Catching chub in autumn with an ultralight spinning rod

How to master ultralight fishing, tips and observations from an experienced fisherman, which will help you quickly understand the essence of ultralight and become a true professional.

At the height of summer, fishing with a spinning rod in many reservoirs is often complicated due to the vagaries of predatory fish, but ultralight, with its mini-lures, works simply excellent, and in my humble opinion, this is the best time to master this exciting method of spinning fishing.

The main topics of ultralight are obvious among advanced spinning players, but at the same time there are a considerable number of anglers - beginners who want to master ultralight spinning, for them I will share my experience.

Ultralight Trophies

I often hear doubts about ultralight trophies from those who are used to fishing only with “big” spinning rods, distrusting thin lines and “flimsy” spinning rods. But you can’t do without them, because the baits used are small, light, and all the gear must match, otherwise there will be no acceptable range, casting accuracy, or normal retrieve. You just need to accept it, believing in your gear and in yourself. Yes, in most cases, ultralight trophies cannot boast of huge sizes, and if you don’t like it, then there is no point in mastering ultralight - to each his own. But if anyone doubts it, I can say with confidence that this type of fishing is very interesting! And it’s not always just about catching small fish. In addition, the species composition of fish is very diverse.

The ubiquitous perch is the main client. And what could be more exciting than ultralight fishing for an active, schooling striped fish, when the thin tackle already rings, giving the fisherman great pleasure. And the beautiful rudd is caught purposefully: a monofilament line no thicker than 0.16 mm, a miniature spinner or microjig, and go ahead, especially where there are a lot of rudd and it reaches a weight of 300-400 g, or even more. It is more convenient to look for it from a boat, especially when flocks on a sunny day stand at the very surface near the reeds, then you can clearly see both the flock and how a particular rudd attacks the bait. With a micro jig you can catch even large roach, which, when it reaches a significant weight, begins to take mini-baits, and you can also catch bream.

Catching roach and rudd with ultralight

> How to catch > Ultralight > Catching roach and rudd with ultralight

Ultralight has been widely developed recently in our country, and today many interesting branches have appeared in this direction that make it possible to successfully catch peaceful fish.
This is due to the fact that almost every ultralight lover has in his arsenal baits made from edible silicone. rudd and roach
are mainly . And not only roach, with ultralight you can catch white bream, chub, ide, and dace.

Many ultralight lovers have noticed that it is especially good to catch white fish with ultralight in the spring or autumn, when they need protein food more. In fact, ultralight in general and microjig in particular are interesting to most anglers because it is never known what kind of fish will be tempted by micro bait.

Probably, anglers often hear that some spinning angler hooked a large crucian carp or crucian carp when he caught a microjig, and the fish was not just hooked by the tail, or back, or some other place, but was caught honestly. This means that the silicone bait was in the fish’s mouth. It was precisely such rumors or personal observation and experience that gave impetus to many anglers to begin their experiments in catching leucorrhoea with ultralight. The goal of such experiments is to make sure that white fish caught with ultralight is not just a catch during fishing, but a real, full-fledged catch.

Ultralight fishing for roach and rudd

, as a rule, occurs in small and medium-sized rivers. Both rudd and roach do not differ in large size in small rivers. And for its targeted fishing, a very sensitive spinning rod with a bait test of no higher than 3-5 grams is required. It is very good to use “trout sticks” for this purpose. As a rule, such rods have a pronounced parabolic slow action, work well with small baits, and also have a fairly good holding power. In addition, the weight of such spinning rods rarely exceeds 100 g. For example, in the mid-price category it is better to pay attention to graphiteleader belezza or major craft trapara. Such spinning rods bring real pleasure to their owners when fishing. However, these rods are not a panacea and you can quite get by with the ultralight spinning rods you are currently fishing with.

As for the reel, the main criterion for this necessary piece of gear is balance with the spinning rod and good, uniform laying of the cord or fishing line of small diameter.

Considering that rudd and roach are very favorable to baits or baits that slowly fall into the water, then it is assumed that the most effective equipment is a split shot and a retractable leader.

Fishing for ultralight rudd

or roach, as it turns out, is most effective when using floating silicone. But if you don’t have such bait at hand, then you can plant a foam ball a little higher along the line in front of the hook with the bait. Such a ball will improve the effectiveness of fish bites by adding buoyancy to the bait.

Many fishermen believe that peaceful fish, such as roach, dace or rudd, do not care what is put on the hook, as long as the bait slowly floats in the water column. However, this is absolutely not true. When using a variety of baits from the smallest to larger-sized baits, there were no special results until baits were used that imitated various baits of animal origin.

As many fans of catching peaceful fish with ultralight have noted, the most catchy baits are those from which imitate maggots and bloodworms. Another catchy bait turned out to be “polaris”, imitating a small leech from. Small crank wobblers also perform very well when catching rudd. Their use is especially effective in the autumn. When there is a large accumulation of this fish during the late feeding period before freeze-up.

This should not be surprising because, unlike its closest relative, the roach, the rudd has many features inherent in a predatory fish. However, in the autumn, large roaches are not averse to feasting on even small fry, not to mention other food of animal origin. Therefore, even a small spinner can be very catchy when a large school of rudd or roach is found. Usually, 000. 00. 0 spinners are used to catch this fish.

Therefore, ultralight fishing for roach

and rudd in the fall can bring serious catches. However, even catching peaceful fish with ultralight has its own characteristics, without which you should not hope for a decent catch.

The whole secret is that when catching this fish with an ultra-light spinning rod, just as when fishing with float or feeder tackle, it is necessary to feed the fishing spot. It’s even better if several points are fed, and if there is no bite in one place, you can always change it to another feeding place. Here the spinner’s task is to create, using bait, something like a corridor along which the bait will move in search of potential prey.

While the angler is collecting gear and fishing the first baited place, at this time the fish tempted by the bait will already approach the rest, all that remains is to offer it your bait.

This is a great method that works especially well on smaller rivers. It rarely lets the fisherman down and leaves him without a catch, although, of course, anything can happen when fishing and experience and skill can not always go hand in hand with luck. Change of wind. Pressure. And other atmospheric conditions can bring all undertakings to naught. But this no longer depends on the skill of the fisherman. But still catching roach and rudd with ultralight

will bring many happy moments to any angler. And the chances of a good catch are always high.

Published: 06/20/2015

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There is absolutely freedom on the river!

Catching chub with ultralight is something! It’s a powerful, fast-moving fish, and it wouldn’t hurt to have a certain margin of strength in the fishing line and rod. And you need to take the adjustment of the friction brake seriously and carefully adjust it to the fish you are catching. Together with the chub, the bait (usually a wobbler) on the riffles is often attacked by a real perch - a humpback whale, weighing a kilogram or more. Ide is also caught in rivers, but this is already the highest class of ultralight, because this fish is careful and picky. If the gear is as light as possible, then if you wish, you can try to hunt for dace.

Of course, pike can also be caught with ultralight baits, and there is an interesting point here. Small pike often bite off small baits, which in most cases are used without a metal leash, so that the game of delicate decoys does not deteriorate. Therefore, I try to predict possible sites for small pike and avoid them. But the larger the pike, the more carefully it takes small baits, and bites are rare - I have repeatedly pulled out pike over a kilogram on a 00 spinner or a 3 cm micro-oscillator, and the three-piece always dug into the very tip of the predator’s lip, without any danger of cutting the line or thin braid.

Ultralight tackle

To fish with ultra-light lures, you must have the appropriate spinning kit, which allows you to cast weightless spinners and wobblers, animate them, with full control over the retrieve. Without properly selected and balanced gear, there is nothing to do when fishing with ultralight baits.

Today's fishing market offers ultralight gear in a wide range. There are decent models of rods, lines and reels in any price category. Therefore, buying a spinning rod for ultralight and equipping it will not be difficult even for a beginner ultralight.

Ultralight spinning rod for ultralight

The issue of choosing a spinning rod for ultralight must be approached responsibly. A lot depends on a well-chosen tool. There are relatively universal spinning rods suitable for different baits. They are usually in demand among novice anglers or those who fish with ultralight from time to time. Such spinners need one “stick” that will allow them to fish with micro-oscillators, “rubber”, and various wobblers.

Advanced and professional fishermen approach the choice of fishing rod more thoroughly. Often, everyone has several highly specialized spinning rods, focused on solving specific problems.

For example, professionals must have a rod for microjigging or a rod for trout fishing on paid ponds. Fans of chub hunting also buy a “rod” with special capabilities that allow them to catch this strong and sharp representative of the ichthyofauna with ultra-light baits.

The length of spinning rods for ultralight can be from 1.60 to 2.70 meters . “Shorty ones” are good for fishing in limited conditions or in short distances. Tall fishing rods are used on medium and large rivers, where the casting distance of an ultra-light bait often plays a decisive role. The universal rod length for UL is considered to be 2.10–2.20 meters.

The test of an ultralight rod can be different. The lightest “sticks” are designed for baits from 0 to 3–4 grams. The bulk of spinning rods for UL have a test for baits up to 7 grams. Some models that are used for chub fishing can be used with baits up to 8–9 grams. They can also, with a stretch, be classified as ultra-lightweight.

The best spinning rods for ultralight are made by Japanese manufacturers. Many of them performed excellently in our conditions. In the mid-price segment, Korean and European brands compete with the “Japanese”. The budget category is represented mainly by spinning rods made in China.

Ultralight spinning test 0.5-5 grams

Inexpensive ultralight spinning rod with working dough 0.5-5 g. allows you to fish with the entire range of microjig baits, Texas, Carolina, and allotment. Plus, you can use it to catch light spinners.

Reel for ultralight

An ultralight spinning reel is no less important element of the gear than the fishing rod. It must meet the following requirements:

– possibility of use with thin cords and fishing lines; – even laying of the thread on the bobbin without humps or dips; – smooth velvet ride; – reliable sensitive clutch; – light weight.

The optimal coil size for ultralight is 2000 . It is better to choose reels with a small-profile spool. They are specifically designed for thin lines, do not require a large amount of backing, allow you to cast bait further and tangle the thread less.

Ultralight uses high-speed reels. Many models have a gear ratio of 1:5.2 and higher. Powerless inertia is not needed here. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the friction clutch. His work should not cause any complaints, otherwise the loss of bait and trophy while fishing is inevitable.

Read more about choosing a coil for ultralight

fishing line

In order to successfully fish with ultra-light baits, you need a thin monofilament line or braided cord. Its diameter must be sufficient to throw a spoon or wobbler at a given distance. The optimal diameter of the UL thread is from 0.10 to 0.14 mm.

In microjig fishing, twitch fishing, and chub hunting, there is no alternative to braided fishing line. Tensile monofilament will not be able to meet all the requirements set by these types of fishing. When using spinners, micro-oscillators and, in some situations, wobblers, nylon can be used. Here, its qualities, on the contrary, are needed and provide the fisherman with certain advantages.

In ultralight you can't do without leashes. In 9 out of 10 cases, fluorocarbon line is used. It is practically invisible in the water and does not scare away fish. This quality is extremely important when hunting cautious underwater inhabitants, such as trout, ide, asp or chub. In addition, fluorocarbon has increased abrasion resistance, allowing you to fish for pike or fish on shell rocks and snags without fear for the integrity of the equipment.

I’ll say a few words about choosing your first ultralight gear

It would be rash to give specific advice, because we fishermen have very different personal tastes and conditions for ultralight fishing. Some people need to cast further, others prefer to fish short from a boat. Some people squeeze through the coastal bushes to the water, others get a thrill from fishing in a wade, having the opportunity to cover the entire water area around them without unnecessary interference. I myself fish with a spinning rod with a test of 0-10 g, 2.7 m long. I am quite satisfied with my choice, the test, however, is a little too high, but this is even for the better: the rod casts both light baits (1-3 g) and heavier ones (up to 7 g). Although, I suppose, someone’s friendship with an ultralight would be better with a spinning rod with a test of no more than 5 g.

The length of the rod largely depends not only on personal preference, but also on the area of ​​​​use: from a boat or from the shore. I think that for boat fishing, the optimal length of the spinning rod is 2.1-2.4 m. For coastal fishing, the length of the tackle can be longer. The only thing you should remember is that there are bushes and trees behind you, and if you are fishing on an overgrown stream or small river, then it is better to take a rod 1.8-2.1 m long. With such a spinning rod you will save your nerves, and accurate casts in cramped conditions will be better.

Fishing with ultralight in late autumn

> How to fish > Ultralight > Fishing with ultralight in late autumn

Autumn ultralight
is a real pleasure of beautiful autumn nature and an exciting journey with a super light spinning rod. This is a fascinating fishing process with characteristics inherent in autumn. Now that the water has acquired good transparency, not only the fisherman can see the fish, but the fish can see the person perfectly.

An excellent testing ground for ultralight in the fall are small rivers and floodplain lakes of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain.

What does an angler need to experience all the delights and features of ultralight fishing in the fall? In general, a little, initiative, a day off from work or school, and a body of water suitable for these purposes.

Ultralight fishing in autumn

, however, as at other times of the year, this is, first of all, active movement along the coast, with frequent or not so frequent stops, and in this regard, you need to pay some attention to the lightness of equipment and comfort in clothing. Since autumn already requires quite warm clothes, thermal underwear will never be superfluous at this time. You also need reliable waterproof overalls and a jacket. It would be desirable if all this had a protective color.

Experienced fishermen rely on versatility when it comes to gear. In autumn, the capture of a large predator becomes very likely. At this time, it is not uncommon to catch asp weighing 2-4 kg, and pike weighing more than 3 kg. In late autumn, it is increasingly necessary to look for prey in the deepest places of the reservoir.

Choosing a fishing spot

First of all, upon arriving at the pond, the fisherman begins to choose a place to fish. Perhaps, to do this, you should pay attention to those places where there are flooded snags or trees, islands with vegetation, flooded bushes, boundaries between grass and clean water.

Volgograd fishermen have a wonderful place for ultralight fishing in the vicinity of the city. This is the Latoshinsky quarry, which is located behind the hydroelectric power station village. This is a huge water area where there is everything that is required for successful ultralight fishing. Dense snags, holes with depths of 10 meters or more, sandy beaches, and shallow backwaters.

Fishing with ultralight in late autumn

, is especially promising in floodplain lakes. Such lakes are often connected by dams or eriks. Such places attract predatory fish with good food supply and light currents. Often in such places, as local fishermen joke, pike and perch line up for bait.

As for rivers, their main difference from lake-type reservoirs is the presence of a current, sometimes strong and sometimes not very strong, as well as the constantly changing topography, a complex coastline, various holes and edges. All these are excellent places for hunting and staying for a wide variety of fish. In addition, a river is a body of water that cannot be studied once and for a lifetime. And fishing on the river becomes more sophisticated and interesting every year. But here too there is a certain system.

Experienced fishermen recommend first fishing for coastal snags, pools below and dams above beaver dams, of which there are many on the small rivers of the Don basin. Then you need to examine places where river beds turn sharply, pools below or above fords, holes and exits from holes.

Sometimes you can successfully fish at the mouth of rivers, but poaching gear is often found here, so there is a risk of getting caught in it and losing your favorite bait. There are also good prospects on the borders of reed thickets.

It is very convenient to cast from a sandy cape, and the bait should be sent along the shore upstream.

Fishing technique

Fishing in late autumn with ultralight

, as many fishermen believe, is very aesthetic and not devoid of emotionality. These things are expressed in the ability to see how you create a game with bait, and the moment of exit with the subsequent attack of the bait, a predatory fish. This whole spectacle can be observed thanks to the transparency of the autumn waters; this is unlikely to be seen in the summer. Many anglers consider these to be the most exciting moments of fishing.

Autumn twitching, many anglers start in the river with a school of perch. There is no need to put in a lot of work here and its bite is always excellent; every 2 or 3 retrieves, as a rule, ends in a bite. But then the time for schooling perch passes and fishing for single autumn perch begins. Here you already need to work hard. A single perch can often be capricious and you need to be able to choose the right pace of the retrieve and the right play with the bait.

In principle, the technique of autumn twitching differs little for both schooling and single perch. It is dominated by sharp short shudders of the bait (wobbler) followed by long pauses. They imitate small fish that do not have a specific trajectory of movement. But at the same time, when perch fishing occurs in the fall with ultralight

, it is recommended to perform 3-4 frequent and small jerks with pauses of 3-4 seconds. During this time, the bait completely stops and begins to perform random movements depending on its buoyancy.

In autumn, baits with neutral buoyancy - suspenders - work great. However, if everything is done correctly, sinking models also work well. For example, the suspender pauses and creates an imitation of a confused fry. And a sinking wobbler, when falling down, will imitate a dying fry. As for determining the preferences of a predator in a given specific place, this is already the task of the fisherman. Most often, bites occur at the end of the pause. The bite may look like a sagging line, or like a confident sharp blow.

Experienced anglers recommend Mask 75 or Orbit 65MR wobblers for catching perch with ultralight in late autumn. However, you can also use smaller so-called “pinocchio” models Masu Masters 38F or 48F. Typically, your catches will largely depend on the preference of the fish and the angler's creative approach to fishing.

A little about pike

Catching pike with ultralight in late autumn

, no longer brings the results that it had at the beginning of autumn. The water is cold and the spotted predator does not want to make unnecessary movements. But ultralight lures still excite her. And it is best to activate this excitement by using the twitching technique described above. And if the fishing takes place in a snarled place, you can quite hope for success. If you are fishing with pinocchio and the spotted predator has shown that it is interested in the bait, but is still in no hurry to grab it, then it is better to change this bait to another one that is radically different from the first. Often such a replacement gives good results when catching passive humpback salmon.

Happy fishing!

Published: September 19, 2015

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The choice of rod structure has its own characteristics

For microjig fishing, “sticks” of fast action are more suitable (usually marked on the form itself with the inscription “fast”). For comfortable casting of the lightest wobblers and spinners, a moderate or even slow type of action will be good. However, when fishing for the same chub, increased softness can fail when you need to stop a fish trying to go into cover, and a lack of rigidity is fraught with forced breakage of the line and loss of the trophy. So it’s better to choose the “golden mean” - a medium-fast spinning rod, quite hard and moderately biting. In general, if choosing a specific fishing rod is difficult, then it is better to seek help from an experienced ultralight rodder; most of them are friendly people and will be happy to share their knowledge. There is nothing to be ashamed of here, because we all once started with a clean slate.

How to choose an ultralight rod

Previously, an ultralight rod was considered to be a rod with a test for baits up to 7 g, but at the time of writing this article this classification was outdated. Recently, manufacturers have begun to divide ultralight rods into two categories:

• Super Ultra Light (SUL) or Extra Ultra Light (EUL) - the weight range of baits starts from tenths of a gram and is limited to the upper limit of 3 - 5 grams,
• and more powerful Ultra Light (UL) with dough up to 10 - 12 g.

Moreover, the weight ranges in the classification may differ for different manufacturers. Depending on their purpose, ultralight spinning rods are divided into three groups.

Rods for microjigging, as a rule, have a very fast (Extra Fast) or fast (Fast) action and are equipped with a flexible, sensitive tip, which is often painted in some bright color. The flexible, sensitive tip of the rod allows you to monitor the moments when the bait touches the bottom and the fish bites. These rods are mainly used for fishing with rubber, small oscillating spoons and other lures for microjigging. One example of spinning rods for microjigging is Maximus Pointer 21UL.

Trout spinning rods (from the word Trout, translated as trout) have a fairly soft blank, medium-slow (Regular Slow, Medium Slow) or medium (Regular, Medium) action, which makes it possible to easily cast micro-baits. And landing a strong fish with such a rod gives the angler a lot of emotions. Trout “sticks” are used for fishing with micro-oscillators and some models of light rotating spoons and wobblers that do not create much resistance when retrieving. Trout spinning rods are also successfully used for jig fishing (fishing with jigs). An example of a trout spinning rod is Major Craft Nextino Area 602XUL.

Universal rods with a medium-fast action (Regular Fast, Medium Fast) can be used to fish with almost all types of bait - both wobblers and spinners, and are also suitable for microjigging. On the one hand, versatility is good. But on the other hand, if compared with rods purely for jigging, the sensitivity of the blank will still be worse, and in comparison with a trout rod, the casting range of light baits will be shorter. An example of this class is the universal spinning rod Aiko Dixi II 195UL.

As you already understood from the description above, the choice of ultralight spinning rod depends on the bait used, the method and conditions of fishing, personal preferences and, of course, the financial capabilities of the fisherman. The better the assembly, the higher the cost of the spinning rod. It’s impossible to give any specific advice. For beginners who have not yet decided what is most suitable for their fishing conditions, it is better to start with universal spinning rods. As the fisherman gains experience, he will then understand what he needs specifically for his fishing conditions.

It is easier to cast light baits with a slow-action rod, but it is not suitable for microjigging, and the casting accuracy is worse. Fast-action spinning rods have good sensitivity, so they are used for jig fishing, but their casting range for light baits is worse. As for the length of the spinning rod... it also depends on the specific fishing conditions and preferences of the spinner. In many cases, a rod 1.8 – 2.1 m long is sufficient.

Another important criterion for choosing a spinning rod is the power of the rod. After all, for a weak ultralight, catching a fish weighing 1.5 - 2 kg may be the last and lead to its breakdown. If you plan to catch such specimens, it is advisable to choose a rod that can withstand the “fight” with fish of 2 kg or more. The power of the rod is associated with such a characteristic of the blank as the range of recommended fishing lines, which should be used as a guide when choosing a spinning rod taking into account the weight of the expected trophies.

On the rods, the range of recommended lines is marked Line Weight, the breaking loads of the line are indicated in pounds lb. (1 pound = 453.59237 g). For example, the Line Weight (lb. test) marking – 3 – 7 means that for this form, lines with a breaking load of 3 to 7 pounds are recommended, this is approximately 1.4 – 3.1 kg (1 lb (lb) ~ 454 grams). Spinning with this line test will allow you to catch fish weighing over two kilograms without breakage, of course, when using a landing net. However, it should be noted that on many budget models of spinning rods, manufacturers do not indicate a line test; as they say, use “at your own peril and risk.”

You can see the designations of such characteristics as lure test, length, rod action by clicking on the link at the very beginning of this article. When purchasing a spinning rod, you need to carefully inspect it for scratches on the form, burrs on the guide rings, whether it is pleasant to hold the fishing rod in your hand, etc. Pay attention to the reel seat. If it has a finger trigger, then it is not a spinning rod, but a casting rod, which is made for a multiplier reel.

It's a little easier with a reel

Smooth laying of the fishing line and an instant reverse stop are highly desirable. As for the sizes, I prefer the “thousanders”. But other fans of ultralight fishing successfully fish with both larger and smaller reels.

As for the fishing line, there are fishing sayings on this topic that are most applicable specifically to ultralight - “the fisherman breaks the fishing line, not the fish” and “if the fisherman doesn’t break it, he doesn’t catch fish . That is, you need to take your time when fishing, carefully adjust the clutch before fishing, although there will still be losses of bait, because very often predatory fish stay in “strong” places where hooks are common. But in any case, a relatively thin fishing line outperforms a thick one in many respects. This includes longer casting, successful catching of wary fish, and impeccable performance of capricious but catchy mini-lures. And aesthetics are not in last place, because ultralight is, first of all, an indescribable pleasure from working with thin tackle, which in the skillful hands of an experienced fisherman can work wonders.

How to avoid becoming a victim of fishing advertising

Float on the city canal

Fishing for carp on the top

Ultralight Club

Quiet backwater of a spring river. A flock of well-fed roaches swims past a spinner trying to establish contact with a local pike. The fisherman looks with interest at the large roaches swimming peacefully about their roach business, but there is no hunting excitement in his gaze - after all, this is not a predator, and he, as a spinning fisherman, is interested in peaceful fish only from a contemplative point of view.

Spinning fishermen are attracted by predators - pike, pike perch, catfish, perch. Moreover, many fans of lure fishing do not classify chub, ide and asp among spinning trophies. What then can we say about more peaceful vegetarians? And are they really so peaceful - roach, crucian carp, bream and other whitefish, the lion's share of which belongs to the carp family?

Among the spinning anglers reading this article, there is hardly a single one who has not caught peaceful fish with a spinner or at least heard that: either a bream was caught on a spoon, or a carp was caught on a spinner, or a crucian carp grabbed a twister floating by. We are accustomed to writing off this entire rich set of similar cases as accidents, without trying to trace the pattern, although in the literature there is no, no, and even an article about catching bream on a spinner or carp on a jig will slip through.

In principle, all fish are usually divided into typical predators, semi-predatory and peaceful fish. But this division is very arbitrary, and basically the food supply of fish largely depends on objective reality. In the current conditions, the fish adapts and feeds on what it can get, because, as they say, “hunger is no help...”

Almost all fish, under certain conditions, begin to hunt living organisms in the absence of their usual natural food. Another thing is that peaceful fish by nature do not have toothy, huge mouths, and in the absence of plant food and small insects, they involuntarily switch to live food - fingerlings, small fish and large insects. This is where ultralight comes to our aid!

In fact, using ultralight gear you can imitate almost any living creature in a body of water. Microjig successfully replaces leeches and worms, microoscillators and wobblers can be selected for any beetle or small fish, and miniature spinners have an even greater variety of imitations. In a word, knowing the habits of fish, their preferences in certain conditions, with the help of ultralight equipment you can always interest almost any fish living in our waters with artificial bait. Another thing is that the game is not always worth the candle, but if you set a goal...

Someone may ask a very reasonable question: why be so clever? You can take a fishing rod and catch the same roach and crucian carp just fine, so to speak, using the traditional method. And he will be absolutely right from the point of view of a generalist fisherman who uses various fishing methods and techniques! But among fishermen, the number of adherents of exclusively spinning fishing is increasing. It is for them, fishermen who are trying to maximize the capabilities of spinning gear, that the author wrote this article, trying to share his accumulated experience.

For a number of years, the film crew of “Silver Brook” has been filming a series of films dedicated to ultralight fishing. Over the years, a lot has changed in our understanding of ultralight, but the main thing is that we have established the opinion that if you want, you can catch almost any fish with ultralight. At the same time, the tackle and ultra-light equipment itself for catching peaceful fish have undergone significant changes in recent years.

Traditionally, the construction of spinning tackle begins with a fishing rod. And here we, as a company with our own production, had to independently design the optimal spinning rod. As practice has shown, the most convenient was an ultralight rod with a length of 2.7 meters. The main advantages of this length are the ability to cast ultra-light baits at 20–25 meters, the ease of controlling the bait at all stages of the retrieve and, most importantly, the minimization of derailments. A significant reduction in derailments is achieved due to the large length of the blank, which works to compensate for the powerful jerks of large fish and at the same time prevents the appearance of slack. The blank of the new series is made of the latest generation of materials - “SVF” high-density graphites, which allow large radii of bending of the blank.

Experiments have shown that ultralight rods with a small butt diameter and increased wall thickness work much better. That’s how three years ago a new concept of ultralight spinning rods, Extreme line, appeared. The spinning rod is equipped with a lightweight series of FUJI rings with titanium reinforcement and SiC inserts. For the tulip, FUJI has developed a new shape that significantly reduces the overlap of the line over the tip of the spinning rod, since when fishing with a thin line, the absence of overlap is especially important. After all, it is precisely because of them that people most often get lost when casting bait, and the likelihood of breaking the tip of the rod is very high.

The Extreme line spinning rod series with a length of 2.7 meters has three types of tests - 0.8–8 g, 1.2–9.5 g, 1.8–12.6 grams. For catching peaceful fish, a spinning rod with a test weight from 0.8 to 8 g has been developed. This test range allows you to successfully use the entire range of baits necessary for ultralight hunting objects.

So, the spinning rod has been selected and, logically, now we need to select a spinning reel. This is where we are faced with the biggest problem known to all fans of ultralight fishing: it is extremely difficult to find a good reel for light tackle. Most manufacturers do not produce reels for ultralight fishing, but the Japanese have achieved the greatest success in this area. Almost all leading Japanese manufacturers have in their catalogs miniature spinning reels with minimal weight, but at the same time, unfortunately, with an unaffordable price of several hundred dollars. If purchasing such a model does not constrain your budget, you should buy it without hesitation - the result is guaranteed.

If you approach the issue more intelligently, then first of all you need to decide on the operating parameters. There are several basic requirements for an ultralight reel: light weight up to 190 g, fairly smooth running, and a thrust of at least 3–4 kg per handle. The most problematic is the weight characteristic. There are few decent spinning reels with similar weight. If you want advice, I would recommend the Silver Stream-Z 1000 model, which our company produces: the reel is quite decent, costs no more than $40, and has good performance characteristics. This model works great with monofilament lines and has high-quality winding. In principle, this is exactly what we need, since cords are of little use for this type of fishing.

The question of which fishing line to use—mono or braided—has long been a source of debate among ultralight enthusiasts. But when catching peaceful fish, most anglers agree that monofilament is preferable. Another thing is that the cords are more informative and durable, but these problems can now be solved by special monofilament models. One of these models was developed by a famous Japanese concern upon our order. It was called EX-ULTRA light line. “What is its feature?” you ask. And I will proudly answer: “The peculiarity of this fishing line is its specific behavior under load.” The fishing line has increased softness, but behaves similarly to braids, having a minimal coefficient of linear stretch at low loads and, accordingly, giving increased sensitivity to the gear. But with the onset of heavy loads, say when fishing for a large trophy, the fishing line begins to reliably absorb shocks and compensate for the load on the tackle. Taking into account the high strength of this fishing line model, it can be safely recommended when fishing with ultralight for peaceful large fish.

So, the basic set of ultra-light tackle has been selected, all that remains is to discuss the fastening elements and the most intimate thing - fishing lures. Miniature baits also require miniature mounting elements. From the point of view of minimizing the bait, there is a desire to tie it directly to the fishing line, but this should not be done for a number of reasons. Firstly, fishing with ultralight means constant experiments with the color, size and type of micro-baits, and here you often have to change more than a dozen baits when choosing the key to the fish. Tying the bait every time is a big loss of precious fishing time, so a strong, but miniature fastener is simply necessary. We cannot do without a swivel, which prevents twisting and tangling of thin fishing line. The main requirement is good quality and strength of fasteners.

The swivel clasp also performs other useful functions. Considering the light weight of lures (often less than a gram), the swivel and fastener also add additional weight. Often an extra centimeter or two of metal also saves you from pike teeth, because a leash on ultra-light tackle is strictly contraindicated.

The arsenal of baits for catching peaceful fish is quite rich. In principle, they should be divided into groups of simulated hunting targets for large peaceful fish.

Some of the baits are similar to fly fishing flies. It is worth recognizing that it is with ultralight fishing that spinning and fly fishing become the most borderline types of fishing, while leaving spinning a number of advantages and a wider range of applications. Returning to the baits, we should first of all note fly spinners, microwobblers and microspinners. Considering that ultralight fishing is still just gaining popularity, most of the most interesting baits are made by our craftsmen. Personally, I successfully use bait from masters from Ukraine and Russia, not excluding my own designs and crafts. The most successful of them form the basis for serial baits produced by Silver Stream.

According to my observations, when catching roach, crucian carp, bleak, and bream, the most effective are rotating baits with matte yellow petals and a spinner weight of no more than 1.5 grams. Moreover, if the petal has not just a matte, but also a rough surface, which further reduces glare, the fishing efficiency increases. A fly on the tee is a must. In this case, the plumage of a fly tied to a tee should not extend beyond the tee by more than a couple of millimeters, otherwise many empty bites and escapes will occur. A thick fly doesn't make much sense either.

The ideal option is if the pinwheel equally resembles both a young fish and a large insect. When manufacturing micro-spinners, the main thing is the efficiency of launching the petal. How often have I fallen into the hands of simply masterpieces, and not baits, but they did not start well in the water and, accordingly, were immediately written off ashore from the “combat” box.

Another aspect to pay attention to is that the most effective spinners, the ones that fish like the most, have discreet colors. Practice shows that old pinwheels with a petal and core darkened with time are much “tastier” for fish. The fly is definitely black or brown. Bright lures that work so effectively on a classic spinning rod are of little use in ultralight.

The wiring of ultralight baits is also significantly different. When catching white fish, you should always remember that the fish are PEACEFUL and do not have predatory instincts like their toothy “brothers.” The first and most important thing is to minimize the wiring speed. It is enough to observe insects that have fallen into the water or living in the water, take a closer look at the behavior of fingerlings and fry, and it immediately becomes clear why a minimum speed of wiring is necessary.

It is important to correctly set the fishing depth, focusing on where the fish is currently feeding. It is not at all necessary to look for bream at a depth near the bottom: if the bottom layers of the reservoir are poor in food, it will come to the surface to feed, picking up various insects. With the same success, riding fish can be found at the bottom when in the spring, in the absence of insects, they diversify their diet with larvae and eggs of spawning fish.

In a word, you need to look closely at the reservoir, study the habits of the fish, try to read and correctly interpret the numerous traces on the water.

If you have learned to read a body of water, have understood the food chain and feeding cycles of the fish you are interested in, you should begin to master wiring methods, of which there are a great variety.

To begin with, I propose to get acquainted with several basic methods of baiting, which, as a rule, bring good results. One of these is wiring codenamed “fallen insect”.

Most often, fish feed on numerous insects falling to the surface of the water. But if you sit comfortably in the bushes and watch the life of the reservoir, you can trace the entire stage of fish feeding and learn to imitate the behavior of insects that have fallen into the water.

The spoon lies on the surface of the water. Due to its light weight, the bait is in no hurry to sink. It is important, as soon as the spoon is in the water, launch the petal and, slowly raising the tip of the rod upward, bring the spinner to the very surface. It is necessary to guide the bait so that the petal practically comes to the surface when rotating, without losing its work. The spoon, slowly moving along the surface itself, forms a small breaker. A fish, be it a roach, a bream, a silver bream or one of the predators, having discovered an object, rushes towards it, while a breaker formed by the fish clearly appears behind the small break of the spoon. These are the most culminating moments of the wiring. At this moment, the angler must level the horizon and the speed of the spinner as much as possible and be ready for a short wrist hook. The fish, as a rule, either immediately attacks the bait, especially in cases where it has no time to think, or, moving after the bait, tentatively plucks the edge of the tee once or twice and only then decides to bite. The worst case scenario is also possible: when, following the lure, the fish does not dare to attack and moves to the side near the boat, giving the angler the opportunity to evaluate its appearance and size. There are several reasons for this behavior: low activity, an error in wiring, an error in the selection and selection of bait. And if in the first case everything is in God’s hands, then in the other two, the coveted world of experiments and creativity opens up before the angler, for which experienced spinning anglers so value ultralight fishing.

A highly effective method is the so-called “demolition” wiring, which is used in currents. The bait is thrown onto the stream and, using its light weight, the stream of water is allowed to carry it to the area where the fish are supposed to be staying. At this moment, the spinner perfectly imitates a stunned fry. Periodically, you use the rod to twitch the line, triggering the play of the petal, and creating the feeling of a stunned fry struggling with the elements. Well, what kind of fish can resist “helping” such a young fish in difficult times...

Another very effective method is “strike wiring”, used when catching bottom fish. The main idea is that a working spinner, touching the bottom soil, stones or snags with its petal, is momentarily knocked out of operation, and this moment, as a rule, causes the fish that is pursuing it to grab it.

Having been involved in ultralight fishing for more than twenty years, communicating with many experienced anglers, I am more and more convinced of the limitless possibilities of ultralight fishing. You can talk a lot about this method of spinning fishing. This year, the “Silver Stream” film crew is finishing five years of work on the first film dedicated to ultralight fishing. This film will be part of the general cycle “Spinning - the main components of success” and will bear the symbolic title “With ultralight behind a large predator.”

I wish everyone good luck in mastering the difficult but extremely interesting method of spinning fishing - fishing with ultralight

Large fish on ultralight

Ultralight fishing has become very popular in the CIS. Nowadays this method of fishing is associated with catching small fish with small baits. In principle, this is how it is: catching micro fish with micro bait is the main purpose of the ultralight. But, as experience shows, you can catch not small things with ultralight. Sometimes the baits are attacked by large humpback perches, seasoned ides and large crocodiles for “two”. This is always memorable...

And all because catching large fish on an ultralight is an indescribable drive! Spinning in an arc, the clutch gives up a thin line. The hook is small and you constantly pray that the fish doesn’t come off! A real fight, where the chances of the angler and the fish are 50 to 50. Well, isn't that great? Of course it's great! Therefore, I believe that every angler should try catching large fish with an ultra-light spinning rod.

What is a “big fish” for an ultralight? Well, this is probably the kind of fish that you are afraid of for the integrity of your tackle when fishing. My big fish are pike or pike perch per kilogram, ide and chub per 700 grams, perch more than half a kilogram. This fish brings a lot of pleasure, a huge dose of adrenaline is poured into the blood. I want to say right away: you won’t be able to purposefully catch large fish with an ultra-light spinning rod. The fact is that large fish prefer large baits. But they cannot be used for ultralight fishing, due to the small test. Therefore, a good specimen on the hook is almost always an accident.

The exception to the rule is ide and chub. Large specimens can also be caught using very small baits. These semi-predators feed mainly on fry, as well as insects. Therefore, mini-wobblers and spinners are what the doctor ordered, because they well imitate the food items of the chub. It happened that individuals weighing about 1500-2000 grams landed on a spinnerbait or a wobbler 3 cm long. To some extent, perch can also be added to the list of trophy fish that bite well on street bait. In some reservoirs, baits measuring 36-45 mm are eagerly attacked by perches weighing from 500 to 1200 grams. I emphasize that this does not happen everywhere. In most cases, to catch large bass you need to use large baits.

The most difficult thing to catch on a spinning rod is a large pike (more than 1 kg). The fact is that this fish does not perceive the appearance of the bait at all. For her, the vibrations produced by a spinner, wobbler or twister are important. Small lures have a low level of vibration, comparable to the vibrations produced by small fish. Pike are not interested in very small fish. Therefore, if you want to try what it’s like to take out a toothy crocodile on the street, you need to show maximum effort. I recommend using spinners. They emit very strong vibrations, comparable to those produced by roach or crucian carp. Might interest pike. A funny incident: I once caught a three-kilogram pike with a microtwister. How? I caught perch and hooked one striped one. While dragging him to the shore, a pike attacked him and caught him on a jig. It happens

But large pike perch sometimes even bite on a microjig. Surprising, but nonetheless true. Pike-perch are especially often caught on twisters 40 mm long in ultraviolet color. But still, seasoned “toothfish” bite on mikruha occurs much less frequently than on large vibrotails and twisters.

When biting large fish, first of all, a clearly adjusted clutch is important. It should be set to 70 percent of the line strength. If it is too loose, the fish will constantly pull the line and you will not pull it towards you. And if it is too tight, the line may break from a strong jerk, or, even worse, the spinning rod will become unusable. When landing a serious trophy, do not rush. Let the predator walk from side to side as long as possible (like a dog on a leash). In a few minutes the fish will get tired and then it can be safely dragged to the shore. It would be nice to write “you should always have a landing net or hook with you, because near the shore the fish can gather its strength, splash up and get off the hook.” But I won’t recommend this. I always pick up fish with my hands. This is a little more adrenaline and impressions.