How to make a fishing donk: device, assembly, homemade tricks

When starting to fish, beginners learn a lot of new things and learn how to behave correctly on a pond, how to choose a place, bait and bait, as well as how to tie rigs correctly.

In order for the first impressions to be positive, and the craving for fishing to remain for many years, you need to learn how to make simple but catchy gear that is used on all types of reservoirs and for different fish.

First of all, this concerns bottom rigs, which are used to catch small fish such as crucian carp or perch, and large fish - carp, carp, catfish.

The purpose of this article is to help a beginner figure out how to make a donk and what you need to pay attention to in order to get a catchy tackle.

Are there any advantages to homemade donks?

As you know, a lot of bottom equipment has been invented and each of them helps to solve a specific problem and catch trophy fish in specific conditions. Donks are also sold in specialized fishing stores and the easiest way is to just buy them, especially since there is a large selection.

But not everyone has the necessary budget, and the main thing is that homemade gear often turns out to be more catchy than purchased gear, and this is proven by specific results.

In addition, it is much more pleasant to pull out pike perch or carp on a donk made with your own hands and modified for certain conditions.

No matter how strange it may sound, grandfather’s donks fish with ultra-modern gear, and the price of the materials necessary for their manufacture is extremely low.

Advantages of homemade donks:

low cost of materials;
design variability;
compactness;
quick preparation for use;
the ability to use several homemade gear at the same time;
use of all kinds of baits, lures and baits.

It is also important that a novice fisherman can try fishing with homemade donks and decide whether fishing will become a real hobby for him.

Advantages of fishing tackle and its features

Devices of this type will help you get close even to fish living at the depths of reservoirs. They bite on bait that is lowered to the bottom on a hook. Bottom fishing devices may differ in design from one another. Some jigs have rods, others don't. But they all relate to fishing gear. The use of bottom structures makes it possible to catch crucian carp, perch, as well as carp and carp.

Nowadays, professional fishermen have come up with many models of similar equipment that solve the given problem - to catch a special trophy in certain conditions. The catching device can be purchased ready-made, but fishermen prefer to make a donk by putting their hand on it.

A donka made by the hands of a fisherman catches much more fish than a modern commercial product. For some, this tackle is a talisman for successful fishing.

Another advantage of the donkey is its cost, which is significantly less than the price of a purchased installation.

In addition, homemade devices of this type have the following positive qualities:

Variety of design options.
Compactness.
Easy and quick assembly.
Using several gears at the same time.
Use of different baits, baits and lures.
Fishing at long distances and at depth.
Bite control in strong winds.
Using different bite alarms.

Along with the advantages of equipment of this type, there are also some limitations when using it. Not used in areas of rivers and reservoirs with a large amount of snags or vegetation. This gear is not suitable for fishing in the upper water layers. Donka cannot be used in mountain rivers with strong currents. Before choosing a bottom fishing rod model, decide on your fishing conditions. There are types of donks for fishing in calm water or in a river with a current.

What does a simple donka consist of?

Already from the name it is clear that bottom tackle is used for catching fish that live in the lower layers of water. To immerse a leash with a hook, you need a sinker, and to fix the tackle on the shore of a reservoir, you need a stand or a slat.

In general, a regular donkey-trick consists of:

reels or bobbins on which the main fishing line is wound;
racks for fixing gear on the shore;
mechanical alarm;
main line;
installation with a sinker.

Of all the elements of equipment in the store, you will have to buy fishing line for the base and leashes, as well as hooks. For the base of the bait, you don’t need expensive fishing line, so buy a simple fishing line in a 100-meter reel with a diameter of 0-35-0.40 mm in the store.

One hundred meters will be enough because it is difficult, if not impossible, to throw a long distance with your hand. Usually this is 50–70 meters and there is still some reserve left for landing large fish.

Such a fish cannot be brought out “scrambly”, otherwise it will fall off the hook, so sometimes you have to release 5-10 meters of fishing line from the reel in order to tire the trophy and bring it to the shore. Line for leashes with a diameter of 0.18-0.22 can also be bought in the store, and there is a special leash line unrolled for 25–50 meters.

You will need 3–4 hooks, numbers 4–6 according to the European classification. The reel, sinker, stand and signaling device are made by hand, and their quality will be no worse than that of store-bought products.

Montages

The choice of rig for catching carp on a donk depends on:

fishing conditions;
the presence of a current in a reservoir;
distances;
way of feeding.

If fishing is carried out in a well-fed place, additional means of delivering bait such as feeders are not needed. If you have to cast while fishing, a rig is tied using a spring feeder or a plastic feeder, so that after each cast an additional portion of bait gets to the fishing point.

Installation for fishing on the current

To connect a rig for fishing in the current you will need:

leash with hook;
sinker with a through hole;
swivel;
stop bead or rubber stopper.

The equipment is knitted on a separate piece of fishing line 40-50 cm long and mounted on the base using the loop-to-loop method.

Installation procedure:

tie the swivel to the fishing line;
put on the rubber stopper and lower it to the swivel;
put a sinker on the line;
put on another stopper;
at the free end of the fishing line, make a loop for attaching to the base;
tie the leash to the swivel.

The result is a sliding installation, and the sinker moves freely along the fishing line, limited on both sides by stoppers. After the fish takes the bait, it does not feel resistance for several seconds, because the line glides freely. Only after the load rests against the upper stopper, the soft tissue is caught and all that remains is to bring the fish ashore using a boat, or manually.

The length of the leash is 20–30 cm and soft leash material or cord is used for tying it

This is important, since a leash made of monofilament line or fluorocarbon is too rigid and may not be liked by the fish, and hooking on soft leashes is more reliable

It is not necessary to take expensive leash materials for tying leashes; a budget cord will also do, the main thing is that its breaking load is sufficient for calmly playing the trophy.

When fishing from a long distance, you should not tie several leashes. The fish will still find a hook with a nozzle in a pile of food, and an extra leash becomes a hindrance when fishing, especially from a distance.

The weight of the load must be such that the equipment is not carried away by the current, and reliable self-notching occurs. But a sinker that is too heavy should also not be used, because it will only complicate the task of landing fish due to the additional weight.

Installation with a spring feeder for fishing on a standing pond from the shore

Casting rigs are tied on a fishing line or cord, the thickness and strength of which is higher than that of the base.

This is necessary so that in the event of a snag, only the installation itself comes off, and the base remains intact. Usually a break occurs at the junction of the rig with the base, and to continue fishing all that remains is to tie on a new rig.

To make the installation you will need:

a piece of thick fishing line from a cord 40–50 cm long;
spring feeder;
two swivels;
two leashes with hooks.

Knitting order:

tie a swivel to the end of the fishing line;
put a feeder on the fishing line;
at a distance of 20 cm from the bottom one, tie the second swivel;
make a loop at the free end to connect to the base;
tie the leashes to the swivels.

The result is an installation with a spring, and the leashes with hooks are located at a distance from each other, which increases the chance of a bite. The spring feeder moves freely along the line, and notching occurs when it rests on the upper swivel.

The weight of the feeder is selected depending on the fishing distance, so that it is convenient to cast, but large enough to catch fish. In this case, it is not the net weight of the feeder itself that is taken into account, but the weight with bait. If the spring feeder is not loaded, during installation it is necessary to use an additional sliding sinker, otherwise the notch will be unreliable.

The size of the spring is chosen at your own discretion, the main thing is that the finished filled feeder is convenient to throw at a given distance. There is no point in placing more than two hooks; their location at the top and bottom of the feeder is most attractive to fish, and extra leads only get tangled and interfere with fishing.

How to make a reel

The reel is made of a board or piece of plastic 30 cm long and 6 cm wide. Its main feature is that V-shaped cuts are made on the end sides for easy winding of fishing line. It is not difficult to cut such cutouts with a jigsaw or on a machine, as well as to clean them with sandpaper.

On one side, one leg on the reel should be 8–10 cm longer than the other; it is inserted into the sand or soil when installing the bait before fishing. After the reel is completely processed, all the fishing line from a 100-meter reel is wound onto it.

How and from what to pour a sinker

Most sinkers used in industrial fishing are made of lead. It is the heaviest metal available, which is why it is used to make tool weights. It’s also not difficult to find a piece of lead for casting a load on a charger; in particular, it is found in old car batteries.

Lead melts at a temperature of 327º, so sinkers can be made using a homemade method at home. First you need to make a mold for casting. To do this, wet sand is poured into an empty tin can, in which a depression is made with your fingers in the shape of the future sinker.

In order for the sinker on the hook to “hold the bottom” well, it is made flat and oval in shape. That is, the depression in the sand is also made in the shape of an oval.

The sinker must have a hole for attaching to the fishing line, so on one side of the future sinker (at the top of the oval), a nail is inserted into the sand. After this, the pieces of lead are placed in another tin can and heated on a regular gas stove or over a fire.

After the lead has melted, it is poured into a sand mold and left until it cools completely. A nail is removed from the cooled sinker with pliers, and the surface is treated with a file or sandpaper.

Lead is a soft metal and lends itself well to processing, so making the load completely smooth is also not difficult. Typically, fishermen prepare a supply of lead weights so that if the gear breaks while fishing, they can quickly replace it and continue fishing.

Stand and alarm

The casting stand is made of a metal rod 80-100 cm long. On one side of the rod, 20 cm of its length is bent in the shape of a V for ease of laying and tensioning the fishing line. It is advisable to treat the surface until it is smooth so as not to damage the fishing line when fishing.

The signaling device is made of a piece of rubber 3 cm long and 6 cm wide, in one end of which a slot is made to fix the fishing line, and on the other side (also in the slot) a small school bell is inserted. To prevent the bell from flying out of the elastic band after sharp jerks, the joint is glued.

Improving the Donkey Trick

To increase fishing efficiency and lure fish to baited hooks, fishermen use spring feeders into which tasty-smelling bait is filled.

Pacifier springs are also made by hand from copper wire wound on a solid base. Installing such a sliding spring between the sinker and the first leash will increase the attractiveness of the hook, and therefore its effectiveness.

By the way, the well-known crucian carp killer donk rig is an improved donk with 2–3 springs and 3–4 leashes on soft leash material. This means that if a fisherman knows how to make a classic hook, then it will be much easier for him to learn how to tie other bottom rigs.

Tackle with rubber shock absorber

To prevent the shy fish from swimming away while constantly throwing the sinker, someone came up with the idea of attaching an elastic band to it. It makes it possible to silently remove hooks with a catch from the water and return them to their original place with new bait. In this case, the sinker remains on the bottom. At one time, this invention was received with delight by fishermen and led to the fact that elastic became almost scarce.

By the way, assembling such bottom tackle with your own hands is quite simple, and it has a great many advantages. Firstly, it ensures silent delivery of bait to a certain, sometimes already baited, place. This makes it possible to check what bait the fish are biting on today. This is especially beneficial if you hunt carp or crucian carp. Secondly, not a specific point on the bottom of a reservoir is fished with a donkey, but an entire area. This undoubtedly increases the number of catches. On such tackle you can place from 3 to 7 hooks. A donka with an elastic band is a universal thing; it can be used to catch both large and small fish. The main thing is to install the “right” hooks.

Read Flounder: benefits and harm to the body

We have not listed all the advantages of using a donkey with a rubber shock absorber. But she has only one weak part. We are talking about the elastic band itself, which very quickly loses its quality, so it has to be changed very often.

Now let’s learn more about how to make bottom tackle with a rubber shock absorber. It consists of a reel, a main line, a section of elastic, a line with leads and a sinker at the end. The main line must be very strong. Most often, a “thread” with a diameter of 0.35 mm is installed. Next comes a section of fishing line with attached leashes. It is approximately 3 meters. The length of the leashes depends on who is fishing and what bait is used. The longest ones are placed on live bait and frogs. After this, a section of elastic with a length of seven to ten meters is attached to the fishing line with leashes through a swivel. A sinker is tied to it on a nylon leash. Its weight depends on the speed of the flow of the reservoir. A leash is needed to make casts; its length should be a little more than one meter.

The fishing technique is quite simple. We make just one single cast. But the main difficulty is that it is very difficult to deliver a heavy sinker from the shore to the desired point in the reservoir, especially the first time. This is where a watercraft can come in handy. A piece of foam plastic is tied to the sinker, which will imitate a float. Next, we swim by boat to the desired place and lower the sinker into the water. At the end of fishing, we simply pull the float and take out all the gear.

Donka is popular, undoubtedly, because it is very easy to use. First, we unwind the fishing line from the reel - the number of meters we plan to cast. Place it in wide circles on the ground near your feet. Afterwards, you will need to carefully turn it over so that the coil with the sinker is at the top. This greatly reduces the likelihood that the line will get tangled. In some versions of the elastic donkey, a safety line is also used. It is wound on a separate reel and tied to a sinker. Swivels are used for all fastenings. Remember about insurance - it is needed in case of a break in the rubber band, so that you can easily pull the sinker ashore.

Donka from a spinning rod

The next stage is making a donkey from a spinning rod, which will help you fish distant areas of the reservoir and increase the efficiency of fishing. When most experienced fishermen mention spinning, for some reason they immediately imagine an expensive spinning rod with a cast of 10–20 grams.

In fact, there are different types of spinning rods, and the well-known “crocodile” is, in fact, also a spinning rod, only rough but powerful. With such a spinning rod they throw far and do not experience any problems when landing large fish, because it is not afraid of the most serious loads.

Another type of spinning rods used as rods are inexpensive telescopic rods, easy to transport and reliable in operation. The length of such rods varies from 2.40 to 3.00 meters, so there is a choice and it depends on the conditions in which the bottom fishing will be carried out.

Powerful spinning rods are the best rods for amateur bottom fishing in terms of price-quality ratio.

Important! The taller the fisherman, the longer the spinning rod he needs to choose; it is more convenient to cast and easier to fish.

Coil

If, when fishing with a cast, the bottom tackle is cast by the fisherman “by hand,” then for casting from a spinning rod, a reel is needed. Without a reel, you simply won’t be able to cast the rig far, and landing fish will be difficult.

An inertial reel is not suitable for donkeying, so you need a spinning reel with a front or rear clutch. Such reels have a reliable mechanism, closed with a waterproof case, and with regular technical maintenance (lubrication, cleaning), they will last for more than one season.

To use a spinning rod, you don’t need an expensive spinning reel, and there are a lot of budget models and plenty to choose from.

The main characteristics of the inertia-free machine:

spool size;
number of bearings;
clutch location;
presence of a baitrunner;
landing paw size;
material;
price.

In most spinning reels, the handle is moved to the right or left, so the angler chooses the option that is more convenient for him. The size of the spool determines the amount of fishing line that can be wound, as well as the convenience of casting, especially over long distances. The larger the spool, the more convenient it is to cast far, but making long, powerful casts requires skill and technique.

Beginning fishermen believe that the more bearings there are in a reel, the more reliable and convenient it is to use. This is not entirely true, since the material from which the bearings are made is also important and it is better if they are metal. Unscrupulous manufacturers hide the fact that instead of metal bearings, their products contain plastic bushings, and before purchasing, you need to make sure of the quality of the product.

Almost all modern spinning reels are equipped with a front or rear drag. Some products have both front and rear clutches, with the help of which the beyrunner system is adjusted. But for a budget donkey from a spinning rod, a reel with a front drag without a baitrunner is suitable; it will cost less, but will cope with the assigned functions.

Main line

Two types of fishing lines are used in spinning rods:

braided cord;
monofilament line.

Braid is more expensive, but with the same diameter as monofilament, it is much stronger. That is, for the donkey you can take a braided line of a smaller diameter, which will be less noticeable and fly better.

Disadvantages of braid:

high cost compared to monofil;
low extensibility.

In addition, many braided lines in the budget segment are poorly colored, and after several fishing trips all their camouflage is washed off.

Therefore, for donkeying from a spinning rod, it is better to take a monofilament fishing line with a diameter of 0.3-0.4 mm, transparent color, and it will be invisible in any water.

Important! After fishing, dry the fishing line, but not in the sun, and its service life will increase significantly.

Donkey installation

A spinning rod is a sensitive and reliable tackle, but to ensure this sensitivity you need to use a sliding sinker. The advantages of this installation are that when a fish takes the bait, it does not feel the weight of the load and is not frightened, as is the case with a bait donkey. This is especially true for trophy fish, which are very careful and attentive to unfamiliar objects.

On the one hand, she is attracted by the smell, color and taste of the nozzle, but, on the other hand, she needs to remain careful and attentive. A sliding sinker allows the fish to swallow the bait without fear and pull it to the side, and at this moment the movement of the sinker along the fishing line stops and a hook occurs. At the same time, the load itself must be flat so as not to move along the bottom under the pressure of the current and the pulls of the fish.

To install a spinning rod you will need:

a piece of fishing line 40 cm long, 0.25 mm in diameter;
sliding sinker;
triple swivel;
float stops;
two leashes 15 cm long, with hooks made of monofilament fishing line with a diameter of 0.2 mm.

Installation procedure:

make a loop from one end of the fishing line for tying to the base;
pull the float stopper onto the fishing line and guide it to the loop;
pull the sinker along the fishing line;
put on another float stopper;
tie a triple swivel to the free end of the fishing line using the upper ring;
lower the lower stopper to the swivel;
tie leashes to the free rings of the swivel.

Installation is simple, but catchy, and for different fish. When fishing for crucian carp or bream, leashes are made from monofilament fishing line. If the catch is expected to include carp or catfish, the leashes are knitted from soft braid and their length is shortened to 5–7 cm. Short leashes are less tangled and do not create problems for the angler when fishing and casting.

The stoppers limit the movement of the weight along the line, and the lower stopper prevents the weight from hitting the swivel assembly during power casts. If the hook gets caught on a snag or grass, only the leash tied on a thin fishing line comes off, and the rest of the equipment remains intact. To restore the tackle, you only need to tie a new leash or leashes.

How to make a fishing donk

Bottom tackle is not an object of industrial production and is mostly assembled by fishermen individually, for certain fishing conditions. In order to assemble bottom gear with your own hands, a fisherman must have the skills and ability to tie knots and have an understanding of the algorithm for assembling constructs into a single assembly.

The principle of operation of the equipment remains the same in all cases - supplying baits on the main cord with securing the equipment with a weight at the bottom of the reservoir. Next, we will dwell in more detail on the elements necessary for the manufacture of bottom gear with a description of their main operating properties and characteristics.

fishing line

The donkey rig is formed on the main thread, which for short distances, up to 25 meters, is selected from monofilament fishing line, and for fishing at medium and long distances, a braided cord is used. The monofilament base is taken with a diameter of at least 0.2 mm, with the possibility of the fishing line being self-immersed under water and preferably in more stringent parameters. As a rule, clear fishing lines are universal for all shades of water. Braided cords for donk tackle begin to be used from a diameter of 0.15 mm. Braids, as well as monofilament, are chosen with strict characteristics, and when using this type of cord, the green shades of the material are most effective for all types of reservoirs, and in different seasons of the year.

Important! It is worth emphasizing that when fishing on shell rocks, regardless of the distance at which the bait is supplied, preference is given to monofilament cords with a lower abrasion coefficient compared to braided ones.

Sinker

Donka fishing can be done with either a dead or sliding weight. For the most part, teardrop-shaped lead sinkers are used for standing and weakly flowing reservoirs and flat types of shapes for rivers with moderate and fast currents. Drop-shaped weights and olive-shaped weights are not so noisy when casting, but do not stay on the bottom in currents, which, in contrast, ensures flat figures that are noisier when casting into fishing zones. A weight weighing 70 - 150 grams will more than ensure fishing in still waters, but for currents it is sometimes necessary to install a stationary weight of 500 grams or more.

Important! Blind weights are mounted to the lines through swivels, selected depending on the weight of the load. The movement of sliding sinkers along the main cord is limited by silicone stoppers based on the distances required for fishing conditions.

Leash

The leader material is selected based on the type of fish being caught. For pike, use metal or Kevlar leashes. Catfish and pike perch attack baits on braided leashes without causing any significant deformation to them. All peaceful fish, depending on their caution and activity, can be successfully caught using monofilament or fluorocarbon leader materials. The length of the leash depends on the activity of the fish, its feeding method and the structure of the bottom at the fishing location. For active fish, short leashes are used, the sizes of which fall in the range from 15 to 25 cm. For passive fish and when fishing in silted reservoirs, longer leash sections are used. Additionally, under these conditions, leashes are equipped with foam floats, often the size of a pea to a walnut, which ensures that the bait is kept in the water horizon required for fishing.

Hooks

Hooks for equipment are selected based on the bait used and the size of the fish expected to be caught. It is better to prepare leashes with hooks at home in advance, on the shore only by retrofitting the tackle and without spending extra time on tying. For vegetable baits, use hooks with a short shank in the color of the bait. For animal bait in the form of a worm and crawler, as well as live bait fish, hooks with an elongated shank in blue and steel colors are used. In some cases, when setting fry as bait, it is effective to use a double and tees according to the size of the fish used for fishing. The shape and type of the connecting element of the accessory, be it a blade or a ring, do not fundamentally affect the installation design.

Important! The basis for the reliability of the leash-hook element is the competent choice of the type of connecting unit, depending on the material of the leash, and its correct execution.

Donkey improvement

To spread the leashes as far apart as possible, a rocker arm is knitted instead of a triple swivel, but this reduces the reliability of the equipment, especially when fishing for heavy fish. When catching small fish, which often confuse the equipment, the use of a rocker arm is justified and even useful.

There is another trick that helps prevent tangling of hooks and improve the tackle - shorten one of the leashes to 5-7 cm; this installation works well for bottom-dwelling white fish such as bream or crucian carp.

To increase the overall attractiveness of the tackle, instead of a sinker, a loaded spring is used, into which bait is driven. This makes the tackle somewhat coarser, but the additional fish-attracting factor in the form of a bait mixture is still more important. During the current they use a stickier mixture, while in a still body of water it is “dusty” and this has a positive effect on catches.

The disadvantage of the spring is that in strong currents it rolls along the bottom and this creates inconvenience. In addition, when fishing with a donkey “under a clip,” the fisherman throws the tackle all the time in the same place and creates a kind of bait spot.

If the spring rolls along the bottom after casting, it is unlikely that such an effect will be achieved. But there is an opportunity to solve this problem and make a donkey with a spring that will not roll along the bottom and, moreover, is even more effective than a standard donkey, and this bottom tackle is called a “harvester”.

Bottom tackle options

Bottom tackle has gone through a long evolutionary process.

The first donks were simple gear consisting of a fishing line, a sinker and a hook. such throws it was difficult to cast the bait far, much less hit the same place.
Gradually, anglers began to use sticks and rods to cast equipment. The fishing distance has increased, and bait casting has become more accurate. To attract fish to the bait, lovers of bottom gear began to mount simple feeders on the equipment.
It was possible to accurately deliver the bait using a rubber bottom , which had to be cast once, after which the fishing continued all day.
And finally, the crowning achievement of man in the field of bottom structures was feeder gear. Light and sensitive tackle allows you to accurately and far cast bait with a feeder, observing the slightest touch of the fish to the bait.

How and from what to make a “harvester” donka

Donka “harvester” is a multi-hook tackle consisting of a feeder with loading and three leashes made of soft leash material. Bait is hammered into the feeder, and a floating bait is attached to the hooks, and this installation shows excellent results on lakes and rivers.

The main feature of the “harvester” is the design of the feeder, which is a spring with a flat lead bottom. After casting, such a feeder splashes down in a certain position and the hooks with the bait are always on top.

We can say that the donka “combine” is the progenitor of the now fashionable flat-method feeders, which help catch trophy fish.

How to assemble a catchy donka “harvester”

To make a “combine” donkey you will need:

spring feeder with a flat weight;
three leashes made of soft leash material 5–7 cm long;
a piece of braided cord 30–40 cm with a diameter of 0.25-0.3 mm;
stop bead;
float stopper.

The rig is tied on a braided line to ensure strength and reliability during power casting and landing fish.

Assembling the “harvester” donka:

At the end of the braid we firmly fix the mounting bead;
we pass the braid into the feeder and lower it down to the bead;
put on the float stopper and lower it all the way to the feeder, firmly fixing it;
twist all the leashes together in one knot;
1–2 cm above the float stop we tie the leashes to the braided line;
At the free end of the braid we make a loop to connect to the main fishing line.

How donka works

After completely assembling the “combine” donkey and attaching it to the main fishing line, bait is stuffed into the feeder, and techno-dough or foam balls are attached to the hooks. Hooks are stuck into the bait in rings, and the tackle is thrown into the water.

During the process of washing out the bait, the hooks are released and float in close proximity to the feeder. The fish approaches the aroma of the bait and, out of curiosity, tries the foam ball, getting caught by the hook.

The “harvester” donka is used to catch any bottom fish, and even wild carp bite on it. The strength of the tackle is enough for catching and landing trophy fish, and they can pull out crucian carp or bream without any problems.

Using foam plastic as a nozzle rather than technotest is preferable, because the synthetic material does not get wet and is not washed off with water for a long time, maintaining buoyancy. Fishermen use scented foam balls with the “combine” donkey, and this increases the attractiveness of the entire tackle.

Donka “combine” is used for fishing at any time of the year in open water, and this simple and catchy tackle is very popular among fishermen.

Making a spring for a “harvester”

How to make a flat lead weight was already described in the first part of the article, and when making a spring the process is very similar. Only after lead is poured into the sand mold is a spring inserted into it, and the structure is allowed to cool to normal temperature.

This is followed by processing the lead load with a file or emery, and the result is a spring feeder with a flat bottom and a streamlined shape. Such a feeder has flight characteristics at the highest level, and the location of the load ensures that it falls to the bottom of the reservoir in the only possible way.

The size of the donkey “harvester” feeder depends on the dimensions of the spring and, accordingly, the preferences of the angler who makes the choice.

Important! Do not make overly large springs, they are more difficult to cast, and too large a volume of bait does not provide any advantages.

How to fish with donka

Bottom fishing can be done in several ways. The main thing is that the bottom of the reservoir and its water area allow casting and installation of the rig.

Otherwise, catching a predator on a donk, like all peaceful fish, is similar in its technology, the main ones of which we will consider in the continuation of the material.

Bottom tackle with shock absorber

The use of bottoms with rubber shock absorbers is convenient in large open water areas and allows you to silently cast bait, which gives you the opportunity to catch particularly cautious and shy fish. The tackle does not need a rod

The load is thrown manually or delivered to the installation site by boat. A model is tied to the load, with which the main cord is connected, with hooks and bait. The stretchability of the model allows you to rewind and reinstall the cord on the fishing trajectory without casting the sinker.

Bottom fishing rod

Most often, the rod used is a spinning rod with certain performance characteristics that satisfy fishing conditions. An inertia-free reel is used as a reel and device for effectively casting equipment, winding up the cord and retrieving the trophy. In such installations, the sinker is attached to the fishing line without a shock absorber using a blind or sliding type.

Bottom tackle with feeder

It is more effective to fish with a donk with a feeder using a special feeder rod. The features of the feeder allow you to fish in a narrow range, while simultaneously achieving the highest efficiency in attaching fish to a promising point, controlling the bite, hooking and landing the trophy. Feeder technology is an improved method of catch fishing. And also higher demands are placed on reels, which must have a friction clutch and a baitrunner adjustable in several stages.

Read How to put live bait on a pike trap

The fishing itself is carried out from the shore, from a stationary installation of the rod on a stand. For the most part, the feeder specializes in fishing for carp fish, but with some modifications in the equipment it can be successfully used for hunting all types of predatory fish.