Catching burbot in the fall: what to catch, bait, what to bite on

Peculiarities of burbot behavior in autumn

Burbot in September. In the first half of September, burbot stays in cooler bottom depressions and in areas near springs. Boulders and submerged trees are a good sign of burbot presence. Successful burbot fishing in September begins in the second half of the month. Burbot begins to become active after a summer fast. Starting from sunset, the predator moves across the water area in search of prey. It feeds on small fish, frogs and bottom organisms. The likelihood of a bite during the day increases in cloudy weather.

Burbot in October. In mid-autumn, the predator eats away after the suspended animation in which it remains during the warm season. Burbot fishing in October will result in a good catch if you successfully identify the burbot trails. They usually lie over a hard pebble or rocky bottom. Do not ignore riffles in areas with moderate currents. The bait used for burbot helps to keep the predator in the feeding area. Finding burbot is difficult in a large reservoir. Using a boat and using a fishing echo sounder makes it easier to find promising fishing spots.

Burbot in November. November is the best month for burbot fishing in open water.
Starting from the first night frosts, burbot can be found throughout the entire water area. The exceptions are areas with a silted bottom, fast channel currents and rapids. In November, burbot fishing is carried out in areas with differences in depth at the border of currents, bottom depressions and in coastal cliffs. Such areas are inhabited by small inhabitants of reservoirs, which are the main hunting objects of the nocturnal predator. When the sun is hidden behind the clouds, then burbot can be caught during the daytime.

What to use to catch burbot in the fall

Taking into account the characteristics of behavior, a decision is made on what to catch burbot in the fall. Burbot is an omnivorous predator that feeds above the surface of the bottom. Therefore, fishing is carried out mainly with bottom gear. For catching burbot in autumn in open water, the following gear is applicable:

Feeder;
Float rod;
Summer girders;
Tackle for vertical fishing from a boat;
Spinning;
Mugs;
Tackle elastic band.

When equipping the selected gear, you need to take into account the characteristics of the reservoir, the fishing method and the time of day. In a number of areas, in late autumn, a safe ice thickness for fishing has already been established. Traditional winter gear is used to catch burbot from the ice:

Winter fishing rods;
Winter girders.

Burbot on the feeder in the fall

A feeder for catching burbot is used during periods of high predator activity in spring and autumn. Catching burbot in the fall on a feeder is carried out day and night. It is important to properly equip the feeder. A feeder rod is selected taking into account the required casting distance. The casting distance is determined by the length of the rod and the test, which should include the weight of the filled feeder and bait. When fishing with live bait, you should use models with a slow action. If the bait used is securely attached to the hook, then the structure of the rod does not matter much.

Bait for catching burbot on a donk in autumn

It is best to use a crawl. The crawl is a large worm up to 20 cm in length, it is too tough for small fish, but it is just right for burbot. Live bait is also good for fishing; you can catch a good trophy with such bait. And in the absence of burbot, pike or pike perch can be a good bonus.

You can use ruffe, small roach or crucian carp as live bait. Burbot can also be caught using small pieces of meat or dead fish, because it uses more of its sense of smell than its sense of sight. Everything, of course, depends on the reservoir and the individuals living there.

In one reservoir it is good to catch it with a crawler, but in another it can only be caught with live bait, everything is individual. It’s best to use several rods with different baits and when one of them works, change all the other rods to this bait.

Burbot in the fall on the summer streams

In coastal cliffs, burbot fishing is used in the fall using summer baits. It is important to mount the live bait correctly so that it remains mobile for as long as possible. Although it is possible for burbot to bite on dead fish, burbot still reacts better to active live bait.

Summer girders can be used as main or incidental gear. For example, when fishing with a spinning rod, you can load 2-4 reels. If only summer girders are used, then their number is limited to convenient places for casting. Considering that burbot usually hook themselves, the girders can be set up in the evening and checked in the morning.

Burbot on a float rod in the fall

A float rod is used for catching burbot from the shore and boat. Any type of gear is suitable. The main thing is that the length of the rod and equipment allow you to cast to the intended location. The most popular is the Bolognese fishing rod. A blind rig is used or the fishing rod is equipped with a sliding float.

To increase the catchability of the tackle, 2 hooks are tied to the fishing rod. If you plan to catch burbot in the fall using a float rod using live bait, then you need to install a weight to hold the bait in the bottom layer of water. The “freedom” of movement of the mounted fish is limited by a leash up to 1 m long. Live bait trying to rise to the surface is secured to a leash about 50 cm long.

Burbot in the fall on a plumb line

Fishing for burbot from a boat, bridge or other suitable surface structure can be carried out vertically. Fishing for predators is carried out with lures, using jigs or oscillating spoons. It is advisable to add additional bait to the jigs.

Burbot responds well to snitching. The bait sinks to the bottom, then rises by about half a meter, and under its own weight again sinks to the bottom surface for the next “knock”. The created noise effect provokes the burbot to bite. a burbot squealer at a specialized store or make it yourself. To catch burbot in the fall using fishing rods, you can use fishing balancers. To reduce the likelihood of snagging, you can unfasten the belly tee of the bait. The burbot greedily grabs the “prey” and reliably hooks itself onto the remaining soldered hooks of the balancer.

Place and time to catch burbot in autumn

In theory, different places are suitable for fishing, since in cool water the fish actively moves and is able to detect prey everywhere. To increase your chances of catching, we recommend casting the tackle nearby with small fish. The predator pursues the prey and attacks it; at these moments, the burbot can be interested in the prepared bait.

Burbot in autumn for mugs

If you use a boat, it is possible to catch burbot in the fall using mugs. They are prepared in the same way as mugs for pike. But the gear is not sent drifting across the water area of the reservoir, but is anchored. When fishing in slow currents, you can tie a sinker weighing 60-100 grams. This is relevant if you plan to leave gear overnight.

A leash 40-60 cm long is tied above the sinker. A fixed loop for tying the leash is formed with a hanging loop knot. Small fish are attached to the hook or other burbot baits are used. After self-hooking, the predator reliably captures the bait. The sinker or anchor of the tackle does not allow the burbot to drag it far. Meetings are rare. Usually the predator “patiently waits” for the fisherman to release the hook.

Preparing feeder equipment for bream

Having selected the gear, you can move on to the equipment that will be used for fishing. There are a huge number of them and it’s impossible to tell about each one. It’s worth giving examples of the most popular ones. Some enthusiasts prefer to knit montages that they themselves have come up with based on their acquired knowledge and experience.

Standard feeder set for bream

In essence, the feeder rig for bream is a feeder with a hook located next to it. The fish approaches the feeder, hoping to profit from something, and swallows the hook with the nozzle.

Choosing a feeder

First, you need to determine the type of bream feeder you need. When fishing in the current, it would be wise to use feeders weighing 70-80 grams. For example, fishermen on the Oka River, where the current is very strong, often place feeders weighing over 100 grams. Also, such heavy elements must be used at great depths to accelerate the fall.

Feeders come in completely different shapes, and this is not without reason. If the fishing takes place immediately after a sharp drop, then when fishing, the fish have a high chance of getting away, since the bream and the feeder will constantly bump into the drop, preventing them from being pulled out of the water. To get out of this situation, feeders with wings are used. Due to the wings, when you start fishing, the feeder will immediately begin to rise to the surface and increase the chances of successful fishing.

Based on the flow, you need to select an element with the correct mesh. In strong currents, you should not take a feeder with a thin mesh, as the current will wash out all the food very quickly.

On lakes, on the contrary, such feeders will be popular. The food will pour out of them quickly enough, and the fish will get to the point much faster and delight the angler with bites.

Popular mounts and baits for bream

The fishing line for leashes with hooks is selected based on the conditions. If the bite is quite active, then it can become thicker; if there are practically no bites, then you should think about changing the leash to a thinner one in the hope of seeing at least some bites. But the main thing here is not to overdo it with thickness, because bream can be large and can easily break a thin leash if fished incorrectly. This is why it is necessary to have a landing net when fishing for bream. The length of the leash for the bream feeder also varies. If the bite is reluctant, the length should be increased.

Professionals use long telescopic nets into which fish are brought in from afar. Well, for beginners it is advisable to purchase any, even the simplest landing net. A bream weighing half a kilo will be difficult to lift using a crane on a steep bank. Bream does not have the strongest mouth, so it is better not to take risks.

Hooks come in a variety of sizes. In the summer, when the fish are actively feeding, you can choose larger hooks and attach larger baits to them in the hope of catching a trophy specimen. In cold seasons, for example in winter, hooks are placed almost invisible so that bloodworms can be attached to them.

A lot of attachments are used. Bream on the feeder bite on almost everything, from banal worms to boilies that are used when fishing for carp. If the goal is to catch a large specimen, then a bunch of maggots, corn and various sandwiches made from them are used. If there is no bite, you should try using dips. Flavors come in a wide variety and sometimes the most exotic types, such as cinnamon, can whet the bream's appetite.

The most common equipment for a bream feeder:

method;
symmetrical loop;
asymmetrical loop;
paternoster;
inline.

These feeder installations have proven to be easy to use and practical, so it’s better to start with them. They are quite easy to create and do not require any special knowledge. There are quite a lot of different training videos on YouTube, in which everything is explained in detail and shown with examples. But you should always remember that the feeder equipment for catching bream must be strong enough, because the bites are sometimes very strong.

Read How to catch live bait

Burbot in the fall for rubber

For fishing for burbot, the classic elastic tackle is used. Catching burbot in the fall with rubber bands is usually done from the shore. When preparing for night fishing, you should clear the shore of foreign objects during daylight hours. Fishing with a rubber band from a boat is also possible.

Should be considered! When equipping the tackle, do not overuse the number of hooks. The optimal quantity is 3 pcs.

The rubber band is thrown or delivered to the selected location by boat. After “setting up” the tackle, bait is attached and the elastic is brought into working position. When fishing at night, you need to take care of sound bite alarms. Lighting on the shore does not scare away burbot.

Bait for burbot

It is almost impossible to change the burbot trails. The predator changes its usual directions of movement only in the event of human intervention (driving piles, etc.) or a natural change in the bottom topography. But the burbot trail is not a narrow path. It is a strip with a hard bottom, on which small inhabitants of the reservoir and bottom organisms concentrate. Bait for burbot is designed to retain it in the place of fishing.

For complementary feeding, pieces of fish, animal waste and other crushed bait are used: worms, fresh liver, etc. The prepared components are mixed with soil from the reservoir. The viscosity of the bait balls should ensure their disintegration at the bottom. It is better to deliver bait using dump truck feeders.

It is advisable to prepare bait with a reserve. After the bite stops, you need to add another portion of the bait mixture.

Donka for catching burbot

First of all, it should be noted that there are several equipment options:

Donka-zadushka is a reel with a wound fishing line, at the end of which there is a weight with 2 - 3 hooks.
Bottom tackle with a fishing rod. It is a more modern tackle, which is more convenient and comfortable to fish with. Electronic alarms are installed on it, which make a sound when bitten. It is especially convenient to fish with them at night, because burbot is active at this time.

You can also fish with donka in several ways:

You can leave the donks overnight and check them in the morning. They usually bet at least 5 pieces, and the rest depends on the greed of the fisherman. This type of fishing is completely passive and is not interesting to many anglers. In this case, the end result is important, not the process itself.
With the second fishing method, you are constantly at the bottom and monitor the alarms. Usually these are bells or a stick supported on a fishing line.

When fishing with donkeys, you don’t have to constantly be near the fishing rods; you can make a fire or collect firewood at this time. After you have done all the work in the parking lot, you can calmly sit down and watch, waiting for a bite.

What do burbot bite on in the fall?

The important question of what burbot bites in the fall does not have a clear answer. But you can identify a number of baits and lures that increase the likelihood of a bite.

Baits for burbot

The best baits for burbot:

Live bait. This is the best bait for catching burbot. It is advisable to put small fish on the hook that live in the reservoir along with burbot. To reduce the mobility of live bait, its fins can be slightly trimmed;
Scrawls or bunch of dung worms;
Shrimps;
Crayfish meat;
Fresh chicken liver. You can also use beef liver;
Little frogs;
Pieces of fish meat;
Insect larvae;
Leeches.

Lures for burbot

When fishing in the fall with a spinning rod or plumb line, the following baits for burbot are used:

Lures for jig fishing;
Oscillating spoons;
Floating wobblers. They are attached to a leash behind a sinker, the shape of which ensures its “passing” along the bottom surface;
Silicone fish, analogues of worms and bottom organisms;
Balancers. Used when fishing vertically. With this method of fishing, jigs with bait are also applicable.

So, catching burbot in the fall will be successful if the nuances of fishing for this predator are taken into account. The inconveniences caused by weather conditions are compensated by a good catch.

Coil

It is advisable not to save money and equip the form with a non-inertia version with a baitrunner. This type of reel will allow you to easily remove not only burbot, but also large catfish, while preserving your tackle.

fishing line

Fishing for burbot in late autumn is carried out using coarse tackle; this is not a hindrance for him. Thick versions of monks are used as a base; 0.4-0.6 mm is ideal. If the choice fell on the cord, then its optimal thickness is 0.3-0.34; there is no need to install a rope.

It is recommended to use thinner options as a leash; a monk is enough to be about 3 mm thick, and the cord is 0.20 mm thick.

When choosing a cord as the basis for collecting any fishing tackle, pay attention to its shape. It is better to give preference to round options; they will not produce loops when casting, and if one does form, it will be easier to untangle

Read Bream fishing

Sinkers

It is worth understanding that catching burbot on the Volga will require one weight of sinkers, and catching burbot on the Kama will require a completely different weight. It is based on the selected reservoir and the depths at which fishing is planned that the load is selected. The following are general recommendations:

for blind equipment, choose a load with a swivel, but for sliding equipment this is not suitable;
The weight of the sinker should not be less than 40 g, but the maximum weight is set by the rod used.

An important criterion is that the load lies perfectly on the bottom and is not carried away by the current. On rivers, sliding versions of a flat shape are used more often, sometimes with lugs.

Hooks

Catching burbot on a donk mostly involves the use of large single hooks. Do not be afraid of large sizes; even a small fish has a large mouth, which allows it to swallow large baits along with the appropriate hook.

Fishing in the fall on a feeder is carried out with hooks of numbers 8-12 according to the domestic classification.

Doubles are also used, but their use is not always justified.

Accessories

An important point in assembling the tackle will be the use of high-quality small parts to connect all parts of the tackle. Swivels, clasps, and winding rings are chosen only of excellent quality and from a trusted manufacturer. You shouldn’t skimp on these little things; sometimes it’s a high-quality swivel that will allow you to catch a large specimen of burbot or catfish while fishing.

When choosing accessories, you should not dwell on small options; burbot is not afraid of rough tackle; when hungry, it grabs everything in its path without fear.