.5 grams. An interesting bait with an original shovel shape. Good for shallow riffles, depth in practice is up to half a meter.

   
   A very good crank for chub - an underground nickname among spinners on the “Sedoy” forums

2. Yo-Zuri L-Minnow 33 and 44 mm - catchable and, apparently, the most famous “minoshka”. In these sizes it is very good for chub. Very long-range, they don’t lose their grip even in fast currents, which is very important when catching chub.

3. Salmo Hornet F (floating) and S (sinking) 25, 35 and 40 mm. Ultralight babies are good in the spring. The most popular sinking one - it flies further, holds the stream better and catches where the chub often stands. Uniform wiring with teal on the bottom for raising turbidity. The lightest tackle is required - thin flurry, micro fasteners 000.

4. Smith Camion SR and DR 2.5 grams. Classic. Very working fat cranks on a uniform wiring. It works upstream, across and against the current, without losing the game. A very important indicator for chub.

5. Smith Camion Magnum, 3.6 grams. A heavier version of Kamion. Favorite for chub and asp on the rifts. Slow lazy wiring.

6. Pontoon 21 Cheerful from 34 to 60 mm models, weight 1.6-7.2 grams. Accordingly, the tackle must be selected according to the specific bait for the casting distance and controlled retrieve. Very high quality workmanship and paintwork. There are interesting colors. Wiring - uniform, twitch, for demolition with stops and twitches.

7. Jackall Chubby the entire model range. A classic for chub, there are models for almost any fishing conditions. It is stable in the current, does not fall over, does not fail. Suitable for both calm water and current.
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8. Usami Kabu 2.5 cm, 2.5 grams - ultralight inexpensive wobbler, flies tolerably, works well for demolition. They write on the forums that they come across defective copies - the ball for long-distance casting gets stuck. We didn't come across any.

9. Strike Pro Baby Pro, 3.5 cm, 3.5 grams. Another budget baby. It holds the jet well, but doesn't fly very well. For drift and wade fishing. The wiring is uniform, you can vary it with pauses.

10. Jackall Chubby Minnow, 3.5 cm, 2.3 grams. Chabik in minnow form factor. It doesn’t hold the stream as well as the Chubbik, but across the current, when moving for drift and in a slow stream, it doesn’t lose its play and catches well chub, ide, and white fish. Light twitch, regular with pauses.

11. CrackJack 38, 48, 58 in various variations of depth and buoyancy depending on the season and fishing conditions. Flying bullets work on uniform, stop and go, light twitch. They are used for demolition and upstream; burrowing versions are good for fishing underwater obstacles.

12. Rapala Mini Fat Rap, 3 cm, 4 grams. Ultralight wobbler from Rapala. Quite a low-frequency game, on the riffles it seduces chub and ide. It holds the stream well, does not fall on its side and does not get lost in chaotic movements.

13. ZipBaits Rigge 35F, 3.5 cm, 2 grams. A small “booger”, flight qualities are so-so, otherwise it’s a great bait for chub, ide, and white fish. It works only on the most delicate tackle, preferably without a leash or on a thin fluke, so we do not recommend fishing in “strong” places. Wiring for demolition, against the flow at the slowest pace with pauses and stops. Ridge 35 can surprise you if you approach it. We hardly recommend it for beginners. It is expensive and requires the finest gear, which can lead to the loss of bait.

14. Tsuribito Baby Crank 35S-SR, 35F-SR, 3.4 and 3.1 grams, respectively. A high-frequency device with a good casting range, a floating model works well in shallow riffles and when fishing over grass that extends almost to the surface.

For fishing along overgrown and very shallow riffles, you can and should use wobblers with zero depth and other surface baits.

Wobblers with zero depth, working for chub:

1. Owner C'ultiva Bug Eye Bait 48 mm, shallow chub crank crank, digs a depth of no more than 20-30 cm with the stated 50 cm. It has a very high-frequency game, vibrates strongly on the slowest retrieve.

2. OSP Buzzn' Crank 5 cm, 10 grams - a catchy heavy crank, with almost zero depth, for large and medium-sized chub.

3. Megabass Baby Griffon Zero Trout 3.8 cm, 5.3 grams. Famous wobbler from Megabass. Good for regular fishing, practical for independent play without the participation of a spinning player.

4. Yo-zuri Hardcore 0 6.5 cm, 8 grams - floating surface finish for overgrown riffles.

5. Jackall Cherry Zero Footer 4.8 cm, 7.6 grams. Subsurface for large chub on riffles.

We recommend! To increase the fish catchability, you should replace all tees on baits with high-quality anchors from Ovner and Jamakatsu thin series. An additional bonus is that such tees bend when hooked at a break, but do not bend when hooking even the largest and most lively fish.

Turntables are good in certain conditions

Rotating spoons work better in relatively calm water and when fishing upstream - casting bait upstream relative to the angler's riser. On rifts, rapids and when fishing against the current, they are squeezed out, which is not always good, but only if the predator feeds in the upper layers and in a situation where the fishing place is shallow, up to a meter deep.

To catch chub, high-quality spoons of numbers 0-2 according to the Mepps classification are used. Mepps, Daiwa, Pontoon 21, Blue Fox. The Comet or Long petal, which allow fishing in strong currents, squeezes Aglia to the surface.

Rotating spoons with a heavy core work effectively - Smith Niakis, Myran, Mepps Heavy, Daiwa Silver Creek, Blue Fox Vibrax, etc.

You can also use Panther Martin spinners and other in-line spinners. They are very resistant to currents, do not stick and do not go astray even on the slowest retrieve. Numbers 1-2.

Daiwa Silver Creek

Pontoon 21 Ball Concept

We do not recommend using Chinese “pod(D)fir trees” - they do not hold the current, they get lost in the game, and are thrown onto the surface of the reservoir.

Micro-oscillators - classic oscillating spoons experiencing a rebirth

Micro-oscillators are experiencing something of a renaissance after temporary oblivion. In addition to the reputable Japanese companies - Nories, Smith, Water Land, Forest, Daiwa, domestic companies SV Fishing Lures, Kosadaka and others began to produce high-quality spinners.

Spinner baits have the advantage that, unlike wobblers and spinners, they can be thrown more accurately and far. Also, in some cases, only micro-oscillators allow you to catch chub, especially in spring and autumn.

There are a great many oscillating spinners. We recommend purchasing in several sizes, shapes and colors in order to try this type of bait. Our opinion is an indescribable aesthetic pleasure.

You can look for Japanese people on thematic forums and on foreign sites. There are enough offers.

It’s difficult to recommend anything specific, 5 micro-oscillators, the most successful not only for chub, but in principle:

1. Nories Masukurouto Boon. A very compact spinner that works close to the bottom. Medium frequency fluctuations. It flies like a bullet. We recommend.

2. Smith Pure. 2.7, 5, 6.5 grams and other models.

3. Waterland Range, 2.5, 3 and 4 grams. Sizes 2.5 and 3 cm. A spinner that has a wonderful geometry and the same game. The game changes depending on the speed of the wire. It catches by permanently tempting chub and other fish to grab it. The price, however, is steep.

4. Williams Wabler W30. 4 grams, size 3.8 cm. Expensive vibrators made of precious metals. They have a stiffening rib, which allows them to hold the stream efficiently even for such a small one. It works on a uniform basis, Wobbler loves it.

5. Smith Flaky 4.5 g is a very long-range bait. Chaotic twitch, jerks, pauses and slowdowns.

Microsilicon for chub is not the number one choice, but sometimes it “shoots”

Silicone baits are purposefully used for catching chub quite rarely, but sometimes micro-silicon baits work very well along the bottom - worms, slugs, crayfish and other crabs, when moving along the bottom when a chub is standing there, can provoke the big one to grab. Fishing time is autumn, spring or cold nights, when the chub can roll to the bottom. Size 1.5-2.5 inches is the most popular

Rigs - standard jigging, eared, drop-shot, slip-shot, Carolina rigs.

The following manufacturers have quality baits

The chub is more likely to accept silicone baits if they resemble not a fish, but another food source for the redfin - crustaceans, snails, worms. For this reason, it is worth selecting silicones based on this postulate.

Wiring a wobbler for a chub

The most common method of guiding a wobbler to a chub is an arc, when the bait is thrown upstream to a riffle or to a place where the chub can stand. The bow is released from the reel and the cord comes off the spool freely. The current makes an arc on the surface of the reservoir. After splashing down the wobbler, perform a very slow retrieve.

The bait should be held so that it is close to the fish. Sometimes the chub does not attack the bait, but only touches it with its lips. On a sensitive spinning rod, these touches are transmitted by light pokes. The fingers feel them.

When the wobbler passes with the current, the chub may not chase it. It all depends on how hungry he is. It happens that you have to stretch the bait against the current, giving the inactive chub a chance to grab it.

Sometimes fishermen move the wobbler to the chub with stops, pushing the wobbler slightly back with the rod, moving it a few meters to the shore. Twitching the tip of the rod is not prohibited. The chub can appreciate such a game and take a slow-moving bait.

Often you have to catch chub from behind bushes or under tree branches. To avoid moving your legs and making noise, it is better to let the bait drift with the current, holding the rod at a slight angle to the shore, but parallel to the ground. We let the bait float downstream a little, and then we pull it closer to a tree or bushes. At this moment, a fish attack may follow.

While stretching, you can take short pauses, thus provoking a bite from a predator. Moreover, it is better to make stops in places with turbulence and increased current and where there are holes. The chub usually sits at such points. If the bait passes slowly near his nose, he may immediately attack it.

To catch large specimens, it is better to use fishing in the bottom layer and slightly above it. Sinking models of wobblers are suitable for such wiring. When the bait touches the bottom with its blade, it makes specific movements that attract a predator. If you need to quickly catch smaller chubs, then use surface wiring.

Stage three - where is the chub, where should a spinner look for it?

Most often, chub prefers small and medium-sized rivers.

It stays on the rifts and directly next to them - at the entrance/exit of the rapids. It also prefers places under overhanging crowns of trees, bushes near steep cliffs, in ambush among snags, fallen trees, near bridge piles, near stone dams and similar obstacles.

They may also stand in niches - potholes in the banks, at the edge of fast and slow water, in the so-called “watering cans” - places where bays and oxbows branch off from the river.

It is almost always preferable if such places are located in close proximity to a riffle/rapid.

Early spring

In early spring, in March-April, the water in the rivers rises and becomes very cloudy after the winter flood, small and medium-sized rivers often overflow their banks. At this time, it is quite difficult to catch chub and, as practice shows, fishing with a donkey - a feeder - will be more successful. They are caught using peas, worms, and bloodworms.

If, as they say, your hands are twisting, and you really want to catch chub with a spinning rod in the spring, then you should prefer deep places near the banks, channel dumps, places among snags, river turns with a sharp change in current from slow to rapid. At this time, the water is still cold, and the chub, like all carp, is a heat-loving fish, and therefore is still quite passive and stands at the bottom. Lures include small passive and active silicone, less often wobblers, crankbaits and spinners.

Fishing for chub in the spring in May using a spinning rod:

Late spring and summer time

The best results come from catching chub with a spinning rod in late spring - summer, when the water has warmed up enough and the activity of the redfin has increased.

At the end of April-May, the water in the rivers gradually becomes lighter, and the rivers enter the banks. Insects and, first of all, May beetles begin to become active. At this time, the chub rises to the middle layers and to the surface of the water. Hunts under the overhanging crowns of trees and bushes, collecting fallen bugs and spiders. Also, with the warming of the water, they gradually come out to hunt in the rifts and surrounding areas. At this time, small crankbaits and shads, which are similar in appearance and behavior to insects, perform well.

As the water falls, the chub switches to faster riffles from slower ones.

Thus, it is worth understanding that the chub changes its stopping places during the season, and it cannot be said that the same point/riffle/rapid will work all summer. You need to look for Lobasty, live and live with him in the same rhythm.

Sometimes microoscillators, small turntables and microjigs also “shoot”.

Crank cockchafer - effective in late April-May

Throughout the summer, the chub stays near and on rifts, at the junctions of currents, in niches on the banks, among snags, and on arcs formed by sharp turns of the banks.

At this time, you can catch bigheaded fish by wading on the rifts, from the shore by casting across the current, by upstream with casting against the current, by rafting from a boat. By wading, catching chub can be doubly successful, due to the fact that the fish is not as wary of the fisherman in the water as on the shore.

On the river it is worth looking for places that are not typical for the general flow; any anomalies in the depths can serve as a parking lot and hunting ground for chub.

On small and medium-sized rivers, the peak bite is observed in June-July, on large rivers two weeks later.

Fishing for chub with a spinning rod is effective in the summer and early autumn of September, in the southern regions in October.

Autumn suffering

In the fall, chub is caught on a spinning rod in September-early October, while the water is still quite warm. Gradually rolls down to deeper areas and sinks to the bottom. But during the day, when the sun warms up, it still comes out to play mischief in the riffles. This leaves its mark on the fishing technique. In the morning and late afternoon, you should look for bigheaded fish in deep areas in the immediate vicinity of rapids using deep and medium-depth crankbait wobblers, minnows, and shads; microoscillators, turntables, passive silicone.

Winter wilderness

In winter, chub are certainly not caught from the ice using a spinning rod (what news), but they are still caught in open water - near dams and hydroelectric power stations. At such a time, you can try to catch it with the same baits as in late autumn in medium and deep water near the bottom.

Where to fish

When there are a lot of chub, it rushes at every splash of an “insect” that has fallen into the water, in our case on a wobbler. Sometimes it attacks him right away, sometimes it chases him, sometimes all the way to the shore. It is impossible to confuse a chub bite with someone else’s; it is always clear and sharp. When attacking, the fish turns around and attacks the wobbler from the side. It is usually detected on the front tee. When playing, the fish constantly spins and is often hooked by the rear tee, by the outer part of the head. There are not so many large chub left in the Kursk region, only on the Psel River there are still enough individuals for 1.5 kg. Before fishing, you definitely need to think carefully about how and what to fish for, where you need to linger, where to approach the point stealthily. This is especially true in those places where large chub were caught well on previous fishing trips.

Stage four - how and where to properly present the bait to the chub

When catching chub on the rifts, it is worth considering that the bighead willingly attacks the bait at the entrance/exit of the rift. Entrances with blockages of stones, snags, and washed-up sand must be treated doubly carefully. The chub often hides behind such obstacles from the direct jet of a strong current. In such places you need to throw the bait several meters above the expected fish position.

On a note! Such places can be clearly identified by characteristic turbulence on the surface of the water, as well as through polarized glasses.

In general, wiring across a riffle works by blowing an arc from the cord at a minimum wiring speed, especially when it comes to actively vibrating potbellied cranks. It is also possible to cast against the current, with the rod tilted to the water at a maximum angle and at a minimum casting speed.

It is better to start fishing from points located downstream, so that when fishing you do not spook the fish that are higher than the angler.

On a note! Chub love places where a turbulent stream borders areas of relatively calm water - in the language of anglers, “mirrors”!

Lures for riffles should be such that they can be cast at a minimum speed - floating and suspending wobblers of the crank or shad class, less often minnows, light spoons, spinners.

Rule! The chub does not like fast retrieves, therefore the most effective animations are those in which the bait works to drift - this is perpendicular to the angler, as well as 30 degrees upstream and downstream. Depending on the speed of the current, the angle of attack may change. The sector is being worked out in a fan-like manner, gradually working out all the horizons of possible fish parking.

Weather

The hotter it is, the more turbulent the water the chub prefers, which is why you should look for it in the rapids itself, in the central zone of the rapids. When the temperature drops, the bighead moves closer to the edges, to mirrors, and even to areas outside the riffle, but in close proximity to it.

Catching chub with spoons on the rifts:

Secrets for successful chub fishing:

Catching chub by rafting from a boat using a spinning rod

Chub can be caught using a spinning rod or by swimming from a boat, more details here, and in this material we recommend watching a video about fishing for chub on a large river.

Catching chub using a spinning rod (swimming fishing):

Be merciful, let go of your defeated opponent and let him please you or your brother spinner with another bite.

What is the advantage of wobblers as bait for chub fishing?

In general, spinning fishing for chub is very similar to hunting, when you first need to find the prey, hide in time and offer it an attractive bait. If the chub correctly evaluates the wobbler and swallows it, then the angler is guaranteed an exciting fishing experience. The chub is an excellent fighter that is able to test your rod and tackle as a whole. When playing, he tries to free himself from the hook stuck in his mouth. At the same time, it constantly leads from side to side. After catching a good specimen, fishermen most often move to another place, since the chances of a repeat performance are minimal.

The fishing industry produces more and more new types of wobblers designed for catching specific fish, including chub. The advantage of wobblers over other spinning baits is that they are easy to control even with mediocre spinning rods and reels. High-quality baits are easy to lead in horizontal and vertical directions. The undoubted advantage of the wobbler is the ability to drive it at different speeds, the change of which occurs instantly, you just need to reel in the cord faster with a reel. And one more important point is the game of the wobbler.

Each type has a different winding speed. However, the realism of the game of wobblers is perhaps one of the best. It is achieved thanks to the shape of the bait and the presence of a blade in the mouth opening. When using wobblers, you can make various types of retrieves, including jerking and pulling.