For fishing they use donka and its simplest variety - zakidushka. This is a piece of the main thick fishing line, several leaders with hooks and sinkers. The fishing line is wound on a regular reel.
Thanks to its simplicity and compactness, it is still used by fishermen. You can fish with it both in still water and in places with fast currents.
Where and when are they caught using tricks?
One of the advantages of zakidushki is that you can fish with them in most bodies of water. Ponds, reservoirs, lakes and rivers are suitable, even with a noticeable current.
Read: Feeder equipment for fishing in currents. The sinker can be a load of different weights. On large bodies of water with standing water, use a small weight. When fishing in the current, use a more massive sinker so that the water cannot carry away the tackle.
The following fish are usually caught in this way:
- burbot;
- pike;
- catfish;
- zander;
- crucian carp;
- tench;
- carp;
- bream.
The versatility of this gear allows it to be used regardless of lighting conditions.
Fishing with a bait can only be done in open water, when the reservoir is completely clear of ice. The cheapness of this gear allows you to make and take a large number of hooks with you when fishing. But there are legal restrictions on the number of fishing rods used by fishermen.
Choosing bait and bait
Bait and lure should be chosen based on the food preferences of the pike in the fished body of water with a reference to the time of year. In cold water, in spring and autumn, you can safely place dead fish or fish trimmings and fillet pieces cut into ten-centimeter strips 3-4 cm wide on the bait, pressing the delicacy with a weight to the bottom of the reservoir. Pike, despite the immobility of the bait, are interested in such installations due to their high feeding activity. In the summer and early autumn, pike are still more confident in taking live bait, which they place in rigs through the gill.
Important! Due to the fact that donks can remain in a working position for a long time without being checked, it is recommended to use species of live bait fish with a high degree of endurance as bait.
These types of fish include crucian carp, loach and gudgeon. Regardless of the method of baiting, this fish will live for at least a day. Roach, perch and crappies are more delicate fish, and when fishing with such live bait material, the hooks will have to be inspected at least once every 2-3 hours, to change the specimens that have fallen asleep on the hooks.
Types of tackle
There are several main types of such gear. They differ in some design features. The choice of gear type depends on the fishing conditions.
An ordinary snack
This is the simplest and cheapest option for a snack. It is a strong fishing line or nylon cord with a thickness of 0.35-0.5 mm. A weight is attached to one end of the fishing line. Lead casting can be used. For fishing in rivers, its weight is usually 10-200 grams. When fishing in still water, use a weight of up to 50 g.
Some fishermen use stones found on the shore instead of lead weights. The length of the main line usually does not exceed 50 m, because it is difficult to cast the tackle further in the usual way.
A leash is tied at a distance of 0.5 m from the sinker. It uses a thinner fishing line, its thickness is 0.2-0.3 mm. The leash is taken 0.3−0.6 m long. To ensure that the tackle takes up as little space as possible, the fishing line is wound on a plastic or wooden reel. Bells are used as signaling devices.
Read: 6 ways to make a homemade bite alarm for donkey
Zakidushka with sliding weight
Some types of fish are cautious and shy. Catching bream with a regular bait does not always bring good results. In this case, it is good to use a tackle with a sliding weight.
There are two main practical options for implementing this idea:
- a sinker in the shape of an oblong olive is attached to the main fishing line. The distance from the hook to the main line is regulated by a special rubber stopper. Instead, you can use a small piece of sheet lead. A leash with a hook is tied to the very end of the main cord. The fish takes the bait, but does not feel any resistance, since the line slides and the sinker remains on the bottom;
- A weight is attached to the main line on a leash with a swivel. The limiter is a rubber damper. Leashes with hooks are located at the end of the fishing line. In a similar way, the nozzle can be raised above the bottom. After casting, the line is pulled slightly and then fixed in this position. When biting, the fish does not feel resistance and boldly swallows the bait.
Zakidushka with rubber shock absorber
A convenient option for throwing is the so-called rubber bands. This tackle occupies a special position due to certain design features and methods of its use. Until recently, this method of fishing was considered almost poaching. So check to see if it can be used in your region.
The stretch of the elastic allows you to remove the line from the water and lower it back along with the bait. There is no need to make any casts, which makes the fishing process easier.
One of the main components of this gear is a rubber cord, which has high elasticity and the ability to stretch greatly in length.
An elastic band approximately 7-8 m long is mounted between the main line and the sinker itself. The length of the elastic is affected by the distance over which the tackle will be thrown. The speed of water flow is taken into account if it happens on a river.
Read: Fidergam
The weight of the sinker must be sufficient so that the elastic band cannot move it from its place.
The length of the main line is 25−30 m. For leashes, a line of 0.16−0.25 mm is used, the length of the leashes is 15−30 cm. Their number is from 3 to 8 pieces. Attach leashes at a distance of 15-25 cm from each other.
There is also a safety line attached to the sinker, with which you can pull out the sinker. Often a special buoy is used, attached to the load with a rope. It shows the place where the sinker is located at the bottom of the reservoir. After finishing fishing, you just need to swim up to it on a boat and pull the tackle out of the water.
Live bait fishing methods
It is possible to catch pike with live bait using various fishing techniques. At the same time, each method of catching predatory fish differs from each other, although only slightly. It is especially important, despite the options for using equipment, to know the behavior of the toothy predator, then you can count on a positive fishing outcome. The choice of a promising location plays a very important role.
For catching pike with live bait, it is permissible to use the following gear:
- Mugs.
- Bottom fishing rods.
- Walking donka.
- Float live bait fishing rod.
- Summer girders.
Below in the article you can find out in more detail how these types of gear differ from each other and how to catch pike with them.
Fishing with mugs
Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers also caught pike with mugs, so the fishing method is familiar to many anglers. For effective fishing, several circles are used, which are installed at different points in the reservoir. When a pike takes bait, the circle turns over, signaling a bite. When the angler swims up to the circle, the pike has already managed to swallow the bait. The fisherman can only hook and pull the predator out of the water.
The advantages of this fishing method include:
- The gear can be installed in any promising place in the reservoir, taking into account the characteristics of the bottom topography, as well as the presence of aquatic vegetation.
- The mugs are simple in design, so even an inexperienced angler can understand their structure.
- Alternatively, mugs can be purchased at specialized retail outlets or at the market.
- The mugs are highly effective despite their simple design.
As an advice! The gear is simple, so to make it it is enough to use available means in the form of plastic bottles. There is plenty of this garbage these days!
You should also pay attention to a significant drawback of this method of fishing - the presence of any watercraft. Unfortunately, not every fisherman is able to purchase a boat, although this element of fishing is the dream of any angler.
Running donka
This gear allows you to catch predators from the shore when there are a lot of them in the reservoir and they are more distributed along the coastal zone. Among the advantages of this method are:
- High mobility, since the fisherman has the opportunity to move freely along the shore in search of pike.
- Using light and fairly simple gear allows the angler to feel all the excitement of fishing.
- The ability to throw bait into hard-to-reach places where there are many underwater surprises.
As a rule, the running bottom is used mainly in the summer, although this can be done in the fall, but not in the deep, while the pike has not yet gone to depth. The advantage of fishing from the shore is that you do not need to have a watercraft, which nowadays costs a lot of money.
Summer girders
It is believed that the zherlitsa is a winter tackle for catching pike, but some fishermen, having slightly modernized and simplified it, use it for catching pike from the shore in the summer. This gear also allows you to fish coastal areas of water bodies, often quite complex ones.
It won’t be too difficult to install a summer girder with your own hands. Moreover, any angler, even the most inexperienced, can do this, and it won’t take much time. The summer girder is installed in any suitable place, and while it is standing, the angler can catch fish with a float rod, or rather, catch live bait. From time to time you can simply look at the girder in order to respond to a bite in a timely manner.
FISHING with MUGS. CATCHING FOR PREDATOR BAITS FROM A BOAT WITH CIRCLE TACKLE
Catching pike with a float rod
Fishing with this tackle has some similarities with fishing with a running donka, but this tackle has a float as a bite alarm. For this fishing technique, rods no shorter than 4 meters are used, and with a rod length longer than 6 meters, fishing can be problematic. If the pike is located at a considerable distance from the shore, then it is better to use a spinning rod, which allows you to cast the bait over a considerable distance. Otherwise, fishing with float tackle is no different from regular fishing. unless you have to choose a reliable fishing rod.
How to equip a float rod for pike. Pike on a float
Bottom gear
There are many variations in the manufacture of bottom gear that are used in specific conditions.
As a rule, bottom tackle is a stationary tackle, and quite simple in design. Despite its simplicity, the tackle is distinguished by excellent catchability, not only in relation to pike, but also to other species of fish. As a rule, bottom fishing rods are mainly used for catching fish such as bream, carp, chub, roach and others.
An elastic band is another type of bottom tackle, although catching pike with this tackle is quite problematic. The rubber band is installed at one promising point of the reservoir and frequent movements with it along the shore of the reservoir are simply useless: it is not easy to install and just as difficult to assemble, and this is a waste of time.
Main disadvantages of gear
Despite their versatility, hooks are not always the best choice of gear. Bottom tackle is very difficult to use in some cases. Among the main disadvantages of fishing with this type of donkey are:
- the inability to catch fish that prefer to stay closer to the surface;
- Cannot be used on rivers with fast currents or noticeable slopes. Usually these are mountain rivers;
- It is difficult to use in reservoirs that are heavily overgrown with algae or have sunken branches and tree trunks, snags, and large stones at the bottom. The risk of losing tackle as a result of snags here is very high and completely unjustified.
Features of catch fishing
For effective fishing, you should know some features and basic fishing techniques with this tackle.
Casting and installing gear
First you should select a suitable site on the shore. It should be smooth and clean, without nearby trees and bushes, to avoid snags when casting. Before the fishing site, we remove algae, branches and other foreign objects so that they do not interfere with fishing.
A special peg 50-70 cm high is installed on the shore and a reel with fishing line is attached to it below. The fishing line itself is attached to the top of this peg. The fishing line is carefully laid out on the ground before casting. The sinker can be attached to the main line already on the pond.
To do this, it is better to take a piece of strong twine or cord, at the end of which you can make a knot for easy throwing.
Taking the cord in your hand, make several swinging movements in the lower position, then cast with a sharp movement. The casting angle should be as close to 45° as possible. Then the tackle will fly a greater distance.
After lowering the sinker to the bottom, we take out the slack and fix the line at the top of the peg. To notice a bite, bells are most often used. They are installed at a distance of 30-50 cm from the peg. You can use a clothespin and other signaling devices.
The tackle can be thrown manually at 40-60 m.
You need to be extremely careful when throwing. No need to throw over your head, otherwise you can get injured by getting caught in the hooks.
For good casts over long distances, take a strong and even stick 1-1.2 m long, which at the end has a gentle bend like a 4-5 cm knot.
A sinker on a cord is attached to this outlet so that when thrown it can slip and fly out of it. This casting device is used as a catapult.
They make a swing, pull the stick back, and then sharply direct the sinker along with all the gear into the pond. Using such a lever, you can cast tackle at distances of up to 100 m from the shore.
Fishing in still waters
Crucian carp, carp, tench, and pike are caught in bodies of water where there is no current - lakes, ponds, reservoirs. The main trouble in such places is aquatic vegetation, mud, and foreign objects at the bottom. With the help of hooks with round and pear-shaped sinkers, you can avoid a large number of snags.
Casting for carp, tench, crucian carp usually has a stationary sinker. The baits should stay well on the hook and not fly off when casting the tackle, for example:
- worms;
- maggot;
- corn;
- peas;
- boilies.
To secure the bait, the usual bait method or hair mounting can be used.
Read: Hair rig for carp
To cast a pike, a tungsten leash is used; it is very durable and flexible. Doubles or tees are attached to the leash. They are usually caught using live bait - small crucian carp.
The bream bait is equipped with a sliding sinker. This fish is very careful. Before swallowing the bait, the bream tastes it with its lips alone and eats it if it does not feel anything suspicious. The best bait for catching bream is worms and bloodworms.
Zakidushka fishing on rivers
Catfish, pike perch, chub and burbot are caught using bait as they prefer rivers. The main problem when fishing in reservoirs with a current is debris that floats down the river and clings to the fishing line. The weight of the sinker is important so that the current does not carry away the bait. The shape of the sinker also matters. A flat load is less susceptible to water pressure. Fishing on the river will be more catchy if you throw gear at the border of the main stream and calm water.
Chub can be caught using bait when this fish feeds from the bottom. This is the short period between late spring and early summer and late autumn. Good results are obtained using the following attachments:
- corn grains;
- worms;
- small frogs;
- fry.
A good bite is usually observed at night, although in cloudy weather you can catch during the day.
Catfish baits must withstand the resistance of this strong and large fish. It is imperative to use a metal leash, as this fish has many small teeth that will quickly fray ordinary fishing line. The meat of river shells, large worms, live bait, and frogs is used as bait.
Read: Donka for catfish
For pike perch, a bait with a large sinker weighing 200-220 grams, flat or in the form of a ring, is used. A 0.4 mm thick cord is used as the main fishing line. The leash with a hook is even stronger - 0.5-0.6 mm. Live bait is considered the best bait.
Using feeders
Throwing a feeder is a great way to increase fishing efficiency. The feeder will keep the fish in the fishing spot, which will immediately affect the catch. Fishermen use several types of similar devices:
- The “spring” is the plastic rod through which the main line is threaded. A wire spring is wound around the rod. The entire structure can slide freely along the fishing line. Stopper units below and above the feeder act as limiters. The spring is filled with mushy bait; to reduce erosion, you can add a little clay;
- “Makushatnik” is a flat feeder in the form of a sinker that holds the leashes. The hooks are hidden in a piece of cake, which is secured with an elastic band;
- "pacifier" - resembles the shape of a spoon. Inside it there is a spiral filled with bait, where hooks are hidden that hook the fish;
Read: How to make a fishing nipple with your own hands?
- “cage feeder” - it can be bought ready-made in stores. This is a thin metal cage with holes and a lead base. Leashes with hooks are attached to the body of the feeder.
Read: DIY feeder feeders
Fishing tactics and casting technique
Typically, casting gear does not cause any difficulties. The main thing here is to adhere to the only rule - the throw is always thrown with pendulum movements. Not by spinning above your head or perpendicularly, but by swinging movements. In this case, the angler will very quickly “get the hang of it” and with each cast the accuracy of the tackle hitting the fishing location will increase.
First you need to choose a location for installing the donkey on the shore. Next, you need to stick a peg into the bank to attach the reel and main line to it. After the tackle is securely fastened, we unwind the main fishing line, which we lay in rings on the shore. The place where the cord rings are laid must be cleared in advance of debris, leaves and branches that may cling.
Having laid the rings of the fishing line in a circle with a diameter of about 50 cm, we bait all the hooks. We take the main fishing line in our hand 20-30 cm above the upper leash, and begin to swing the load with pendulum movements. When we reach sufficient speed and inertia, we release the tackle in the direction we need.
After casting, the main line is stretched, attached to a peg, and a fishing bell or bell is hung on it, acting as a bite alarm.
Do-it-yourself technology for making snacks
One of the main advantages of the gear is the ease of making it at home. There is no strict standard for this gear. Fishermen use their own finds and little secrets.
For a simple drop you need:
- a piece of plywood, wood or plastic measuring 250x100x15 mm;
- monofilament line 60−100 m long and 0.5 mm in diameter;
- fishing line for leashes with a length of 1-2 m and a cross-section of 0.1-0.3 mm, depending on the expected catch;
- sinker;
- 1-3 hooks of suitable size.
A reel is cut out of plywood - cuts are made at the ends of the workpiece. This way the line will be securely fixed. The cuts are easy to make with a wood hacksaw or jigsaw. For reliability, a hole is drilled into which you need to tie the tip of the fishing line.
On one side of the resulting reel, a piece of foam rubber or soft rubber is glued to attach the hooks.
A weight is attached to the other end of the fishing line. Usually a sinker weighing 50 grams is used if you do not plan to fish on a river with a current.
At 20-30 cm from the sinker, leashes with hooks made of 0.15-0.3 mm fishing line are attached. The line is then wound onto the reel and the hooks are attached to a rubber insert.
A do-it-yourself zakidushka is not much inferior to factory-made products.
fishing line
Monofilament thread 0.5 mm thick is usually used as the main line. For catfish, a fishing line with a thickness of 0.6-2 mm is used, for carp - a fishing line with a cross-section of 0.5-0.6 mm.
Selection of leashes and hooks
The main criterion for selecting hooks and the thickness of leashes is the fish you are going to catch.
To select the cross-section of the leash, you can follow this approach:
- crucian carp - leash 0.1 mm;
- catfish - 0.5 to 1.5 mm;
- carp - 0.2−0.3 mm;
- pike - 0.3−0.4 mm;
For cautious and timid bream, crucian carp, and carp, hooks with a short shank are used. For burbot, pike perch, and catfish, it is better to use a hook with a long shank. The size should match the size of the fish, fit into its mouth, but not be too small.
