What is kwok?
This is a kind of small specific musical instrument that makes certain sounds when leaving the water. For its manufacture, they mainly use wood or metal, although by and large it is not so important what it is made of, the main thing is the shape of the device. The heel of the device plays the main role in creating a sound signal. The frequency of the sound produced depends on its shape and size.
It is believed that this signal reminds a predator of the croaking of a frog, some argue that it is similar to the love call of a female catfish, with which she attracts him to her. There is a simpler version - the same sound is made by the catfish itself when feeding. Perhaps it imitates the hunt of another predatory fish. There is no definite answer and, despite the fact that this method of fishing has been used for many centuries, it is still unclear why the catfish reacts to the quok, why it is attracted to the sounds of this fishing tool.
How to make a device yourself
It is better for a novice fisherman to purchase a tool in a store and only after good practice, having understood the basic intricacies of fishing with it, try to make it himself. For those who think that they have already comprehended these wisdoms, we will tell you how to make kwok on somas with your own hands.
Materials such as wood, plastic and metals are used to make tools. The design of this fishing accessory is quite simple and consists of:
- pens;
- legs;
- heels.
To make the device comfortable to hold, its handle is made of wood or plastic. A rope loop inserted into the hole made in the handle and placed on the hand will help to avoid slipping and losing the tool. The handle must be treated with impregnation and varnished.
The leg for the kwok can be a knife blade or a duralumin plate. Made from these materials, when entering the water column it will not create much resistance and unwanted unnecessary sounds. The heel of the instrument is also made of metal and soldered to the leg. There is one feature that you should pay attention to: the larger the patch, the more powerful and dull the sound produced; with a small area, the signal is louder.
Making a kwok for catching catfish with your own hands is not difficult, and it is possible to obtain several design options by making the angle of attachment of the handle and knife adjustable. After trying them out on a fishing trip, you can choose the best one.
Rules for using the tool
Fishing for catfish using kwok goes like this. Swimming up on a boat to the chosen place, the fisherman makes sharp blows with the device on the water surface. After several movements, a pause is made for up to 30 seconds, and the actions are repeated again. At the moment the snout emerges from the water, the air bubble that appears as it moves in the aquatic environment collapses. At the same time, a loud or dull clap sounds, the height of which depends on the size of the patch.
In order for the catfish to hear the call and rise from the bottom to find out its origin, and grab the bait along the way, you should learn how to use the quok correctly. This is done this way:
- the handle is taken in such a way that it forms an angle of 45-50 degrees with the forearm;
- by extending the arm, the quok is introduced into the water, while the shoulder remains motionless;
- in water, the instrument is accelerated by turning the arm;
- when the handle is positioned horizontally, the snout is pulled out of the water with a sharp movement.
The result should be a clear and fairly loud bang.
Fishing technique
It’s worth going together to catch catfish using kwok. If a large catfish bites, it is almost impossible to pull it out alone, so we bait the tackle and lower it to a depth of 5-7 meters. Under no circumstances should we wrap fishing line around our hand. If a large catfish bites, it can drag you away. Next, we begin to squawk, make three sharp blows and pause for 20 seconds. We immerse the quok no more than 10 cm in water. If there is no bite at a promising place, be sure to return to this place a little later and try again.
As soon as the catfish hears the sound of a quok, it rises up and meets the bait on its way. He grabs it and goes into the depths, this is a bite. More precisely, it just pulls down and that’s it. Next, we take a short pause, allowing him to swallow the bait more forcefully, and sharply hook him. We make a sharp but short hook.
A large catfish can bite with a very strong jerk, you need to be prepared for this so as not to pull the tackle.
After hooking, we release the catfish, and then begin to fish it out. It all depends on the size of the fish caught. If it’s 10-15 kg, then feel free to pull it out, if it’s larger, then let it get tired and only then pull it out.
What gear is used when fishing with kwok?
Various donks are used for this, but they have one requirement - greater strength. This is due to the large size and weight of the largest river predator. Therefore, it does not matter how the fishing is carried out, using a spinning rod or a regular cord, the main thing is that the fastening does not break and the fishing line holds up.
Conventional gear for catching catfish with a kwok consists of the following elements:
- spinning rod;
- coil;
- rubber stoppers;
- sliding foam float;
- sinker;
- steel ring.
In some cases, trimming weights are also used.
A simpler donka is made in the form of an X-shaped reel, with a cord wound around it, with a sinker, a leash and a hook attached to it. Instead of fishing line, a strong cord can be used.
Many people believe that hand-made gear for catching catfish with a kwok will definitely be catchy if everything is done taking into account the experience of previous generations of fishermen.
Tackle for catching catfish
A fishing line 0.8 mm thick is wound onto the reel for about 50-60 meters. The sinker is used weighing from 150-300 grams. Hook number 30 is used.
We thread a stainless steel wire into the sinker and make ears at the ends. We tie the main fishing line into one eye, and a leash with a hook into the other. Make sure your hooks are always well sharpened.
Using a rod with a reel is possible, but such gear must be of very high quality, and such gear is very expensive.
Leash for the “master of the rivers”
Most fishing rods use thick fishing line or strong braid for fishing gear. The leash is also made from this material. But this large predator has many sharp teeth, and if it is played for a long time, it will not be difficult for him to grind such a leash. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to make it metal. Do not install the hook directly on the cord or fishing line. The presence of a leash is mandatory when making a donkey. Otherwise, you may lose not only your gear, but also a large specimen.
Hooks
Gear for catching catfish with kwok should be equipped with large and strong hooks. Since the fish are heavy, a huge load falls on them. Therefore, the main requirement for hooks is reliability. They may look like:
- single;
- triple;
- double.
If you plan to catch this giant with a frog, then you can use hooks of the first type.
Before fishing, you should definitely test the hooks for strength. There are several ways to do this. The easiest way to check is with regular pliers and a heavy weight. If the hook, fixed motionless, does not bend under the force of the suspended load, you can be sure that it will withstand the weight of the river giant.
Catfish bait
Sometimes you hear that it is not so important what bait is used when fishing with quok. Like, if the fish is active, then it will take everything that comes into its field of vision. But it is not so. Quite often, catfish prefer a certain bait, completely ignoring other species. Therefore, it is difficult to say with confidence what is best to catch it; in different bodies of water it can be either artificial or organic bait.
However, most often used:
- leeches;
- crayfish;
- frogs;
- fish fillet;
- chicken offal;
- worms;
- May beetle larvae.
Sometimes completely exotic baits are used. There was a report in the press about a fisherman from Astrakhan who caught catfish weighing up to 60 kilograms using pieces of soap that were wrapped in gauze.
When to catch catfish using kwok
The catfish wakes up after hibernation as soon as the water temperature rises above +5 °C and the more the water warms up, the more active the predator will be. The most noticeable surge in catfish activity is observed after the baleen spawning, which takes place around May and can be shifted depending on the fishing region and water temperature. To start spawning, the water must warm up to at least 15 °C.
The catfishing season ends already in October-November, since with cold snaps the activity of the catfish sharply decreases and the catfish begins to plunge into winter hibernation, from which it will wake up next year.
As for the time of day at which it is better to catch catfish, it is certainly best to catch catfish at night, but during the day its bites also do not stop and it is often caught on a quok during daylight hours. Also, the activity of catfish by time of day greatly depends on the season. In summer, catfish are reluctant to bite during the day, especially in hot weather, but in autumn, the activity of the baleen can practically not decrease around the clock.
Catfish go hunting at dusk! At this time, he is looking for suitable prey - fish, frogs, pearl barley, worms, leeches, etc.
If you are not an experienced fisherman and do not know the reservoir well, then it is better to practice catching catfish with a quack during daylight hours, while experienced fishermen can continue to “quack” day and night. The first time you try fishing for quok, it’s better to learn in the light, and at night, moor to the shore and try to catch the river giant on a bottom from the shore.
When is the best time to go fishing?
It’s not enough to know how to catch catfish using a kwok, you also need to choose the right time for this. You can learn and practice making sounds with an instrument at any time of the year, but the most successful fishing is possible only in the summer. In the European part, the most suitable time for this is considered to be from May to September. The best time to hunt catfish is mid-summer. During these months, the water in the reservoirs has already warmed up well.
Somyatniks noticed that if catfish spawning took place in warm weather, then fishing should be successful until the water cools below 15°C. Ichthyologists say that the catfish initially grows and gains weight very quickly. This means that he has to eat a lot and often in order to double his size over the summer. Therefore, it is at this time of year that the quok for catching catfish will be very useful.
It has been noted that the freshwater giant does not like to leave its home in bad weather, especially when pressure changes. He prefers sunny and windless days. The better the weather, the more successful the fishing will be. But even on cloudy days, the catch can be quite good if the bait is selected correctly and the habitat of the river predator is known. After all, fish have to eat regularly in order to increase their weight as quickly as possible during the short summer. Still, you shouldn’t plan fishing in heavy rain; the likelihood that there will be no catch in this case is very high.
Catching catfish on the Dnieper
For many fishermen, catfish fishing begins in the first autumn days using trolling. And here, it should be noted that catching catfish on the Dnieper with trolling gear always takes place from a boat. In general, catfish live in the Dnieper in quite large quantities and you can catch very large specimens.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that fishing on the Dnieper using a spinning rod will be effective using spinning bottom baits. In addition, you can fish for catfish in the Dnieper waters using rotating, vertical or oscillating spinners, as well as jigs
I know some fishermen who use a bottom crankbait to fish for catfish in this river.
Of course, it would be nice to find a site for large catfish on the Dnieper. Here, sometimes, you come across individuals weighing up to 80 kg. Sometimes spinning gear is used to catch such catfish, but it is clear that the spinning rod must be very powerful. If catfish fishing on the Dnieper is carried out using trolling gear, then first of all you need to find a section of the river with a clean bottom surface in order to avoid unwanted snags on underwater vegetation.
I’ll say right away that catching catfish involves a rather long period of searching for its parking place on the river, but once you find it, you’re definitely guaranteed a good catch. I would recommend using several different spinning lures when fishing for catfish using trolling gear. This is necessary in order to accurately determine which bait the catfish prefers at a given time of day and in a given fishing location. It should be noted that the best means of transportation during trolling fishing is a metal boat with a motor.
In principle, you can use two boats at once to search for catfish on the Dnieper. Of course, the search time for such large fish as catfish can be significantly reduced using an echo sounder. With its help, promising depths and holes where catfish live are discovered. Know that if the depth of the river below you is somewhere around 5-6 meters, then this is not enough for catfish. It is better to look for catfish at depths of more than 10 meters.
If you plan to catch catfish on the Dnieper from two boats at once, then from one you can fish with different types of spinner baits, and on the other with bottom wobblers. As a rule, no more than three spinning rods are used from one boat when trolling for catfish. Of course, the use of trolling gear implies that the angler knows the body of water very well, in particular its bottom surface. It is clear that with the use of two boats, the issue of quickly fishing a reservoir and searching for catfish in its waters is simplified.
Of course, we cannot ignore another way of catching catfish on the Dnieper, fishing with a quok. Most often, catfish fishing using kwok occurs at the exits or entrances of catfish pits. And here, strikes on the water with a quok occur at intervals of 3-4 strikes with breaks of 7-9 seconds. After biting the catfish, you should make a sharp hook so that the hook goes as deep as possible into the fish’s lip. Remember that when fishing for catfish, you need to maintain constant tension and not give any slack in order to prevent the catfish from jumping off the hook. I must say that there are many good catfish places on the Dnieper, but personally I prefer to constantly go to unknown areas and tap them. The optimal weight of the load on the hook is considered to be 100-120 g, and the hook is taken No. 8 or No. 9.
Among other things, catfish fishing on the Dnieper has some features that are most important for those who set out to catch a trophy fish
Since the Dnieper flows through the territories of three countries at once: Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, if fishing is carried out in the territory of another country, it is important to immediately determine the local laws so as not to receive a very large fine. In addition, there are a large number of hydroelectric power stations on the river, so it is important to decide how far from the nearest one the fishing will be and when the water is discharged there
This important detail greatly affects the catfish’s bite.
Where is the best place to fish for quok?
Catfish choose a wide variety of places to live. Most often this is:
- shallow water overgrown with grass;
- before the riffles, where there is a strong current;
- reed border;
- deep holes.
This does not mean that it will always be in one place. Often the fish moves and sometimes even rises to the surface. You need to look for the river giant where there is a lot of food suitable for it.
Catching catfish in the reservoir using kwok has some nuances. There is no fast current here, there are many pits littered with snags. Taking into account the weather conditions, it goes for feeding either to its edges, or to shallow water near the coastline. The place where it is located can be seen by splashes, quiet ascents, when a huge head suddenly appears from the water, and then the entire body spins like a wheel. Having tumbled, the fish again goes into the depths. This usually occurs in the late evening or early morning.
Most of the time, the catfish hides at the bottom or chooses another shelter in the depths, and sometimes in shallow water. Determining its location is quite difficult, especially in an unfamiliar body of water. In this case, technological progress comes to the aid of fishermen. Today, no one will be surprised by catching catfish using a quok with an echo sounder. A high-quality device will allow you to find a place where there are fish for sure. And when you see on the screen that the fish has reacted to the sound of the quok and is starting to rise, you can prepare for the bite and react to it in time. If there is an object of our hunt at the place where the boat stops, then finding it will not be difficult.
Subtleties of seasonal catfish fishing on donka
The behavior of catfish depends on the time of year, so when catching it, fishermen take into account:
- When spring comes, you should hunt for catfish no earlier than mid-April - lazy fish take bait well.
- Catfish fishing on the bottom in October is active, because the water becomes cool, and it swims out of cold holes and snags. Her appetites intensify, and she bites well not only at night, but also during the day. Before you catch a donkey in the fall, you just need to choose the right bait. You can watch the video “Catching catfish in the fall with a donk”.
- During the summer season, fishing should be done early in the morning or late afternoon and on a clear night. At such times, there are no special requirements for choosing a place for fishing, because catfish swim almost everywhere. At this time, you can find a lot of living creatures in the ground and water bodies, suitable for baiting bottom predators;
- In the cold season, large fish lie on the bottom of rivers almost motionless. In rare cases, in places with depressions along dams or river ports, it is possible to catch catfish using a spoon. If you are lucky, several bites may occur in a short time.
Regardless of the time of year, you need to remember one rule: you shouldn’t count on a good bite in rainy weather. Catfish emerge from snags and deep holes only in calm weather.
Fishing success is in your hands
Catching catfish using the method we describe has been known for a long time and has not undergone any significant changes during this time. The main element in it is kwok. The device is simple, the sound it produces is simple, but in skillful hands it is very effective. The specific sounds produced attract fish like a magnet. But only on condition that the angler has the necessary skills to operate the device. To do this, you should not regret the time spent on training, as the result will be amazing.
Catching catfish with kwok - video in the heat
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How to catch catfish using kwok - video in Lugansk
How to quack correctly
It is recommended to use two people to catch a predator with a quok, and it is better if you are fishing from a boat. You need to install fishing rods on the bow and sides of the boat and lower the bait at a depth of approximately 5-7 cm. You need to cast like this: make 3-4 strikes, then take a break for 10-20 seconds. If there is no bite for a long time, the quok should be changed.
Article on the topic: Do-it-yourself quack for catfish
If you are fishing for catfish from a moving boat, when you pass a promising place, you need to return to the starting point and recreate the whole process again. The fish will rise to the surface when they hear the quok, so the bait with the hook should be placed under the bottom of the boat.
The predator needs to be tortured and slowly brought to the boat. The catch should be dragged in with a hook, and an assistant drags the fish by the covers on the gills.
To catch catfish using a quok, you need to choose the right place. In addition, when using this method of fishing, you should not rush to hook a predator when biting.
