Retractable leash: installation of winter and summer equipment, techniques for catching perch, pike perch

With the development of new technologies, more and more new methods of fishing are being introduced into the art of fishing. One of these innovations was fishing with a retractable leash, which immediately established itself well among a wide range of fishing enthusiasts. Here you will learn how to properly install a diverter leash for pike perch, perch, pike, bream, roach, and you can also watch a video.

What kind of gear is this?

A retractable leash is, first of all, a universal tackle for catching predatory fish such as perch, pike perch and pike; however, retractable leashes are also good for catching catfish, roach, bream, burbot and some types of white fish that live in the bottom layers of water.

This universal tackle consists of a triple or double swivel, depending on the type of fishing, donk, spinning or float tackle, a weight, a piece of fishing line of various lengths and a hook with bait.

On spinning tackle, it is best to use a retractable leash with a jig head or spoon at the end, where it will be attached to the main line using a double swivel. This is done for two reasons, namely:

If you have one leash, the likelihood of the bait getting tangled is zero, because the presence of a swivel prevents the leash from getting tangled or twisted.
If you have a leash, which includes copper wire or braided fishing line, a predatory fish will not be able to bite the main fishing line and break away.

On float or bottom rigs, diverting leashes with double swivels are used, at the ends of which a sinker is attached on one side, and on the other, a well-pointed hook with bait. The third part of the swivel is attached to the central fishing line.

On bottom rigs, the presence of a diverting leash plays a very important role. Firstly , if there is a current on the water, you can hang an additional weight at the end of the leash, where the sinker is located, or replace the sinker with a heavier piece, which in turn improves the casting range of the tackle and prevents the bait from dragging along the bottom downstream.

Secondly , a cautious fish, such as bream or roach, will not see foreign objects, such as a sinker, next to the bait and, due to the current, which will play with the bait located at the end of the outlet leash, will grab the bait and get hooked.

As for the float tackle , the diverting leash plays a distracting role from the main tackle and, just as in the case of bottom tackle, if there is a current in the water, the bait will develop in the water, imitating a live snack for an unsuspecting fish.

Retractable leash in winter - equipment and installation of fishing rods, fishing techniques

The use of a retractable leash in winter expands the possibilities of rigging a fishing rod. Installations with outlets are used in various winter fishing methods. In some rigs, the retraction is the main installation, in others it complements the tactical and technical capabilities of the rig. In any case, a winter fishing rod with a leash works against both predators and peaceful fish. This kind of equipment is useful for any ice fisherman to master - the side one is used in fishing rods, jigs, and trolling with artificial baits.

Installation of a branch leash

There are several types of installation of diverter leashes that are suitable for fishing for various fish, both with feeder or bottom equipment, and with spinning equipment. Also, depending on the time of year, different types of installation are used for flowing or standing water. Installation options are as follows:

Blind installation (winter).
Sliding installation.
Spinning type of installation.

Solid installation

The blind rig is used in the winter season in still water and is intended for catching both perch, asp, pike and pike-perch, provided that the fishing will take place with the setting of a pole, as well as bream, white bream and other types of fish with a regular winter fishing rod.

For the blind installation of a branch leash you will need: a swivel, double or triple, which will be attached to the main fishing line using knots, a piece of fishing line 20-30 centimeters long, a hook, a sinker.

A triple swivel is attached to the end of the main line using a loop knot and pulled tight.
A prepared piece of fishing line with a hook at the end is attached to the other end of the swivel. Depending on the type and size of the fish, the hook is also selected according to the appropriate number.
A weight is attached to the third end of the swivel, on a line of shorter length than the line of the diverter leash, to prevent the pieces of line from tangling.
You can also use a blind mount on a correction rod, but with an appropriate weight.

Sliding installation

Sliding installation differs from blind installation in that the load slides along the main fishing line and the leash can freely go downstream until the main fishing line is tensioned.
This type of installation is more common from spring to autumn, on rivers with a current, but it can also be used in standing water even in winter. With this method of mounting the gear, bites will be the most sensitive, and all vibrations from the bait will be transmitted to the main line. For a sliding type of installation for a retractable leash, you will need two double swivels, two pieces of fishing line, one 15 centimeters and the other 20-25 centimeters, a weight, a hook and a stopper so that the swivels do not get tangled.

A double swivel is threaded onto the main line, where a stopper is tied at its end so that the swivel rests against the stopper when sliding freely.
15 is attached to one end of the swivel . In this position, the load remains at the bottom, and the main line can freely develop with the flow.
A second double swivel with a piece of fishing line 20-25 centimeters long and a hook at the end is attached to the other end of the stopper.

As for spinning rods , such installations are not suitable, because when retrieving, the sinker will catch on underwater rocks or vegetation and create the illusion of a bite. In this case, a spinning leash installation is used.

The spinning rig for a diverting leash is the simplest and most effective for catching predators. For it you will need a double swivel, a piece of strong fishing line, preferably braided, and the bait itself, which will be used to catch predatory fish.

A swivel is attached to the end of the central fishing line using a good knot.
A piece of fishing line with a loop for putting on the bait and the bait itself are attached to the swivel.

Due to the heaviness of the bait, a weight is not placed in this setup, since the bait is used at different depths.

Sliding equipment

Winter fishing rods with a side leash in a sliding version allow you to quickly fish different fishing horizons by simply moving the attachment point higher or lower on the main line. This method of fastening is made using a ring or bead placed on the main fishing line, limited by rubber or knot stoppers. A running outlet is often used in fishing rods and winter fishing rods.

Through the stopper

Moscow equipment

In heavy winter donkeys (downhill, helicopter), as well as when catching predators, another sliding rig is more often used. In such a rig, the sinker on the outlet is attached to the main line with a swivel. In essence, it turns out to be a side leash with a sinker. The working leash is a continuation of the main line, which passes through the loop of the swivel of the cargo outlet. The movement of the sinker along the fishing line is also limited by stoppers or beads. It turns out to be a universal tackle, on which you can change the length of the leash at any time.

Descent

Leash for zander

Pike perch are caught exclusively using spinning gear and trolling. To catch it, bait is used in the form of lures made of silicone, spinners, and deep wobblers, since pike perch prefers to live in the bottom layers of the aquatic environment. The leash for spinning fishing for pike perch must be strong and made of braided fishing line or thin copper wire, which the pointed teeth of a predator cannot bite through.

Also, a copper wire leash prevents the main line from catching on the pike perch’s dorsal fin, which is very sharp and can easily cut any line except braided line. Also, when making a leash for catching pike perch, it is worth taking into account the integrity of the swivel, which can break due to wear and a long stay in the water.

Leash for perch

Perch is much smaller in size than pike perch and leashes for catching it can be made from monofilament fishing line, which has a transparent color and is less noticeable in the water column. As bait for perch, small spoons and wobblers are attached to the end of the leash. In order to cast further when catching this type of predator, it is worth using the main line of a braided type, since it is lighter than monofilament. When fishing for perch with a jig head in snags or a grassy bottom of a reservoir, it is better to make leashes from braided fishing line so as not to break the bait, which is very expensive.

Sinker weighing 10-30 grams.
Leash length 50-120 cm.
Length to load 15-30 cm.

What is a diverter leash?

What to use to catch pike perch in winter? This gear is quite easy to use. Which increases the number of cases of catching pike perch in winter on a retractable leash.

A weight is attached to the main line of this tackle, the weight is selected personally for each nozzle, and you must take into account how deep your water is and also its relief.

There are also weights suitable for any bottom topography; they are pin-shaped and cone-shaped.

Also, when catching pike perch in winter on a retractable leash, it is worth considering the fact that the weight of your load should be 2-3 times the weight of the jig that is used in this place. Because a light load will not give you the desired result.

There is a leash 20 centimeters above your load, its length is approximately 1.2 meters, and the bait is on it. All fastenings are carried out using carabiners.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the winter spinner, this is one of the best baits for pike perch, catching pike perch in winter with a spinner!

Pike leash

To catch pike with this type of leash, leashes made of durable material, such as copper wire, are used, since the predator, like pike perch, has pointed teeth that can easily bite through a leash made from ordinary fishing line. In the winter season, when fishing for pike on girders, it is better to take a thick monofilament line as the central line and a copper wire leash, since the bait in this case is active live bait, which, with the lightness of the main line and the outlet leash, can make a false bite.

Monofilament for leash 0.2;
Main line 0.25;
Sinker from 20 grams, depending on the current. On a strong one, it makes sense to use weights of 50 grams or more.
The length of the leash to the wobbler is 40-150 cm.

Fishing knots and techniques

For more advanced fishermen who want to improve their knowledge of how to tie a leader on a spinning rod, some other knot tying techniques are suitable.

How to tie a leash on a spinning rod with a clinch knot. The method works perfectly when you need to tie a hook to a leash or fishing line. The fishing line is inserted into the eye of the hook. Next, the free end of the fishing line wraps its second edge three times and is threaded into the loop closest to the hook. After tightening, the structure forms a reliable knot. A more complex modification of the presented unit can be called “Grinner”.

Read Catching pike perch with live bait from the shore and preparing equipment

How to tie tackle to a spinning rod using the Grinner knot. The knitting technique is similar to the “clinch”, but a little more complex and more reliable in winter fishing for large predators.

The free end of the fishing line threads the eye of the hook twice.
Both ends of the line fit tightly to each other.
The free edge is wrapped several times around two threads, starting from the hook and moving closer to the spinning rod. Moreover, the number of times depends on the thickness of the fishing line.
The end is threaded into the loop formed from the fishing line before the first turn.
We tighten it.

Winter diverter leash

A winter leash is used both for fishing with garlands and with fast-action winter fishing rods, but most often a winter retractable leash is used when fishing with bottom tackle with a float.

Applies to:

Bream;
Roach;
crucian carp;
Perch.

Often, when bottom fishing in winter, a feeder is used, this is especially effective when catching roach and bream.

Tackle diagram:

This retractable leash can be used in combination with a feeder. Such bottom tackle precisely feeds the fish, luring it, and the tackle itself is sensitive when biting.

The main line is taken with a thickness of 0.15. For large fish, a fishing line of 0.18 mm is used. The leash itself is made from monofilament fishing line, slightly narrower than the main one.

Sinkers for small species without current - from 5 grams. For medium without flow from 10 grams. For large ones over 30 grams.

Installation of a winter diversion leash according to Salapin, video:

Winter fishing rod for fishing in currents

To catch roach in bodies of water with a current, you need suitable equipment. Any model will be suitable as a fishing rod, as long as it is comfortable. In most cases, a tackle with a separate handle and legs works great. The choice is determined by the fact that most often the fishing rod will stand motionless.

The reel of such fishing rods is usually made with a friction brake, which is a good help in case of a large bream. It is better to use fishing line with a thickness of 0.12-0.14mm. If there are no large fish in the reservoir, then 0.1 mm will be enough.

The nod should be chosen larger and brighter in color so that it can be seen from afar. Also, to install winter equipment you will need a sinker and a hook. The sinker must be selected based on the strength of the current on the river. Its weight can be 30-40 grams. The hook is set to a small size (No. 16-18) when fishing with bloodworms and maggots. If you use a worm, you can use a larger hook.

The following video clearly shows how to tie winter tackle for catching roach in the current

How to tie a leash to the main line

Our rating of knots, including for the leash. How to tie a leash to the main line? As easy as pie:

The main unit for attaching the diverter leash is considered to be an improved clinch (Fig. below) , which reaches 97% . It is knitted by threading the main line into the ring of a swivel and winding several turns around it, followed by tightening the end of the line.
Also very common, especially among novice fishermen, is the usual double knot , which is most recommended to do if the main fishing line is braid, since it is softer than monofilament fishing line and will not slip or come undone.
The bayonet knot is a knot that has some similarities to the improved clinch, the only difference is that with each skein a knot is made around the main line.
And the best and easiest to use when tying diverter leashes is the figure eight , which, with simple manipulations with the main fishing line around the swivel, forms a connection similar to the number eight. This knot is 95 percent effective and is suitable for all types of fishing line.

Common clinch

Clew Double knot Figure eight knot

How to tie two leashes?

If there is a need to tie two or three leashes, then you can use a knot called “Snake”, or as it is also called “Bloody” - the name comes from the times of pirate raids in the Caribbean, with the help of this knot pirates hung captives on their ships. Tying is done as follows:

— we lay out the leash line and the main line in a parallel method;
— the tip of the main line makes several turns around the leader line;
- with the tip of the leash line we make a couple of turns around the main line;
— then we draw the ends of the lines towards each other through the center of the resulting twist;
- the tightening process is carried out.

As a result, we get an installation that has three free protruding fishing lines on which the leashes will be attached.

Fishing technique with a retractable leash

When fishing with a retractable leash, there are several important rules. Namely:

When fishing with bottom tackle, it is important that the line is in a taut position, so that when a fish bites, the reaction of the bite at the tip of the rod is instantaneous.
When casting, you need to make sure that the retractable leash and the leash with the sinker are not mixed up, otherwise the bait will not be effective in the current in the water, or even in flight it may be knocked off the hook by the sinker.
When using the bottom fishing method, in some cases a method called dotted feeding is used, when after casting and after a certain period of time, usually 2-3 minutes, the bait is pulled 20-30 centimeters from its original location. This method is used to prevent the bait from caking on the bottom and raising a small cloud of turbidity that attracts fish.
When fishing with a spinning rod, they use their own methods of fishing with a retractable leash, which include slow and fast retrieves along the bottom, retrieves with sharp jerks and waiting pauses between them, aggressive retrieves, which include several approaches with jerks and pauses.

An extremely important role in fishing with a diverting leash is assigned to sinkers , which must be selected depending on the strength of the current , depth and bottom topography . For example, when fishing for bream at great depths and with a sandy bottom, long and bullet type sinkers are used. And in snagy terrain and in some spinning rigs with a lead lead, sinkers such as a Tyrolean stick and a drop shop are used.

In winter (late autumn), when fishing on the current, it is best to use a blind leash rig so that the main line does not touch the ice cover and does not rub against it, however, in winter the fish are more careful and it is more difficult to notice a bite, and professional fishermen prefer a sliding rig so that they can catch fish in time. notice the slightest touch of the fish to the bait.

Also, when fishing for fish, you need to take into account that after biting you do not need to make a sharp jerk with the rod, because the mass of the fish and sinker can break the main line or break the rod. It is best to make a small hook so that the fish sits securely on the hook and, using gradual wave pulls and winding the fishing line onto the clutch of the reel, pull the fish to the shore or into the landing net.

Using a lead off the ice

Winter fishing with a retractable leash is more often associated with rigging fishing rods or catching predators with live bait. However, such installation in various interpretations perfectly complements many fishing methods, allowing you to achieve a catch when standard equipment does not work. Methods of fishing with a retractable leash in winter:

Light winter fishing rods.
Weight fishing rods for current or depth.
Sub-ice donks.
Gear for catching predators with live bait or cut fish.
Additional pendants for winter lures.
Pendants and garlands for winter fishing with a jig, baited or reelless.

Let's take a closer look at the methods of equipment and features of fishing techniques in the winter.

Winter fishing rods and donks

In a winter float fishing rod, a retractable leash is used in the following cases:

For hanging an additional light jig or hook. This installation works for roaches, since it is not known in advance whether the silvery fish will take it from the bottom or above it.
For fishing in silted areas, when the lower jig or sub-fish falls into the bottom sediments.
When fishing in winter on the current in fishing rods, either alone or in combination with inline.

For hanging on roaches, leashes are usually made short, 5-7 cm long. However, you need to try to fish with longer branches - up to 30 cm, especially in the current. In winter, roach loves the natural fall of the bait to the bottom, which works better with a long leash. A long leash places the bait at some distance from the fishing line, which has a positive effect on the bite if the fish is afraid of a thick main thread. When the bottom jig (sinker) hits, clouds of turbidity rise along the bottom, and the bait on the retractable leash, after being tossed, falls much slower than the heavy sinker, which in total lures the fish even more. Read more about rigging ice fishing rods.

This winter rig works for perch, crucian carp, bream and any fish in general. However, it should not be overestimated - this is not a magic pill. In different winter fishing conditions, certain equipment works better. When fishing in winter, the basis of the technique is experimentation. The outlet needs to be moved higher or lower in order to determine the working horizon and change its length. Therefore, it is more practical to place it on the fishing line not as a blind knot, but in a sliding version on stoppers, so that, if necessary, you can change the distance to the end load. Schemes of diverting leashes on a winter fishing rod are further in the article.

Contrary to popular belief, a side leader in winter is not an exclusive rig for the current. This rig works great in calm water. It’s just that in stagnant bodies of water, the leashes are knitted shorter and in such a way that they do not get tangled on the main fishing line - there is no current that would pull the bait to the side. The diverter often helps out when roach, bream or crucian carp refuse to take bait from the bottom, but readily respond to a smoothly sinking bait.

For donks, a winter diverter hook is one of two main equipment, which is often produced simultaneously. The result is a combined rig consisting of a sliding sinker, a lower hook and an upper hook on a leash. Bottom leashes are knitted longer - the current will still pull them further. On some gear, the tails are made up to several meters long (droppers, helicopters). Read more in the article about winter bottom rigs.

Active jig for game and reelless

In classic jigs and ice-free jigs, amateurs also actively use diverter pendants. The side leash for a winter fishing rod is usually knitted short. The meaning of its equipment is also based on the lower speed of immersion of a light bait after throwing, simulating the natural fall of food objects to the bottom.
Usually in winter, light plastic jigs, light-accumulating decoys or flies are placed on the outlet suspension. In bait fishing, a small hook is suspended and is also equipped with a bloodworm. In strong currents, fishing with jigs for play is almost never practiced - therefore, it is better not to use additional elements of the leash equipment (stoppers, swivels).
In winter, the jig tackle needs to be thin and sensitive - any additional items will change the nod setting. Therefore, the diverter pendant is knitted short and neat, in knots, without additional weighting elements.

Catching predatory fish

Catching pike perch on a diverting leash in winter is a classic of fanged fishing from the ice. And for the bersh, the side leash is almost the main tackle. Often these predators in winter, especially in the dead of winter, are capricious and do not take bait on the lower heavy mormobles (pulk).

However, the oscillation of a piece of fish (tail, whole sprat) on a side leash in the current arouses interest in a passive predator. Therefore, gear for such fishing is equipped with an additional retractable hook on a leash, which holds the bait not at the bottom, but slightly above it.
During active play, when the main heavy bait has already frozen at the bottom, the light suspension of the outlet mount still fluctuates with the current or slowly falls, which additionally provokes the fish to grab.
The same thing happens when fishing by pulling, when the equipment is gradually released downstream under the ice. This type of rig works in winter not only for bass or pike perch - it is used by perch, pike, and burbot.