Catching pike perch at night - what you need to know

What gear to choose for night fishing

To catch pike perch at night, fishermen use almost all known gear. The only exceptions are the float rod and “circles”. Let's consider several options for catching "fanged" ones. Typically, they are hunted using either a feeder or a spinning rod. Each of these options has its own specialization. If predatory fish are caught on donkeys, it is assumed that the fisherman will be in a permanent place. When fishing with a spinning rod, the fisherman actively moves along the banks of the reservoir in search of the optimal “catching” place.

Seasonal features of night fishing for pike perch

The fanged is highly susceptible to seasonal changes, it behaves differently in spring and summer. The following is everything you need to know about the seasonal habits of fish.

Night fishing for pike perch in spring

Catching pike perch in the spring at night is practiced only in certain reservoirs, because more often the predator does not feed at night in the spring season. In March and April, pike perch go hunting in the evening, and in May a relatively stable night bite begins. In the spring, it is advisable to go fishing before sunset; at dusk you can often catch several large individuals in just 10-20 minutes.

In spring, the best baits are vibrotails and twisters. Classic night colors are quite appropriate now, and brilliant colors are often encouraged by an active bite.

Catching night pike perch in summer

Catching pike perch at night in the summer is becoming a massive, incredibly popular activity. Now the fish are especially active and go well with various artificial baits and live baits. Pike perch goes on a long hunt at night, observed from sunset until dawn with periodic intensification of the bite. Shallow waters become the hunting ground for fish.

Peak fishing times are sunset and the first 2 hours before midnight. Then the predator behaves a little more passively, but the bite still continues, only at the edges. The second wave begins about 1 hour before dawn, the pike perch again goes out to the shallows and chases small things until sunrise.

How to catch pike perch with live bait?

The best baits now are shallow-water wobblers from the minnow series, which perfectly imitate small fish and attract with their sound.

Catching pike perch at night in summer is becoming an incredibly popular activity.

Requirements for summer wobblers:

active play in a small amplitude;
stability on the current;
length from 70 to 120 mm;
from 7 g weight for casting to the optimal distance.

Catching pike perch on an autumn night

As cold weather approaches, pike perch switches to daytime feeding; at night, fish are found less and less often. In September it is not difficult to find a nocturnal predator, but after mid-October, catching a pike perch in the dark is a matter of great luck. Despite the difficulties of fishing, now is the greatest chance of catching a trophy individual; they are reluctant to go hunting during the day, still preferring the night.

In autumn there comes a rush that precedes wintering. The greatest intensification of the bite begins with the period when the water clears and numerous algae die. The fry is left without a food source, so it leaves coastal areas in search of food in the depths. Now the predator goes after the food, practically not approaching the shallow water.

In the fall, the usual jigs, as well as silicone worms, vibrating tails and imitations of fish made of foam rubber and polyurethane foam, turn out to be catchy. In areas without snags, front-loaded rotators are good.

Catching pike perch at night with a spinning rod

The rod should have a fast action and test values within forty grams. It is sensitive and provides a hard strike on the predator. They also choose a stick of medium action and with a dough of thirty grams. This tackle is also quite sensitive. The recommended blank length for shore fishing is from 2.4 to 2.7 m. If you catch pike perch from a watercraft, then the spinning rod should be shorter (no more than 2.2 m). In many cases, it is not necessary to send the tackle far, because in night fishing conditions it is quite inconvenient. Use stepped wiring (with drawing or short). Such wiring is used both day and night, the only difference is that lighter loads are hung, and fishing occurs at shallower depths.

How to catch pike perch in the summer using a spinning rod

The predator is best caught on summer nights. It is at this time that it is easiest to catch this toothy predator. The effective bite is observed at approximately eleven in the evening, and continues for about an hour, then before dawn, and subsides around six in the morning. Even beginners can master summer night fishing for pike perch, as this method will not present any particular difficulties for them.

Selection of spinning lures

If we talk about catching “fanged” fish using the jigging method with a retractable leash, then it is better to select baits that are larger in size so that the fish can notice them from afar in the dark. However, many argue that the use of small “perch rubber” is quite justified and brings good results.

Be sure to pay attention to the coloring of the bait. Choose bright, acidic colors that can attract predators from afar in night water. Sudchatniks quite often use luminous “rubber”, and there is no need to charge it until it is fully charged - a slightly dim light “works” better. Another very productive way of catching a predator is by dragging it “on foam rubber”.

In combination with artificial baits, offset hooks Nos. 4 and 5 are used. Good results are achieved when fishing with treble hooks - they minimize idle bites. The only condition for their use is that there are no algae or any other vegetation in the fishing area.

Pike perch hunting area

In general, places that are promising for catching pike perch can be identified using three main features:

the presence of sandbanks where bleak or minnows can be found, which become the main prey of the fanged predator;
rocky ridges with a depth difference of at least 1 meter, which are densely populated with food supply for small fish, which, in turn, attracts pike perch as a predator;
coastal slopes into the water are promising, since sharp changes in altitude make it convenient for predatory fish to ambush; pike perch is no exception and adheres to different thicknesses of water.

We recommend reading: The Ice Kingdom of Reservoirs

Diversion and drainage channels, streams and springs are also of keen interest to predatory fish, since flows of incoming water can have an upward temperature gradient, as well as bring additional food suspension, which will attract schools of peaceful fish. In such segments of reservoirs you can always observe a concentration of roach, minnows, bleaks, etc.

Success can also be called the case when the fisherman managed to discover a combination of these features that characterize a promising place. For example, it could be a jet of warm current formed by a canal or stream, which then passes over a ridge or spit, abruptly changing to a hole. The probability of detecting a predator in such places tends to one hundred percent.

Places where pike perch are caught

Know that pike perch often gather in schools and suffer greatly from the lack of oxygen. Therefore, it settles in reservoirs with not very strong water flow and great depth. The best way to look for this fish is:

In the beds of rivers or reservoirs, which are adjacent to “plains” with sandy or rocky bottom relief.
In river sections located below dams, since there the water is actively saturated with oxygen.
On various edges, slopes, hills.
In areas where there is a boundary between fast water and reverse flow.
Near washed-out clay or rocky shores where snags are present.
When fishing at night, it is most effective to fish shallow areas of water that descend into depth.
Shallow waters.
Areas of water where the asp hunt took place during the day.
Places with shallow water located below the rifts.
At the underwater junction of sandy and rocky areas.

Features of night fishing for pike perch

Content

Pike-perch is prone to an active night life. At night, the predator leaves its daytime sites, where it waits out the heat. Mostly the fanged one goes to areas with a low water level or simply rises closer to the surface. The reason for changing habitat is to search for food; pike perch tends to feed on small fish. The thermocline also plays a role in behavior.

At night, due to the high water temperature during the day, the predator goes out to hunt

Let us highlight the basic features of pike perch behavior:

during the evening dawn, the fish tends to approach the nearby edge, which is located next to the shallows;
when it gets completely dark, the predator rises to the shallows and catches the fry in raids. The greatest biting activity occurs at midnight, and the second peak is at dawn;
As soon as it gets light, the fanged one leaves the shallow water and settles on the nearby edge. So he continues to hunt for bull, silver bream, perch, etc.;
after the sun reaches its zenith or earlier, the pike perch swims to depth, temporarily losing interest in food;
if there is no edge nearby, but there are rifts or areas with medium depths, the behavior of the fish is different. The predator remains almost in one place all day, feeding at the same time and losing its appetite in the heat. You can most likely find pike perch near a snag or in a small hole nearby.

Tips from the professionals

It is impossible to provide for all methods of catching pike perch, but there are certain rules that are still better to adhere to.

Until you find out exactly where the predator is, cast the gear at different distances from the shore. This will help you calculate the time that passes from the moment the pike perch leaves the shelters until it returns “home” to the pits.
You must have complete control over the movement of the tackle when jigging with a retractable leash.
A fishing point for night fishing must be prepared during daylight hours.
To make the hunt comfortable, your arsenal should include: repellents, warm clothes, a flashlight, bite alarms for donks (both sound and luminous).
When fishing with a spinning rod in the dark, be sure to practice during the day in the technique of making long and accurate casts.
You should not relax until the “passive” pike perch is on the shore. It often happens that a sluggish fish suddenly starts a fight almost right next to the shore.

Peculiarities of pike perch behavior at night

Pike perch is considered a nocturnal schooling predator. After sunset, this fish becomes active, moves around the water area and hunts for small, narrow-bodied fish. The fanged one is most active at dawn, as well as around midnight. During other hours, the fish experience a slight decrease in appetite. Pike perch begins to fish for spinning at night in the spring, when it begins its pre-spawning run. During this period, many fishermen, not waiting for the fanged fish to emerge at dawn, pack up and leave the reservoir. Experienced spinning anglers linger on the shore for an hour. Often this bears fruit in the form of several confident bites and weighty fish.

At the end of spring after spawning, the fanged fish gradually switches to a summer feeding regime. During the day, the predator is active with short-term exits. Pike perch are most active at night. It reaches various shallow sections of rivers, where whitebait accumulate in abundance. In autumn, pike perch continues to be caught at night. Few fishermen know about this and are content with only daylight hours. However, in the dark, it is the trophy specimens that are caught that are reluctant to take bait during the day. In ice-free sections of rivers, fishing for pike perch at night in winter is practiced, and quite successfully. There are still few fans of winter spinning rods, since fishing is difficult, not everyone can withstand the cold and other “delights” of winter. But there are no barriers for fans of paddle boarders; they go to the river at any time of the year.

Equipment for catching pike perch in winter from ice and features of the game

There are no delicate features to note here; to catch pike perch, it is enough to use a rigid rod with an inertial reel installed on it. The only requirement is the presence of a dead brake. As a cord, it is best to use monofilament fishing line with a cross-sectional diameter of 0.3 to 0.4 mm, with the obligatory installation of a leash with an optimal length of 20 cm. The connection is organized through the installation of a swivel with a carabiner for greater convenience when changing bait, for which brightly colored balancers are mainly used colors. The choice depends solely on the characteristics of the reservoir and the best option can be found only after careful analysis and collection of certain statistics.

It is worth noting that it is recommended to replace the standard tee with a larger one, this will reduce the likelihood of fish falling off when landing it.

It should also be remembered that despite the decrease in the activity of pike perch in winter and, as a result, its lower resistance, you should not neglect the presence of a hook, which will help negate the unpredictability of the fish at the final stage of its rise from the hole.

Of course, as with many fishing methods, character and skill in the game are very important when handling the balancer. There is no universal method, everything is determined empirically, but general recommendations that can be followed when starting to fish a hole are as follows:

make a series of short taps with the bait on the bottom;
smoothly raise the balancer above the bottom by 10 cm, pause for 1-2 seconds and lower it again, while it is advisable to scratch the tee along the bottom, creating a cloud of turbidity;
move from the bottom to higher layers of water and repeat rises, pauses and resets;

Of course, the game can be alternated; for example, it is not necessary to pause. It should also be remembered that when hunting a predator, you should not linger in one place for a long time; fishing should last no more than 5 minutes. Usually, if a pike perch is nearby, it will give at least some signal about it.