Jigs for roach in winter - selection, equipment and fishing

Choosing a jig for roach in winter is a question that never leaves the minds of winter anglers. Shops and websites are full of offers of the “most” catchy baits. The eyes of fishermen run wild from this diversity. This article is intended to understand and answer the question of how to catch roach in winter using a jig. Using this bait is a classic for winter roach fishing. Beginners are sure that the bite depends on knowing the special secrets of catching roach in winter with a jig. However, there is no magic recipe. Only an integrated approach works - taking into account environmental factors, searching for fish and skillful use of gear with the correct fishing tactics.

Roach in winter

Catching roach with a jig is a special type of fishing. This fish is ubiquitous, and many anglers begin to get involved in the process by catching roach. The roach bite in winter is quite capricious. You can catch a couple of small fish almost always, everywhere and with any gear. But in order to count on a good catch of large roach, you need to purposefully hunt for this fish, look for parking spots on the reservoir and select the right gear. And the choice of jigs for roach for winter fishing should also be taken responsibly.

Techniques and tactics of jig fishing

Fishing tactics (what kind of fish, where and when to catch, at what time) in combination with the correct technique significantly increases the fisherman’s chances of a good catch.

Since in the vast majority of cases jigs are used for winter fishing, we will consider this option here:

1. When putting on bait, you need to follow certain rules. In the cold you need to do everything quickly enough, otherwise it will freeze. The hook must be well sharpened so that the bait can be put on without problems. It is best to sprinkle the bait in the box with potato starch so that it does not stick together in the cold.
2. When immersing the jig, you need to make sure that it does not catch on the surrounding ice.
3. She should move smoothly and confidently.
4. Playing with bait. This is one of the most important elements of this method of fishing. By adjusting various parameters: descent speed, immersion depth, frequency and amplitude of oscillations, you need to strive to find an option that will attract fish as much as possible. What is important here is the fisherman’s ability to adequately assess the situation and draw the right conclusions to improve his fishing style.
5. Equally important is how the hooking is performed. One effective technique is to use mostly wrist motion with slight, fluid arm movement.

Weather and conditions

When preparing for roach fishing, anglers often pay attention only to gear. But this is only one of the components of success. To get a good bite from this fish, you need to put three groups of factors together:

1. Correct weather (barometric pressure, wind),
2. Choice of location (this depends on whether fishing occurs at the beginning of winter, in the middle or at the end, as well as on the reservoir itself and its features),
3. Actually, the choice of gear, setup, as well as tactics, depending on the first two groups of factors.

Catching a sorozhka in winter in the northern regions will differ from hatching a ram with bait on the Don. Active search on small rivers does not involve the same tactics as when fishing on lakes. Our special article on the habits of roaches in winter describes these features in detail. First of all, the fisherman decides where, when and in what weather to go out on the ice. And only then, depending on this, he selects the gear. And then you can count on a decent catch, and constantly.

Features of choice depending on production

On the one hand, there are a huge number of jigs. It is difficult to say for sure that any of their species are catchable in most situations. Therefore, if you do not yet have sufficient experience, you can start by taking almost any variety of it.

Then, as you gain experience, you will be able to draw your own conclusions about the effectiveness of one or another option.

Fishing with this tackle is one of the most popular types of fishing. Especially if you take into account the variety of existing options for such fishing, then almost every fisherman has his own opinion on how to choose the best jig.

It also happens that a fisherman accidentally chose a tackle that provided him with a good catch and he does not want to hear about any other.

However, there are certain rules that will increase your chances of choosing the most catchy option:

1. First of all, we note that it should not hang horizontally on the fishing line. If this happens, then we are talking about too light tackle. It will be correct if, under the influence of its weight, the hook deviates from the vertical axis by no more than 30 degrees.
2. If the fishing line with this tackle is placed in water , then it should be vertical under the influence of its weight.
3. The nod of the rod under the influence of the weight of this tackle should bend by about 25-30 degrees.
4. When fishing at greater depths , the weight of the gear should be increased.
5. It is recommended that the weight of the jig, depending on the fishing depth, be within the following limits:
   If we are talking about a depth of less than 2 meters, then it is enough to use gear weighing up to half a gram.
6. For 4 or 5 meters, a jig weighing up to 1 gram is suitable.
7. For 7-8 meters, the weight of the gear can already reach 1.2-1.5 grams.
8. To determine the best depth for jig fishing, it is recommended to use the so-called “garland”. It is done as follows: 2 or more of them are mounted on a fishing line. Moreover, the lower one can be attached to a leash. And the top one can simply be attached to the fishing line itself. This weight will help the entire gear to sink neatly into the water. Based on the results, for each of them it will be possible to determine at what depth fishing is most promising.
9. In order to choose the correct size of jig to use , you need to take into account what kind of fish it is used for. There is a typical type of food for each type of fish, and at this time of year we can talk about very specific options. The jig should imitate as closely as possible the size and motor activity of what this type of fish feeds at a given time. If this does not happen, then the jig may simply not be of interest to such fish.

Lure

When catching roach in winter using a jig with bait, it is important to understand one subtlety - sometimes you need to feed a lot, collect fish from large areas. In other conditions - quite a bit to simply keep the fish under the hole. There are also cases when it bites without bait, and when using it, the fish leaves. Proper bait for roach is an important success factor. About working winter bait for roach:

Choosing a jig for catching roach

A jig is an artificial bait that consists of a body of various shapes and a soldered hook. All of them are divided into two types:

• with bait – bait is used;

• reelless (baitless) – the fish bites on a hook without bait, reacting only to the play of the bait.

Now there are a huge number of jigs of different colors, sizes and shapes. The choice of bait is largely determined by fishing conditions and biting activity. The most catchy jigs for catching roach in winter have the following characteristics.

1. Material: • tungsten – the heaviest jigs, used for fishing at great depths and in places with currents; • tin – the lightest, suitable for shallow water; • lead – the most versatile and frequently used bait.

2. Size – up to 4 mm . The size of the jig largely depends on the activity of the fish - the worse the bite, the smaller the bait is used.

3. The color depends on the weather and the mood of the fish, so it is selected in practice during the fishing process.

General recommendations:

• the color of the jig must match the color of the food, so black, dark green, dark brown and gray baits are often used. The fish also goes well with baits of natural colors of brass, copper, and lead.

• at great depths (from 4 meters) you can try light baits - copper-colored, yellowish and reddish shades. Also, light jigs are suitable for cloudy weather;

• for fishing at significant depths (8-9 meters), phosphorus-coated baits perform well;

4. The most catchy models:

• pellet;
• crap;
• larva;
• a drop;
• ant;
• Ural

Active search tactics

Active roach fishing in winter involves the use of search tactics. This is especially true at the beginning of winter and at the end, when the fish are more or less active. You need to constantly walk, search, drill, and not sit the fish in one place - you may simply not wait for a bite. This approach is indispensable if you are fishing in an unfamiliar body of water - there will not be places for you to stop and feed the fish.

When using search, a promising place is selected and up to 10 holes are drilled, feeding half of them. Next, you need to fish the points one by one, not forgetting to check the horizons, especially the lower meter and a half at the bottom. This is done in an hour. If there are no bites or few, then you should move on.

Hatching tactics

Catching roach in the dead of winter is often done by feeding and hatching, but to do this you need to be sure that fish are present in such a specific place. Or, for example, start fishing with an active search, quickly checking the holes. And only when you find fish, start thoroughly feeding and fishing in one place. In any case, to catch a roach with a jig, search tactics and fishing methods themselves alternate. In one case, the active play of the bait will be successful, in the other, the fish takes better on a stationary bait on the bottom when fishing with a float or a nodding rod.

Tackle for jig fishing

If we talk about active and passive fishing, then the gear differs in its functionality.

Rod for catching roach

Choosing a fishing rod is quite simple. Regardless of how you plan to fish, with or without an attachment, the best option would be a regular balalaika with a built-in reel. As you can see, nothing supernatural.

If you plan to fish with a float, then it is best to use a fishing rod with legs, so it is convenient to place it in front of the hole. In addition, it is much more stable in windy weather.

Roach fishing line

For active fishing, with an attached or no-attached jig, you should not use a thick fishing line, since with such a fishing line you will not achieve better animation of the jig.

The optimal diameter would be a fishing line not exceeding 0.14 mm. When standing still, you can choose a thicker fishing line. But here you should be guided by the size of the fish being caught, rather than by the performance of the bait.

Nod selection

The nod is also selected from the fishing methods. The more active the fishing, the longer the nod. A long nod allows for the highest quality jig animation. And at the same time, a long nod is useless if you catch roach with a float, or with a jig with a nozzle, using a passive method.

Material for making nods:

Lavsan;

Clock spring;

Boar bristles;

And others.

Types of fishing rods

Winter fishing for roach with a jig is probably the most common method of fishing for this fish in the cold season. And it means several types of gear:

• Using a jig in float gear,
• Fishing from the bottom with a nod,
• Active fishing with a jig with bait,
• Fishing with a reelless bait (without bait),
• Special gear for strong currents.

This article examines in detail how to catch roach using a jig. Other methods are described in detail in the relevant articles on our website.

Winter fishing rod equipment

To catch roach, a jig fishing rod is mounted thin and elegant. If in sparsely populated areas, where there are a lot of unafraid fish, fairly coarse tackle is used, then in the reservoirs of the middle zone the principle “the thinner, the more bites” fully works. It is important to understand that there is no “best” equipment. There is only a working one, for a specific place, time and method of fishing. In any case, when fishing for the game, light and small jigs and, accordingly, thin fishing lines are used. This fishing method is relevant for fishing at depths of up to 5 meters. At greater depths, it is difficult to control a light jig - here it would be better to use a float tackle or donka with a retractable leash, a nod and a heavy sinker at the bottom.

The components of the equipment are a fishing rod, a nod, a fishing line and a jig. The work of the nod depends on the weight of the bait and the fishing depth, since as it increases, the friction force of the fishing line on the water increases. For the most cautious roach (for example, in the Moscow region), small jigs and thin fishing line (0.08-0.1mm) are used. Where the fish are larger and bolder, a 0.12-0.14 fishing line and larger baits are suitable. A small jig on a thick line will take too long to sink to the bottom; a heavy bait on a thin monofilament does not play well. The ideal option is a separate tackle for each case, so as not to tie the same fishing rod ten times on a pond.

Fishing rod

The choice of fishing rod is secondary; the nod is more important. The main thing is that it is comfortable for the fisherman to hold it. Many options are available for purchase in stores, and fishermen also make fishing rods themselves. An excellent option is special, ultra-light homemade or store-bought fishing rods.

Nod

The nod to the roach is the most important part of the equipment. This element of the tackle not only transmits the bite, but ensures the correct play of the jig. And if perch requires sharp high-frequency vibrations, and for bream, on the contrary, smooth and amplitude ones, then for roach it is something in between these two. The ideal option is a homemade nod made of lavsan, boar bristles, dense polyethylene, polycarbonate or x-ray film, specially made for roach and for a certain weight of the jig (it is better to customize individual nods for each type of fish).

Store-bought metal and plastic nods are quite suitable. They have a number of disadvantages, since they are made, in fact, for the purpose of sale, and not for fishing. They are suitable for nodding tackle when fishing from the bottom to a riser. For active game fishing, you need a special option - a special nod for roach in winter. Experienced people already know this. But if you are a beginner, I highly recommend being patient, spending time and watching this video:

If you do not want to make nods yourself, then you need to be very careful when choosing a guard in the store. You may have to modify it, and when collecting gear at home, select the correct nod for a certain weight of the bait. The nod for the roach should bend under the weight of the bait by a quarter of a circle and make smooth, uniform oscillations when swaying. Refinement consists of selecting the length and grinding the surface of the form onto a cone using sandpaper.

Varieties of jigs

In fishing stores you can find a huge number of jigs; they simply amaze with their incredible configuration and efficiency.

All these products can be distinguished:

• By color. In stores you can find sets of different types with a huge number of shades. There are many craftsmen who create their own variations; to purchase these, you can visit fishing forums in your region.
• By weight.
• According to the option of attaching to a fishing line.
• According to the form.

If you look at jigs in the shape of a ball, they are not capable of creating a game under water. Only if you make up and down movements, the hook with bait deviates a little. Such gear can attract fish that live near the bottom line.

Winter fishing with a reelless jig is considered very popular, since such tackle performs well when the fishing rod moves. This behavior of the jig is justified by its drop-shaped shape.

Read here Suit for winter fishing: rating of the best models of 2019. Tips for choosing equipment (100 photos + video)

Flat variations of the same tackle allow you to smoothly vary to the side when moving the fishing rod. The basic technique consists of smooth and slow twitching, such movements strongly attract many inhabitants of different bodies of water.

Faceted jigs are often used for fishing in light or slightly turbid water. Their main advantage lies in their edges, which are often made of copper or silver.

The light in the water is refracted and reflected from the edges of the jig, it begins to sparkle, this attracts the fish, forcing it to grab easily accessible prey.

For a detailed look at how such gear is used, you can watch a video of winter jig fishing.

When fishing is carried out at great depths, approximately 5 meters or more, then tungsten jigs should be used.

Their main advantage is that they drop to the required depth in a short time, and all movements are sent to the nod.

Active game fishing

Winter jigs for roach for fishing with bait are essentially hook weights with sufficient weight to quickly deliver the bait to the bottom, and also make it possible to perform a certain game coupled with a nod. Color and shape are secondary characteristics. The main thing here is weight, selection of line thickness and adjustment of the nod for this particular bait and fish. The main feature is versatility. If the main time for fishing with a reelless bait is the first and last ice, then fishing with a jig brings good results even in the dead of winter. Lead or tungsten jigs for roach are more often used. Lead ones are cheaper, but tungsten ones have a much higher specific gravity. The best option for roach in the dead of winter is small and inconspicuous heavy tungsten jigs made from a single rod. Such baits are expensive, but they are worth it.

The myth about “The best super-mega-catching jigs”

Every seller will, without a doubt, say that this one is the best jig for roach. I think you have already guessed that this approach is fundamentally wrong. There are no best baits. But you can choose a working option for each body of water, specific conditions and time. It would be more accurate to say, not the “best”, but the “correct” jig, of which a fisherman’s arsenal should have at least several types, as well as different weights. And only on the reservoir, directly using the tackle, does it become clear which bait works better now. Catchable jigs are those that the angler has learned to use correctly.

How to choose the right jig for roach fishing

So which jig to catch roach in winter? Correct jigs are small, heavy baits with high-quality tenacious hooks and, preferably, a cambric in the hole for the line, which prevents the line from chafing during active fishing and reduces the risk of breakage (provided the knot is correct). The angler will find several types and different weights useful in his arsenal. And already on the reservoir it will become clear which one will work better today. To choose the right jig for roach, you need to consider not the recommendations of stores and sellers, but the advice of experienced fishermen and reviews on forums, and also use the experience of local residents for a particular reservoir.

You need to look for universal baits during the experiment, which often show themselves to be catchy. For fishing with bloodworms, color is not so important. It is better to have products in a set of at least three colors - light (silver or gold), medium (copper, dark yellow, red) and dark (black, dirty gray). Thus, for a complete, universal arsenal, the kit should contain the following types of bait, several pieces of different weights and colors.

Ball

Classic catchy jigs for roach. Also known as pellet. The smallest ones, weighing up to 0.1 grams, can be used on additional leashes. When fishing at night, light-accumulating baits with a phosphorus spot sometimes work well.

Ovsinka

These products resemble the shape of a grain. Due to the thicker (heavier) upper part they have a peculiar play. When released, they seem to turn over and peck downwards with this heavy upper half.

Uralka

Similar to the previous bait with a heavy “nodding” upper part, with a similar, but more amplitude game. Very often, winter fishing for roach with such a jig is carried out in a no-attachment version.

Tablet

Another bait of the old, classic design. It works well when standing fishing from the bottom at great depths, as it is heavy and flat and lies firmly on the bottom. But it can also be useful when fishing for a game in which it will make gliding oscillations in different directions.

Crystallic

Has a hexagon shape. Features: the glimmer of the edges in the depths of the water.

droplet

A common form of jig for roach in winter, it has a lot of options and colors

These are not all types. The variety of such baits is great. And only the fisherman’s personal experience and specific fishing conditions will tell you exactly what to use on each fishing trip.

Tackle for catching roach in winter

The bulk of roach consists of small fish weighing 150-300 grams. In winter, its bites are weak, so the gear used is as thin and sensitive as possible.

1. The fishing rod is ordinary, short, designed for winter fishing. A simple “balalaika” that comes with a reel will do.
2. Any reel, there are no special requirements for it. You can also fish with a regular reel.
3. The nod is sensitive, the rigidity depends on the weight of the nozzle. Length – from 4 to 8 cm.
4. The line should be thin and minimally noticeable in the water. if it is mainly small roaches that bite, then its diameter is 0.1-0.12 mm. For possible bites of specimens of 400-500 grams, it is worth putting monofilament of 0.14-0.16 mm. And if there are trophy specimens on the reservoir, then the thickness of the main fishing line is 0.18 millimeters or more. When fishing at great depths, when heavy jigs are used, a large-diameter fishing line is also used.

Baits and lures

Bloodworms are most often attached to roach jigs in winter. Usually one small hook for a small fish; a large fish takes 2-3 small larvae better. It has been noticed that if the bite is bad, you always need to make sure that the larva on the hook is intact. When feeding, it happens that the fish takes well even on scraps and skin left on the hook after the previous bite. The range of baits for roaches in winter is not limited to bloodworms. In addition to mosquito larvae, maggots, Chernobyl, and painted udders are often used. The nozzle also needs to be selected during the process. A roach may not take one bloodworm, but it will readily respond to two larvae or a sandwich with maggots.

Active game

The most important point is the game itself with the jig. And this is a field for the fisherman’s experiments. Each fisherman develops his own skills over time. But general trends can be indicated. As already mentioned, roach prefers a smoother, slower, more measured game than, for example, perch. There are several well-known methods of placing bait, with which you need to start and apply them all on the hole until you find one that works right now in this particular place. It is important to understand that the game differs depending on the time of year. Fishing on the first ice requires more active play with a jig than in the dead of winter. In addition, on every fishing trip it is necessary to find the fishing horizon, since, depending on atmospheric pressure and other factors, roach can stand and take bait at the bottom, above it, or even halfway through the water.

Descent

Drop fishing is the most obvious way to play. This is where you need to start. To implement this method, you need to slowly lower the jig down at a speed of about 1 centimeter per second. If there are no bites, then the game should be diversified by pausing for a few seconds. Most often, a bite occurs during a pause.

Intermittent descent

The bait is not lowered evenly, but in pushes of 1-3 cm with pauses after several pushes. By lowering the bait at the beginning of fishing, you should check the entire last meter of water at the bottom.

Lifts from the bottom

The next way to play is to tap the bottom a few times, move it, then slowly lift it by 2-3 cm and pause for a few seconds. Then tapping on the bottom again. And again the rise. The bite, again, most often occurs during a pause.

Climb

We do the same as when lowering, only on the contrary, we raise the jig either with pushes, or evenly. Both options with pauses.

During the game, you need to experiment with methods, sometimes interweaving combinations and cycles, changing the speed and intensity of the elements. Catching sorog in winter with a jig is a creative process. This must be done until the horizon and the most catchy game are identified. After that, we continue to fish using the method we found.

If the depth and width of the hole allows, then you can drag the bait along the bottom. Sometimes this also brings bites. The main thing is to make all movements slowly and smoothly, otherwise the perch will be more likely to be tempted by the bait, not the roach.

Choosing a place to catch roach in winter

Fish behavior changes depending on the season, and choosing the right location will ensure overall fishing success.

First ice.

The first two to three weeks after ice formation, roach bite very actively - this is the best period for winter fishing. You can find it in the following places:

• various bottom irregularities (slopes, edges), where the depth does not exceed 2 meters;
• thickets of vegetation;
• rubble of snags;
• underwater beds of rivers and streams.

Midwinter.

A decrease in water temperature leads to a decrease in oxygen in it, and the fish begins to look for places where its amount is highest. The roach moves to the lower layers of water and stays in holes, places where there is a current. The best weather for fishing is the thaw period with stable pressure. In the dead of winter, the fish are lethargic and react poorly to bait.

End of winter.

As spring approaches, the roach begins to eat, which precedes the spawning period. The fish are actively feeding and coming out of deep places. You can find it:

• in places where melt water flows;

• in the beds of rivers and streams flowing into a reservoir;

• in small areas near the shore.

Baitless baits (reelless baits)

Recently, fishing with baitless jigs has become a separate area. It is especially popular among urban fishermen who do not want to bother with bait. This type of fishing is quite successful for roach. For this kind of fishing, special baits are used - reelless baits. Instead of bait, decorations are attached to the hooks - beads, sparkles, balls, strings, etc. The basis of such fishing is constant movement, active search and masterly control of the bait. Here are examples of nozzle jigs.

This method is described in more detail in this article:

Homemade products

In principle, we have already answered the question of which jigs are best for roach. But it is also worth mentioning that there are folk craftsmen who make jigs for roach with their own hands no worse than factory ones, and even better. Homemade designer tungsten turned products for roach are a rarity, an expensive pleasure, such jigs are a real work of fishing art. Lead or tin baits, made by soldering onto a petal of brass and copper, with a certain skill, can be easily made at home with your own hands.

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