Catching pike perch vertically from a boat: what gear to choose

Catching pike perch vertically from a boat is one of the most productive and very exciting types of open water fishing. Thanks to the use of a motor boat, the method allows you to fish in places that are difficult to reach for shore spinning. The catch can consist of both small pike perch and large, and often trophy, specimens weighing 5-6 kg or more. What this type of fishing is, as well as how to choose the right place, time and bait, will be discussed in the article.

Where and when to catch pike perch in a plumb line?

Pike perch lives in rivers and reservoirs containing a sufficient amount of nutrient salts that are well saturated with oxygen. Selects places with differences in depth, loves whirlpools, holes, sandbanks, mouths of flowing streams, small rivers.

Pike perch can be found in flooded river beds, among flooded driftwood, near dams, bridges, and in places where currents change direction.

It lives near clayey steep banks at great depths.

Pike perch is a predator; it is found in places where large numbers of small fish accumulate.

Favorite food is considered to be narrow-bodied fish - bleak, roach, sprat, smelt.

Find a place for fishing, a concentration of pike perch using an echo sounder.

When oxygen conditions deteriorate or small fish move, pike perch emigrates.

An observant fisherman will easily determine where the fish are staying: in pursuit of small fish, the pike perch noisily grabs the air.

Spawns in mid-spring and early summer when the water heats up to 18-20 degrees. Fishing is prohibited during spawning.

The best fishing times in the warm season are early morning, night, and dawn.

In autumn, when the water temperature drops, the pike perch bite occurs in the late morning.

Choosing a location and gear

Spring

When the water warms up to a temperature of +10-+15°C, the spawning period of pike perch begins. It is characterized by the fact that pike perch begins to look for well-warmed places with an uneven bottom, where they lay eggs. After completing this process, he goes to rest and remains inactive for about 2 weeks. After this, being very hungry, the pike perch begins to actively feed, moving from one place to another.

Starting in June, pike perch are caught using spinning rods or other bottom gear. It should be remembered that he hunts mainly at dusk. Therefore, the best periods for catching it will be early morning or late evening, including night. To catch pike perch, like catfish, bottom gear is installed in the late evening with various baits, including live bait. Early in the morning you can hunt pike perch with a spinning rod using various silicone baits.

Autumn

Before the beginning of autumn, when the water temperature begins to gradually decrease, the pike perch becomes active again, but does not leave the depths. During this period, you can get it using a jig head or spoon. But even at this time, he does not swim past the live bait without swallowing it. The peak of its activity occurs in October-November, right before the first ice appears.

In winter, it is less active, but continues to feed. From the ice it can be caught using a balance beam or other baits. At the same time, it is always at depth and only occasionally rises into the water column in search of a potential victim. This can occur during periods of winter warming. If you carefully study the nature of the reservoir, you can easily “calculate” its location. Having caught one pike perch, you can count on a good catch, since pike perch travel in a flock.

You can also use single hooks of appropriate sizes. A fishing line with a thickness of 0.25-0.30 is suitable.

Fishing technique

Plumb fishing is used as an independent method of fishing. It has advantages over fishing from the shore. Traveling on a boat gives the angler the opportunity to fish at great depths and send bait directly to the feeding areas of pike perch.

For vertical fishing, a short rod is used. The butt of the fishing rod is fixed to the bottom of the boat or in specially made holes.

A rubber tube is put on the end of the fishing rod and the fishing line is passed through it. If the depth is not very great, a float is additionally used.

Fishing technique: a sinker with a sliding leash installed above is plunged into the depths to such a distance that the bait does not reach the bottom. The main line is stretched and is in a vertical position.

When the bait is at the bottom, it is raised up a few centimeters with a sharp movement. Gradually the bait sinks to the bottom again, playing and attracting pike perch.

The handling of the bait is varied: let it lie on the ground, raise it, lower it again. With a weak bite, the amplitude of the bait’s vibrations increases.

If there are no bites, the location of the posting changes.

The following is typical for a pike perch bite: grabbing the bait, the fish swims away, stands still, and swallows the fish from its head.

When the prey is noticed by the fish and the bite is greedy, they are not in a hurry to hook, the predator must swallow it. After a weak jerk of the fish, after a few seconds, make a pull-up, after the pull-up, after 3-4 seconds, hook. They hook hard, the pike perch is strong and will not break.

When fishing for pike perch, they move the line with their hands, making sure that it is not stretched: with great effort, the line breaks off and the fish escapes. You cannot lift a tired fish on a fishing line; they take it out of the water with a net or hook.

in spring

When the water warms up to +10 – +15 degrees, the spawning time for pike perch begins. This is manifested in the fact that it begins to search for heated places with a rough bottom, where it subsequently lays eggs. At the end of this procedure, the pike perch goes to rest; it is inactive for 2 weeks. During this time, he will become very hungry, so after resting, he begins to eat vigorously, moving from one zone to another.

[THERE IS AN ANSWER] How to properly make a diverting leash for pike perch

During this period of time, catching pike perch with live bait in the spring can be done both from a boat and from the shore, using various gear that are made specifically for catching the predator. It is well caught both from the shore and from a boat, quickly attacking a variety of baits, including live bait. This does not last long, then the activity of the pike perch becomes less and it moves to depth. At this time, he hunts only at night.

The calm life of pike perch begins somewhere in early June, and it begins spawning in mid-April or early May. Without exception, everything depends on natural circumstances and how quickly the water heats up.

Live bait with a wide body, for example, crucian carp, rudd, and bream are not suitable. We choose a fish with a length of 7 to 10 cm.

Tackle:

rod When fishing vertically, a short rod is used, the length ranges from 60 to 100 centimeters. A long rod is inconvenient: rocking the boat on the water causes the bit to vibrate, making it difficult to regulate the depth of the bait, and missing a timely fish bite. Rods for vertical fishing are made of juniper, vinyl plastic, bamboo, and heather. When fishing without a reel, a thick handle made of cork or porous rubber is more convenient;
hooks For deep vertical fishing for pike perch, doubles and tees with a sting set to the side and a deep bend are used.

The best is considered to be a double hook numbered 1 to 4 with a long shank; it has a high chance of hooking a fish.

A tee with No. 8−10 is clearly visible in the water and is used more often in muddy waters and at great depths.

Used hooks are cleaned of rust and sharpened.

For vertical fishing, an inertial reel is used; it is lighter than others and allows you to reel in the line faster. If a reel is installed on the rod, a pass ring is placed at the end of the rod. Experienced fishermen successfully catch pike perch without a reel, lifting the line with their hands.

Fishing line. Made from modern synthetic materials, it is high quality and durable. Of all the numerous types of fishing line, monofilament fishing line is used for vertically catching pike perch. It springs well and gives the necessary vibrations.

The length of the fishing line is 35−50 meters.

The diameter of the line for catching pike perch is selected taking into account the expected size of the fish, focusing on the average size: in the middle of summer, medium-sized pike perch are more often found, in autumn and winter large specimens live in deep holes.

Approximate weight of pike perch depending on age: 1 year - 35 grams, 2 years - 190 grams, 3 years - 480 grams, 4 years - 910 grams, 5 years - 1400 grams, 6 years - 1950 grams, 7 years - 2560 grams, 8 years - 3200 grams, 9 years - 3900 grams.

The optimal diameter is 0.3 mm. A thin line will not support the weight of a large pike perch, a thick line will make the game difficult.

Sinkers have different weights and shapes. Light weight and streamlined shape reduce splash when falling into water and improve camouflage. The optimal ones are spherical sinkers made of lead. On average, a sinker weighs 8 grams; with strong currents and great depths, the weight increases to 12-20 grams.

Choosing gear for catching pike perch from a boat

If an angler is going to catch pike perch from a boat, then you should choose a shorter spinning rod, no more than two meters in length. If you take a longer rod, then it will simply be inconvenient for them to fish in a boat.

For pike perch, bites can be unnoticeable, so it is simply necessary to choose a fishing rod with a fast action or an ultra-fast action. If the rod does not have such parameters, then the angler may not see or feel the actual bite of pike perch.

It is necessary to mount an inertia-free reel on this rod. Moreover, you should choose the highest quality coils in order to avoid breakdown at the wrong time. The spool itself on this reel must contain sufficient footage of fishing line material.

It is necessary to choose a reel equipped with a special friction brake, because this device will provide some damping of vibrations from the jerks of the pike perch when it fights with the fisherman. This process will prevent the line itself from breaking.

There are two types of scaffolding material selected. You can use the monofilament line option, which will be relevant for catching any types of fish, and not only predatory ones. Although this fishing line is distinguished by its ability to twist, its high degree of stretching, which significantly reduces the degree of sensitivity of the entire equipment.

The best choice would be the option with braided fishing line, although this option will be somewhat more expensive financially. This type of fishing line is quite strong and durable, and is characterized by increased sensitivity, ensuring timely detection of a bite from a given fish.

You should also mount a leash, although there may be more than one of these leashes. The line material for the leash itself should be selected somewhat thinner. When fishing for pike perch from a boat, this will ensure that they are invisible to the fish, thereby increasing the chance of a catch. In addition, when making hooks, only the leash itself will break.

Lures for catching pike perch vertically

Spoon. There are increased demands on the lure: during the retrieve, it must interest the predator with its appearance and play. Spoons come in different types, shapes and colors.

The choice of color is affected by the weather. It has been noticed that in cloudy weather it is better to catch fish with a light spoon, and in sunny weather with a dark and dull one.

Pike perch can be successfully caught using a “shaking spoon” lure. The convex side is copper, the other is tin. The spinner is used in any weather.

What time and place is there a good bite?

At night, in the morning before dawn and in the evening after sunset, it is easiest to find pike perch in shallow water, shallows near deep holes. He swims here to eat. In addition, there is a good bite:

on dumps near riverbed holes;
near river holes;
in the creeks;
coastal ditches;
deep-sea areas with rocky bottoms;
in snags, whirlpools.

[ THERE IS AN ANSWER ] How to put live bait on a hook for pike perch
Small individuals, together with other young predators, can hide in shallows overgrown with reeds. In the above places, pike perch can be found before the first frost. With a sharp drop in temperature, the predator hides in deep wintering holes.

ON A NOTE! Areas with a sharp change in current direction and deep places with average current strength can be effective for fishing.

They can fish with a regular live bait or float rod in summer and autumn, either from the shore or from a boat. A spinning rod is also allowed. With complex bottom topography, a large number of holes and snags, the fishing rod comes in handy, allowing you to fish runs with a clean bottom. Release the float further and catch fish in the retrieve. For such fishing, take a long, strong rod of more than four meters. A fishing line is used, or a cord with a thickness of no more than 0.4 mm, or braid, for fishing in snags.

Lures for winter fishing for pike perch

Features of winter fishing for pike perch are the presence of ice cover, the catch occurs through holes made in the ice. Holes are drilled the day before fishing so that the noise does not scare away the fish. To catch pike perch, balancers, spoons, and soft baits made of silicone are used.

Due to changes in air temperature and water conditions, pike perch changes habitat and goes into deep holes. Fishing is carried out vertically in a plumb line. Pieces of fish are used as bait.

A large pike perch sitting on a hook beats hard, stands across the hole, covers the hole with itself, so the fish is brought out smoothly, without jerking and without stopping.

Read: Mastering homemade winter lures for pike perch

Choosing gear for vertical trolling

Tackle for catching pike perch with vertical lures must be durable, reliable and functional.

The fishing rod used is either a short and rigid side rod or a small spinning rod with guide rings. At the tip of the rod, be sure to install a small, sensitive nod made of a fairly elastic and stiff spring.

We also recommend reading:

Attractant for predatory fish: baits for pike perch, pike, perch Winter fishing for pike perch Catching pike perch in winter using jigs Catching pike perch in winter using girders

Plumb fishing boat

A wooden and wide punt with an oval bottom is better suited for deep fishing than rubber pleasure boats. Fishermen install strips on the sides with nests for fishing rods.

The punt is stable and does not tip over. If the boat is stationary, moor to two stakes hammered into the bottom in advance or use two anchors.

The advantage of a boat for vertical fishing is the ability of the angler to change fishing spots, explore the depths, and assess the habitats of pike perch.

Tips for beginner fishermen

When going boat fishing to catch fish such as a representative of the pike perch family, you should carefully select bait. It is better to have several types of a wide variety of baits in your arsenal, since you can never guess what the pike perch will do on a given fishing trip.
When catching pike perch from a boat, you should not use overly large types of bait; medium and small sized options are perfect. Of course, if an angler is going to catch a particularly large individual of a given fish, then the large size of the bait will be justified.
You should use all possible types of wiring when fishing from boats; the pike perch will definitely bite on any type of wiring.
When fishing from boats, you should not try to cast the bait as far as possible.
It is imperative to follow the rules of maintaining fisherman camouflage and maintaining silence parameters.

PS

Catching pike perch using a boat is quite an exciting activity, but often novice fishermen make the mistake of hooking this fish too quickly.

Lifestyle

Pike perch is quite demanding regarding the amount of oxygen contained in the water. It will never be found in the following types of reservoirs:

shallow lakes heavily overgrown with aquatic vegetation, where the oxygen level drops to critical levels during algae decay;
in shallow ponds that freeze to the bottom in winter;
in peat quarries, where the oxygen regime is also low.

This predator is not found in small mountain rivers with cold water, since in such reservoirs it cannot spawn and fully develop. The most suitable bodies of water for habitation of the “fanged” one are large, deep-water rivers with moderate currents, where the level of oxygen in the water is always high. In rivers, pike perch can rarely be found on a flat bottom. It prefers to stay in areas with complex bottom topography. For parking, he chooses places with a slow current, where there is a small pit or underwater boulder at the bottom, and the depth is 7–12 m.

Pike perch lives not only in rivers, but also in deep flowing lakes and reservoirs. In stagnant bodies of water, the permanent habitats of the “fanged” are:

channel edges of rivers flowing into a standing reservoir;
flooded snag;
deep holes.

Pike perch is a schooling fish species. The behavior of small pike perch is very similar to perch. Small individuals often gather in large groups and hunt schools of fry, squeezing the fish out into shallow water. Larger specimens rarely form flocks of more than 30 individuals. Fish weighing more than 5 kg prefer to hunt alone.

On a note! Large pike perch can be found in one place only if there is some anomaly at the bottom of the reservoir that contributes to the local concentration of the predator’s food items.

Pike perch spawning begins when the water temperature reaches 10–12 degrees. In the south of the country, the fanged fish begins to spawn in mid-April. In the middle zone, the spawning period occurs at the end of May. In the northern regions, the predator starts spawning no earlier than June. After spawning, male pike perch guard the clutch for some time, and then go deeper and begin to feed heavily.

During the spawning period, pike perch can be found on rocky shallows.

A few days after spawning, the fanged predator begins to eat. During this period, he can hunt throughout the day, without paying much attention to pressure changes and other natural disasters. In spring and early summer it should be looked for at a depth of 3–6 m in places where white fish feed.

When the water warms up to 20–22 degrees, the predator sharply reduces its activity. At the height of summer, catching it in the daytime becomes almost impossible. The exception is periods when heavy rainfall occurs over several days, which significantly lowers the water temperature and contributes to the resumption of activity in predatory fish species. If there has been no prolonged precipitation and the water temperature exceeds the twenty-degree mark, then the pike perch switches to a nocturnal feeding mode. At night he goes out to

areas with depths of 1–1.5 m and begins to hunt small fish living in the coastal zone:
roach;
bleak;
rudd;
gudgeon.

If during daylight hours the “fanged” one prefers to attack its prey from an ambush, then at night it actively pursues its prey, creating quite a lot of noise. The predator hunts in shallow water until dawn, and then goes back to the depths.

In the hot summer months, when the water temperature rises to 25 degrees, pike perch can rise to the upper layers of water, which are more saturated with oxygen than the bottom horizon. The predator standing in the upper layers of water usually feeds in the morning and evening dawns.

With the autumn cooling of the water, the “fanged” one again switches to a round-the-clock feeding regime. In the fall, pike perch forms large schools and begins to migrate across the reservoir in search of concentrations of juvenile fish. Wandering from one fishing spot to another, it can cover distances of tens of kilometers. In autumn, it can rarely be found at a depth of less than 6 m.

To get to the anchorages of large pike perch, the fisherman will need a reliable watercraft.

With the onset of winter, the activity of pike perch noticeably decreases. It stops making long migrations and prefers to hunt in areas located close to the pits. In winter, the period of active predator feeding is very difficult to predict. Short bursts of its activity can be observed at any time of the day.

Requirements for the craft

Theoretically, you can fish for pike perch vertically from any watercraft. However, experienced fishermen recommend types of boats such as “progress” or kazanka.

Such small vessels are not only convenient for fishing, they are characterized by good stability on the water.
Due to the need to explore large water areas, boats with motors have an advantage. And working with oars in conditions of strong waves and oncoming air flow will take a lot of physical strength from the fisherman.
The watercraft must be heavy so that during gusts of wind it does not slide over the waves like a sailing frigate. In such conditions, fishing will become useless and dangerous.

Plunge fishing allows the angler to catch pike perch weighing from 100 g to 3 kg. Predatory fish such as pike, perch, asp, and catfish can also be caught on the hook.

This is also why vertical fishing attracts the attention of both beginners and experienced fishermen

Video about vertical fishing from a boat using a Lucky John balance beam:

Video about trolling from a boat in a plumb line:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=AQh6lxhX5Do

Catching pike perch with sprat: secrets and subtleties of fishing

Catching pike perch with sprat from ice is a popular fishing method that is used in many regions of the country. Its effectiveness has been tested in various reservoirs, as well as large and medium-sized rivers where this strong and beautiful predator lives.

This method appeared a long time ago, when there were no different silicone baits and balancers. It was invented by experienced fishermen who thought of placing a dead fish on the hook of a large jig, a helicopter or a loaded hook.

Most often it is this small fish that serves as a bait. This is due to the fact that it has suitable dimensions and is most suitable for winter pike perch. In addition, such bait has a minimal cost and can be purchased at any grocery store. Therefore, the question of how to catch sprat is not even raised.

Fishing Features

When hunting for pike perch using sprat, an angler gets the benefits of both artificial bait and natural bait. He does not need to select the color, size, brand of “rubber” or balancer, since the bait has the necessary aroma and looks natural.

You can fish this way with both fresh sprat and frozen sprat. In principle, there is not much difference. Many zander fishermen prepare bait in advance so that later they do not have to run around the shops looking for this fish. It is put into bags and stored in the freezer until fishing.

Instead of sprat, you can use other small fish. In particular, fishermen buy sprat or anchovy. You can prepare bait in open water by catching it in advance using a small bait. In this case, the fisherman will be able to attach roach, bleak or perch to the hook.

If the fry is very tight and you couldn’t get it out, then you can quite effectively put a piece of fish on the hook. This is no worse, but it is advisable to prepare fillet strips at home in advance so as not to waste time on the pond.

The principle of catching a fanged one with a sprat differs little from the classic vertical trolling:

A sprat or other small fish is put on the hook of a jig head, heavy jig or helicopter.
The weight of the load is selected based on the depth in the fishing zone and the strength of the current.
The bait is lowered into the hole towards the bottom.
Then the angler begins to make a retrieve, consisting of twitches and pauses, the duration of which is adjusted to the mood of the pike perch.

In fact, this is how they catch it with a vertical spoon, a balance beam, and other winter pike-perch lures. The difference, perhaps, is that the pause may be longer due to the edibility of the bait.

Photo 1. Tulka is a small fish of the herring family.

The advantages of fishing with sprat

This method, despite the fact that it is quite ancient, is rarely used by young fishermen. Today, newfangled balancers, Finnish vertical spinners and silicone baits are more in use. But fishing with sprat also has its advantages:

simplicity of the method;
cheap bait, no need to purchase expensive baits for vertical fishing;
versatility;
catchability.

Fishing this way allows you to catch pike perch at any time of winter. In the dead of winter, many baits do not show the expected results, but not sprat. The passive fanged fish responds superbly to the offered bait. Moreover, he takes it confidently, which is not typical of this time.

Where to look for pike perch?

In sprat fishing, in fact, there are no special features in places where the fanged predator is hunted. You should look for it at typical winter sites. The most promising from the point of view of fishing using this method are:

long ditches and large holes;
channel dumps;
areas near bridges;
coastal edges.

In snags, fishing with sprat is not so convenient due to the catchiness of the bait. However, given their cheapness, such fishing has its place, especially looking at the cost of other “advanced” zander balancers and spinners.

At reservoirs, fanged fish are searched for along riverbed areas. The predator likes to be located on steep slopes at the very top. Vast reaches with medium depths and uneven bottom topography are also considered promising places for pike perch. Here the fish sticks to tubercles and various hills.

In general, pike perch prefer the presence of a current, the absence of algae and a hard bottom with a sandy or pebble structure. In places with stagnant water, aquatic vegetation and silt, there is no point in hoping to catch a fanged one.

Gear device

It is known that pike perch has a bony, hard mouth that is not so easy to reliably cut through, even with sharp hooks. In addition, the fish is of decent size and, when caught, behaves assertively and powerfully. This must be taken into account when choosing gear for winter fishing for fanged:

The fishing rod chosen is hard, capable of making a sharp, sharp hook and at the same time extinguishing the first jerks of a weighty fish. Its length is about 60–90 cm. With such a fishing rod it is easy to carry out retrieving and you can spot pike perch without any problems.
The fishing line, and in winter fishing nylon is preferable, is chosen with a diameter of 0.25–0.30 mm. Its strength indicators must be at least 3 kg.

Important!

Some fishermen try to use special winter braids that are impregnated with something and supposedly do not freeze in the cold. But in practice it turns out that monofilament still outperforms cord.

The reel used is lightweight and made of plastic with a smooth motion. In fact, it is only needed for storing fishing line and for reeling it in during long walks from one pike perch point to another.

You don't have to use a leash. If there is a possibility that a pike will grab, then you can use a short steel twist to minimize the cut, not to lose the trophy and not to injure the fish.

Photo 2. One of the methods of baiting.

How to catch pike perch using sprat?

It is better to start mastering sprat fishing with simple jig heads with a round weight and a single hook. They are inexpensive, you can even make them yourself, and they are very versatile. Over time, you can try their different configurations, as well as large jigs, helicopters and rigs.

The hook of the jig head should not be too large, but at the same time it should be good to cut through the bony mouth of the fanged one. The length of its fore-end is selected to be half the size of the sprat used. If the bait is larger, it can be easily shortened with a knife by cutting off the head or front part of the fish.

It is customary to attach a sprat to a jig head in the classic way, as is done with silicone vibrotails. This option is simple and does not require any additional tricks. However, as a result, the back of the fish breaks after the first bite, and it quickly flies off the hook.

The second option involves planting a piece of sprat. The fisherman cuts off the upper part of the fish with a knife right on the pond, and puts the lower part on the hook. As a result, a narrow strip remains on the forearm, consisting of the abdomen, anal fin and half of the tail. Fishing efficiency does not deteriorate from this, but the bait holds stronger and longer.

Photo 3. Spoons, balancers, and wobblers are equipped with sprat.

Baiting with sprat should be done like any artificial pike perch bait. There are no particular differences in this:

The fisherman drills a hole at a promising point.
Places the sprat on the jig head and lowers it into the water.
Place the bait on the bottom and pause for a few seconds.
Then they make two turns with the reel, thereby raising the jig head above the bottom by several tens of centimeters.
We make a short swing of the fishing rod and pause.

The height of throwing the bait and the duration of the stop depend on the mood of the pike perch. For a passive fanged, longer pauses are desirable. At this time, the bait makes damping oscillations, and the predator has time to “think” before grabbing the sprat.

When the bite is sluggish, it is useful to tap the jig head on the bottom and then lift it a couple of centimeters. The rising turbidity will certainly attract the attention of the pike perch and force it to take the bait.

Fishing out a hooked pike perch should be done quickly and decisively. You can’t let the predator come to its senses, otherwise it will begin violent resistance, which can lead to a runaway, especially when fishing in the area of snags. It often happens that the fanged one does not penetrate well and can spit out the bait without ever reaching the hole. Therefore, the sooner the angler gets him onto the ice, the better.

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