Ice fishing rods are gear that allows you to freely reel in the fishing line when a predator bites. Pike or other fish do not feel resistance and will not throw the bait at an unexpected moment. In winter, the water temperature is low and the fish move very slowly. The girder makes it possible to grab the bait and move a little to the side to swallow the fish. Live bait is always used as bait, which increases the efficiency of fishing.
All designs of vents consist of a stand, equipment, a reel and a signal flag. When biting, the line begins to unwind and a signal sounds.
Types of girders for winter fishing
Girders for winter fishing are the following types.
On the platform
This design has the following components: the platform itself, which has a round shape with a slot for fishing line, a vertical stand with a reel and a flag on a spring.
The platform vent is a universal design option that allows you to protect the hole from freezing or exposure to bright light. It is convenient to use it in a small area, or leave it overnight. But in a strong wind, the structure can be demolished, and in cold weather it freezes to the ice.
Vertical on a stand
The structure includes a stand that serves as a support. It is installed directly into ice or crushed ice.
The most common material for such structures is stainless steel or iron, which freezes to the fingers in the cold. In the spring, the ice around the structure begins to melt and it loses stability.
Tripod
The tripod rig includes a folding support on legs, a reel for fishing line, and a flag. It is installed directly above the hole.
This kind of fishing for girders is used on bare ice when there is no snow yet.
It is equipped with a bright flag that can be seen from afar. A strong bite or gust of wind can throw off the structure.
Horizontal on crossbar
The horizontal rail on the crossbar is a rail with a reel and a signal flag, which is equipped with a spring. When fishing, the signal flag is secured between two brackets using a loop of fishing line. The device does not involve the use of a reel, and the fishing line is laid out near the hole.
If such a trap is equipped with a spool, this will make it possible to use the design for actively catching predators.
When using such devices, please note that it cannot be left for a long time, as it freezes or is covered with snow.
Changeling
The shifter is a tube, on one end of which a fishing line is wound. A cross is mounted into the tube. At the moment when the predator swallows the bait, the tube dives into the hole, and the cross does not allow it to be completely immersed in the water and turns the structure over.
The top of the tube is painted in bright colors.
Sub-ice supply
The ice stand is suitable for installation at night or on a frosty day. Fishing line and equipment are wound onto a rubber hose. The structure is hung on a stick, which is installed across the hole.
When the fish bites, it pulls out the line and moves freely under water.
Samolovka
The self-trap device consists of a plastic reel, brightly colored, on which a nylon cord is wound. To prevent the rope from accidentally unwinding, it must be secured with an elastic band.
The fishing line is attached to the rope using a swivel. Live bait is attached to the hook, the bait is tied to a peg or stick and lowered into the water. When the fish swallows the bait and begins to move, causing the line to unwind and the reel to take on a bright color.
Design of the vent
There are a huge number of varieties of this type of gear, made in the form of racks, tripods, having a flat support, or even made from scrap materials. And yet, the principle of operation is the same for all of them. The girder includes the following components:
- A stand that holds the tackle on the ice and has a variety of shapes.
- An alarm indicating to the fisherman that a bite has occurred.
- A reel, often a simple reel, on which fishing line is sold in fishing stores.
- Fishing line.
- Equipment.
The main types of girders available in stores are represented by three types, but the number of homemade options is much larger.
At first glance, the seemingly simplest design actually has certain features that vary depending on the type of girder. However, this type of gear refers to equipment that is quite easy to make with your own hands.
The principle of operation of ice fishing girders
The principle of operation of ice fishing poles is that live bait is attached to a hook and lowered into the water. A hungry predator grabs the bait and moves a little to the side in order to swallow it. At this moment, the fishing line begins to actively unwind from the reel, and a spring or other light signal is triggered.
For such a device to be effective, many factors must be taken into account. Large predators are not only inactive, but also very careful. Therefore, such gear does not include sound signals, which can scare away a predator with noise or crackling.
Self-cutting girders for winter fishing
Self-hooking girders for winter fishing provide an automatic jerk of the fishing rod or fishing line for hooking at the moment when the fish begins to bite. There are a large number of designs of self-hooking devices, but they all work on the same principle - when there is a bite, the line is stretched and the trigger mechanism is triggered, as a result of which the line is tightened or the rod is raised.
Sometimes the fish takes the bait in its mouth and holds it for a while without swallowing it. During this period of time, she can feel the tip of the hook and release the bait from her mouth. In order to avoid such a situation, you should cut.
Typically, a mechanism similar to a mousetrap is used for self-cutting. At the moment when the fish begins to bite the bait, the spring is slightly stretched until it reaches its limit. This provides catch resistance. When the line is tense, the spring is activated, the bracket is lowered, the rod with the line catcher is released, and with the help of the spring it rises sharply. In this way, the hooking occurs, and the hook digs into the body of the fish. In most cases, the fish cannot escape the hook.
Fishing with girders in winter (self-hooking) or fishing rods gives very good results, allows you not to miss the moment of a bite and is an indispensable assistant for people with disabilities. If the fisherman cannot react quickly and make the hook on his own due to poor eyesight or disability.
Lures for the girder
It is believed that only live fish, such as a minnow, gudgeon, ruffe, roach or small perch, can be bait for winter fishing. If the fish is passive, then the chances of a bite are random. The more actively the bait moves, the more the predator’s appetite is stimulated. The weight of the bait ranges from 15 to 30 grams.
But some fishermen manage to catch the predator using ordinary frozen capelin. Also sometimes used are beef liver with blood, worms, meat or lard, and frozen minnows.
On the counter
A simpler option for home production is the option of gear without a base, mounted on a metal stand. This kind of gear is made much faster and easier than models on a platform, however, the simplicity is fraught with several disadvantages.
Firstly, the use of metal in construction leads to a number of problems. In severe frost, you cannot work with such poles without gloves, since wet hands during winter fishing will instantly freeze to the pole. When the weather is sunny outside, the metal heats up and melts the ice underneath, which often leads to falls of the installed vents.
Secondly, due to the design and low reliability, there is an extremely high probability that if you do not have time to hook the fish before it exhausts all the fishing line, the tackle will be pulled into the hole and lost. A curved structure without large parts will easily fall even into a small hole.
Winter fishing technique
The technique of fishing with girders in winter is that if a predator grabs the bait and slowly drags it into the shelter, the line will unwind, swaying periodically. At this moment, you should not make a hook. A sign that the fish was hooked on its own will be the rapid unwinding of the fishing line under strong tension. In this case, it must be fished out quickly, otherwise the fish may tangle the line. Small pike, for example, weighing up to 400 grams, are always hungry and often lose their vigilance. Therefore, they often swallow the bait completely. Spontaneous fishing, and the position of the fishing line along the shore is a sign that a young and inexperienced individual was hooked. A large predator drags its prey to the depths.
If you feel the fish moving when you pull out the fishing line, you should make a sharp and strong hook. The fishing line should not be pulled too tightly, held in a fist or wrapped around the hand. When fishing, you should be constantly ready to let go of the line, since a large predator can make a very sharp and strong jerk and break the tackle.
Even if the fishing line has a very high level of strength, you should not suddenly pull out large specimens. First, you should tire the fish a little by periodically tightening and loosening the line. It is also worth using a landing net for landing.
Using girders you can catch pike, catfish, pike perch, perch or burbot. If the target of fishing is perch, use small live baits and single hooks. For catfish, it is worth using very powerful gear and large baits, and also looking for places to place girders above deep holes. In winter, burbot lives in deep holes with springs.
Tripod mounts
Tripods are a middle option in manufacturing between the platform and stand mounts. They are much more reliable than the latter, but at the same time they are somewhat inferior in reliability and practicality to gear with a platform. They do not block the hole from snow and light, but they are less likely to go under the ice than L-shaped models, since the fish will not be able to drop them when jerking.
The following components are used for their manufacture:
- The steel plate is just over a meter long, 2 centimeters wide and about 1 millimeter thick.
- Bolts.
- Nuts.
- Plate for flag.
- Bright fabric or plastic.
- Fishing line reel.
The main advantage of tripods is that if you loosen the central bolt, the legs can easily fold into one position, which will significantly save space during transportation.
How to make summer vents with your own hands This design is also very simple to make. To do this you need:
- Cut the plate into 4 equal pieces of 25-35 centimeters each.
- Bend three of the resulting pieces at an angle of approximately 110 degrees at a distance of 1/3 of the length from the edge so that they are exactly the same.
- Drill holes in the short ends near the edge and fasten the elements to form a tripod.
- Bend the fourth piece of the plate with the letter P so that the length of the middle part is about three centimeters (the closer to the width of the reel, the better), and the outer parts are of equal length.
- Three holes are drilled in the resulting bracket - two at the edges at the same height for attaching the coil and one at the top, exactly in the center, through which the bracket is attached to the tripod with the same bolt that holds its legs.
- The flag plate is clamped between the bracket and the center of the tripod, after which the bolt is tightened tightly.
- A flag is attached to the end of the plate.
- A fishing line spool is secured to the bracket by threading a bolt through the central hole.
- A fishing line is wound onto a reel and a hook is tied.
Fishing for pike on girders
The season for catching pike on girders begins after the first ice sets in and lasts until January, and sometimes longer if the winter is warm. Typically, winter fishing for girders takes place in small reservoirs, ponds and lakes. The most successful are considered to be bays overgrown with grass, quiet water, places near reeds, and coastal breaks.
Fishing for pike in winter on zherlitsy occurs in this way: the zherlitsa is placed in different places - several pieces in shallow water, and several in depth. This technique makes it possible to determine a good place. If not a single bite has been observed in 2 hours, then it is worth changing the location. You should move more than 15 meters from your previous parking lot.
Experienced fishermen advise making holes in several places in advance - it is very difficult to find a place with a good bite the first time. Also, when fishing for pike, you should not place the girders above the pits.
You can install gear over flat areas with a small amount of snags, or where there are slight differences in depth.
Equipment for pike rig
The basis of any fishing tackle is fishing line. Since the fishing line is not used so intensively on the girder, a fishing line from any company or any manufacturer is suitable for equipping it.
The diameter of the fishing line is selected depending on the size of the fish and can range from 0.2 to 0.4 mm. As a rule, up to 25 m of fishing line is wound on a reel. A leash is required. Both a metal and fluorocarbon leash are suitable, the main thing is that the pike cannot bite through it. Depending on the size of the live bait, the weight of the sinker is also selected. The ratio of the mass of live bait to the weight of the cargo should be within 1:2.5.
Winter bait, types, equipment, installation, bait bait
If the girder is installed on a river, then everything is much more complicated, since the size of the load is chosen depending on the speed of the current. The main thing is that the load can hold the bait at one point, closer to the bottom.
The best girders for winter fishing
Zherlitsa automatic rifle Automatic Fiserman
The Automatic Fiserman device is designed for catching pike, trout, pike perch, whitefish, perch or salmon. The design includes the following elements: a supporting rod, a fishing rod holder and a guard, which is adjusted so that the fishing line has a slight slack. During a bite, this slack is pulled out and tipped onto the frame. The weight of the device reaches one kilogram. The material from which the tackle is made is plastic that can withstand low temperatures. If the automatic release system is set, you should not touch the fishing rod, otherwise you may get hit.
The line slack is adjusted to a specific type of fish. For active predators, the slack is kept to a minimum, and for passive and cautious individuals, a slack of 15 cm is left.
Zherlitsa Terminator
The Terminator holder includes a flat stand made of plastic that is resistant to physical impacts, a wooden block holder, and an anti-beard loop. The line is passed through a loop, which allows you to slow down the reel during sudden jerks and protects it from tangling. Birch bars are available in two sizes - 20 and 40 cm.
If the hole is used in conditions of very low temperatures, or is left overnight, then you should choose a higher bar and insulate the hole with a snowdrift. Also, high stands are used for fishing with a girder in thickets of grass or reeds. Even after heavy snowfalls, such flags can be easily detected.
Zherlitsa winter-summer “Cool”
The set of the winter-summer cooler “Cool” includes a base that does not sink in water. This makes it possible to use the structure not only on ice, but also on the surface of the water. The material for making the base is isolon, which prevents the hole from freezing and does not allow the vent to freeze to the ice.
Also included is a reel with a bracket and a spring-mounted clamp equipped with a flag. This is a comfortable and stable harness that does not create problems when carrying or using.
Stinger Snow Visor
The Stinger Snow Visor device is an analogue of the American frame Frabril. It is made of bright plastic that is resistant to low temperatures. In addition to the standard configuration, the device has a guide ring near the coil.
This prevents the line from twisting. The surface has been treated with an anti-icing agent. There is a 40 cm scale on the case to measure the length of the trophy.
Stinger Thermal PRO
The Stinger Thermal PRO tackle is ideal for fishing in low temperatures. The diameter of the base is 25 cm. This makes it possible to prevent the hole from freezing even at – 30°.
The zherlitsa folds up and is transported without any problems. There are also holes in the base designed to accommodate fishing rods when carrying them. The mechanism is coated with a substance that prevents icing.
Apico-Fish "Aelita"
The Apico-Fish "Aelita" device kit includes a base made of frost-resistant plastic, a rubber retainer, a volumetric reel and a volumetric alarm that opens when bitten. The line comes off smoothly, in rings, which prevents the loops from getting tangled or interlocking.
Special cases allow you to transport gear without damage or snags.
Pierce IVF
A simple pier ECO on a tripod, convenient for carrying and installation. It is made of materials that are resistant to low temperatures.
The high height and bright flag allow you to detect the tackle at a great distance. The reel has a free adjustable stroke.
Zherlitsa Three Whales
The Three Whale zherlitsa is on a round platform or three legs, which consists of a coil and a flag on a spring. Installing such a girder is not particularly difficult.
This kind of girder is easy to assemble and disassemble. Designed for fishing with live bait in winter.
Zherlitsa Kursk
The Kurskaya Zherlitsa is made of plastic that is resistant to low temperatures and does not crack in the cold. They have a stand and a high stand, thanks to which the girder can be seen from a great distance.
The equipment includes a metal leash, fishing line, weight, tee hook. There is also a special crossbar for hooking the hook while winding the fishing line.
Zherlitsa Growth
The set of the Rost zherlitsa includes a circle, a stand, a reel and a flag, which makes a clap when triggered.
In order to install the girder, you need to secure the stand with the reel and flag in special fasteners, the fishing line must be placed in the slot, and the flag must be bent and inserted into the groove.
Features of the winter girder
The product is a special fishing tackle that is used by people to hunt predatory fish. Products are usually divided into summer and winter; accordingly, they should be purchased depending on the season.
Winter models are a circle, with a product with a flag and a stand with a reel attached to its base. The recommended fishing line thickness is 0.3-0.35 mm. In terms of design, the vent is efficient and always brings good results to the user.
In addition to the disk and coil, this device also comes with other elements:
- Various hooks. It is important to look at the workmanship of this product. It is advisable to purchase models that are characterized by maximum strength, as they allow you to easily support the weight of the fish.
- The second thing that goes into the set is sinkers. Most often, elements weighing 10-15 grams are used. But if you plan to fish in deep waters, you should purchase heavier models, for example, 20 g.
Fishing with a zherlitsa is slightly reminiscent of the same event, but only with a spinning rod. However, there are differences, for example, in the first case, a leash is often used, which allows you not to miss the predator. To make fishing as effective as possible, use not ordinary bait, but roach, rudd, etc.
When purchasing such a product, it is important to consider a number of features that will help you find a quality option. First of all, it is recommended to pay attention to:
- The material used to make the reel, it is advisable to purchase models made of durable plastic.
- To prevent the line from getting tangled, you should pay attention to options where the reel moves with difficulty.
- Attention is also paid to the signaling device. The maximum length should not be more than 0.5 meters, and it itself should be made of durable metal.
- For greater effectiveness, it is recommended to equip the signaling device with a bright flag.
- The best signaling devices are those that have good flexibility, but do not react in any way to the movements of the bait.
DIY zherlitsa
You can choose girders for winter fishing on the Chinese trading platform aliexpress, but we suggest making the girders yourself with your own hands. To do this, you need to prepare a board for the base, a reel, a fishing line, a sinker, a hook, a steel leash with a snap hook, a flag and a thin metal plate or wire about half a meter long. Self-tapping screws, clamps and tools are also useful for making the device.
A 10 mm hole is made in the board, and two 4 mm holes are made in the coil. The coil itself is attached to the board with self-tapping screws. The installation of the reel should ensure that the line unwinds from below.
To install the flag, the edge of the steel plate is bent at a right angle and secured with clamps and self-tapping screws. The flag should be easily removable and positioned vertically. A piece of red fabric is placed on the top.
A weight and a hook are attached to the end of the fishing line. The do-it-yourself girder for winter fishing is ready.
