- Catching pike on the path does not require expensive gear
- Good pike on the track with various baits
- The most effective pike fishing in the spring on the track
- Success comes with knowledge: catching pike on the track in summer
- From shallow waters to depths: catching pike on the track in autumn
Pike installation on the track requires the following: spinning rod, reel, fishing line, leash, bait.
Nothing extraordinary, no purchases or financial expenses, all elements of the gear are the same as those used for regular predator spinning. True, you can’t do this freshwater trolling without a watercraft. Using this method, it is possible to catch pike immediately after the spawning period, which occurs very early for the toothy fish, with the opening of the rivers, and often, if the spring is prolonged, the predator can spawn directly under the ice. The fish continues to grab various baits until late autumn, although with varying success depending on the time of year.
Catching pike on the path does not require expensive gear
For fishing, you can use a carbon fiber spinning rod, but due to its high cost, a fiberglass spinning rod will be an alternative. Its only drawback is that it is too heavy, but if you consider that the tackle will always be placed on stands, which we wrote about in the article “How to make a holder for a spinning rod for a boat with your own hands,” this is not critical.
The test range of the rod is from 20 to 80 g, the length is in the range of 2.10-2.60 m. As for the reel, you can use either a spinning grinder or a more expensive multiplier. Scaffolding with a diameter of 0.17-0.20 mm if it is braided, thicker monofilament - 0.3 mm.
Both threads have their advantages and disadvantages. When equipped with a whip, even a light poke from a predator is easily transferred to the spinning rod, however, the monofilament does not twist so much, which is important when catching pike on the track or by trolling. Since the toothy one is being caught, it is impossible to do without a leash, because the fish easily bites through the line.
Good pike on the track with various baits
With a reservoir depth of eight meters or more, various vibrators of various weights and sizes have proven themselves to be excellent. A large number of attacks occur at the very bottom, so the equipment has to be loaded with lead weights. For example, an olive is suitable for this; it is mounted a meter above the spinner.
When using wobblers, the design of the equipment is somewhat different:
- the bait is selected based on the expected fishing depth, and for this it is important to know the topography of the bottom of the reservoir;
- At significant depths, wobblers with additional weight are installed.
The equipment is as follows: a triple swivel is mounted on the central line, a leash 1 meter long with a sinker of 40-60 g is attached to one ring of which, a wobbler is hung from the other ring through the leash. When trolling, the load drags along the ground, while the bait plays higher.
In shallow areas, wobblers with a blade are used for the required depth without an auxiliary load. Catching pike on a trolling path implies uniform fishing if a spinner spoon is used, but pauses when driving wobblers often end in an attack by a predator.
Pike fishing on silicone is practiced much less frequently, if only because the jig head is more designed to catch pike perch living in the bottom layers of the reservoir. However, sometimes the toothy one is tempted by colorfully colored silicone if the equipment is made in the form of a diverting leash.
In this case, they do without a jig head, hanging a sinker weighing 15-40 grams at the end of the central line. Above, about forty centimeters, they mount a meter-long leash with a hook, which is equipped with a twister or vibrating tail. If there is a high probability of collecting all the grass, the hook is changed to an offset one.
In some cases, catching pike on the track with live bait is more effective. Instead of a single hook, use a double or tee. The leash is inserted into the mouth and out through the gill cover of the fish, then the hook is fastened using a carabiner. In this state, the baitfish does not fall asleep for a long time.
There are some features of pike fishing on the track that are practiced by experienced anglers. So, if a predator completely refuses any bait, a dead narrow-bodied fish is tied to the concave side of a spoon-shaped spoon. Toothed, sensing the aroma of a real fish, which, as the tackle moves, seems to roll from side to side, will try to attack it.
Tandem line fishing rig
What is needed for track fishing? Of course, first of all – a pond with a predator. And, of course, a boat. At present, a wooden one is out of the question, so a PVC one or even an ordinary rubber two-seater will suffice. It is definitely more preferable to fish with a pair.
In this case, you can change oars, and it will be easier to handle the gear. However, it is possible to catch just as successfully alone. By the way, a long time ago in Rus', the cord of the equipment was clamped in the teeth to feel the bite. Therefore, fishermen did not always have a Hollywood smile. It was only later that they began to alarm the tackle with sticks attached to the stern.
For such fishing, it is preferable to use a fast-action rod, with test indicators from 20 to 50 grams. There is no need to strive for long blanks; it is more appropriate to use 2.4-2.7 m. Inexpensive fiberglass has good performance, however, its weight leaves much to be desired, but on the other hand, the fishing rod will always be fixed in the holders, so it is not critical.
In principle, an aluminum pole is also suitable for the path, but the comfort will not be the same. As for baits, the choice is truly enormous, with tandems enjoying great success. Their use is justified in the following cases. Not every fisherman has wobblers that quickly go to a depth of several meters. In addition, when recasting, it is not very easy to remove a deep wobbler; even an empty bait feels as if a kilogram fish is sitting on the hook.
Tandem equipment allows you to use a small wobbler with a jig head with silicone attached or even a bunch of worms. The required depth of the bait is achieved by the length of the line and the speed of the boat. Instead of a wobbler they use spinners.
In general, freshwater trolling uses gear designed for heavy loads. Almost always a wobbler is used as bait, and it has decent drag. That is why, when choosing gear, it is necessary to take into account the total load, including the speed of the boat and the degree of resistance of the predator. Don't discount possible hooks either.
The essence of the path is to guide the bait using a motor or rowing boat. Foreigners stole this method from us, ennobled it and called it trolling. On equipped boats, up to a dozen trolling rods are installed, using auxiliary devices - outriggers and downriggers. Our equipment is much simpler.
Catching large pike on the track depending on the time of year
Another advantage of the track is the opportunity to explore a completely unfamiliar body of water, since while moving you can explore a much larger water area and find promising points. It is necessary to return to them during a second pass.
Fishing for pike on the path in the event of a complete lack of bites forces you to slightly change your trolling tactics. In this case, it is not only necessary to probe all the horizons of the water, but also to make movements along, across and diagonally across the reservoir. Under the influence of various factors, even such a sedentary fish as pike can stay first on one shore, then on the other, move from the depths to the shallows and vice versa.
The most effective pike fishing in the spring on the track
Already from the very arrival of spring, pike begins to actively feed, replenishing those fat reserves that were used up during the long winter. This process lasts until spawning, during which the bite is reduced to almost nothing. Things are no better after spawning for about a week.
Then comes the second period of spring zhora, lasting from a week to three. And if before spawning it is not always possible to get to the reservoir due to unfavorable weather conditions, now you can enjoy fishing to the fullest. The predator attacks many types of bait, and the catches are quite plentiful.
In spring, pike is characterized by the following behavior:
- Weakened by the long winter, the toothy robber is somewhat slow and is not able to attack a large opponent or rush at the bait quickly rushing past. Its activity increases after it releases its belly full of caviar.
- In spring, the fish have not yet established themselves in their territories and migrate a lot. Slopes, edges, holes, snags, shallow water - these places can be teeming with predators.
- Many pike prefer to stay in shallow depths, where the water temperature is slightly higher. Small things tend to come here, and after them various predators.
In the spring, you can find the toothed one directly off the shores of the reservoir. At this time, wobblers are very effective. The boat is driven along the path slowly, fishing a large area of the reservoir. If a predator accompanies the bait, but refuses to attack it, it is better to replace the wobbler.
Success comes with knowledge: catching pike on the track in summer
There is a controversial opinion that in the summer the fisherman is haunted by constant failures in finding and catching predators. This is partly true, but not enough to give up fishing completely. If you have a sufficient understanding of the habits of the toothy fish and pay attention to weather conditions, the catch will be guaranteed, as we wrote about in the article “When fishing for pike in the summer with a spinning rod will bring a luxurious catch.”
Pikemen can use all the summer months more rationally than at other times.
- In June, for example, spawning is already completed, and the fish continues to actively hunt.
- Catching pike on the track in July occurs at significant depths, where the predator moves due to an increase in the water temperature in the reservoir. You can mine it here just as successfully as in other periods.
- August can be no less productive, since even slight drops in temperature allow shallow waters to be fished again.
Undoubtedly, the bite is no longer the same as in spring and autumn, but even in the heat the fish feel hunger, which pushes it to hunt. In addition, most of the toothy ones have distributed themselves over their territories and are trying to drive out arrogant rivals beyond the borders of their possessions. A bait passing by is often perceived as a trespasser, with all the ensuing consequences.
Under what conditions is the track effective?
The most crucial moment of the track is throwing the tackle. It is important not to pick up vegetation at the bottom of the reservoir, shells, or small debris, since fishing in this case will turn into ordinary boating. An experienced fisherman can easily distinguish a foreign object on a hook by the tip of the spinning rod and even the degree of tension of the line.
It is possible to line fish on almost any body of water if you have sufficient knowledge about it - relief, depth changes, zones marked by aquatic vegetation. The speed of the boat when fishing on the track is adjusted based on the mass of the bait and the fishing depth.
As a rule, the movement of the boat scares away small fish, but a sliding spoon has an irritating effect on large predators. It is he who is counted on first of all with this method of fishing. They gain value mainly by moving with the flow, but they often climb up the river with the help of oars or a motor.
If the water movement is too weak, you need to focus on the direction of the wind, which can cause the craft to drift at significant speed. In such cases, fishermen often use a homemade sail, which can easily regulate the speed of movement.
You can drag several rigs along with you at once, the baits on which are located in all water horizons. This allows you to explore the reservoir as efficiently as possible. For these purposes, bourgeois designers came up with an outrigger, which allows you to use several fishing lines without the risk of them getting tangled.
Rules for proper trolling
On large bodies of water, anglers troll in motorized boats to maximize coverage of the area. This is partly reminiscent of sea fishing, although differences can be seen even with the naked eye. In any case, it is necessary to adhere to some rules that will allow you to make the most of the track.
- In deep-water places (up to 14 meters), the bait is dropped next to the watercraft and the length of the braid is adjusted to the descent. Appreciate at a low, uniform speed. Spinning rods are fixed at an angle of 120 degrees. The spinner needs to play the game, irritating the most passive predators. To do this, the rod makes smooth strokes of 30-40 cm. At a significant depth, the movement of the boat should resemble the letter S, which will help the spoon constantly cross the edges, moving at different depths.
- On dumps, the same cruising technique is used as above. Small baits are used, it is advisable to try spoons. A predator strike can happen at any moment. If a fish is hooked near a snagged area, do not turn off the engine. Having moved the handle to the neutral position, the fish is carefully fished out, controlling the tension of the line and trying to use the clutch as little as possible.
- At the border of aquatic vegetation, some rules must also be observed. The casting distance needs to be constantly changed, especially when fishing for pike in strong winds. In calm weather, the range is significantly increased without focusing on the same bait. It is better to constantly change them, based on weight, size and color. The vessel is guided along the vegetation boundary using surface wobblers and non-snagging hooks.
- Fishing with a path in grass windows causes a lot of trouble. For example, you have to stop all the time to avoid getting caught. Before you begin further movement, you should manually leave the turntable. If there are no bites, they switch back to track mode.
It is quite difficult to outline the correct speed of a boat, since it depends on many factors, but on average it can be compared with the movement of a walking person, about 5 km/h. Of course, not only the strength and direction of the wind, the type of bait and the depth of its immersion are taken into account, but even the cross-section of the line and the distance of its descent.
The angler can get all the answers to his questions only on the reservoir, but if you average the track, you get a fishing depth of about 4-8 m, the distance to the wobbler is within 30-50 m. An echo sounder will greatly help in exploring the bottom topography, which allows you to determine an interesting fish catching a point.
Giants stand in ambush on open water
Do not try at all costs to explore great depths when fishing on the “track”. Depending on the nature of the reservoir, it may be quite enough to place the bait at a depth of 1-3 m, since the pike attacks mainly from the bottom up. To be convinced of this, just look at the location of her eyes.
Be patient, because you will have to explore the reservoir for several hours. Pike weighing over 10 kg, as a rule, no longer have enemies, so do not be afraid of open water devoid of shelters, and if there are forage fish there, and the current, temperature, oxygen content and temperature stratification of the water generally correspond to the norm, you can count on a solid trophy. Open water sites are discovered only based on the results of catches. Of course, one should not neglect such classic places as perch ridges, underwater shallows, river oxbows, narrow necks between islands or the shore and islands, as well as the mouths of rivers and streams. But in no case should you trudge along such structural formations with slavish obedience. It is better to walk in sweeping zigzags along the outer sections of these places, staying away from the shore. After all, your bait will still not follow in the wake of the boat if you accurately maneuver along the coastline: it will cut all the bends in a straight line!
After a while you will have problems with the line twisting. A few top-notch bearing swivels can help you out of this trouble. Place two or three swivels in succession before and after the steel leash, connecting them together with small winding rings.
