First ice - for every winter road fisherman, this phrase evokes trepidation and an unquenchable desire to definitely get out onto the pond. Winter fishing on first ice is perhaps the most fertile time during the entire winter season. Only on certain spring days is the bite so active, but only at the beginning of winter is it relatively stable, almost regardless of weather and other conditions. However, not every fish starts to catch, not everywhere and not immediately.
In central Russia, perch adapts to the under-ice environment the fastest; This is where, as a rule, winter jig fishing begins. Considering that the first ice is extremely unreliable, first they fish small shallow reservoirs, ponds and quarries, where the ice rises and gets stronger at the very beginning, then they move to the coastal zones of reservoirs, large lakes and rivers, and only then, with increasing cover, when the ice reaches a thickness of 8 - 10 cm, they begin widespread fishing.
The influence of noise when fishing for perch in winter
Perch is less timid than other fish, it allows you to get close even in shallow water that is covered with thin transparent ice, it is almost not afraid of noise, and in some cases it is even attracted by the blows of an ice pick or the rather unpleasant sound of an ice drill, especially a titanium one.
But everything, of course, in moderation: if you make a sieve out of an initially catchable area, the perch will soon leave it anyway and not return until the end of the day, no matter how comfortable it is there. If you drill too much into a perch fishing area, it will probably leave this place for a calmer one!!! Perch, like any other predator, gravitates to places where the bottom topography changes, changes in depth, the presence of hummocks, snag cliffs, washouts, and at the beginning of winter - also to the remains of vegetation (later, as it rots, it leaves the thickets until spring) .
Reelless fishing
Catching sorog on the first ice using a reeler is quite effective; you can catch large specimens. But the tactics used must be well chosen, then you can count on the activity of the fish. When playing with a jig, the fisherman has no restrictions; everything depends on a creative approach. For greater efficiency, also use a live bait, then the process will become even more fun.
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What working jigs
When choosing a jig for large roach on the first ice in November, as well as for medium and small specimens, you need to focus on specific fishing conditions. If hunting is planned in a reservoir with calm water at shallow depths, then miniature options are suitable. If the fish is caught at a depth of 4–5 m, then medium-sized bait is used. Heavy models are more relevant for fishing at depth.
The hook number for roach is 13–18, the main thing here is to monitor the sharpness of the sting and, if necessary, sharpen it. The shape of the bait should be similar to aquatic microorganisms. Light-colored jigs for roach in winter work in areas with great depth, in cloudy weather. The dull colored versions are optimal when fishing in shallow waters in clear weather.
Among the catchable baits for roach on first ice are:
- gray/black ant;
- gray (red, black) droplet;
- black and white/black and gray Uralka;
- a gray devil with a raised body;
- barrel-shaped options;
- flat versions;
- pellets, etc.
Game without a rewind
In each new hole, playing with a jig begins with gliding movements, as if food were falling into the water. A pause is made every 30–50 seconds. It is this that allows you to attract the attention of the fish and find out the horizon of its location. There are times when roaches bite in the water column. There are situations when the catch is observed when fishing from top to bottom. Often the fish in a hurry takes the bait in its mouth, afraid of losing sight of it.
If, during stepwise or gliding retrieval, it was not possible to interest the fishing object, then it is worth experimenting at the bottom. At first, you need to lightly move the jig along the bottom, and then “tear” it off the ground a little, only 3–5 cm. The main thing is to create a cloudy cloud. The roach never misses its prey, which fidgets along the surface of the bottom.
Another option for catching roach is to lift the bait as a result of a smooth and at the same time active rocking of the fishing rod.
You should make stops periodically. At such moments there are often attacks. In any case, it is worth experimenting with game options.
If all the methods have been used, and there have been no bites, then position the fishing rod so that the bait is at a small distance from the ground, lightly touching it. It happens that the fish reacts to a standing jig. But it is important every 3-5 minutes. make movements with a nod, carefully lifting it 30–50 cm from the bottom surface.
If the fish is “capricious,” then it makes sense to use 1-2 float rods, holding the hook with bait almost at the very bottom.
Choosing a bait for perch: reelless or jig with a nozzle?
It is fishing for perch on the first ice that best helps to hone your fishing technique, check the suitability of gear, select the optimal jig in shape, size and color, and find catchable jigs that are most suitable for a given reservoir.
In principle, if we consider a jig as a means of delivering bait to the fishing point, its shape does not matter much; the classic drop and ball are quite sufficient. You just need to remember that the “drop”, like the “ovinka”, adds additional attractiveness to the bait complete with a nozzle, but the “ball” is the only one of all forms that has an undeniable advantage in hookiness due to the maximum reach of the hook, all other things being equal. If at some period of fishing the bite becomes so intense that the fish instantly grabs the jig that has just been delivered to the fishing zone (and this often happens when fishing when going out on the first ice, hence the expression “Bite on every retrieve”), then the use of a “ball” “In this situation, I consider it the most effective: the number of escapes and empty bites will be reduced to a minimum. Also, the use of a small, 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter, “ball” paired with a minimum-sized attachment, for example, a food bloodworm, can be very useful in case of a sudden complete cessation of biting and in the dead of winter.
The use of a ball-shaped jig is especially effective during a “mad” perch bite: the number of trips is minimal
Choosing a jig is the key to good fishing from the first ice
Photo by the author
The first factor is finding fish, and the second is good tackle.
The ice is still unreliable and for most anglers it will be a while before the winter season starts, and this is especially true for novice anglers.
Therefore, I still have time to talk about the most catchy jigs.
Selection of jigs
Fishing with a jig in winter is the most widespread. Therefore, as many anglers as there are, there are as many opinions about what shape or color a catchable bait should be.
It is interesting that the game of jigs is practically not discussed; it is probably assumed that everyone knows how to shake a jig, and all the “secrets” lie in the jig itself or in the nod. Many fishermen, having once caught fish with a particular jig, no longer consider it necessary to tie another one to the fishing line.
In order to meaningfully select a jig, the angler decides what kind of fish he is going to catch and where. If the depths in the fishing zone are different, as happens when fishing for perch or roach, then the fisherman also has jigs with different weights in his arsenal.
In case of active biting, relatively heavy jigs are used to increase the fishing speed. In order for the jig to respond to the actions of the fisherman, it must not only be sunk to a certain depth, but also overcome the resistance of the fishing line in the water.
To give an approximate guide, we can say that jigs weighing up to 0.2 g on a 0.06 mm fishing line effectively “work” to a depth of 3 m. If the fishing line is replaced with a thicker one, for example 0.08, then the fishing depth will decrease to 2 m.
But this is very approximate, since not only the weight of the jig plays a role, but also the density of the material from which it is made. In addition, the very statement that the jig plays is also relative. Much is determined by whether there is a bait or artificial bait on the hook and how large it is.
The desire to use small jigs leads to the fact that anglers choose the highest quality thin fishing lines for them, and also make the jigs themselves from heavy metals and alloys. It is known that the first material for making jigs was tin.
Light and very small tin jigs have not lost their importance today. They are successfully used for catching roach using falling bait in the form of burdock moth larvae in a column of light bait. The fisherman pours breadcrumbs into the hole, they gradually become saturated with water and slowly sink.
The roach moves up and down in such a column of bait. The fishing technique is that the angler very slowly lowers a light light jig with a burdock. Bites occur in the water column, sometimes three to four meters above the bottom.
After tin jigs, jigs made of lead and its alloys with tin were born. The cost of such products is now practically determined by the quality and cost of the hook. Several decades ago, jigs made of tungsten electrodes appeared, then jigs made of alloys of tungsten, nickel, iron and copper.
The most “advanced” fishermen have made and are making jigs from silver, gold, platinum, osmium and rhenium. The most suitable material is platinum.
It is easily processed, forged, drilled, soldered, and the smallest jigs with a diameter of less than 1 mm can be made from it! Gold jigs are no less good. You just need to take into account that the color of gold, oddly enough, is not very popular with fish.
An equally important characteristic, coupled with weight, will be the size of the bait. When a minimum size jig is required, we almost definitely turn our attention to baits made of heavy alloys. But fish do not always react better or faster to small bait.
So, when catching large fish in large bodies of water, bream, perch, ruffe and large roach often bite better on large lead jigs than on microscopic gold items. This is explained simply.
A microscopic jig without replanting imitates a small crustacean, which may not exist in a given body of water at a given time of year. If there is a bloodworm on the hook of such a jig, then the fish may not be interested in it either.
This means that the fish in this reservoir feed on a specific type of large crustacean. Or, more likely, the fish may not respond to the very slight vibrations of a small jig. Due to the resistance of the water, the performance of such a bait at depth may be “nothing.”
Sufficiently large jigs of a certain color become effective, creating a characteristic play in the water. The shape of the jig matters: the larger the jig, the more important its shape is.
The smallest jigs, which actually serve as bait carriers, are made in the shape of a ball or droplet. They don't have their own game. Lures weighing more than 0.15 g can already be made with a “flat”.
Such jigs have a unique game and work both with and without an attachment. Jigs in the “Ural” shape are good if they have a body size of at least 4 mm. “Bugs” are good, they have a peculiar game, but only if the hook is baited with either one small bloodworm or a “burdock” larva.
Everyone knows “ant” jigs, but what is not clear is that in most cases they are painted black. Silver, green and brown “ants” are very effective.
The essence of the design is that the two balls of the jig body have different diameters, which means they produce vibrations in the water that are different in amplitude and power. Large ants are made not from two, but from three or more balls.
A special position among baits is occupied by planning, or flat, jigs. Not only do they have a special shape, but they are also made exclusively from relatively light brass and are always used without a bait on the hook when catching any fish, be it bream or perch.
Despite the fact that under a layer of ice and snow in the water there is low illumination, the fish, even at great depths, obviously distinguishes, if not the color of the bait, then its tone. And the larger the bait, the more important its color is.
Traditionally, universal colors are considered black (for jigs of all sizes), silver (for small and medium jigs), brass color (all jigs for perch), copper color (when fishing at great depths), brown, dark green, dark purple ( medium and large jigs for catching roach and perch without bait).
Jigs with stripes, spots, and luminous jigs are quite effective when catching bream and large perch, but only in special cases.
When choosing a jig, you need to pay special attention to the location of the hole for the line in relation to the hook, the correct placement of the hook and the careful processing of the edges of the hole for the line. All of the above applies, first of all, to jigs with a single soldered or soldered hook.
Jigs with two hooks are classified as a separate class of baits; the name “goat” is firmly established behind them. A goat can be a very catchable bait in certain conditions. So, for example, when fishing in large reservoirs with clear water and at great depths, a well-made goat works well in mid-water.
Not the least role in the effectiveness of this bait is played by its color. It happens that a striped and multi-colored goat is several times better in efficiency than a regular jig with bloodworms.
The second hook not only increases the grip of the jig when fishing without natural bait, but also gives certain additional vibrations that attract fish. This applies even more to the so-called “devils”. That is, to jigs with a soldered tee. The conversation about devils is special.
When choosing jigs, I advise you to first calculate how many of them you will need for the season, heavy, medium and light, and then immediately purchase a certain supply. It will be almost impossible to find a jig on sale that is similar or similar to a tattered one at the height of the winter season.
Andrey Yanshevsky November 16, 2021 at 14:30
Size of jigs for catching perch on the first ice
But when the perch is active, reducing the bait and the size of the jig can produce a completely different effect than the angler is counting on: the fish will be more likely to be interested in something substantial. Natural instinct tells the striped predator that it will better prepare for a hard, long winter by swallowing a larger piece and, preferably, more often. Therefore, during the first ice, a fisherman should not bother using ultra-small nozzle-less jigs complete with ultra-thin fishing line and, as a result, a particularly sensitive guard; all this, of course, will be needed, but much later.
When fishing for perch on the first ice, the angler is warned: do not use tiny jigs on thin fishing line, as perch at the beginning of winter is more likely to grab a larger bait!!!
And to start the winter fishing season at depths of up to three meters, it is enough to limit yourself to tungsten jigs, including reelless jigs, with a diameter of 3-3.5 mm and a fishing line of 0.10-0.12 mm - of course, with the exception of those reservoirs where the thread is such thickness does not correspond to the size of the fish being caught, and it is necessary to increase its thickness to reasonable limits. But even in this case, a tungsten jig of the sizes indicated above will sink any equipment in a minimum time, that is, it will deliver the bait to the fishing point faster than others (lead, tin, etc.), and this is its undeniable (but not the only) advantage. When I mention jigs in the future, I will only mean those made of pure tungsten, the worldwide experience of using which over the past decades allows us to award them unconditional primacy in terms of price-quality ratio. Such a coherent game, transmitted from nod to jig from any other available material, is almost impossible to achieve; This is basically why catches with tungsten are always higher.
Materials for making jigs
Jigs come from different materials, the most popular now are tungsten, then, perhaps, there are lead ones, and a very small percentage of lures are made of valuable metals - silver and gold. The latest models are good, but their cost is very high, so we have not started mass production of gold jigs. Sports fishermen look for master jewelers and place orders from them, in miniature sizes, in small quantities, and this is only because gold of the highest standard (999) is much heavier than the popular tungsten. In addition, gold as a material is somewhat more pliable and softer, which has a positive effect on giving the blende the desired shape. But gold baits are needed only for special occasions, and they are used in very rare cases.
Silver jigs, on the contrary, are lightweight, but due to the special color that fish like, they and spinners made from the same metal are in constant demand. Although in most cases they are used as a second - top - jig when fishing on a river or at great depths. For weight purposes, lead-silver models are also made, which can already be classified as lead baits, because there are a huge number of their varieties and forms. Both pure lead jigs and lead jigs with plates of different metals are made - they have been and will be used to catch fish, despite any inventions of science, because anyone can make lead (or tin) bait at home, of course, the quality of such a product is not always at the proper height, but the bait is made with your own hands.
When comparing lead and tungsten, each has its pros and cons. The greatest advantage of lead is the ability to give the product any shape, as well as the ability to solder lead with other materials, but the density, and, accordingly, the mass of lead blende is much less than that of tungsten of similar sizes. And this is very important, because fish in winter are much more finicky than in summer. Tungsten is a very difficult material to process, but since its density, and, accordingly, its mass is almost twice that of lead, and its cost is much lower than that of gold, the entire fishing world is gradually switching to tungsten jigs.
Pure tungsten melts at temperatures above 3000 degrees, so if someone claims that their lures are made of pure tungsten, and therefore heavier than others, then with a high degree of probability we can say that this is not true. The fact is that all tungsten is initially available in powder form, and in order to make something out of it, it needs to be diluted with something. Iron or copper is usually used for these purposes. As many people know, 1 kg of iron = 1 kg of copper, and the density of both materials in their pure form is not much different. This explains that some tungsten jigs react to a magnet, while others do not.
Since the vast majority of winter fishermen mainly work with tungsten baits, we will touch on some features and tricks that you should know. Due to some peculiarities of material processing, there are not so many forms of tungsten blende, but this is fully compensated by a wide palette of colors and an extensive range of sizes.
Color of jig for perch
When choosing the color of a jig, I adhere to the rule of opposition:
- cloudy day - bright colors (polished copper, silver)
- sunny weather - matte, gray or blackened
Fish distinguish individual colors, but not always and not everywhere. There is an opinion that at a depth of more than 5-7 m, especially when the reservoir is covered with ice, even in the clearest water, all foreign objects are perceived by the eyes of fish in the same way. I cannot agree with this, based on my experience of spinning fishing at great depths with jig tackle. Why does a predator react more often to vibrating tails of certain colors and completely or partially ignore others? Why is it that when replacing a twister with one that is absolutely identical in size and quality (of the same series, of the same brand), but of a different color, the number of bites (and quality) can change, sometimes dramatically? This is worth thinking about.
Moreover, it is necessary to pay great attention to the selection of the colors of your jigs (especially for reelless jigs) when fishing in the shallows on first ice, when the water is already as clear as possible and at the same time is not yet heavily darkened by the ice and snow layer. It has long been noticed that perch (and not only perch) are attracted to red jigs. It is unclear who they resemble; in the underwater world, such colors are extremely rare, except on the fins and eyes of some species of fish. Of course, you should in no way ignore other colors - attractive silver, inconspicuous gray, matte black, etc., but copper-colored jigs are the most “flyless” when catching perch. In other words, having only copper-plated tungsten jigs in your arsenal, you can always count on luck (which cannot be said about other colors): they are the most versatile when catching perch, this is my firm belief.
To catch perch on the first ice in shallow water, try to choose red or copper-plated jigs - increase the number of bites
Lyrics are lyrical, but it's time to go fishing
When going to a lake, reservoir or deep old river, I take at least a couple of fishing rods. One with a thin line of 0.06 mm and a tiny jig, the second with a heavier bait and a line of 0.08-0.10 mm. When talking about line diameters, I mean real ones, tested with a micrometer - you can still fool yourself, but you can’t fool the fish.
Sometimes, when going out to a pond, a purely “sporting” desire appears - to catch more in a short time. At the same time, as usual, it is not known in advance what and where will be caught better. There is a high probability that perch and ruff will bite near the shore. But in the depths there is a bream, which I feed first of all, after drilling a couple of holes, and then hurry to the shore while the food is trying to attract the fish. A huge number of striped fish live in shoal spots in coastal shallow waters. You can run into them in many places - near a cane wall, on a bumpy bottom, near snags, stones. But sometimes a view of the bare edge of the water opens before your eyes. Then I drill half a dozen holes from the shore at a distance of 3-4 m, and quickly run over them with a jig. Usually, in this way, I detect a difference in depth in the region of a meter and concentrate on it. If there are no bites, I go drill along the shore, trying not to deviate from the dump. It is important to understand how the depth changes, because even 10 cm can play a huge role, and in order to “catch” these changes, when moving from hole to hole, I do not wind the line onto a reel, but wrap it around my hand.
On each hole I make no more than 5-6 retrieves, but when my “inner voice” tells me that the fish will come only in a few minutes, I linger. As soon as I sat down, a perch or two went, I’ll immediately throw in a pinch of bloodworms and check the box - it’s starting to eat! I quickly check neighboring holes with the same depths, trying to understand whether the area is poor in perch or rich. If there are one or two perch per several holes, it means that the fish will have to be caught by the number of holes drilled. In this situation, I try to run to deep-sea feeding holes more often - if the underbream is suitable, then you can very quickly gain weight on this fish. If I find dense concentrations of coastal perch, then I try to figure out the best holes, developing a cool pace: not staying too long on one hole, even if there is a bite here, but also not running around too much, running away from the fish.
When fishing in a crowd, fishermen use the simplest technique that allows perches to gather tightly around the working holes - feed on small bloodworms, pouring a full feeder (a good handful) into each hole, but this turns out to be a very expensive technique. In the absence of competitors, you can catch just as much if you just look for dense schools. Although it happens that only one or two holes really work, then I try to “finish off” them completely. There are several options here. The first is to try different baits. Secondly, I’ll put the tiniest jig on a 0.06 mm fishing line, which can greatly revive the bite. The “web” threatens to break, but there are well-established statistics: nine out of ten breaks occur during an overly sharp sweep with the movement of the whole hand, so I try to cut only with the brush. There is one more big drawback to sweeping hooking - the jig flies up high, and upon returning to the bottom the fish simply stares at it blankly, taking a long time to prepare for the next bite. With a short idle hook, the jig will jump only 20-40 cm, quickly returning to the bite point, and there is a high chance that it will happen again immediately. The third way to shake up the hole is to try different plays.
It is not at all necessary to work with a high oscillation frequency all the time; on the contrary, fish often love smooth, measured movements of the bait. But sometimes only a “mad shaking” works, and it is important to get the hang of giving the jig a significant oscillation frequency with a simultaneous uniform lift. First, at the speed at which it works best, and when the game starts, try changing the wiring speed, maintaining the same high frequency. You can use an old technique known to many experienced jig makers: the fishing rod is in one hand, and the whip is between the index and middle (or thumb and index) fingers of the other hand. By spreading and sliding your fingers, any constant amplitude of oscillations is set, and the desired frequency is given by the hand holding the fishing rod. Or this: while lifting, the index finger taps the rod from above; it is easy to set the same frequency and amplitude, but at the same time it is almost impossible to achieve a quick “shaking”.
In addition, there is an opinion (I do not share it myself) that knocking on a fishing rod can scare away fish. When playing quickly, the number of bites usually increases, but they are already poorly visible against the background of a quickly working nod and sometimes resemble the fishing line touching the edges of the hole. At first this was a problem for me, in order to cope with it, I made a very short sweep in response to each “suspicious” behavior of the nod, then the hand itself automatically began to sweep at the right moment - reflexes began to work.
Often, when searching for coastal perch, you come across a beautiful roach. I don’t see much point in feeding such holes; I’d rather look for this fish in deeper places, especially since by midday the perch often moves to depths of 2 meters or more, especially on sunny days. Roach is no more difficult to catch than perch, even with a fairly thick (0.10 mm) fishing line and a decent weight jig with fast action and high-speed retrieving. The main thing when catching roach is that the hook is small and the fish likes the bait, then there are even fewer empty bites than when catching a striped robber. Almost all winter, a sandwich of bloodworms and burdock (or small maggots) works great for roaches, and closer to spring, the best results were shown by “pure white” - 2-3 small burdocks or one small maggot without adding bloodworms. Like perch, roach takes in all levels of water, only rarely found at the very bottom edge, and even then it is a mere trifle.
Finding a fishing spot
On first ice, the main task is to find perch. Having stumbled upon an active school, you can “do” the whole fishing in an hour or two. The first ice is thin and often transparent, so you can’t make noise on the ice, throw an ice pick or drill, move a box loudly, or shout. The fish reacts very sensitively to noise and leaves or stops biting. Perch, although quite tolerant of noise, also does not like unnecessary noise. Basically, the favorite stopping places of perch differ in their characteristic features.
Large bodies of water and reservoirs
On large bodies of water – lakes and reservoirs – searching for perch can be quite a lengthy task. Success can often be achieved with a good knowledge of the bottom topography. Perch, especially large ones, gravitate toward bottom anomalies. These can be ditches, local hills with sharp slopes, beds of flooded rivers with snags.
It must be said that when there is first ice, perch often does not yet go to the depths and from shallow waters, with reed islands, and algae fields. In such places, he continues to actively hunt for fry and collect other aquatic life. Subsequently, dying vegetation worsens the oxygen regime and all fish, including perch, go to sources of water saturated with oxygen.
Small rivers
On small rivers, by the first ice, perch often already moves away from the coastal vegetation and concentrates in deeper places or close to them - in whirlpools, at outlets - entrances to pits, in deep rubble and snags.
Only the “sailors” remain in the coastal zone. In small rivers it is important to find at least small shelters at the bottom; it rarely stands in clean places. In rivers, perch almost never stands on the stream; in exceptional cases, during the current it can hide behind stones, logs, or hummocks.
The situation may change if, before the freeze-up, the water in the river arrived and heavily flooded the coastal thickets. Then, moving away from the strengthening current, schools of perch can cruise along the shore. But fishing here can be very fleeting: only bites followed one after another, and after 15 minutes it was all over - the flock left. To summarize, we can say that in rivers you need to look for sufficient depths with shelters.
Ponds
Pond perch are widely dispersed throughout the water area and rarely create a high density. On ponds, search is the key to success. Sometimes you have to drill holes literally every 2-3 meters. On the first ice you need to look for islands of vegetation, windows in the thickets; good fishing is obtained near dams and dikes. Quite quickly after freezing, the perch slides into the deepest parts of the pond.
Finding big bass
Large perch, whether in open water or after ice has established, do not form large schools. Depending on the reservoir, such a flock can contain from 2-3 to 10-20 individuals. Large perch always gravitate to the depths, “strong” places. On large rivers and reservoirs it often coexists with pike perch and large schools of whitefish.
Good, trophy humpback whales from half a kilogram and above rarely coexist with their smaller counterparts. And, if you are looking for large fish, after a few bites of small perch, you can move on - there are no large perch here.
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Lures and baits
Classic jig
classic jig and its types
Perch is quite picky about baits and the jig itself. Traditionally, red, black, silver, and brass jigs are used. An ordinary bloodworm works well as a nozzle. The perch is indifferent to maggots; sometimes the larva of the burdock moth “shoots out”.
When the bite is active, lard, fish eye, and even perch fin work in some reservoirs. You can use earthworm pieces. Classic perch wiring is considered to be “trembling” with a high frequency. An inactive perch is often tempted to abruptly change the retrieve - from fast to slow or vice versa.
Mothless
types of reelless gear
Rewindless gear involves constant active play with a jig. There are no uniform “perch” recipes for the shapes and colors of jigs. Here the preferences of the fish depend both on the reservoir and on the angler’s technique. Most often, the shape and color scheme of jigs, devils, and witches are selected with the obligatory presence of contrasting elements.
For example, a black jig has a yellow bead or cube on the fore-end, a silver jig with red beads, a poisonous green banana with transverse black stripes, etc. The main colors are black, orange, red, purple, gold and silver. Suspensions made of chains, beads or cubes work well for perch. You can attach foam or silicone balls to the hooks of devils or witches.
Spoons
The choice of spinners for winter perch fishing is huge. Any winter spinner has in his arsenal the most catchy specimens, which he would not exchange for anything. For catching perch, mainly narrow, elongated spoons 20-50 mm long are used. The hook can be rigidly soldered into the body of the spoon, connected to it through a ring, or located on a chain.
The most common are white and yellow spinners. Vertical and gliding lures are used, which are distinguished by their play on the fall. Sometimes a hook with a cambric or thread is tied above the spoon on a short leash.
Balancers
balancers
The balancer has recently successfully competed with spinners and has become one of the most popular baits for catching perch, especially large ones, from the ice. It is noted that the most attractive colors for catching perch are a combination of “acid” green, orange, red tones with stripes and dots.
The drop-shaped sagging on the lower tee shows itself well. Moreover, there are periods when the perch only grabs this suspension. It is believed that perch balancers are quite small and light. However, sometimes it happens that the perch only reacts to large bait. Taking this into account, in the box, in addition to traditional perch balancers, you need to have several large and heavy baits.
Rathlins and cicadas
ratlins
cicada
“Summer” baits perform well in large bodies of water. Ratlin successfully catches both perch and pike perch, so when fishing for them it is advisable to use a fluorocarbon leader.
The situation with the cicada is especially interesting; there are reservoirs where the cicada leaves all other baits far behind and the perch literally hangs itself on it. On others, he ignores her altogether.
It is advisable to have both of these baits in the most popular sizes and colors in your arsenal. It must be taken into account that the average size of ratlins and cicadas for catching perch is smaller than for other predators.
Silicone
vibrating tails for winter fishing
For ice fishing, 1.5-2.5 inch vibrating tails on jig heads are mainly used. Such an installation often helps out when fishing in strong debris, when baits with active action, such as spinners or balancers, are guaranteed to remain in the wood. The low cost of consumables and the ease of fishing with silicone baits are quite attractive in such conditions.
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Adviсe
Feeding
As a rule, on the first ice, the key to successful perch fishing is active search and there is no point in feeding one spot. But in some conditions, for example in reservoirs, ponds and some rivers, when the fish are very dispersed and even moving, bait can play a positive role.
To feed perch, mainly small bloodworms are used. If the fish is generally active, the bites are clear but rare, you need to pour out the starting feeder of bloodworms. It is advisable to open the feeder at a certain height from the bottom in order to increase the area of the feeding spot without creating a large concentration of feed at one point. A wide spot is more noticeable, but does not allow the fish to get enough quickly.
If after the first feeding the number of bites has increased, then during the fishing process you can make additional half-portion feeding when the bite dies down.
Rocking the hole
It happens that we know for sure that there is a perch below, but for some reason it doesn’t take it. In this case, the so-called “swinging of the hole” can help. This method works well both when fishing with jigs and when fishing with spoons and balancers.
When fishing with a jig, you immediately perform a fast, high-frequency, low-amplitude retrieve from the bottom to the maximum height, then one or two more. The next wiring is done more slowly and at a lower frequency.
If there is no result, everything is repeated again. When fishing with spoons and balancers, several active throws are performed without pauses. Then, after throwing, you need to wait until the vibrations of the bait die out and pause for a few more seconds. Often, this is followed by a bite.
This option of fishing a hole also works. After catching several perches on a balance beam or spoon, the bite stops. Then you can take out a jig and catch a few more fish from the same hole.
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Fishing technique and tackle
The first ice is quite thin, so drilling many holes throughout the entire area will not be difficult; this must be done quietly so as not to scare the fish. The holes should be small in size. For successful fishing, it is best to use a thin line with a jig; sometimes a good result can be achieved with the help of “sports” gear. But you shouldn’t often use such gear when fishing; it is most effective when catching live bait. When winter fishing on the first ice, you can use medium jigs. Moreover, the spoon provides a catch of perch and pike perch with a light bite. The most popular and productive jigs are called: “ovinka”, “eye”, “bug” and “nymph”. Dough can be used as bait. If the jig is simply lowered to the bottom, then there is a high chance that a roach will bite. Pay special attention to storing jigs. It should be wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in an enamel container.
Winter jig fishing is usually characterized by a quick bite, but sometimes in bad weather fishing turns into a long search for a good fishing spot. Having chosen a good place, you need to camouflage it. Everyone, even beginners, knows that there is no point in making noise. It is best to sit in a place lightly covered with snow or straw, because the fish can see a person through the transparent ice. Do not completely clear the cut hole of snow and ice so as not to frighten off its inhabitants. But the line must move freely, otherwise it will significantly affect the quality of fishing. Experienced fishermen advise starting fishing on the first ice with a jig. To protect the fishing line and the nod, a person should sit with his back to the wind. If you spot fry or small fish, be sure to prepare your fishing rod for the predator. Some fishermen place a bait nearby and prepare another spoon for big fish.
Don't forget about playing with bait. For example, perch bites if you play with it for a long time and actively. When winter fishing, the size of the balancer is most important, not its color. The first winter fishing is most successful with a fast technique of playing with bait and a large balancer. In case of bad weather, it is recommended to use the same equipment as in deep winter.
It is worth noting that a winter fishing rod is very different from summer fishing gear. It is very compact. The most common bait is the jig. It was invented by Russian fishermen. It consists of a hook and a sinker and can work independently.
The only trick that will help you if you fail in winter is to use a small jig. They lower it to the bottom and, periodically lifting it a couple of centimeters, move it. Afterwards they take a short pause, and then continue these actions.
Rules of conduct on ice
We must remember that the first ice is very treacherous. It is believed that the safe thickness of transparent ice is more than 7 centimeters, and frosted ice is more than 10. Often, especially on rivers and reservoirs with a current, in backwaters, creeks, and reaches, the ice is already quite strong, and closer to the main stream only a thin crust is frozen.
You need to beware of snow drifts on the ice, dark spots, frozen islands of vegetation; here the ice is the least durable. Therefore, maximum caution is necessary; it is advisable not to go out on the first ice alone.
When traveling with a group, you must have a piece of strong rope with knots tied on it so that you can pull out a colleague who gets caught in the wormwood. For getting out of the water onto the ice, the so-called “rescue rescuers” are very helpful - pointed metal pins with a handle that can be stuck into the ice and, leaning on them, get out of the ice font.
The first solid ice appears on small ponds and lakes, then on reservoirs and rivers. Some rivers can be dangerous all winter, and not just during the first ice. On thin ice you cannot gather in “bazaars”, especially when it is clear that water is flowing out of the holes.
