Winter jig fishing rod - features, selection tips, review

Of all the gear used for ice fishing, the most common is a winter fishing rod equipped with a small lead or tungsten bait with a jig hook.

The history of this tackle and the winter fishing rod itself as its main component goes back more than 150 years - this is how the first similar tackle for fishing for the small crustacean mormysh (amphipod) was described by the famous Russian fishing researcher, scientific ichthyologist Leonid Pavlovich Sabaneev in his famous publication “Fishing Calendar” .

The fishing rod described by Sabaneev was made from a short birch rod with a handle made of dense reed plume, tightly wrapped with twine. The hair line was tied to the tip of such a fishing rod. A special feature of this gear was also the presence of a special wooden spatula, with the help of which the fisherman performed the fastest and most effective hooking.

Fishermen of the Trans-Ural lakes used such a fishing rod. Over time, the design of the winter fishing rod has undergone many changes and modern tackle only vaguely resembles the primitive Sabaneev one.

What kind of fish can you catch with a winter fishing rod and jig?

Thanks to the variety of jigs used in size, shape, design and fishing characteristics, almost any fish can become prey for a winter jig angler.

The most commonly caught with this tackle are such peaceful fish species as:

roach;
silver bream;
bream and bream;
dace;
ide;
bleak;
perched water;
gudgeon.

Very often, voracious ruffe and rotan are caught with this bait; less often, carp and crucian carp are caught in some reservoirs. Of the predatory fish species, the most common trophy is perch of various sizes.

Note! Predators such as pike and pike perch are caught on this tackle much less often than perch, and their sizes, as a rule, do not exceed 400-500 grams.

Types of winter fishing rods for vertical trolling from ice and their equipment

The predatory fish is an enviable trophy in the winter season. When most anglers are content with small roach or sailors, using a spoon or balancer has a chance to catch a respectable humpback or pike. One of the most important aspects of successful fishing will be the correct choice of fishing rod for trolling. Thanks to high-quality tackle, you can select an irresistible bait that will make the predator peck. Specialized stores offer a wide range of fishing rods for vertical trolling in winter. But the fishermen themselves create competitive products that bring good luck. What models are there and how not to make a mistake in choosing?

Main types of lures

All gear designed for catching predators from under the ice using the vertical trolling method can be divided into two categories:

small sparklers;
powerful fishing rods for trolling.
Lightweight models are designed for the use of artificial baits such as:
small vertical spinners;

small balancers (read a separate article on how to fish with balancers);

miniature silicone fish.

The main area of application for light-type spinners is perch fishing. Of course, the fishing rod can also handle trout, chub, pike, and pike perch.

Since the whip does not allow one to clearly detect the moment of a bite from a cautious fish, such gear is usually equipped with nods.
It should be noted that light lures can have reels or be used without one. This is explained by the fact that, as a rule, there are no problems with landing the average perch. Only when there are strong differences in depth is it more convenient to use gear with a reel.
A characteristic feature of such gear is a short fishing rod. This choice is determined by the height of the bait, as well as the need for a short hook to catch the perch’s mouth.

Recommendation! The length of the whip on a light winter fishing rod for trolling should be in the range of 20-30 cm.

The compactness of the gear allows it to be carried in a pocket or bag, which facilitates the movement of an angler loaded with an ice auger, box, thermos and other accessories.

Photo 1. Fishing rod for light spinners.

Powerful fishing rods

When there is a targeted hunt for large pike or pike perch at great depths, more stringent requirements are imposed on the fishing rod for trolling in winter. After all, you have to tie heavy spoons, large balancers, rattlins and soft baits to the fishing line.

First of all, special attention is paid to the strength and rigidity of the whip. If you make the tackle yourself, then you should give preference to carbon fiber tips. They successfully combine reliability with sensitivity. Using this equipment option, it is possible to eliminate the use of a gatehouse. A no-kick winter fishing rod looks simpler, and control over the bait is not lost due to the flexibility of the tip of the whip.
Heavy gear is equipped with longer whips. In some cases, anglers prefer a telescopic or plug-type fishing rod so that the fishing rod is compact when moving and transporting. The long whip provides a sweeping game and a powerful hook that should pierce the dense mouth of the predator.
To equip such a fishing rod you need a reliable reel. Metal inertial models with a medium or large drum, meat grinders with a 2000-3000 spool, and high-quality multipliers are suitable for this. The reel is entrusted with not only the task of storing fishing line, but also assisting the fisherman in retrieving the trophy. Therefore, all models must have a fail-safe braking system.

Photo 2. Small reel for winter lure.

What does the lure consist of?

A winter fishing rod for trolling consists of several important elements.

The handle is the base of any fishing rod. It is constantly in the fisherman’s hand, so it must be comfortable and ergonomic. Often you have to hold the lure with your bare hands, so the handle should be made of such “warm” materials as:

Styrofoam;

cork;

wood.

It is important! Some materials that are found on the handles of summer fishing rods (neoprene) freeze heavily when fishing. They should not be used in the manufacture of lures.

The whip is selected for the fish that is most likely to be caught. A winter fishing rod for perch is equipped with a soft short whip. It can be made from a juniper branch, the core of a gel pen, a used telescope, etc. When the goal of fishing is pike or pike perch, then the softness and “noodles” of the whip are not allowed. Such a balancing rod does not always manage to penetrate the hard mouth of a predator, which is why annoying accidents occur. The length of the whip also depends on the depth at the fishing point. The larger the hole, the more convenient it is to play with long tackle.

The presence of a nod in a lure is justified in the case of using small and light baits, as well as during periods of deep winter, when the predator behaves passively. Casting a perch without a nod is an unpromising activity; bites often occur when the spinner falls. While the fisherman waits for it to sink to the bottom, the striped robber will have time to realize its inedibility and spit it out. In other cases, a nodless fishing rod can be successfully used.

The reel also does not always become a mandatory element of the lure. In the absence of sudden changes and large fish, it is quite convenient to fish when the fishing line is wound around the handle.
As for the equipment, monofilament is the only option due to low freezing. It is recommended to use metal leashes only when catching toothy predators. When using spinners and balancers, you can install swivels that prevent the line from twisting.

Photo 3. Spinning spoon with replaceable whips.

Examples of equipment for different types of lures

The easiest way to assemble a winter fishing rod for a balancer or spoon is based on specific examples of proven gear. Let's consider working options in light and heavy “weight”.

Photo 4. Heavy spoon assembly.

Equipping a light fishing rod for perch fishing

Winter lure of perch allows you to successfully cast a fishing rod with the following parameters.

A fishing rod with a cork handle and a soft whip with a total length of 30-35 cm.

A desirable element would be the presence of a small inertial plastic coil with a diameter of 5 cm.
Attention! Before installing the coil, you should check the smoothness of the movement, make sure there are no jams, backlashes, or burrs.

It is enough to wind 20-30 m of 0.12-0.20 mm monofilament on the drum. At the beginning of each season, it is better to renew thin monofilament.

The choice of nod depends on the type and weight of the bait. It is advisable to group the entire arsenal by weight. For each group you can select a sensitive guard made of steel or lavsan plate. Under load, the nod deviation should be within 20-30 degrees from the horizon. In this case, the length of the guard should be limited to 50-60 mm.

Lures are selected taking into account the fishing location and time of year. Gliding spinners and “studs” have proven themselves to be effective against perch. Perch balancers are considered to be models with a length of 30-40 mm, although a hungry robber can grab larger baits.
Tackle for pike and zander

If you have an old unnecessary spinning rod, it’s enough to simply make a working homemade fishing rod for a heavy balancer or spinner.

First of all, you need to shorten the handle. The optimal size is 20cm.

The butt is equipped with a tube into which the whip is mounted.
If the spinning tip is too rigid, then you can purchase a carbon fiber tip and equip it with rings. A good option would be a heavy feeder quivertype. Advice! To remove the pass rings from the old form, you need to remove the braid and heat the glued area in the flame of a lighter.

On a whip 40-50 cm long, it is enough to install 3-4 guide rings. Often the tulip does not match the diameter of the carbon whip. In this case, you can cut off the tip of the fiberglass top with a tulip 30-35 mm long. Then clean the form with sandpaper, apply glue and install the piece inside the main whip. The joint is smoothed by winding the thread and then applying 2 layers of varnish.

The presence of a reel seat on the handle simplifies the installation of an inertia-free model or meat grinder.

To catch pike perch or bersh, you can use a 0.16-0.20 mm monofilament line without a leash.

Among the baits, it is worth noting special zander verticals, balancers and rattlins weighing up to 40 g. This fishing rod can be used not only for balancers, but also for silicone baits.

Features of a winter fishing rod for jig fishing

Fishing rod design

A winter fishing rod used for jig fishing consists of the following components:

whip - a round cross-section with a diameter slightly varying along the length made of plastic, nylon, vinyl plastic or other polymer material. The whip serves to transmit vibrations of a given frequency from the angler’s hand through the nod attached to it and the fishing line passing through the tip of the nod to the jig;
reel - used to store the main amount of fishing line, changing its length when moving from one fishing depth to another. The reel consists of a plastic or nylon reel, a simple braking mechanism (a locking lever or a screw that secures the reel tightly after bleeding off the fishing line). Reels on a winter float fishing rod can be either open (the fishing line on the reel is visible, snow and drops of moisture can fall on it), or and closed, built into the handle;
handle – made of plastic, fine-pored rubber, foam, cork. Its length ranges from 3-5 to 10-12 cm. In sport-type fishing rods - “balalaikas” - there is no handle, and its role is played by the body of the reel into which the reel is inserted.

Temperature during fishing

In most cases, the temperature when fishing in winter ranges from a few degrees Celsius to 10-12 degrees below zero.

At lower temperatures, most jig fishermen do not go fishing - the fishing line freezes very quickly in severe frosts, recently drilled holes are quickly covered with a fairly strong layer of ice, and at low negative temperatures great difficulties arise when attaching small bloodworm larvae to the bait hook.

Good to know! Also, despite the noticeable activation of fish, they do not come out on the ice with significant warming - the ice cover in the bright spring sun very quickly loses its strength, becomes loose and very dangerous for movement on it.

The optimal temperature for jig fishing is from +3+5 C0 to -8-10 C0

Nod

The nod is that part of the jig tackle on which not only the attractiveness of the bait game depends, but also its sensitivity to the most careful and subtle bites.

All this is possible provided that the nod has the following characteristics:

length 5-10 cm;
bright, clearly visible color against a white snow background;
a passage ring or hole at the tip having a diameter such that the fishing line, even when frozen, will pass through it with little effort;
lack of “memory” - the nod must remain straight and not deform after heavy loads;
strength – the material of the nod must ensure its flexibility and bending strength;
frost resistance - the nod must withstand low temperatures without changing its properties.

Modern nods are made from materials such as lavsan, boar hair, and polycarbonate. Much less frequently, but still used, are nods made of flat spring steel.

Note! The nod should be attached to the fishing rod using a rubber clamp - a cylinder with a diameter and height of 3-5 mm, at the end of which there are holes for the tip of the whip and fishing line.

Whip

Despite the fact that the whip is, at first glance, not a very important part of the jig tackle, the catchability of the tackle depends on its length, material of manufacture, flexibility, and frost resistance.

In order for the whip not to spoil the fishing process, it must be:

10-15 cm long
Made from flexible, low temperature resistant material
The color of the whip should ensure its visibility against the background of ice and snow

Good to know! Just like the whip, like the nod attached to it, should not have “memory” - after the load on it ceases, it should again acquire its original straightness.

Tips for choosing a winter jig fishing rod

When choosing a winter fishing rod for fishing with this bait, it is worth considering some subtleties and tips from experienced fishermen:

For walking fishing, “balalaika” type fishing rods are more suitable; I use fishing rods with a handle when fishing “on a stand”;
when buying balalaika fishing rods, choose models that come with a spare drum and several whips;
in order for a fishing rod with a white reel to be clearly visible on the ice, it is tinted with bright paint;
in rods in which the role of a stopper is played by the screw that fixes the reel spool, a fleece lining is made under it to clamp it more tightly, as well as to allow the line to come off under load;
after purchasing a fishing rod, all flash on its plastic parts is thoroughly cleaned with fine sandpaper;
After purchasing a “balalaika”, you need to replace the whip with a better one and glue it “tightly” - this will prevent the whip from jumping out and being lost among the accessories in the fishing box during transportation. If the whip breaks, it can be easily drilled out with a thin drill.

For medium depths

Fishing at medium depth also has its own nuances when choosing a winter fishing rod for trolling. Average depths are considered to be depths from two to five meters. At such depths, a bite from a trophy specimen is also likely, but most often there are medium-sized predators. It’s best to take a fishing rod with a medium-action whip; you can’t use large spinners for such rods, and it’s not necessary.

As with all fishing rods, it is also better to take the handle from cork; here you can install any reel you like. One more point needs to be taken into account: the mount for the coil must be used movable. Since you will have to work a lot with your hand and if the reel is poorly balanced, your hand will quickly get tired and fishing will no longer be so comfortable. This is also typical for fishing at great depths.

Choosing a jig

Material

Modern jigs are made from materials such as:

plastic;
lead;
tin and its alloys;
tungsten.

Heavy jigs made of tungsten and lead are used when fishing at great depths, light baits made of tin and plastic alloys are used for shallow water.

Form

The shapes of jigs are:

spherical - “pellet”;
teardrop-shaped - “drop”;
calpe-shaped curved shape - “uralka”;
flattened - “perch eye”;
in the form of an ant - “ant”;
in the form of a grain - “ovinka”;
in the shape of a ball cut in half - “bug” “cobra”;
cone-shaped - small “balda”;
rod-shaped - “cloves”.

Let's celebrate! Lures of small size and elongated shape are used for small and medium-sized fish at depths of up to 3-4 meters. Large voluminous jigs are used for large fish at depths of more than 5-6 meters.

Color

By color these baits are:

dark;
silver;
golden;
fluorescent.

Dark-colored jigs are used for fishing in clear water with fairly good lighting and shallow depth. Lures of silver and golden color are used at medium and deep depths in conditions of lack of light under the ice.

Fluorescent jigs, thanks to their coating that glows even with a small amount of light, are used for fishing at great depths in morning or evening twilight conditions.

Winter fishing rods for trolling. Characteristics.

Main characteristics.

Handles and rings.

Build fishing rods.

The fishing rods are supplied in a hard, transparent tube, which can later be used for storage during fishing trips.

The best models of winter fishing rods for jigs

Among the models of winter fishing rods used for jig fishing, the following “balalaikas” are especially popular among anglers:

IceCore;
Salmo Ice Sportrod;
PIERCE MASTER;

Among the models of fishing rods with a handle, it is worth highlighting such well-proven models as:

PIERCE 50 C;
Profi UP-1.

General requirements for winter fishing rods

When choosing a winter fishing rod, first of all, you need to understand that fishing will not take place in entirely comfortable weather conditions, and the fishing rod will have to be held in your hands at sub-zero air temperatures. Therefore, you should pay special attention to the handle of the rod; if when fishing with a jig, you can put the fishing rod on the ice and warm your hands, then when trolling, you need to hold the fishing rod constantly in your hand to play with the bait.

The best material for the handle of a winter fishing rod for trolling is considered to be cork or neoprene. In case of a bite, thanks to these materials, the rod will not slip out of your hands, and secondly, since the material is porous, it gives off heat more slowly than plastic handles.

The next thing you need to pay attention to is the whip of the winter fishing rod for trolling. Here, of course, a lot depends on the size of the prey you are going to hunt. It also depends on the depth and size of the spoon. For novice fishermen, it is best to start fishing with a medium action whip; it will perform well in deep, medium and shallow water. Also, it will not spoil the play of larger spinners. As a rule, nods are not placed on fishing rods during winter trolling; it is not effective. I advise you to read the article - Catchy winter lures for pike

As for the reel, everyone has their own preference, but there is an unspoken rule: the mount for the reel on the fishing rod should be “floating”.

Reviews from fishermen

I fish with jigs exclusively with the simplest market “balalaikas” and am very pleased with them - reliable reels, durable bodies made of hard foam, flexible whips. The only thing that is sometimes missing from some fishing rods is a stand, but if you wish, you can cut them yourself from durable sheet plastic. Grade:

Alexei

I recently bought a PIER MASTER axleless balalaika and after the first fishing I realized how much lighter and more convenient this fishing rod is than others. I recommend everything to those without reelers and lovers of active running jig fishing!!!! Grade:

Sava

I started to master the basics of fishing with jigs using old Soviet fishing rods with fairly long handles and hard whips - it was not very convenient to fish and by the end of the fishing they left my hand a little tired. Over time, having noticed that neighboring fishermen were using “balalaikas”, I also got hold of two such fishing rods at once and after a couple of trips I realized that it was not in vain! Now I use old fishing rods exclusively for float fishing, and for jigs I use light and compact “balalaikas”. Grade:

Sergey

I recommend to everyone the comfortable and compact Pierce fishing rods with a short foam handle and a small reel. I have three of these in my arsenal - with different sections for light, medium and heavy jigs. In my opinion, in terms of convenience and weight they are not much inferior to the vaunted “balalaikas”. Grade:

Vova

I cast jigs only from a box and therefore I use fishing rods with a handle - they are more convenient to play without bending close to the hole. In addition, in such fishing rods, in my opinion, the reels are more reliable and durable, and the braking mechanism is more convenient. Grade:

Vladimir Ivanovich

I do not advise beginning jig fishermen to use fishing rods with long handles and large reels - if you swing such a fishing rod the day before your wrist hurts, you will no longer have any desire to engage in jig fishing. It is best to start with a simple and cheap foam balalaika. Rating:

Andrey

I’ve been fishing with a jig almost since childhood, and during this time I’ve tried many models of fishing rods - from Soviet to modern. I can say with confidence that the best option today for this method of fishing is an axleless, lightweight and simple “balalaika.” Rating:

Daniel

Note! When choosing a fishing rod, in addition to all the recommendations described above, you should also take into account how pleasant and comfortable it lies in your hand, and what space it will occupy in the fishing box when folded.