Methods for catching catfish from ice. How to catch catfish in winter: the most catchy ways and secrets of experienced fishermen
winter fishing catfish is a popular activity among real professional fishermen, as it is much more difficult to catch a predator on a frozen pond than in summer. In order for fishing to bring pleasure, and the catch to please with its quantity, you need to know how to catch catfish in winter, how to find the habitat of a predator in a pond and choose the right bait. The advice of professionals will help you master the technique of catching this predator.
The success of winter fishing for catfish largely depends on the place of fishing and the chosen bait.
The success of winter fishing largely depends on the place of fishing and the chosen bait. It's no secret that catfish are in a passive state in winter, they move little around the reservoir, and therefore catching catfish in winter is the height of fishing skill. According to many years of observations, it became clear that all winter catfish stay in such places of the reservoir as:
- wintering pits;
- on semi-dams;
- on washed-out shores.
Depending on the size of the wintering pit, quite a lot of individuals can stay in it. They are located most often at the depth of the lake, river, where the smallest circular current is observed. Usually the bottom in such places is not muddy, but solid. The deeper the hole, the greater the chance of catching a particularly large catfish.
With regard to catching catfish in winter, every fisherman has his own opinion. Some believe that this activity is rather tedious and unprofitable. The passivity of the catfish and the difficulty in finding its wintering grounds really complicate the task. However, due to the fact that the catfish is severely deprived of food in winter, it quickly reacts to the bait.
When and what to catch catfish in winter? Fishing for catfish on silicone bait with a jig is quite successful. Weighted baits are suitable, as they sink well to the bottom. The color of silicone depends on the characteristics of the water in the reservoir. When catching a predator in troubled waters, bright neon lures should be preferred. If the reservoir is clean and the water is clear, then baits of silver, gold color or covered with glitter will do.
Traditionally, predatory fish become more active in the evening at dusk or in cloudy weather. According to experienced fishermen, during a heavy snowfall, you can get a good catch of large individuals.
To catch catfish in winter, you will need to drill more than one hole in search of wintering holes. It will be much easier to fish on a familiar body of water where the bottom has already been explored. Beginner fishermen are usually surprised by the strong resistance of a catfish caught on a hook. However, this also causes a special excitement and thrill.
To catch catfish in winter, you will need to drill more than one hole in search of wintering holes
Features of winter fishing for catfish A
In winter, ill-trained fishermen rarely manage to catch catfish. It is necessary to take into account some features of winter fishing for catfish from ice. IN cold water this predator moves little in the reservoir and can spend many days and weeks in one place. Only the depletion of food can force the fish to look for a new wintering place, but this does not happen often.
In winter, the catfish slows down the process of digesting food, so one fish eaten is enough for him for a long time. All of these factors have an extremely unfavorable effect on the number of catfish reactions to the bait. A bite in winter is rare and according to experienced fishermen, there are only 1 or 2 bites in a few hours spent on the ice. An actively moving bait, such as a jig or, can be of interest to a predator in winter.
Jigging is a good opportunity to attract the attention of a passive catfish while hunting. This period begins in the first hours after dark. The periodic bouncing of the bait, its impact on the very bottom of the reservoir can arouse the interest of the catfish, which will instinctively react to it.
According to fishermen, catching catfish in winter on a bunch of worms leads to positive results. To increase efficiency, they are pre-moistened in a fragrant attractant. Worms are a good bait for catfish at any time of the year, so it is worth trying this method of catching a predator.
How to catch a catfish in winter on a balancer, video:
Interested in how to catch a catfish in winter? This is not an easy task, which the most persistent and resourceful fishermen will be able to cope with. However, when a positive result is achieved, the mass positive emotions and a delicious dinner is guaranteed to the blue field worker and his family.
Catfish is a thermophilic fish. Therefore, it is possible that the very phrase “catching catfish in winter” causes mistrust. We will try to clarify whether this is an accident, or a real pattern.
Let's start with a brief introduction to such a coveted fish as catfish. Freshwater catfish - the most big fish found in domestic reservoirs. Is an object fishing. After all, who does not dream of catching a catfish? As mentioned above, catfish is a heat-loving fish.
The period of its greatest activity falls on the summer months (June - August), when the water warms up enough. Catfish is a predator. The diet of an adult catfish is dominated by fish, invertebrates, mollusks and carrion. Catfish is a typical hermit. Usually fish keep one by one, but, with the onset of autumn, they gather in small flocks of 10-15 individuals and choose pits for wintering, often these pits coincide with summer ones.
In winter, the catfish sleeps, i.e. is in a state of suspended animation and does not react in any way to nearby wintering carps, breams, etc., which can become a potential victim of catfish. Catfish are caught on such pits, but most often with a samoder, i.e. not legally, but who said you can't try your luck and wake up our catfish?
This is not an easy job and requires skill and great patience. Catching catfish in winter occurs, of course, in the places of its wintering, i.e. on the pits. From a practical point of view, when catching catfish, one should hope for success, if catfish is present in large quantities in a given reservoir, it is more correct to say that the reservoir has a high density of catfish.
In this case, the chances of catching such a desired trophy are slightly higher. Well, if it’s still clear with the place of fishing, then what about the gear? We will not catch catfish on mormyshki. Naturally, we won't. The main bait for catfish is silicone bait. Various twisters and vibrotails can give you best result, edible rubber also performs well.
The size of the bait starts from 10 cm and should not exceed 20 cm. The color factor depends on the condition of the water; clear water favors the choice of green or silver bait, while cloudy water favors yellow. In theory, everything is perfectly described, but in practice it can be completely different. The echo sounder can show the parking of catfish under the ice, but it does not work to activate them and force them to pay attention to the bait.
There is another very, very interesting aspect of catching catfish in winter. The fact is that on the territory of our country there is a large network of thermal and nuclear power plants, which have their own reservoirs and cooler channels. Here is the most grace of Soma. Temperature water discharges from the power plant usually exceed the comfortable 8 degrees for the catfish.
This is where the catfish gathers together with other fish present, which is also food for it. Catfish are active in such places all year round. I was lucky enough to take part in one of these "winter" catfish fishing in the cooling ponds of the Kryvyi Rih TES, where, in addition to the usual catfish, American catfish are also bred, and one can say the fishing was quite and quite successful.
Summing up, we can say that although catching a catfish in winter is not such an impossible task, it’s not very necessary to count on success.
catching catfish in winter period requires special skill and patience. Winter fishing, in search of catfish, is considered the occupation of only a real fisherman, because not everyone dares to drill holes and collect tackle when it is snowy or frosty outside. You need to prepare for such fishing in advance, so experienced anglers select places for fishing and collect fishing equipment in the summer. Catfish is a worthy adversary in the struggle for survival, and therefore it has a very strong resistance, which, of course, causes great excitement among anglers. There are many conflicting opinions about winter fishing for catfish, some believe that such fishing is practically useless, others successfully catch decent specimens. Everyone knows that catfish gain weight very quickly and can reach a mass of three hundred kilograms.
Closer to winter, catfish, in search of a secluded place, move to the pits. There can be several individuals in one hole, where they hibernate, however, at the sight of a running bait, this fish will not remain indifferent. The catfish will instantly grab the bait, and then you can safely cut it.
In winter, catfish are deprived of food, so they can easily be attracted by artificial bait, in the form of a jig. According to experts, this fish is more active at dusk, but if it is snowing or cloudy outside, then you can safely hunt catfish during the day.
Our ancestors went fishing with a drill and a special device, in the form of several hooks with a fixed load, this equipment was tied to a strong fishing line or rope. This method, of course, cannot be called sports or professional, but still the results of this method are very effective.
Old-fashioned fishing method
You need to look for catfish in winter on semi-dams, or near washed-out shores. The most difficult thing will be to find a hole where this fish is used to living in the winter. Therefore, experienced anglers are in a hurry to identify such areas in the summer. And remember, the deeper the hole, the greater the chance of catching the desired prey. First, you need to cut a hole of the right size, then you need to throw equipment, called a samoder, into the hole. If the hole is cut correctly, near the fish stop, then the result will not be long in coming. Carefully remove the samoder from the hole, several individuals can fall into such a device at once. The catch must be pulled out with care, try not to slow down, as the fish can easily slip off under the weight of its own weight. For reinsurance, on the surface of the water, it is necessary to pierce a sluggish fish with a hook.
Professional fishermen say that catching catfish in the winter requires not only patience, but also skill. To catch this fish, you need to drill holes in the ice, which already speaks of the professionalism of the fisherman. Naturally, for such a case, it is necessary to prepare gear in advance in order to pull fish of various weights from the hole at the right time. In addition, for winter fishing for catfish, it is necessary to select good places even in the summer, when you can carefully consider everything and get acquainted with the features of this fish prize. Catching catfish in winter.
An angler's dream
The dream of every angler is a big catfish that flounders on the ice. Naturally, in order to catch such a fish, you need to spend a lot of time selecting bait, as well as choosing a method for catching it. There is an opinion that catfish quickly gain their weight and by winter they can grow up to 200 kilograms. However, the growth of such a fish depends on the reservoir in which it lives and the food with which it increases its weight.
Especially popular fishing is catching catfish in winter. And even if a blizzard sweeps, all the same, for the sake of the cherished goal - to catch the catfish and pull it out of the hole - the fisherman sits and endures all the hardships of the weather. Catfish are especially active at night when they are looking for food under water. With the onset of spring, they experience a lack of food, from which the uds of such fish can be maximum.
To catch a large catfish, you need to not only hook it, but also patiently wait until it really hooks on the hook. When the catfish gets on the hook, it resists quite strongly. If the fisherman caught a big fish, then he may need all the strength to keep it on the hook.
When to catch catfish in winter
In winter, catfish hide in the pits of various reservoirs. Sometimes there can be several individuals in one pit at the same time. That is why, by making a hole in the ice, you can catch several fish without changing the place of biting. In winter, catfish are usually deprived of food, which allows them to be caught on various baits. Such fish can easily be seduced by any bait. It is best to catch catfish in the evening, when it is most active. However, if there is a snowstorm outside or it is rather cloudy, then daytime is also suitable for catching catfish.
Of great importance for catching catfish is the size of the hole, which is made by the angler. The most difficult thing is to guess the place where there may be a pit with fish. Scientists have recorded that the deeper the hole in the pond, the easier it is to catch prey, as the catfish gradually goes to the bait, while enjoying the bait. However, if the fisherman managed to catch a catfish, then when pulling the fish from the reservoir, you need not slow down, because it can jump off the hook due to its weight.
Using a samoder to catch catfish
Catching catfish in winter is due to the correct use of the samoder. This is a device that has a thick fishing line with attached hooks and a weight. Initially, the samoder must be thrown into the hole very carefully so as not to frighten away the fish. There are several hooks on one samoder. That is why, if you are an extremely attentive fisherman, you can catch several catfish at the same time if you get into the hole where they live. It takes a long time to wait for a catfish bite. If the place is chosen correctly and there is a deep hole in the reservoir where the catfish hid for the winter, then a catch can be expected.
Catfish Lures
Fishermen have confirmed that fish such as catfish are best lured to artificial baits. The most preferred are silicone baits, which are made heavy by attaching lead particles to them. The color of such lures allows you to improve the visibility of the fish, thereby focusing on their location. So, for example, if the water in which catfish are found is rather cloudy, then it is best to use bright yellow baits. For clear water silver or green baits are suitable. Additionally, fishermen can use phosphorous baits, which can glow at night, thereby indicating the catfish for food. The dimensions of the bait should not be more than 20 cm. Otherwise, the catfish will not be able to swallow it, and, therefore, will not swim to the place of fishing.
In winter, sleep is not too mobile. This allows fishermen to freely lure it to the place of fishing, and hang bait on the hook that the fish can eat. The main factor for successful catching catfish in winter is the temperature of the reservoir in which catfish hides at the bottom.
Currently, catfish fishing is prohibited. However, poaching methods of catching such fish today can be seen quite often. People simply do not overdo it by catching fish for their own purposes and needs.
If you first familiarize yourself with the information that a fisherman may need, then in winter you can catch enough catfish to enjoy the delicious meat of such fish. Winter fishing for catfish cannot be carried out anywhere in the reservoir, therefore, to such complex process gotta get ready for the summer.
Say what you like, but fishing in the open water of rivers, lakes and reservoirs in winter is a new topic in modern fishing, because until recently, talk about some kind of climate warming seemed to be something far away. But already today, strategies for “summer” fishing in December (and during thaws and in January) are being discussed with might and main, until the first picks noisily clatter on snow-white ice and freshly caught red-finned perches dance on the ice.
And somehow it turned out that spinning became the main scout of cold waters, probably because its catches are quite stable, and often extremely effective. Until the freeze-up, active spinningists do not give up, pulling large pike and zander on the rivers. And what is interesting, in zander's pits, it is not uncommon for fate to endow them with catfish bites. Yes, this is not surprising, pike perch and catfish are frequent neighbors.
As experienced fishermen say: “Late freeze-up is a great success for us! Well, if there is no ice at all, then this is a great happiness. After all, from ice, that pike perch, that catfish are badly taken, but from boats they jig perfectly, until the ice floes float. And they are well caught, even at minus 10, almost after each cast, the line has to be soaked, cast again and the fish are biting - what not happiness! And it happens that you go tomorrow, and that's it, the river has become - there is no way to even lower the boat properly, even though you gnaw this ice with your teeth.
It is worth noting that the main feature of the catfish winter jig is that the baleen often wandering in the summer and autumn on the riffles, more or less crowded in the pits. But even here you still need to look for fish, since the channel pits are long, with ragged depths. In early December, catfish can take at the bottom of the pit, almost at its exit. But closer to January, there is a feeling that the predator rises up - to the very entrance. But still, this is not an axiom, and in the absence of grips, one has to tap almost the entire promising hole - from the entrance to the exit, because there are suspicions that migration exists during the day.
Catfish come across on a jig from dawn to dusk. But it happens that it breaks through the fish for biting at specific hours, it happened that it only pecked in the morning hours, almost in the dark. But according to the rules, you can sail on a boat only “an hour before sunrise”, and you have to use distant coastal artillery, which does not always help out - it’s difficult to major rivers break through a steep channel edge. Therefore, if possible, fishermen change to boats.
About postings. The classic high step is good for catching an active summer predator, and when the mustachioed is sluggish, lying on the bottom, the results drop sharply - the bait often flies over the fish during high jumps. Experienced jig riders assure that in such conditions a low, slow step works much better, showing good results at different depths, along the current and in standing water large lakes and reservoirs.
Ideally, the bait should slowly go no higher than 20 cm from the bottom, periodically beat it briefly, and then continue its unhurried movement. For such postings, two cardinally different techniques tackle work.
reel. All wiring is carried out only by the coil. The rod is motionless, in a position convenient for a particular situation. After the bait touches the bottom, the slack is selected and a smooth, slow winding begins, 4-6 turns. Then a pause, in a maximum of a second, the bait should hit the bottom. If it hits for more time, say, in 2-3 seconds, then the winding speed is still reduced. If the pause turns out to be quite small, clearly less than a second, then the winding speed is slightly accelerated.
If you have to turn too fast, then the loading of the bait is reduced. And vice versa - it increases when it is not possible to catch with a second pause even with the slowest winding. As a rule, with such postings, the weight of the bait loading is 20-30% less than with a conventional high step.
The whole point of these manipulations is the desire to lead the bait as close to the bottom as possible. And the pause here is not some additional "lure" in the wiring, but simply a reliable way to control the depth of the wiring. Since almost all catfish bites in winter (up to 8 out of 10) go on a uniform reel, in which mini-playing with the tip of the rod or changing the reel speed is usually not possible - the most common unhurried uniform wiring, to which a not very active responds well whiskered.
spinning. The second option is evenly - stepped wiring is already done with the help of active work with the rod. After casting, the bait reaches the bottom, the slack is selected, the tip of the rod looks in the direction of the cast. The rod is smoothly retracted to the left or right (as it is more convenient) with the rotation of the body body - the amplitude of this movement is 2-3 m, with a long spinning it can be more.
Further, the rod immediately returns to its original position, and at the same time, the slack of the braid is smoothly selected by the reel, preventing it from sagging. Only the rod was in its original position - in a maximum of a second, the bait should hit the bottom. This is one cycle of the game, which then repeats over and over again. If necessary, all with the same adjustment of the speed of movement and the selection of the weight of the load, in order to achieve the movement of the bait at the very bottom - no higher than the same 20cm.
Lures. Considering that usually slow, even hauling gives a much better result on winter catfish, not all baits are suitable. Large front-loaded turntables with quick-release weights are good. Massive spinners-oscillators also give excellent results, but here it is already more difficult to choose the necessary weight of the bait for a specific place.
And the leaders, of course, are tires loaded with “cheburashka”, the weight of which is easy to match to a wide variety of conditions. In any case, for any bait with a slow, uniform winding, it is necessary good game embedded in the design, because there are no jerks here as a class.
"Manns Predator" is one of the first American rippers that came to us at the dawn of domestic jig fishing, but it is still in demand by spinning anglers, including catfish. This rubber is praised for its high softness, giving great game even at the lowest speeds. True, for the softness of silicone, you have to pay with the increased consumption of these baits, which are not very resistant to catfish teeth - “brushes”, and pike and zander favor these baits. In terms of colors, the leaders are mother-of-pearl with a black or red back, yellow with red and yellow with black.
Another variant of the catfish rubber that has been popular for many years is the American Relax Hoof, with a slanting body and notches on the tail, designed to improve the game. Many appreciate the "hooves" for the denser than the "Manns" silicone, which is somewhat better resists the teeth of predators. At the same time, it has the same excellent game even on the same slow postings.
The large "hoof" of the fourth number is a favorite bait for many catfish spinningists. The third number is also often in demand, especially when catching catfish and normal-sized pike perch is promising in places where both predators often coexist, and the mustachioed normally responds to small baits.
And a few words in conclusion. I don’t believe in catfish tales - I’ve been hunting for him all my life and I know his habits. Main bike - catfish late autumn and in winter it bites in the right way, like a fisherman, and this is an honest, not crimson fish. It’s just that sometimes he doesn’t partly take it with his mouth, but simply beats with his tail. And it hits balancers, heavy bolts and other motley baits from the ice.
Let's be honest - why would a normal fisherman deceive himself? And the poacher is a bugler, he is glad to be deceived, he will say anything to disguise himself among our brother. And such gaffers rake out a lot of catfish. The situation is only getting worse, and I propose to introduce a ban on catching catfish from December 1 and for the entire period of freezing. Let this predator winter in peace. Is it bad? Otherwise, the culprits of the decrease in the catfish population will be made quads, spinning fish, bottom fish, again sending this fish to the Red Book.
It’s already sickening to hear about these “tailed bites”. Why does this predator normally take bait with its mouth in October, and often with its tail in winter? What, his roof is going, habits are changing dramatically? Of course not! From time immemorial, in the middle lane, catfish stop actively feeding at the end of October and go to wintering pits. It is there that the poachers begin to scare them for all parts of the body, convincing us that the mustachioed predator “pecked” with its belly or tail.
