How to make a winter fishing rod with your own hands: video and photos

Pike Perch Pike perch Crucian carp Carp Roach

It’s hard to imagine a winter fishing rod without a quality six. This element of equipment may seem like a trifle that is not even worth paying attention to. Actually this is not true. When choosing a six, you need to know and take into account various nuances. For example, inexperienced fishermen often do not know which pole to buy - hard or flexible. Both options are good in different situations. If a fisherman plans to catch small fish, a standard plastic six is ​​quite suitable. Its flexibility will “help” the fisherman quickly and easily absorb catch jerks. A hard six is ​​useful when catching large, predatory fish - it is safer to hook with them.

General information about the types and designs of winter fishing rods

Many of us know and know how to fish in the warm season, but have never done it in winter. Although the basic principle of fishing does not change depending on the time of year (we still fish with a fishing rod, only a winter one), there is a difference in the gear itself (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Components of a winter fishing rod: handle, reel, whip, nod

All types of winter fishing rods consist of several main parts:

1. Handles;
2. Reels or reels;
3. Whip (fishing rod).

A bit for fishing with a jig must have a nod. It is not necessary for trolling, but can be used when using light bait and during inactive biting.

It is important to remember that, unlike light jig bits, those used for lure fishing must be strong and reliable to withstand the traction and weight of large predators.

Winter fishing rod design

A winter fishing rod is a short, up to 30 cm, fishing rod with a small inertial reel or reel with line. A mandatory element must be a device for installation on ice and a handle made of materials that insulate the cold parts of the gear (Figure 2). A popular option is cork or foam handles.

Figure 2. Design of a winter fishing rod: fishing rod (1), stand (2), reel (3)

The main thing to remember is that winter gear is used in severe frost, often with gloves or mittens. Therefore, it is important to simplify the design as much as possible and make it quite reliable, because setting up, let alone repairing, gear in the cold is a difficult and obviously unwinnable business.

It is worth noting that it is better to make several identical fishing rods at once, because in winter the fishing process is not too intense, and this way you will have a better chance of a successful catch.

It is very important to choose the right materials that will be resistant to frost and mechanical stress without losing their properties.

What are fishing rods for a winter predator?

Winter fishing rods for trolling are seriously different from other gear. Even the length of the whip varies. Since active fishing involves constant movements on the ice between holes, a telescopic fishing rod is most convenient for trolling. Since the winter predator is less active, the sensitivity of the fishing rod plays a vital role. For this purpose, it is equipped with a rigid nod.

Main varieties of lures

The trolling rod comes in small sizes. But for large perch, special fishing rods with increased power are sometimes used.

Fishing is carried out using a small vertical spinner. The length of the nod of the winter fishing rod is selected to be the shortest. High sensitivity and speed of hooking such sensitive prey are required.

Finnish winter lures are especially popular among amateur fishermen. They are painted in a golden shiny color, equipped with one treble hook or single hook. When cast into an ice hole, they give the impression of moving fry. This attracts the attention of not only perch, but also large predators like pike perch or pike.

This type of winter fishing rod with Finnish lures also has serious disadvantages. The quality of the hooks is low. They often break and the prey goes back into the water.

Lucky John winter fishing rods, which currently have 5 varieties, are quite good. They are versatile, durable and suitable for a variety of bait types. The Lucky John Mormax fishing rod is especially effective for perch. It is best for fishing with both jigs and small spoons. It is lightweight and the body is made of durable foam. The spool is made of elastic, frost-resistant plastic. Dacron limit washers help ensure ease of rotation and trouble-free operation.

Fishermen also appreciate Japanese winter fishing rods. They mainly fish with HIGASHI fishing rods, which are produced in several series. They are equally successful in catching both freshwater and marine predatory fish. Among freshwater fish, small fish are well caught: loach, grayling, and perch. Large ones: pike perch and pike. Luck also contributes to catching marine life: Asian smelt, navaga, flounder. The MASU, PAIKU, WhiteFish series are known, which are models of winter retractable telescopic lures.

Fishing rod without reel

Used for catching small predators, such as crucian carp. You have to work at shallow depths, there is not much line stock on the reel. Winter fishing rods for trolling without a reel are mostly made by fishermen themselves. The fishing line is wound onto a statically installed reel. In this case, it is better to use a winter Finnish lure on the fishing rod.

Fishing rod and reel

Designed for hunting large predators such as pike. Used for fishing in fresh and sea water. Winter trolling for pike perch, for example, requires a large reel. When trying to fish, pike perch can go to a depth of up to 10 m.

In addition, the fishing rod should have a hard nod with good shock absorption; when hooked, the hook breaks through the hard jaw. The coil can also be small in size. At least 20 m of monofilament fishing line is wound onto the reel of a winter fishing rod. It is better to take with a reserve: up to 30 m. This is due to the possibility of the line breaking repeatedly during fishing.

Lightweight

This type of lure fishing rod is used in winter mainly for catching perch. Since the whip is not sensitive enough to the bite of attentive fish, a nod is used instead.

A light rod can be equipped with a spool or work without it. The use of a reel is allowed when catching large fish at large differences in depth. it has a short rod that allows you to quickly hook a perch.

It is noted that a lightweight winter telescopic fishing rod allows the fisherman to move from hole to hole, taking into account the additional load in the form of an ice drill, box, thermos and other things.

Heavy

When fishing for powerful large predators, such as large pike or pike perch, strict requirements begin to be placed on fishing rods. This is explained by the large size of the baits, as well as the technical characteristics of the gear.

Great importance is attached to the rigidity and strength of the whip. Homemade tops are made of carbon fiber. Thanks to this, it is possible to combine sensitivity and flexibility, eliminating the need for nodding. Due to the elasticity of the whip tip, control over the bait is not lost.

Heavy equipment is equipped with longer whips. Many anglers use a plug or telescopic fishing rod for ease of transportation and movement on ice. A whip of increased length allows for a large swing and a sharp hook, guaranteeing that the hook will penetrate the jaws of a predatory fish.

To equip winter lures, high-quality reels are used. Metal inertial reels with a medium or large spool are most suitable. Reels with sizes ranging from 2000 to 3000, as well as high-quality multipliers, are successfully used. The reel is used not only for winding fishing line, but also for the purpose of fishing and playing with bait, which requires the reel to have a reliable brake.

Examples of equipment for different types of lures

A fisherman always selects gear based on his goals and season. Equipping a winter fishing rod for trolling is a painstaking task and requires thoughtful attention to each component.

Equipping a light fishing rod for perch fishing

For perch hunting, gear with the following characteristics is selected.

1. A do-it-yourself fishing rod for trolling perch is made from cork. A soft whip with a length of 30 to 35 cm is used.
2. For successful fishing, you need to equip your fishing rod with an inertial plastic spool with a diameter of 5 cm. In this case, you need to make sure that there are no defects, jams or backlashes. It is necessary to wind 20 to 30 m of monofilament with a diameter of 0.12−0.20 mm onto the reel.
3. The nod is selected depending on the weight of the bait. All fishing gear is grouped according to mass parameters to select nods from plastic or metal plates. It is advisable to adjust the deviation of the gatehouse under the influence of load to 20-30 degrees from the horizontal. The length of the nod is limited to 50−60 mm.
4. Winter fishing rod baits are selected depending on the season and fishing area. Among the baits for perch, “gliding” spinners performed well.

Read: Spinner spinner

Tackle for pike and zander

A fishing rod of passable quality is made from an old spinning rod, adapted for lure fishing. How to equip a winter lure fishing rod for pike or pike perch? To do this you need:

• shorten the handle to the required size - about 20 cm;
• equip the butt with a tube for mounting the whip. In case of increased rigidity of the spinning tip, a carbon fiber tip equipped with rings is used;
• equip the whip of a winter fishing rod for trolling with 3-4 guide rings. Sometimes the diameter of the “tulip” does not correspond to the size of the carbon whip. To combine it, you need to cut off a fragment of a fiberglass tip about 30 cm long with an attached “tulip” and insert it inside the carbon whip with glue. To smooth the joint, a thread is wound around its surface and covered with a layer of varnish;
• An important part of a winter fishing rod for lure fishing is the equipment with a reel seat, which simplifies the installation of a “meat grinder” or a spinning rod;
• for catching pike perch, monofilament without a leash with a diameter of 0.16 to 0.20 mm is used;
• Vertical zander spoons weighing up to 40 grams are used as bait. In addition, the rod can be used with other types of baits, for example, silicone or balancers.

Read: Secrets of choosing a spinner for winter pike perch fishing

Reelless - light and mobile fishing rod

This is one of the most compact and easiest fishing rods to make, which does not require a large amount of materials (Figure 3).

We will need:

1. Durable foam or champagne cork;
2. Brush / thin metal plate / old tip from a telescopic fishing rod / plastic knitting needle;
3. File;
4. Sandpaper;
5. Spring and piece of plastic or x-ray;
6. Cambrics are special silicone tubes for attaching fishing line.

Figure 3. Basic materials for making a reelless fishing rod.
We cut out a handle for a fishing rod from foam plastic or cork. We process the unevenness with a file and sandpaper. You can provide a place on the handle for a reel.

From the handle of a plastic knitting needle or any other suitable rod, we make a whip. We cut a hole in the handle and insert it there or glue in a handle for reliability. There are two options for attaching to the plug: at the end of the cylinder or on the side. When attaching the whip to the side, it is a little more convenient to wind and release the line if necessary.

We construct a nod using a spring and a piece of plastic or cutting it out of X-ray film and securing it with cambrics of different diameters.

After this, the fishing line is wound and the jig is tied.

Advice from the experts

So, we briefly learned what the two versions of fishing rods in the average configuration consist of. Now let's talk to experts who have independently made more than a dozen winter fishing rods, both for jig fishing and for trolling.

Nikita (ndup):

– Good afternoon, dear friends, today I will tell you how to make a couple of types of fishing rods with your own hands. The simplest and most effective fishing rod that you can make in a short period of time with your own hands is the so-called Shcherbakov fishing rod. It's very easy to do! After the New Year's table, a wine or champagne cork remains (made of cork material, not plastic!), carefully grind the area under the fishing line and glue the six with super glue. The main thing is that the six is ​​cushioned, and when there is a bite, the line begins to be released from the plug, that is, some analogue of a friction is obtained.

,

In the photo: a homemade cork fishing rod.

The advantage of such a fishing rod is its ease of manufacture, and it does not take up much space. Another big plus is the low weight of this design. The downside is that the fishing line is wound by hand; this fishing rod does not have any spools.

Another simple and easy-to-make fishing rod is the filly. You can fish with it not only using a jig, but also with a spinner.

In the photo: a homemade foam fishing rod.

It’s also easy to do, take a piece of foam or cork material and grind down the area for the fishing line. We drill a hole into which we insert a six-piece about 20-30 cm long and that’s it. The fishing line on this design is also wound by hand, there are no spools.

You can also watch a video where I modified the nod for a winter fishing rod with my own hands.

Igor ( IVH):

– Every fisherman, whether a beginner or an experienced one, no matter, over time, after a shopping trip, accumulates a certain amount of bait - spinners, balancers and many other fishing goodies. It is no secret that a huge number of winter fishing enthusiasts hunt for predatory fish - perch, pike perch, pike, burbot. But the baits, of course, are different for each predator - they differ in size, weight and other parameters.

Bit for a jig

In the case of the bait version of jig fishing, a more stable and voluminous design is used. Typically the handle is cut into a stable brace shape, often referred to by fishermen as a “filly” (Figure 4). The reel is cut directly into the handle, where a special groove is cut for winding the line. The filly is usually made of dense foam, wood or cork. In this design, the hole for the whip is drilled in the front end of the “filly”.

Figure 4. Options for the “filly” handle

The examples given above are used as a whip, or a flexible rod. The nod is also made from available materials - a spring, a plastic bottle or Mylar film.

For mormyshing with a nozzle

If fishing with a jig will be carried out using a nozzle, you need to make a more massive rod. Use foam, wood or cork to make the handle.

It is necessary to give the product the appearance of a staple, often called a “filly” by fishermen. You need to make a groove in the workpiece in which the fishing line is wound.

Universal supply

This type of fishing rod is called universal, because on its basis it is not difficult to assemble gear for different types of winter fishing (Figure 5).

Types of winter fishing:

• float;
• for the current;
• for light glitter;
• catching perch with live bait;
• set on rotan or pike perch.

To create a universal winter fishing rod, you can use any suitable materials. We will look at one of the options, based on which you can make your own improved model.

Figure 5. Scheme of a universal supply unit

We will need:

1. Plastic tube with a diameter of 15 mm;
2. Traffic jams;
3. Coil or wire to create a reel;
4. Polystyrene foam / isolon / cork sheet;
5. Whip.

We cut off a part from the tube, approximately 15 cm long. At one end we attach a coil or wire reel. We close the ends of the tube with champagne corks, after placing a weight inside so that the fishing rod does not tip over. Next, we insulate the handle with polystyrene foam, wrap it with cork or foil insulation, with foil inside. In the plug on the side of the reel we make a hole for the whip. We attach stable legs from wire, foam or plastic. Next, we equip the fishing rod with the parts you need, such as a nod, guide rings, etc.

We took such a handle to make a float rod, and below we will look at the characteristics of floats for fishing in the winter.

DIY winter fishing rod - design options and manufacturing process

Making a winter fishing rod with your own hands at home is not difficult. At the same time, it is important to understand the characteristics of the type of fishing for which the gear is being prepared. The fishing rod required for an active jig is not the same as for float fishing with a riser. A number of fishermen use, in principle, only homemade gear, while others modify store-bought options. It makes no difference whether the tackle is made independently or purchased in a store. A person catches fish using knowledge and skills, and a fishing rod is just a tool. Winter gear, due to its small size, is not as demanding on materials as long summer gear. You can literally make them on your knees using improvised materials. In this article we will look at how to make a homemade winter fishing rod. Let's look at various schemes and tips for homemade fishing rods for winter fishing.

Float for winter fishing rod

Floats for winter fishing have their own characteristic features that must be taken into account when making gear (Figure 6).

Features of floats for winter tackle:

1. In winter, the float tends to quickly freeze up, and in order to avoid this, it is immersed in water to a depth of 12-15 mm;
2. In order for the float to be clearly visible under water, its upper part is made as bright and noticeable as possible;
3. Due to the fact that the gear and fishing line for winter fishing are quite thin and small, the size of the float does not exceed 10-15 mm;
4. The float is easy to cut using a knife made of dense foam.

Figure 6. Options for winter floats
A float rod with a jig is most often used for catching roach, gudgeon or bream that live near the bottom of reservoirs.
Therefore, it is important to know the depth in order to correctly calculate the length of the line. With a reservoir depth of 5-6 m, we will need 15-18 m of monofilament.

How to make it yourself

Today there is a fairly large selection of fishing parts. If they do not live up to expectations, there is nothing else left to do but make a whip for a winter fishing rod yourself.

These elements of gear have a characteristic specificity. You need quite a lot of them for fishing in different bodies of water. It is recommended to use separate products for different fishing methods. Some winter fishing experts stock up on several ready-made fishing rods with whips of different hardness and properties.

It is recommended to make homemade fishing elements for a winter fishing rod with your own hands. An integrated approach will help you get excellent individual gear.

If you decide to make your own whips, you need to decide on the rigidity of the device and the desired strength. The material used to make the fishing element and its length depend on these parameters.

Polycarbonate

To make a whip, you will need a polycarbonate blank 18-19 cm long. The blank for the future product should have an expansion at the base and taper at the top. Moreover, the hole in the handle must exactly match the dimensions of the base of the whip.

If the width of the product is greater than necessary, then the workpiece is trimmed with a knife and sanded. Sixes for winter fishing rods made of polycarbonate are excellent for fishing with jigs.

Made from fiberglass

To fish for devils, it is necessary to make the elements of the gear longer. The best material would be fiberglass. To make a thin fiberglass fishing whip, sandpaper is enough. It is recommended to trim off excess thickness under running water, otherwise fine dust will settle on your hands.

Homemade fiberglass whips are considered the best pieces of gear for winter fishing. With such devices you can fish even with heavy spoons, but provided that the fishing part is sufficiently thick. The nod for a winter fishing rod should be hard.

Titanium

Whips made of titanium alloy are lightweight, highly durable and rigid, so it is recommended to add an elastic nod to such a whip. It is better to make it from a simple spring.

A titanium device is well suited for fishing at great depths and using heavy bait. The fishing product exhibits excellent properties when using a thick fishing line and is indispensable on rivers with strong currents. The only drawback is the insufficient availability of material for such a device and its high price.

Fishing rod for trolling

Unlike light jig fishing rods, the correct fishing rod for trolling must be strong and reliable, because it is used to catch a fairly large predator - pike, perch or pike perch (Figure 7).

In production, such a fishing rod is similar to a universal fishing rod, but, as mentioned above, it needs additional strengthening.

We make the handle from the same plastic pipe, preferably a little stronger or something similar. The length should be 15-25 centimeters. To insulate the handle, we use isolon or crushed cork (you can grate it). We coat the plastic with glue, skipping the space under the coil, and roll it over the crumbs. We wait for complete drying and repeat the procedure again. After creating several layers of cork and drying them, we process the handle with a rasp, and then with a file and sandpaper. You can make a handle from wood.

Figure 7. Fishing rod for trolling

After processing the handle, attach the reel that suits you to it using two clamps. You can wrap electrical tape on top to prevent hand contact with metal in the cold.

As in the previous method, we seal the holes in the tube with plugs, and in the front we make a hole for the whip. The length of the fishing rod can reach 60-70 centimeters. It is important that it is not too soft.

Next, you need to attach at least three passage rings to the whip, and a tulip is mounted on the tip. Rings can be made from wire and attached with glue and thread.

The last step is to attach a nod if the fisherman requires one.

Some tips:

1. A fishing line should be used 0.16 - 0.30 mm thick and more than 20 m long;
2. You can use both inertial and non-inertial coils. In our conditions, it is important that the tackle makes it easy to reel in or release the line;
3. For lure fishing, it is best to take several types of spoons and a balancer;
4. When using a nod, its rigidity is adjusted depending on the weight of the bait.

Making a reel of a foam fishing rod

To make a reel of a winter foam plastic fishing rod, we need drawing 4, where the dimensions of the reel itself are indicated in two projections.

In drawing 5 below, the dimensions of its container body are given in the text.

The author of the development has a reel for a foam winter fishing rod and a reel container made on a lathe from caprolactam. Any other plastic that is resistant to surface friction will do.

But I’ll repeat it again.

Instead of making it yourself, you can saw off the container along with the reel from a purchased fishing rod and bring out a flat plane from the bottom of the container.

Then, a through hole should be drilled in the central sleeve of the container for the reel body, through which a spring-loaded screw is passed on a fully manufactured foam fishing rod, with the help of which the reel is pressed against the internal cavity of the container.

Therefore, the internal thread in the central bushing of the reel seat is no longer needed. It can be sharpened with a round file.

Self-cutter

A rod with a self-hook is more a necessity than a luxury in winter. It is very difficult to sit motionless in the cold for a long time, and you often have to get up and warm yourself with tea. And of course, it can be very disappointing when the bite starts right at this moment, and you don’t have time to hook the fish. It was for such cases that a device was invented that automatically responds to the slightest bite, which has become an indispensable assistant for many fishermen (Figure 8).

Figure 8. “Factory” version of a winter fishing rod with a self-hook

Some people believe that using such a device ruins the romance of winter fishing. In such cases, you can simply switch the fishing rod to manual mode and fish in the usual way, waiting for the bite yourself. And use the automatic mode when you have to leave the hole.

There are several types of structures for undercutting, but we will consider the simplest of them.

This option is mounted on a regular piece of plywood, which serves as the base for the entire structure. It’s not difficult to make if you have the right materials and tools.

For production you will need:

1. A piece of plywood or a wooden board with a thickness of 20 mm and an area of ​​30x10 cm;
2. Reel, lines, float and hook and weight;
3. Spring, or thin wire for its manufacture;
4. Thick wire for levers;
5. Brackets for attaching the lever.

Draw a design diagram on the board.

At one end we screw brackets to attach the lever. We make a lever from thick wire, bending it according to the diagram. We wind a thin wire or spring onto it. We attach the lever with the spring to the plywood (Figure 9).

We bend the locking bracket from the same thick wire and fasten it in the part opposite to the lever. We attach a piece of elastic to the top of the locking bracket. If desired, it can be strengthened and marked with electrical tape.

Figure 9. One of the stages of manufacturing a self-cutting device

We attach the reel and hanging hook to the wooden base.

Having wound the fishing line, we pass it through the suspension and along the top of the rubber tip of the locking bracket. Next, all that remains is to adjust the tension and spring lever.

With the operating principle of a mousetrap

First, cut a small hole in the back of the plywood. This is necessary to secure the device on ice. A sharpened peg is driven into the hole, and you don’t have to be afraid that a large fish will drag the fishing rod away.

Stepping back a little from the hole, a spring with a long rod, similar to those installed in mousetraps, is attached to the board.

Figure 10. Options for a homemade self-undercutter

At the long end of the spring (on the rod) we attach a clamp cut from a piece of rubber. We wind the end of the fishing line around it.

A wood plate trigger is attached to the front of the plywood. A small hole is drilled in the top of the plate to accommodate the end of the spring rod.