Ram on a float in winter

Preparing the feeder for ramming

Fishing for rams is carried out mainly in places with slow currents on medium and small rivers, in creeks, lakes, etc. Taking this into account, a feeder rod for ramming is suitable with a test weight of 40 to 80 grams. In some cases, a picker with dough up to 40 grams will do. In general, the ideal option for catching rams would be light and medium parabolic fishing rods. Parabolic action means that the rod bends along its entire length. Among anglers they are commonly called noodles because of their excellent flexibility. Such fishing rods give great pleasure when landing fish and even when reeling in equipment.

If you fish in places with medium and strong currents, then you will need a feeder with a large dough of 100 grams and above, heavyweights. It is better to choose a softer rod and use a flexible tip with less dough. Many tips are marked with flexibility values ​​in Lb. If there is no such designation, then you can bend each one a little with your fingers to understand which tips are more flexible and which are stiffer.

We set the reel with a spool size from 3000 to 4000. You can also set it to 2500 if the fishing distance is short. The reel should be light and not have unnecessary parts such as a baitrunner and elements that weigh it down.

We wind a fishing line on a reel with a diameter of 0.2 with a breaking load of up to 3 kg, or a braid with a diameter of 0.1 mm with approximately the same breaking load. We use any equipment: paternoster, inline and asymmetrical loop.

To do inline installation, you need to take a piece of fishing line with a diameter of 0.3 mm and first thread one stopper through it. After that we take a fastener like this

and thread it through the fishing line. After this we thread the second stopper. At one end of the fishing line we make a loop to which we attach a leash with a hook. At the second end we knit another swivel, which is fastened to the loop of the main fishing line. As a result, we should have a montage like this:

A more modified installation option looks like this:

As you can see, a swivel with a plastic eye is used, to which a twist is also attached, at the end of which a swivel for the feeder is attached. Thanks to this twist, the likelihood of tangling the feeder with the main fishing line is reduced.

If we use a paternoster, then it can be knitted on the main line. This reduces the likelihood of breakage of the equipment with the feeder. We knit leashes from fishing line with a diameter of 0.1-0.14 mm. We use hooks No. 14-18 according to international numbering. People with large fingers may find it difficult to knit such delicate rigs. The following tools help in this matter:

These are looper and hooker. From the names it is clear that we first knit the loops on the leashes and the main fishing line, and with the help of the second tool we tie the hooks. The loops are neat and of the same size, and with the help of a crochet hook you can tie even the smallest hooks of 20 numbers.

A few words about feeders. They are now sold in any fishing store. You can use both metal and plastic, with or without a bottom. When fishing for roach, it is better to use open-type feeders with a small volume. They look like this.

In this picture we see feeders of different sizes and different types. Any, but the smallest sizes are suitable for catching rams. The fact is that this fish, when active, takes the bait while falling. Therefore, it is better to feed less food, but more often. It is important that the food is dusty and consists of small particles. The more active the bait, the better. Closed feeders can only be used in strong currents. If the flow is slow, the feed will take a long time to wash out.

Bait for roaches in autumn

Like other fish, with the arrival of autumn, roach accumulates fat reserves for the long winter. It is in winter, due to a lack of oxygen in the water, that fish activity decreases and the body is forced to switch to replenishing nutrients from fat reserves.

When preparing for roach fishing in the fall, the angler must take into account the quality of the feed mixture and add more ingredients high in protein and fat to the complementary food.

One of the important components of autumn bait for roaches is cereals. The cereal contains many nutrients that will be necessary for roaches during the winter. Cereals may include pearl barley, rolled oats, barley, and peas. In addition to the composition of fats and proteins in these cereals, they attract roaches with their odors, which is important when feeding a future fishing spot.

Another important basis is the addition of aromatic substances to the autumn feed mixture for roaches. These substances include anise drops, hemp drops, vanilla and other fragrant ingredients. However, it must be remembered that in the fall the roach’s sense of smell is more developed than in the summer or spring, and the high consistency of aromas in the water can scare away the fish. Therefore, it is better not to use flavorings in autumn bait for roaches at all.

Read: Fishing for crucian carp. Is it worth feeding fish?

In addition to cereals and aromatic substances, breadcrumbs and crushed cake are added to the autumn bait for roaches. The breadcrumbs in the bait add viscosity to the mixture, and the cake has a pleasant smell, to which the roach reacts positively. The cake also contains a large proportion of fat, which is accordingly an additional source of nutrition for fish in the autumn.

To prepare autumn bait you will need:

• Cereals 200-300 grams. It is desirable that the bait be more rich; you can mix several types of cereals, for example pearl barley and rolled oats.
• Breadcrumbs – 100-150 grams. Crackers can be bought at a special fishing store or made yourself.
• Cake – 50 grams.
• Other impurities. These include sunflower oil and bloodworms, which are also an additional source of food in the feed mixture.
• Priming.

Cereals must be boiled or steamed in boiling water. Add crackers, cake and other ingredients to the resulting porridge. After this, you need to mix everything thoroughly and add soil to give the bait density. After this, make a dense lump that should not fall apart in your hand. If the lump is dense enough, then the feed mixture is ready for use. If not, then by adding soil, give the bait the desired viscosity.

Read: A catchy village bait for crucian carp that always works

In the autumn, the role of bait for catching roach is very important, as the fish prepare for winter and actively move around the reservoir in search of food. And as you know, roach is a schooling fish and it is impossible to keep it in place without feeding. Taking this into account, the fisherman needs to know that the success of autumn roach fishing depends on bait.

We equip a Bolognese fishing rod

We will need a light fishing rod made of graphite or carbon fiber, 5 meters long. The fishing rod should be flexible, parabolic type. On the reel seat we install an inertia-free reel with a spool volume of 1500 or 2000. We wind a fishing line on it with a thickness of 0.18 - 0.2 mm. We put one rubber stopper on the fishing line, then thread a swivel onto which we hang a sliding float. The tackle will look like this:

It is better to use a needle-type float with a load capacity of 2-3 grams. We don't need long casts, so the sensitivity of the float is a priority.

We tie the leash as usual - using the loop-to-loop method. You can also use a small swivel, as shown in the figure. The length of the leash is 7-10 cm. We use hook No. 14-20 according to international numbering.

Ram on a float with a retractable leash

At the mouths of rivers and at the exit from bays and estuaries, there is often a current. In such places it is better to catch rams on a float with a retractable leash . The tackle is a rod with a reel or a reel, equipped with a main line with a diameter of 0.15 mm and an olive sinker at the end of the line. The sinker can be of any shape, since in this case it is the end sinker of the fishing rod, and above the sinker on a triple swivel, a leash made of fishing line 0.12 mm with a hook No. 2.5-3 of domestic numbering is tied. The length of the leash varies depending on the quality of the bite. During active fishing, it is better to use shorter leashes 20 cm long.

Equipping a fly rod

We will need a parabolic type fly rod 6-7 meters long. We tie a piece of fishing line to it, which is 30 centimeters longer than the rod. We attach the fishing line to a plastic connector located on the tip of the rod.

We install a sports float with a blind mount, teardrop-shaped or needle-shaped. The carrying capacity of the float is 1-2 grams. In quiet places and when fishing on a boat between water lilies and in creeks, you can use lighter floats.

We surround the floats with 3-5 pellets. The remaining elements of the equipment are the same as in the Bolognese fishing rod.

It is convenient to hold rigs for match fishing rods on plastic reels of this type:

It is better to have up to 10 such equipment. On the reels we write the diameter of the fishing line and leader, the hook number and the carrying capacity of the float. Upon arrival at the reservoir, we select the equipment that is applicable for the given conditions.

We equip a donk for catching rams

It is better to use a rod for bottom fishing for rams that is light and not long, up to 3.3 meters. A folding telescopic one or one consisting of two elbows and a top is suitable. We install a light reel on the fishing rod with a spool capacity of 3000 to 4000. You can also use an inertial reel of the following type:

We wind a fishing line with a diameter of 0.25 mm or a braid with a diameter of 0.12 mm on it. We attach the bottom equipment to the fishing line. It can consist of a flat weight or a sliding feeder. Bottom mountings on a ram look like this:

The rigs are knitted on a fishing line 0.3 mm thick. A leash made of fluorocarbon fishing line 0.2 mm thick is attached to a swivel, or loop to loop. Hooks are used Nos. 12-16 according to international numbering.

The following devices can be used as a bite alarm:

An alternative to such alarms can be classic bells or electronic alarms. If you use a sensitive fishing rod, then the bites are clearly visible at the tip, as on a feeder rod. Many fishermen do without alarms.

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Catching roach in the spring with a spinning rod

As a rule, ram is caught quite effectively during its spawning, which begins in particular in the Kuban from mid-February. During spawning, the ram is very hungry and therefore chooses coastal places and creeks. In such places she has a place to leave her eggs and also live on anything edible. Tackle for catching rams in spring. Without a doubt, the most convenient and catchy tackles are feeder, donka, and float tackle. In this article we will talk about catching rams on a feeder and donka using a spinning rod. To catch roach and ram, you can use gear made according to the “Crucian Carp Killer” principle with a small number of feeders. Feeder equipment.

When catching rams on a feeder , feeders, monofilament fishing line, and hooks are used. Externally, feeder equipment is quite simple, and differs from bottom equipment in its delicacy and, so to speak, invisibility. Of course, for long casts you need to get a feeder rod with a length of 320 cm to 420 cm. We select a fishing line with a thickness of about 0.17 mm - 0.2 mm. The length of the leash should be about 60cm. As for hooks, numbers 6-8 according to the Japanese classification are suitable, preferably with a long shank. Bottom equipment. In my case, perhaps only one name remains from the bottom equipment. How many feeders I use are feeder ones, and bait is no different with hooks and bait. The only difference between the bottom tackle is its lack of accuracy, so to speak, the simplicity and length of the spinning rod. I chose a rod 240cm long. Hooks 6-8, with the longest possible shank. And of course, I gave my preference to braided fishing line. This is the tackle I use on canals. Cages Krasnodar region.

Ichthyology

In general, the ram cannot be called a sea fish; it lives only near desalinated outskirts and bays, and cannot tolerate water with a high concentration of salt. The most favorite places for Azov roach are:

Appearance

The ram differs from the common roach in several ways:

• taller body;
• small scales;
• the number of rays in the anal fin is 9-10;
• dark edges of paired feathers;
• thick teeth.

The ram grows up to 25-35 centimeters in length, with a body weight of up to two kilograms, although its commercial weight is usually 200-500 grams.

Spawning

Ram spawning occurs in March-April, when the water warms up to 7-10 degrees. Spawning occurs exclusively in the fresh water of numerous tributaries of the Azov and Black Seas. Mating games take place in shallow waters overgrown with aquatic vegetation, after which the weakened fish rolls back into the sea.

It should be noted that during spawning, fishing for rams is prohibited even with a float rod with one hook. This is being done to restore the population of this fish, which was previously caught so massively that it was literally sold by the cartload.

Nutrition

Just like other types of roach, the ram feeds on both plant and animal foods. The following food elements are found in her daily diet:

• filamentous algae;
• worms;
• shellfish;
• shoots of young plants;
• bloodworms and other insect larvae;
• small crustaceans.

The Black Sea roach is practically omnivorous and will always find food for itself.

Ram feeding

The ram is classified as a euryphage, that is, an omnivorous fish, which means that it can feed on both plant and animal foods. In the spring, falling into rivers with lush vegetation, it eats filamentous algae that grow in a small current, entwining stones or piles. Fishermen call this type of food “mulberry”. The residential species of ram loves algae and higher vegetation.

After spawning, the ram tries to replenish its strength and switches to animal food, the basis of which is mollusks, various invertebrates and their larvae. The semi-anadromous ram eats bivalves such as dracena, adacna and monodacna. She also does not refuse various crustaceans, for example, amphipods and mysids.

Large individuals can afford to feast on fry if there are a lot of them. Closer to winter, the ram, having returned to the mouths of rivers, wanders in search of food. The basis of its diet in winter is bloodworms and larvae of various insects.

Tackle

Catching rams is carried out by several types of gear, among which the most popular are:

• float rods of all types;
• donks, including the feeder;
• winter fishing rods.

In shallow estuaries, long-range gear is especially successful: a bottom feeder or a float match.

The equipment of these fishing rods with fishing lines is not very different, since rams that exceed half a kilogram are rarely found in catches, so the tackle should not be coarsened. It is quite enough to use a monofilament with a thickness of 0.12 millimeters as the main fishing line, and a leash of 0.08-0.10. These diameters can be slightly increased when fishing in heavy, strong places overgrown with dense vegetation.

Float rod

To catch rams with a float, three types of float rods are used:

• max – in narrow channels;
• lap dog - for longer casting;
• match - in sea estuaries.

All three types of fishing rods are loaded with spaced pellets so that the bait slowly sinks to the bottom when casting the tackle, even at this stage attracting the ram to bite.

In general, building a float tackle for catching Azov roach may look like this:

1. The rod is telescopic or plug-in, 4-5 meters long.
2. Lightweight inertia-free reel with a spool of no more than 2500 Shimano units.
3. A fishing line with a diameter of 0.12-0.14 millimeters.
4. A float with a keel, which is important when fishing in the current, in the sea or in strong winds.
5. Several pellets with a padding.
6. Hook according to the size of the bait.

Donkey

Catching rams with bottom gear is carried out both at the mouths of rivers and directly on the coastal areas of the seas. At the same time, its construction is also distinguished by the elegance and subtlety of its elements. Let's consider the equipment of the feeder for fishing for sea roach:

1. The rod is 11-13 feet long. The longer the form, the longer-range it is, and the place where it is used depends on this.
2. The reel is a spinning reel with a small spool.
3. Braided or monofilament fishing line of small diameter, approximately 0.12 millimeters.
4. The leash is 50-80 centimeters thick and 0.08-0.10 millimeters thick.

The equipment is performed at the end of the main fishing line directly while fishing. However, many fishermen prefer to do it themselves at home, so as not to waste time on the pond. The entire installation is done at home from a piece of rigid monofilament of 0.14-0.16 millimeters.

Bait for rams in spring

Spring rams begin to be caught in March, sometimes even at the end of February. As already written above, at this time the fish are still inactive and require very little food. Therefore, you need very little bait in the spring, especially early. It can be mixed with soil and it is advisable to use small container feeders.

Boiled corn grits are one of the best additives in bait for ramming in the spring. It consists of small grains and does not allow the fish to get enough.

It is better to use winter mixtures as a base; they are low in calories and painted in dark colors. You can add live components to them: bloodworms and maggots.

If you use a mixture made by yourself (as described above), then it will not be superfluous to darken the bait when fishing in cold water. This will give it a more natural appearance on the bottom, and the fish will be less noticeable against its background. In cold water conditions, the ram may be afraid of light spots on the bottom, due to an active predator.

Lures and bait

For both float and bottom fishing for rams, the same type of bait is used. The following are used as baits:

• steamed cereal grains;
• bloodworm;
• dung and earthworms;
• maggot;
• dough;
• semolina chatter;
• bakery products.

Like all other carp fish, ram is very responsive to bait. For this, various grain mixtures are used with the inclusion of both large and dusty fractions, the main thing in which is invisibility on the bottom; sea roach is very wary of spots on the bottom that differ in color from the natural color.

Winter fishing

Catching rams in winter is carried out from freeze-up to melting ice. You can catch it either with a float rod or with a tackle with a nod and a jig.

The winter roach's mooring sites are the same as the common roach's habitats:

• eyebrows;
• steps and tubercles on the bottom;
• pits on the arrows of two streams;
• thickets of aquatic vegetation on the borders with clean water;
• snags and elements of hydraulic structures.

The most common fishing rods for catching rams from under the ice are used. They are equipped with the finest fishing line and a variety of jigs. The best bait in winter is bloodworms; in rare cases, fish gravitate towards a worm or maggot.

Bait for roach, ram in spring.

As bait for catching rams in the spring , a worm or maggot (preferably red) is suitable. And here I will explain why we need a hook with a long shank - there are a lot of fish in the reservoir, they move, feed in schools, and the more bait you have on the hook, the greater the chance of tempting a rather large ram. But there is still a difference between a 100 gram fish or a 500 gram fish.

We present to your attention a video about roach fishing in the spring with a detailed description of the fishing location, the gear and bait used:

Taran (ram)

Taran, ram is the name of anadromous or semi-anadromous fish of the carp family. From the point of view of ichthyologists, this is a subspecies of roach of the Azov-Black Sea basin. It differs somewhat from the freshwater form in its taller body and larger size. Local fishermen often find many characteristics of the ram from other forms of roach. But the main difference from related subspecies, especially roach, is its residence in the Azov-Black Sea region. Due to the fact that the name - ram or roach, people often associate with dried fish, sometimes there is confusion in determining the type of fish. Sometimes you can find completely different fish on sale under this name, including bream and others. The dimensions of the ram can reach a length of more than 40 cm and a weight of about 1.8 kg. These fish enter rivers only for spawning and, as a rule, do not rise high upstream. During the spring run, there are massive fish kills; they are associated with changes in the water level in the river and weather conditions. The pre-spawning run of fish into rivers begins under the ice, so fishing can be very varied. Currently, a strong decrease in the number and size of the Azov population has been noticed. This is due to extreme forms of poaching (for example, uncontrolled hunting of juveniles - “talovirka”) and deterioration of the environmental situation, including changes in natural conditions on natural spawning grounds.

Methods for catching rams

Fish is of great commercial importance. Despite the shrinking and decreasing population, the massive movement of fish in the spring attracts a large number of amateur fishermen. Fishing for ram, as well as for roach on the Volga, is an exciting and challenging activity. For this, various gear is used: spinning rods, float and bottom fishing rods, fly fishing, “long casting” gear using artificial baits, winter fishing rods.

Catching rams with float tackle

Features of using float gear for catching rams depend on the fishing conditions and the experience of the fisherman. For coastal fishing for all types of roach, rods for “blind” equipment 5-6 m long are usually used. For long casts, match rods are used. The choice of equipment is very diverse and is limited by fishing conditions, and not by the type of fish. As in any float fishing, the most important element is the correctly selected bait and bait.

Catching rams with bottom tackle

Taran, like all types of roach, respond well to bottom tackle. Fishing with bottom fishing rods, including feeder and picker, is very convenient for most, even inexperienced fishermen. They allow the fisherman to be quite mobile on the reservoir, and, due to the possibility of targeted feeding, to quickly “collect” fish in a given place. Feeder and picker, as separate types of equipment, currently differ only in the length of the rod. The basis is the presence of a bait container-sinker (feeder) and replaceable tips on the rod. The tips change depending on the fishing conditions and the weight of the feeder used. The bait for fishing can be any bait, either of plant or animal origin, or paste. This fishing method is available to everyone. The tackle does not require additional accessories and specialized equipment. This allows you to fish in almost any body of water. It is worth paying attention to the choice of feeders in shape and size, as well as bait mixtures. This is due to the conditions of the reservoir (river, bay, etc.) and the food preferences of local fish.

Rams are caught with all types of float rods

The most common fishing is with fly tackle. It is possible only where there is sufficient depth in the estuaries near the shore for fishing from the shore. In shallow bays, only long-cast fishing is often possible. Tackle can be Bolognese and match fishing rods, a light feeder and a picker. It is better to select a float for Bologna rigs with a small carrying capacity, no heavier than four grams. The same situation applies to the picker weight. Since there is usually no current in estuaries, the weight of a weight of 4-6 grams is quite enough.

The use of a sliding float on Bolognese and match fishing rods would seem to be impractical due to the shallow depth in desalinated bays, since a sliding float is used where the depth at the fishing point does not exceed the length of the rod. But sometimes a sliding float is needed for a longer and more accurate cast, since a float shifted to the sinker makes the cast more concentrated to the extreme point of the main line, that is, to the hook. This creates more favorable conditions for increasing casting distance and accuracy on a windy day. This is also facilitated by the transition of many anglers to fishing with pickerel, which is less responsive to the influence of wind.

Since the ram is a schooling fish, catching it can often be very rewarding. As soon as one angler starts biting, everyone starts biting too. Therefore, gear for catching rams is equipped with two or three small hooks - No. 13-10 of international numbering. Such rigs are made both on a picker and on a float rod, where short leashes with hooks are also attached to the main leash. But such complex equipment is used only where the bottom of the reservoir is relatively clean, without snags and grass at the bottom.

Lures

As with roach, food plasticity is characteristic. Depending on the region and season, fish quickly adapt to local food sources. For fishing with bottom and float gear, traditional baits are used: animal and plant. For baits, worms, maggots, bloodworms, and various grains are used. It is very important to choose the right bait, to which animal components are added, if necessary. Various traditional lures are used for fly fishing. Most often, small flies are used on hooks No. 14 - 18, imitating familiar food for roaches: flying insects, as well as their larvae, in addition, underwater invertebrates and worms.

Bait for catching rams (roaches) in the spring.

The choice of bait should be approached very responsibly. When fishing for rams in the spring, you need to choose bait with the sign - FOR COLD WATER. Not because the water is really cold, but because of the behavior of this bait in cold water; if you use traditional summer bait, you risk being left without a catch at all. You can cook it yourself, or buy ready-made ones. The main thing is not to feed the fish, but to lure them.

Spawning

Taran, like roach, becomes sexually mature at 3-4 years. Spawns 5-6 times in life. The fish begin to spawn under the ice. The mass move occurs just before spawning, which occurs in late March-April. The fish is stuffed into various branches, channels, and yoriki. Spawning occurs in shallow water in vegetation, often on spills, which dry up, destroying not only eggs, but also spawning fish. At the time of spawning, the fish stops feeding, but since this period is somewhat extended and does not pass simultaneously, there may also be active fish in the herd.