Do-it-yourself trap for catching live bait in the water from plastic bottles. Fishing for live bait in autumn Net for catching live bait

The outcome of fishing depends on many factors that directly or indirectly influence the fishing process. First, you need to decide what type of hunting, peaceful or predatory, you intend to hunt. In this regard, the choice of the nature of the gear is made. At the same time, we must not forget that poaching gear should be discarded immediately, as not promising. Moreover, their use may result in administrative penalties in the form of a fine. Predatory fish differs from peaceful fish in that they feed exclusively on animal food. Offering her peas, corn, various cereals, etc. is absolutely pointless. The diet of predatory fish is based on all kinds of fish, so you should pay special attention to this fact. Fishing for a predator is most effective if it is offered a live fish or, as it is popularly called, live bait as bait on a hook. But first you need to catch him.

According to some fishermen, the predator is more willing to take the bait that is caught in the same body of water. Well, what if it is not possible to use live bait from a given reservoir? What then? It turns out that there is no point in going fishing at all. And this is when another part of the fishermen boldly uses live bait caught in another body of water, and quite effectively. In fact, the predator is attracted by the appearance of the fish, its behavior in the water and its aroma.

It is permissible to use small fish of any species that are not prohibited from catching as live bait. Mainly used: roach, bleak, dace, bitterling, and also small crucian carp.

Crucian carp is considered the most tenacious fish, so it remains active on the hook the longest, attracting a predator. In addition, this is the most common fish in our waters. It can be found in places where many fish species simply cannot survive. Therefore, many anglers prefer to use crucian carp on the hook as live bait.

Live bait size

Live bait is selected depending on the size of the individuals that are supposed to be caught. The larger the fish, the larger the bait can be.

Perch fishing

If you are catching a small perch, then the bait will be a small fry, which prefers to be in the shallows, near the coastline. Larger perch also prefer larger live bait. As a rule, large perch are caught using live bait up to 10 centimeters in size.

Grass pike is best caught with small fish ranging from 8 to 12 centimeters in size. At the same time, she can take a larger bait, but she will not be able to swallow, therefore such bites are considered idle and are accompanied by gatherings. If you plan to catch trophy pike, then live bait must be of the appropriate size. A pike will be able to attack an object that barely fits in its mouth, and the pike’s mouth is not small. The pecking pattern of a pike is also influenced by the period when its teeth change. Many argue that during this period the pike stops feeding altogether. In fact, this is not so and the pike only switches to food items that are smaller in size.

Many people believe that pike perch prefers small baits, no larger than 15 centimeters in size. According to some statements, pike perch were caught on live bait up to 25 centimeters in size. As a rule, these were large specimens, the landing of which was accompanied by the release of a lot of adrenaline.

As you know, this is a fairly large representative of fresh water bodies. In this regard, sometimes fish weighing up to 1 kilogram are used as live bait. Since catfish is a nocturnal hunter, you will have to catch it at night. Despite this, the catfish sometimes comes out of its hiding place even during the day, but this is rather an exception to the rule, but not a pattern.

Burbot is a predator that will not refuse any live bait. This is a nocturnal predator that does not overeat and will attack any baitfish that gets in its way. At the same time, catching burbot has its own characteristics. The fact is that burbot is considered a cold-loving fish and it is better to catch it in winter.

The asp is a predator that feeds on fry, so to catch it you need to select live bait, from 3 to 8 centimeters in length. The most suitable bait for catching asp is considered to be bleak.

In this regard, we can conclude that the larger the fish’s mouth, the larger the bait is used to catch predatory fish.

Methods for catching live bait in summer

The simplest but most effective way to catch live bait in the summer is to use a regular 3-liter jar with a lid. To do this you need:

• A hole measuring 2x2 centimeters is cut in the plastic lid.
• Pieces of bread are placed in the jar.
• The jar is tightly closed with a lid.
• Fills with water.
• A rope is tied to the neck of the jar.
• The jar is thrown into the water.
• After this, this place should be left so as not to alarm the fish.

In about an hour you can come up and ask. If you don’t throw the jar far, you can determine from the shore whether there is a fry in the jar, since the jar is transparent. It’s also not worth casting deep, since the fry prefers to stay close to the shore and at shallow depths.

Using a plastic bottle

You can make a fairly effective trap from a plastic bottle, at least 5 liters. In addition, the plastic bottle has best characteristics, compared to a 3-liter jar: Firstly, it does not break, and secondly, it is much lighter. To do this you need to have:

• A bottle with a capacity of at least 5 liters.
• Suitable rope.
• Cargo.

Manufacturing technology

• The upper part of the bottle with the neck is cut off at the level where the bottle narrows.
• The cut part is turned over and inserted into the bottle with the neck inward.
• You need to make holes around the perimeter of the bottle, for example, with a soldering iron. It is necessary to make holes in the cut off part. In short, the entire bottle should have holes in it, and the more holes, the better.
• Using a wire, you should securely connect the cut part inserted into the bottle, and also attach a rope with a weight to the bottle, since a plastic bottle without a weight will not sink.

In conclusion, all that remains is to throw this trap into the water and wait a while.

The water that penetrates the plastic bottle slowly begins to wash the bait out of the bottle. As a result of this, its aroma begins to attract small fish, which enter the bottle through the neck, which is directed inward. The design is such that a fish that gets inside will not be able to get out. Therefore, this design can be left for a long time.

A spider is a special fishing tackle that consists of a square mesh, which is stretched in a square metal or wooden frame with little sag. This tackle, with the help of strong ropes, is attached to a long pole, with the help of which the spider is lowered into the water. As a rule, bait is attached to the center of the net, which collects fish in this place. The only problem is that to catch live bait you will need a fine mesh net.

Top or muzzle

It is currently considered prohibited tackle and looks like a plastic bottle with the neck cut off and this neck secured inside. The only difference is that the top or muzzle, as it is also called, is larger in size compared to a plastic bottle. It is made either from willow branches or woven from strong thread. There are designs made of metal wire. This gear has a special hatch to get fish out of it. Usually the top was installed for a long time, but was regularly checked for the presence of fish.

It was installed near the shore in such a way that it would not be difficult to check it. If you make a small top, then you can throw it into the water with the help of a rope, and then, after a while, pull it out of the water and check for the presence of live bait. Again, you need to make the tackle in such a way that fish of a certain size penetrate the top. It is imperative to provide a small hatch so that you can get the fish out without any problems.

If you urgently need live bait, but there is nothing to catch it, then you can use a piece of fabric such as gauze or tulle, which easily allows water to pass through. You will need a piece up to 1 meter long and up to 0.5 meter wide. One stick must be tied to the short ends. In addition, you will also need a couple of fishermen who must take this tackle by sticks from opposite sides. At the same time, the lower part of the homemade part is lowered into the water as low as possible, and the upper part should be at water level. You need to move towards the shore. Approaching the shore, the lower part rises sharply above the water level. After the water has drained, select the fish of the desired size. If you try, one person can do it, but it will be very difficult.

How to catch

Having entered the water, you need to spread the sticks to the sides and wade. The remaining actions are performed as in the first case.

It is better to catch live bait, especially if there are no helpers, with a fishing rod. To do this, you will need a short rod, since small fish prefer to stay away from the shore, at shallow depths. A fishing line is attached to the fishing rod, to which the hook is attached big size and light, sensitive float. It is not necessary to attach the sinker. A slowly sinking bait quickly begins to attract small fish. The thickness of the fishing line is 0.1-0.12 mm, which is quite enough for catching fish of this size.

Few people know that such a fish as the spined loach lives in rivers. She leads such a lifestyle that it is difficult to catch her, especially with a fishing rod. At the slightest danger, she buries herself almost completely in the sand, leaving only part of her head with eyes outside in order to see everything that is happening around her. At the same time, spined lance can serve as an excellent live bait, since it can stay on the hook for a long time, remaining active. Previously, she was caught in an unusual way. To do this, they entered the water up to their waists and began to move with the flow. At the same time, when you pressed the bottom, you could determine that something was moving under your foot. The following actions boiled down to the fact that after a sharp squat, the sand was scooped up with the palms of the hands and quickly washed ashore; as a rule, this very pinched fish was found in the sand. This fish is a desirable food source for many predatory fish.

Ways to catch live bait in winter

Catching live bait in winter is not an easy task, but sometimes it is very necessary.

With the help of a jar, just like in the summer, you can also catch live bait in the winter. The main thing is that the size of the hole allows you to squeeze a 3-liter jar into it. And yet, the second option is more suitable - a plastic bottle with a large number of holes. It is much easier to both immerse and remove from water, since water quickly pours out of the container through many holes.

Using a scarf

A scarf is a special tackle for fishing in winter. It is called a scarf because it has a triangular shape. It is not a sports fish, but you can catch small things with it if you use a net with small cells. For successful and simpler use, it is necessary to punch a hole so that the scarf can easily submerge in water. The technique for using the scarf is the same as for the screen. Practically, this is the same tackle, which differs only in its shape.

Screen (TV)

The screen presents a grid connected by a rectangle. The same does not apply to sports equipment. The principle of fishing is the same as with a scarf, but a wooden block is used to tension the net. The design also includes a cord, with the help of which the screen is lowered into the water and pulled out of the water. Naturally, catching live bait in winter is accompanied by a number of difficulties to which you have to adapt.

Using a firecracker

This is a fairly effective tackle for fishing at any time of the year, both summer and winter.

Appearance

This design consists of two arcs connected movably. If both arcs are opened, you will get a circle with a diameter of 1 to 1.5 meters. The frame is made of wire with a diameter of 8-10 mm. Inside the circle there is a fine mesh mesh fixed around the perimeter of the circle. A rope is attached to the top of the arc. There should be two such ropes, since there are two arcs. The length of the ropes should be such that the tackle can lie on the bottom of the reservoir.

Techniques for catching live bait with firecrackers

Before starting the process, the cracker should be opened to put bait into it. You can not just lay it down, but also secure it. After this, the firecracker is closed and sent into the water. But before that you need to punch a hole of a certain size. When the cracker sinks to the bottom and the ropes are loosened, it will open. Before you pull it out of the water, you should pull both ropes sharply so that the firecracker closes. After this, the caught fish will not go anywhere.

By using winter fishing rod You can successfully catch live bait to catch predatory fish. In this case, even small perch will do. To do this, you need to take a fishing rod with a thin fishing line (0.08-0.1 mm) and a small jig weighing up to 4 g. A “devil” type jig will do. It is advisable to have a fairly sensitive nod installed on the fishing rod.

The problem of preserving live bait comes down to providing it with conditions close to natural ones. The main task is to provide the fish with oxygen. As a rule, there is always more oxygen in cold water than in warm water. Therefore, you need to regularly replace warm water with fresh water taken from a reservoir. If live bait is caught directly on a reservoir, then it is enough to place it in a small cage and send it into the water. At the same time, you need to choose the right place. You should not leave live bait in areas exposed to sunlight. Most fish species simply cannot tolerate this.

In other conditions, when long-term storage of live bait is required, it is necessary to provide a special container with an aerator that provides the required level of oxygen in the water.

In case of transportation over a considerable distance, care must be taken to ensure that the water always remains cold. To do this, you can use artificial ice or freeze a bottle of water and place it in a container with live bait.

It should also be remembered that fish do not tolerate temperature changes well. Therefore, there is no need to add water that is too cold. You need to monitor the temperature in the container where the live bait is kept, and try to add water at the same temperature.

How to keep live bait in winter

In winter, it is necessary to ensure that the water in the container where the live bait is stored does not freeze. As it is, there are no special problems, except when it is necessary to ensure long-term storage of live bait. Then the task comes down to saturating the water with oxygen.

Finally

Typically, most anglers do not fish for live bait. They buy it either at the market or in fishing stores. People who purposefully do this know how to store live bait and under what conditions. Nowadays, this is also an opportunity to earn a piece of bread. They know not only how to store live bait, but also where it is best to catch it and with what gear.

Fishing is quite an interesting activity for many men. When fishing you can not only catch fish, but also relax and chat with other fishermen. As a rule, every weekend, many men go to the ice, with the hope of catching perch, roach, bream, and predatory fish for live bait.

In conclusion, I would like to remind all anglers that fishing with live bait is considered an unacceptable form of fishing in many European countries, which is why it is prohibited here. Or maybe this is right, especially in our conditions, when fish stocks are melting like fallen snow. Not only are large specimens caught, but “small things” are also caught, which still grow and grow.

Predator hunting is perhaps one of the most exciting types of fishing. Catching seasoned pike, pike-perch or humpback perch is always interesting: you need to show remarkable cunning and skill so that a born hunter “gets” on the hook. And fighting, which involves fighting a desperately resisting trophy - isn't this pure adrenaline? This sport is available to everyone, without exception: if you don’t have enough strength, you can try your hand at fishing with live bait. You will get plenty of adrenaline, but you will spend much less energy.

Today the subject of our conversation will be ways to obtain this most popular bait for catching a predator. We will figure out how to get one under any circumstances, both during the open water season and on ice. We will also cover the important issue of storing this delicate bait at home and when fishing, and also provide some tips on using live bait when catching predators using various gear. May fishing luck and favorable weather be with you in any season, colleagues!

What is live bait and why is it needed?

A predator is a born hunter: he feeds exclusively on flesh. If a small thing like the grass perch often hardworkingly obtains all sorts of larval worms, almost constantly feeding on insects and benthic organisms, then its “humpbacked” relative, not to mention the pike and other larger predators, consumes mainly its own kind of a more modest size.

When fishing with a spinning rod, all kinds are used, which, with professional actions of the fisherman, acquire the most realistic animation, similar to the behavior of potential prey. And with passive fishing methods, live bait is used, that is, natural live fish. It, of course, will not survive active wiring, but being freely suspended on a hook, under favorable conditions and correct placement, it can remain active for an hour or more.

Live bait attracts the hunter not only with its appearance and seductive smell, but also with its vitality. In other words, the fish on the hook must be alive, vigorous and correspond to the predator’s ideas about tasty and healthy food.

Choosing bait depending on the type of predator

Every living creature has a familiar food supply. In the case of fish, it depends not only on the species and size, but also on the conditions of a particular reservoir. Of course, we will not be able to cover all Russian rivers and reservoirs, but it is necessary to consider the general principles of selecting bait for predators of various species:

• Pike. The most formidable hunter, poetically called the “toothed torpedo,” is truly distinguished by her champion’s gluttony. The structure of the mouth allows it to swallow very large prey: pike is capable of eating fish up to 1/3 of its own size. So there is no universal advice here: a small grass will attract a ten-centimeter fish, but for a respectable predator you need to take a large roach or crucian carp. The exception is the summer period: due to the seasonal change of teeth and the abundance of food supply, the toothy torpedo begins to be picky: it is better to fish with narrow-bodied live bait such as bleak or spinel.
• Som. big ship- large swim, that is, the largest possible bait. Catfish is not a very active hunter, especially in cold water: if it opens its mouth, it is only to swallow solid prey. A kilogram of crucian carp or a bunch of smaller fish of the same mass is what you need. At the same time, the activity of potential prey is not too important: the river colossus does not disdain dormant fish, and sometimes downright rotten ones.
• Perch. A small sailor is capable of swallowing only a fry, but here another problem arises: the smaller the fish, the faster it falls asleep. Therefore, it is better to catch grass perch with a worm. The large humpback whale is also not very keen on large fish: give it narrow-bodied prey such as bleak, 10-12 centimeters long at most, so that it can immediately swallow it.
• Asp. This predator of the carp family does not have jaw teeth, and its mouth is not very large. It grinds prey with formations located in the pharynx, which limits its capabilities. In short, you will have to put the smallest thing on the hook - about 3-7 cm long. But in general it is more productive to hunt asp using active gear.
• Zander. It is best to catch pike perch and bersh using bleak, juvenile roach (up to 10-15 cm) or spined bait: large or unsuitable bait fish will not fit into the mouth of this predator.
• Burbot. The most frost-resistant predator of the middle zone (freshwater cod) is distinguished by record gluttony. He eats anything and everything, even ruffs and rotans, so you don’t have to worry too much about choosing bait, the main thing is that at night the burbot can see or hear the offered delicacy.

As we see, most cannot remain indifferent to fatty bleak or young roach. Good mud fish and loaches, as well as lampreys, which cannot even be called fish in the strict sense of the word.

When choosing live bait, you also need to take into account the vitality factor: for example, pike and asp like very active live bait, and catfish will not disdain dead fish. Crucian carp demonstrates the greatest vitality, but due to its round body, it is inaccessible to many predators. Young perches are distinguished by their excellent vitality, but they cannot be called a delicacy even by a stretch: most predators hunt them out of hunger, and if given the opportunity to choose, they prefer prey that is tastier, with tender, fatty meat.

How to catch live bait in the summer

Catching live bait in open water usually does not cause any particular problems. It is especially easy to catch fry of bleak, perch, roach, crucian carp and others like them. These fish are very prolific, they produce a lot of offspring, the young swim in schools, often approaching the very shore. Small baitfish are caught mainly using improvised means and gear with a net.

Let's look at the most popular devices relevant for catching live bait:

Jar. The design is simple to the point of disgrace: just a three-liter jar with a lid in which a hole 2-3 cm in diameter is cut. Sometimes, instead of a lid, gauze or light cotton fabric with a corresponding slot is used. The neck of the cylinder is securely tied with a rope, leaving a long enough end for casting and removing the device. Bread for bait is placed in the jar and water is poured. After this, you need to place the jar in a reservoir in places where juveniles are most concentrated. After 20-30 minutes the trap can be checked. Catching live bait can be difficult due to strong currents. In this case, it is better to bury the jar so that the improvised trap does not get carried away in an unknown direction.

Plastic bottle. A very effective and at the same time simple trap. To make it you need a 5-6 liter plastic bottle, scissors, rope and a little patience. We take the bottle and cut it around the circumference just below the stiffener. Next, we turn the cut-off upper part over and insert it into the lower one, neck down (the cork, of course, needs to be removed). To secure the structure, you need to make holes around the circumference of the cuts about 5 cm apart (you can use a hot nail) and, as it were, “sew” the elements together using soft wire, rope or cord. All that remains is to throw bread and pebbles into the neck for loading, pour water to the top and place the trap in the pond. The design allows the fry to easily climb into the bottle in pursuit of a free meal, but the fish’s intelligence is usually not enough to get out back.

Bucket. If you have a bucket on your farm that you don’t mind saying goodbye to, you can turn it into a makeshift squirrel. To do this, you need to make holes in its walls and bottom. Next, you need to place the bucket under the shore, weighing it down if necessary, and providing it with bait. The trap should be positioned with the open side facing the current. After some time, the fry will become interested in the new shelter; all that remains is to turn the bucket upside down and remove it from the water. The water will drain, leaving only teeming fishy stuff. If there are very, very many fry, you can catch them actively, scooping up water with potential live bait with a leaky bucket.

Fine mesh landing net. Every fisherman has a landing net in his arsenal (in any case, if you are going to hunt a large predator, you should have one). From a boat you can use it like a net, catching juveniles and bleak and perch walking on top. If you don’t have a boat, you should put the scoop and landing net in shallow water, feed on top of the net and wait until the fish gather above it. The main thing here is speed of reaction.

"Spider" (lift, babe). Here is a tackle specially designed for catching small fish. It consists of metal rods arranged crosswise, with a fine mesh net stretched over them. All this splendor is secured to a rope, which is tied to a pole. It’s better to fish from a bridge or a boat, but you can also fish from the shore if the length of the pole is enough to bring the gear to an area at least half a meter deep. The tackle needs to be brought into working position: straightened out, sprinkled with pieces of bread and pebbles, and then carefully placed in the water. The net opens at the bottom, a small fish attracted by the smell of food accumulates above it, the fisherman does not yawn and lifts the tackle, where the small fish is locked in a mesh “bag”.

By the way, you can catch a sufficient amount of live bait using a do-it-yourself baitfish. Homemade tackle can be built in literally half an hour, using fairly thick but flexible hazel or alder rods as a frame, and medical gauze or the rarest strainer as a mesh. The flexibility of the frame rods and the weight of the water on the fabric will provide the necessary “bag effect”. Please note that according to the rules it is allowed to use a network measuring up to 1x1 m, with a mesh size of up to 10 mm.

Cloth or gauze. In this case, the trap is a piece of very rare fabric without a frame (size - half a meter by meter), which is laid out in shallow water or held by hand. However, if you have a like-minded assistant, you can build more convenient gear on your own.

If you intend to catch large pike or catfish, whitebait is clearly not suitable as bait. Larger baitfish are usually caught using float rod. The equipment is quite standard: any rod (even a walnut rod), a light float, the thinnest monofilament, a swallow hook. The tasty bleak usually bites right at the surface; for other species, a more respectable depth is established. The best bait would be bread, dough, pearl barley, bloodworms, maggots or a fragment of a worm.

Winter fishing

When catching live bait in winter, you need to take into account that already grown juveniles will have to be caught from under the ice. This makes serious adjustments to the actions of the fisherman. Some fishermen even switch to other methods of fishing and bait. For example, in the winter, pike perch is often caught using sprat, purchased freshly frozen and subsequently thawed.

However, many garrisons continue to use their favorite bait, despite the difficulties in obtaining it. In winter, live bait is usually obtained using the same methods as in summer, but their choice is limited. The most commonly used:

Jar. A glass jar with a lid is lowered into a hole of the appropriate size in relatively shallow water. The jar should be closed with a lid with a hole: the fabric freezes, closing the cut “entrance”. By the way, the sight of juvenile fish in a jar can attract a predator to the fishing point.

Bottle. Completely similar to the summer method. It is very good to get to a place where bloodworms are concentrated in the silt: there you can catch a lot of live bait with minimal effort. But the task is complicated by the fact that the fisherman cannot see what is happening under the ice.

Nodding fishing rod. You need the most sensitive tackle with a thin fishing line and a miniature jig. A fishing rod is used when larger live bait is needed. Sometimes they catch it right under the ice, but more often they play with bait at a depth of 2-3 meters.

Spider. There are compact smallmouths that can also be used in winter fishing. It is enough to lower the spider into the hole when folded - and at the bottom it will take a working, straightened position. We feed from above, wait, and remove the hatchling (it folds automatically and easily fits into the hole).

If you live in a large populated area and fish from time to time, there is no point in wasting time on independently obtaining bait, because very active and marketable live bait can be purchased in a specialized store.

Live bait storage

It’s unlikely that any angler wants to waste time catching live bait regularly. Therefore, many people prefer to catch a whole lot in one fell swoop, but this raises another problem: how to keep the potential bait alive and active.

Long-term storage requires special conditions. In fact, you will have to set up an impromptu aquarium with filtered water without chlorine, temperature control and aeration. Some avid fishermen manage to maintain the vital activity of juveniles in this way for several months (usually they stock up on bait for the winter, when catching fresh bait is very problematic).

When fishing in open water, live bait is usually stored in cages lowered into the reservoir, choosing a shaded place among the thickets for this. But you need to take into account that the fry often leaves through the cells, so you can adapt a plastic bucket or other container for this purpose. You need to constantly make sure that the water does not get too hot, constantly change it and throw out dormant individuals. The bucket must be placed or buried somewhere under a bush, in the thickest shade. It’s better to purchase a special container for storing and transporting live bait, cold elements and an aerator that replenishes the oxygen supply.

In winter, storing live bait while fishing is much easier: you can simply put the container with it in an insulated box to avoid freezing. And some fishermen, when there is a slight frost, even build improvised pools right at the fishing site: they hollow out depressions in the ice, fill them with water and throw potential bait into them. Of course, this method is not applicable in bitter cold.

Basic rules for planting

If you plan to catch a large predator (pike, catfish), large live bait is attached to special doubles or tees. Smaller bait is placed on single hooks of the appropriate size.

The most popular method using a single hook is the lip hook. The fish remains alive for a long time, but when attacked, a predator can simply rip it off the hook, leaving only a piece of lip on it. An alternative option is fixation through the nostril: the live bait is more injured, but sits more securely on the hook. When using a double or treble hook, the fish is often baited through the gills by passing the line through its mouth.

A very popular method of fixation is through the dorsal fin. Many anglers grab part of the back at the same time, increasing the reliability of the attachment, but reducing the vitality of the bait.

The most gentle way to keep live bait active for as long as possible is to attach it using a rubber band or thread that wraps around the fish’s tail. The most delicate bait such as plucking is usually attached in this way. This method is also good for casting over long distances, when the force of inertia is fundamentally important, and the hook in the body of the fish can cause significant damage to it, negatively affecting its viability.

According to the good old tradition, we conclude the next thematic publication with a series practical advice for beginner anglers:

• Try to follow the rules of amateur fishing when chasing live bait. Remember that all straining gear (tops, nonsense, “TVs”, etc.) are prohibited. "Spider" is allowed, but its metric parameters should not exceed a square meter. They are unlikely to find fault with a piece of cloth or gauze, even on sticks.
• If possible, use only freshly caught bait, preferably from the same body of water. A predator is not a person eager to try dishes from exotic cuisine. He likes his usual food much better.
• Don’t try to load your gear with more live bait: there are not as many trophy specimens as anglers would like. At first, it is advisable to focus on individuals of at least average size.
• If you don’t know which live bait is optimal, take bleak. During the period of maximum predator activity, for example, immediately after the ice melts or during the first ice, you don’t have to worry too much about choosing live bait. Probably not even very tasty, but a very tenacious perch will not remain aloof from the gastronomic interests of pike, pike perch or larger relatives. But in the summer, when the food supply is amazing in abundance, you will have to choose a more refined delicacy, for example, lamprey or spined loach. The most versatile option is bleak: it lives longer than plucked fish, tastes better than perch and has a perfectly purified body that even a hunter with a small mouth can comfortably swallow in one sitting.
• Don’t be greedy: catch the amount of live bait that is needed for the current fishing, with a small margin. If you are not going to provide adequate storage conditions, why contribute to the decline in the number of representatives of freshwater ichthyofauna.

Catching predators with live bait is a fascinating hobby for real men who value both the adrenaline that thrills the blood from fighting a worthy opponent, and the quiet, contemplative zen inherent in passive fishing methods. We hope that you will soon get your first predatory trophy using live bait caught in accordance with our recommendations!

The beginning of the autumn cooling of the water activated predators and, above all, perch. Now the exciting fishing for perch with fry has begun, which will last until the freeze-up, and already on the first ice. We talked about the live bait fishing rod; there is nothing complicated in its design and fishing technique. The main difficulty in fishing with live bait is preparing the bait itself, which is today’s topic.

I would like to remind you of the following. In any body of water, local surges in changes in the population of one or another fish species occur every year. For example, in the Volga basin, for several years now, there has been a “dominance” of sabrefish and sprat fry. Perch, pike and pike perch here feed exclusively on fish of these species, and it is simply not reasonable to use any other fish as bait. But if you want to catch a large specimen, then it is better to use a larger live bait. We can recommend perch as such. Periodically, in reservoirs near Moscow there are surges with a sharp increase in the number of roach, bleak, crucian carp or gudgeon. And then the predators “rearrange” to hunt for the fry of a certain species. In the rivers near Moscow, an increase in the minnow population is periodically observed. There are many examples.

If the mentioned growth spurts in the number of a particular fish species do not occur in a reservoir, then it can be argued that when purposefully catching a particular predator, one should be guided by the many years of experience of fishermen in choosing a particular type of live bait.

Strictly speaking, live bait should be divided into live bait itself and fish fry.

IN given time fry are more relevant, since the objects of hunting are perch and medium-sized pike.

Juvenile crucian carp, perch, roach and verkhovka are used as bait.

Due to the fact that the fry's mouth is very small, a special lift made of a metal wire frame and a mesh with a very fine mesh is most often used to harvest it.

The advantage of this device is that if you choose the right place, you can quickly catch the right amount of bait. The most promising places for fishing are shallow waters near the grass in warm weather. It's good if there are ripples on the water. In bad weather and when the water gets colder, the fry rolls back more deep places and it is better to catch it near dams, on discharges from dams. It must be taken into account that fry are different from fry. Verkhovka prefers the upper layers of water, small roach also does not stand at the bottom, but there is no point in trying to catch gudgeon on top. Most often they catch the topwater. To do this, in the chosen place you can throw some crackers into the water and see if the fish reacts. If she shows her presence, then the place has been chosen correctly.

When harvesting fry on rivers, especially small ones, catching with a lift is technically difficult and often impossible. And then, when fishing on the river, it is very unpleasant to carry a bulky lift with you, so it is better to use the long-known method of catching fry using a trap made of a glass or transparent plastic jar. A small amount of food waste is placed in a jar, thrown into a chosen place and after a while removed using a rope or stick tied to the neck. In shallow waters, a roach is caught in such a trap, and at the end of a riffle, a gudgeon is caught. A minnow or crucian carp can be caught in the current from any depth.

Often, an ordinary metal bucket becomes a very effective tool when catching fry, if you use it correctly. On rivers, the fry often finds protection right next to the bank, near wash-outs, behind capes, under overhanging branches of trees and bushes. In the bucket above the bottom, on the side walls, several dozen holes are punched with a nail from the outside for faster drainage of water. The bucket is installed right next to the shore, with the bottom facing the depth or against the current. After some time, the fry can find shelter here, then the trap is quickly removed from the water. To do this, it is often enough to simply place the bucket vertically with a quick movement - the depth is shallow.

If you constantly catch fry on a small river, then it makes sense to make a bucket from a metal mesh. Such a trap stands better in the current and is easily removed from the water. The same trap is very effective when catching crucian carp in a pond, only you need to attach a rope to it for pulling it out. A piece of bread is placed in the trap and it is thrown several meters from the shore. You have to wait no more than five minutes.

As is well known, it is not enough to catch the required number of fry; it is often more difficult to preserve them. The fry quickly die from the slightest contact with a human hand. Therefore, you need to remove the bait from the trap using a small net.

The classic place for storing and transporting fry is a special refrigerator in aerated water. During fishing, eland with water are used. Cannes or polystyrene boxes are very good for these purposes, for example, a cooler bag without cooling elements.

As fishing progresses, the water in the eland gradually becomes warmer, there is less and less oxygen in it, and the fry begins to die. Dead fish should be immediately caught and placed in a wet cloth. The evaporation of water from the surface of the fabric leads to cooling. In this way you can preserve the dead fry during fishing.

The fact that part of the fishing with live bait takes place using live fry, and at the end of fishing it is necessary to bait a dead one, predetermines the presence of two equipment in the fisherman’s arsenal. For example, when fishing in a current, one rig consists of a float and a jig with a medium-sized hook with a long shank. The fry clings to the lip or nostrils. In still water, a rig with a single hook is more often used, and the fry clings to the back. If the fry has fallen asleep, then during the current it is preferable to place it on a relatively large single hook or jig, approximately like a worm or like a vibrotail. If the current is not strong or there is none, then you will have to do artificial wiring.

The use of fry is also very effective when fishing without a float, for example, with a large “summer” jig or a small spoon. In this case, even a dead fry can be mounted by the head.

Using a small spoon will greatly diversify the game and will give a noticeable effect if there are a lot of perch and they are active.

In case of very sluggish bite, preference should be given to equipment with a single hook and live fry.

As the water cools further, it becomes increasingly difficult to catch the fry, as they move into the thick grass. It is easiest to catch small rotans in the grass. To do this, you go into the water, throw a bunch of grass ashore, preferably with mud, and on the shore you select the smallest rotans from the vegetation. Such rotan is a very good bait for perch in many reservoirs, especially in autumn.

Pike and burbot prefer not fry, but larger prey, that is, live bait.

Live bait differs from fry in size, and therefore in habits and harvesting method.

It is possible to catch only small crucian carp with a lift or a trap, and even then not always. Therefore, the most effective should be considered a light float fishing rod with “stick” equipment.

As a rule, a light three-meter rod with a float rig with a carrying capacity of no more than half a gram on a line with a diameter of no more than 0.08 mm is sufficient. The hook chosen is one of the smallest, No. 20–24, since bloodworms are used as bait, tiny piece worm or bread.

To catch predators in rivers, roach, gudgeon, minnow and perch are most often used. In reservoirs without a current there are roach, crucian carp and perch.

Verkhovka remains a universal live bait, especially large ones. The fastest way to catch a large redfish is, and this has been tested more than once, using a fishing rod. In addition to bloodworms, small maggots give good results as bait. Verkhovka is the most versatile live bait, but, unlike the others, it is the most difficult to preserve. Although I know of cases where in a spacious aquarium it was possible to maintain a supply of verkhovkas until the New Year.

Live bait, unlike fry, is more tenacious, and it makes sense to release live bait caught on the spot after the end of fishing.

In conclusion, I would like to focus on two points. Firstly, try to accurately calculate the required amount of bait, since the number of, for example, gudgeon in reservoirs near Moscow is catastrophically declining. Secondly, the use of imported live bait is prohibited by general fishing rules. First of all, this applies to crucian carp and crucian carp, as the main carriers of infection.

Autumn cooling is one of the favorable factors for fishing. When the summer heat subsides, predators gradually become more active, and by mid-autumn they are already chasing fry in reservoirs with might and main. This is a golden time for spinning anglers, but fans of other fishing methods are not far behind them.

Milkers and floaters, for example, are quite effective at catching predatory fish using live bait. For those who don't know, baitfish are small fish that are food items for carnivorous species. At first glance, such fishing seems simple: put a first-year fry on a hook, throw out the tackle and wait for the float to suddenly go under the water or the bell of the donkey to ring. In reality, everything is much more complicated. To see the desired bite, you need to guess the type and size of the live bait, and also present it correctly using the appropriate equipment. In addition, difficulties may arise with the preparation of live baits, their transportation and storage.

☸ How to catch live bait in the fall

Catching live bait in the fall is much more difficult than in the summer, because as the water temperature drops, the “small population” of rivers and lakes leaves the coastal zone and moves to deeper areas. In other words, in the autumn there is little choice, which is a serious problem. The fact is that on each individual body of water, predators have their own preferences that have developed over many years. If the same pike is accustomed to eating verkhovkas and minnows, then it may not react at all to a small crucian carp, no matter how attractive it may be. That is why it is important to choose the right live bait, always the species that is found in the reservoir where you plan to fish. Better yet, catch it right on the spot.

Anglers use a wide variety of fish as live bait, from the nimble perch to the spiny ruff. Even decent-sized bream will do for catching deep-water pike and large catfish. We will discuss below where and how to get these fish, as well as other popular live baits.

☸ Verkhovka

This miniature fish rarely exceeds 10 cm in length. It lives in almost all bodies of water, including closed ones and those located within settlement. Moreover, in the latter, the concentration of verkhovka can be quite high, since there are usually few predators here, and there are more than enough people willing to feed the underwater inhabitants with bread.
In the summer months, the redfish is most often caught with a delicate bleak fishing rod, which breaks records in speed and efficiency, but in the fall this gear is less relevant.

With the arrival of the first cold weather, the verkhovna becomes sluggish, inactive, and stops responding to bait. To seduce her, you will have to put in a lot of effort: try a lot of baits, experiment with fishing depth, often change the place in search of a flock, and so on. Therefore, if fishing skill is not enough, it is better to use another method - a special net lift (other names - little fish, spider).

Unlike crucian carp or ruffe, verkhovka does not have good vitality, so it is stored for a relatively short time. It is better to keep it in a container intended for such purposes - a canna. To ensure that live bait remains truly alive, and not floating belly up on the surface, it is advisable to equip the eland with an aquarium aerator. It should be noted that some of the fish will die in any case, if not during storage, then during transportation. But there is no need to despair and rush to throw them away; dead fry can be useful for fishing with a line in the current.

The verkhovka is excellent for bottom tackle or a float rod, which cannot be said about mugs. This is far from the best option, since this fish will not last long at depth. It is hooked onto the hook through the gills or by the lip, but in no case by the back. The slightest injury quickly puts her out of action.

☸ Roach

Some fishermen may wish to object and provide examples from personal experience, they say, they have used roach as live bait more than once and were satisfied with the fishing. No one is saying that this fish is not at all suitable for use as live bait, it’s just that the predator is not caught with it everywhere. A small roach attached to a hook can be catchable only under certain conditions. Namely:

There are a lot of predatory fish in the reservoir;
he does not experience strong pressure from fishermen;
it is home to tasty, and most importantly healthy roach.

And yet, this fish has one undeniable advantage - high activity. When a threat appears, it does not press down to the bottom, does not try to bury itself in the mud or hide in thick grass, but rushes to the surface as far as the leash allows. This behavior cannot go unnoticed by a passing predator. In other words, the roach reveals itself and with its mobility provokes large perch, pike and other “meat-eaters” to attack.

As already mentioned, catching live bait in the fall is complicated by the fact that underwater inhabitants move to depth. Roach is no exception. Plus, its bite at this time of year becomes so cautious that sensitive equipment does not always help. Therefore, again, it makes sense to use a lift, which should be lowered beyond the border of the coastal vegetation that has not yet fallen.

Live bait roach easily adapts to home conditions and is perfectly stored, especially if water aeration is provided in the container. In this regard, there are no problems with her.

☸ Minnow

Today, live bait is considered to be in short supply due to widespread population decline. The reason for this is uncontrolled fishing for the purpose of sale to live bait fishing enthusiasts. Some reservoirs that were previously abundant with gudgeon have literally been strained out, so one cannot count on a quick restoration of the population. Nowadays, it is rare that anyone manages to find an untouched river or stream in which they can catch at least a few minnows for their own needs.

How to catch this fish? Best option– a sensitive fishing rod with a miniature float and delicate equipment. In autumn, river minnows prefer to stay in medium and deep areas with weak currents and silted bottom, so it makes sense to use a boat. It is advisable to harvest live bait on quiet, clear days, when the gudgeon feeds more actively. You can attract a flock with a small amount of chopped worms, and it is preferable to put bloodworms on the hook.

Gudgeon is a very catchy live bait, showing excellent results when fishing with donks and mugs. He is respected not only by toothy predators, but also by asp, pike perch, chub, and perch. It is possible to catch trophy catfish in a channel pit. You can mount the gudgeon any way you like, the main thing is that it passes freely into the mouths of predators, including toothless ones.

Minnows are stored in cool water, the temperature of which should not be higher than 10 degrees. You can store it in a wide container filled with about 25 cm of water. If you put it in a basement or a cold garage, live bait will live quite a long time, it is possible that they will even last until the first ice.

☸ Perch

Excellent live bait for fishing for pike, pike perch, catfish, eel and... older brothers. When a large perch fails to grab a roach or a verkhovka, it does not hesitate to profit from its smaller relative. Having acquired a taste for it, the striped cannibal begins to purposefully hunt its relatives.

Live bait perch has a unique quality - it feels great both in shallows and at serious depths, which allows it to be used when fishing with a variety of gear. Unlike young roach, silver bream or fisherman, with the arrival of autumn cold, young perch rush to the riverbed depth, where catfish and eel are already waiting for them. In a short period of life (less than a year), they did not have time to gain weight and get stronger, so they are easy prey for deep-sea predators.

We can say that the current carries them straight into the mouth of the monsters lurking at the bottom. Experienced fishermen know this, which is why they prefer to catch trophy pike perch, catfish or eels using one-year-old perches.
Diving a perch to a depth of more than 10 meters should be divided into several stages: first lower it to the 5-meter mark, take a short pause, then give it another 3 meters, pause again and deliver the live bait to the bottom. This is necessary so that he is not shocked by the rapid descent and continues to behave as naturally as possible.

Unfortunately, perch does not live long “in captivity”; it is unlikely that it will be possible to preserve it for several days even with an aerator. Therefore, you need to harvest striped bait the day before fishing, or even better, catch it on the same day in the same body of water using a regular fly rod.

☸ Ruff

As an object of fishing, this prickly fish is not of particular interest, except perhaps for preparing fish soup in nature. But as a live bait, the ruffe is very good, especially for fishing for burbot in the dark. It is not surprising, because both species are more active at night than during the day, and besides, they are closest neighbors in the reservoir. With the onset of darkness, the ruffe begins to move in search of larvae and other living creatures, and the burbot clearly registers fluctuations in the water and quickly finds it.
In mid-autumn, when there are no longer so many fry, the ruffe becomes a desirable prey for pike, pike perch and bersh.

Asp also does not refuse this tasty fish. Sometimes there are moments when the predator does not show itself at all, as they say, neither a bite nor a splash. After unsuccessful experiments with several species of live bait, it begins to seem that there is no bait in the water at all. But once you put a small brush on the hook, everything falls into place. One can only guess why this inconvenient “thorn” attracts predatory fish. Most likely, the reason lies in the excellent taste of the ruff.

As a bait, the ruffe is suitable for fishing with a live bait rod, donka with appropriate equipment and mugs. But first he must be caught. During the day, it is best to do this with the help of a bait donkey, a feeder or a light picker, and at night, when the ruffes feed near the shore, a float rod equipped with a firefly becomes relevant. The bait in both cases is clay mixed with pieces of worms or food bloodworms. The same should be applied to the hooks. Besides clay, of course!

Where and when to fish? It is believed that in the late afternoon this fish leaves the depths and enters the coastal shallows, but it is extremely difficult to guess the locations of such exits. The most annoying thing is that the ruffs, which have been annoying throughout the summer, suddenly disappear somewhere in the fall. When you don’t need them, you don’t have time to take them off the hook, and when the need arises to catch a dozen live bait, the task turns out to be almost impossible. Therefore, persistent fishermen who, after much effort, manage to discover points visited by schools of ruff, do not tell anyone about them.

Storing “prickly bait fish” does not require any special tricks. A capacity of fifty liters, water from a reservoir and a suitable temperature (up to 10 degrees) - these are, in fact, all the components of long-term storage.

☸ Rotan

Behind last years This small fish occupied almost all water bodies, but it never joined the list of catchable live bait. The low demand for rotan is explained by two reasons: 1) after casting the tackle, it hides in the grass or gets buried in the bottom silt, where it becomes invisible; 2) on many rivers and lakes, predators disdain it, preferring to hunt more familiar fish.

The only tackle that can be effectively combined with rotan live bait is an anchored circle. It provides for a change in descent, allowing you to keep rotan at some distance from life-saving vegetation and bottom soil. Once in an open space, he will be “nervous” and try to reach the nearest shelter and thereby attract the attention of a pike or perch.

Catching the voracious rotan is as easy as shelling pears. This can be done even with a 2-meter stick if you tie a fishing line and a hook to it, but it is better to take a fishing rod with a side nod. This fish does not leave the thickets of coastal vegetation, so it is enough to find appropriate place, lower a jig of any shape into the water and tease the future live bait a little. Rotan grabs prey greedily, swallows it deeply and almost never gets off the hook.

There will be no problems with harvesting such live bait, but harvesting rotan for future use is at least unwise. The chances that he will live for at least half a day are very small.

☸ Crucian carp

When talking about catching live bait in the fall, one cannot fail to mention crucian carp. This is a universal live bait that works great against all predators. Fishermen stock up on small crucian carp for several months in advance and do not be afraid that they will fall asleep ahead of schedule. Surprisingly, this fish is able to survive in any conditions. Some avid lovers of live bait fishing have huge barrels in their basements, in which the silver beauties feel like they are at a resort.

Nowadays you can even buy small crucian carp in fishing stores. Perhaps this is the easiest way to get attractive and catchable baitfish, but it goes against current fishing rules. The fact is that imported live bait is a carrier of infection from one body of water to another, so today it is prohibited. Don't forget about this.

️ Catching live bait in the fall video

Almost any fish that is not prohibited from catching can be used as live bait. But most often, juvenile white narrow-bodied fish are used. Roach, bleak, dace, bitterling. Although the ruffe is very prickly, it can also serve as live bait; the ruffe is considered the best bait for catching burbot.

Crucian carp and spined lance remain alive on the hook for the longest time in the summer. In winter, almost any fish remains alive for a long time, and perch continues to move even after being grabbed and spat out by a predator.

Size matters

To fish with live bait, you need to know the representatives of the fish family that live in a given body of water. Then decide what size fish we are going to fish for.

Perch

If you are fishing for a not very large coastal perch, then an ordinary whitebait that lives in shallow water or near the shore will do. The humpback prefers larger fish, but it is also more often caught with baits the size of which does not exceed 10 cm, or with a bunch of fry dressed behind the eyes or lip on a hook.

Pike

It is better to catch grass pike with a narrow-shaped fish 8-12 cm long. It also takes larger live bait, but since it is more difficult to swallow, there are frequent predators.
If you are going to catch toothy trophies, then the live bait should be of the appropriate size. 15-25 cm. There have been cases when 10-15 kg of pike were caught, while 1.5-2 kg of fellow fish caught on the hook.
For pike, by and large, it doesn’t matter what size the object of the hunt is, as long as it fits into the mouth. It is not uncommon to see a predator with the tail of a swallowed large prey sticking out of its mouth.

According to my observations, the exception in choosing the size of the hunting object is the period of teeth change. Why do I think that changing teeth takes place and affects the bite.

In mid-July I caught pike with live bait. As usual, I set small fish of 10-15 cm. The live bait fell asleep, but there was no bite. I decided to switch to perch, placed a 5 cm fry and soon caught a 2.5 kg pike. Then 2 more, about 1.5 kg each. The fish really did not have strong large teeth, and those that were were wobbly in different directions. I mean the lower jaw.

Since I don’t fish as often as I’d like, I can’t prove my guess, but I’m sure I personally caught the fact that in the middle of summer you can catch 3 or more kilogram toothy fish on a small three-centimeter spinner, which I was incredibly happy about.

I heard before that pike have a period of changing teeth and during this period it does not bite, I don’t believe it. The pike does not stop pecking, but switches to smaller prey that can be held without large teeth, or with fragile new ones.

Pike perch, bersh

It is believed that pike perch is caught with small narrow baits, the size of which does not exceed 10-15 cm, but this is a common opinion. There are anglers who catch it at 25cm. bait. Naturally, with such live bait, bites are rare, but the caught specimens and the adrenaline gained from landing large fish are worth it.

Som

Depending on the size, the bait is also selected; for large ones, they sometimes take live bait weighing a kilogram.

Burbot

Burbot takes on any live bait like a vacuum cleaner. The nocturnal predator sneaks up unnoticed, and does not need to choose its size; it eats everything it comes across on the trail. (Burbot always moves along the paths it has trodden in places with a lot of food.)

Asp

The asp is the most selective predator in the size of its prey; its size ranges from 3 to 8 cm and must have a narrow, long body. The best live bait is bleak.
There are other types of predators, but the principle of catching them remains the same. The larger the mouth, the larger the baitfish.

How to catch live bait in the summer

Jar

The easiest way to catch is an ordinary three-liter jar with a plastic lid.

• A hole of approximately 2*2cm is cut in the lid
• Pieces of bread are placed in a jar
• Cover with a lid with a hole
• Fill with water
• A rope is tied to the neck, enough to throw it to the place where the bait is supposed to be located.
• Throw the trap into the water. If there is a current, if possible, the neck should be directed downward in its direction.
• After the trap is set, leave the place so as not to disturb the fish. After about fifteen minutes, they quickly approach the installation site and sharply pull the can out of the water. The water is drained. The caught fry is transplanted into another container. The jar is a trap and thrown back into the water.

Plastic bottle

The trap is made a little more complicated, but its efficiency is much higher than the glass one.

Will need

• 5-6 liter jar or more
• Cord or thin wire
• Any weight (even ordinary sand to lower the trap to the bottom)

Manufacturing

• Stepping back about 1 cm from the stiffener on the side of the neck towards the bottom, cut off the upper part of the bottle.
• Turn it over and insert the neck inside the jar.
• Using a knife around the perimeter, we make small holes in both parts about 5 cm apart.
• We thread a rope or wire through the holes and connect the parts with a knot or twist.
• We perform the remaining actions as in the first case. For better concentration of water in the jar, you can make several holes on the sides.

Water passing through the holes in the jar will wash away the smell of bait and attract fish from a larger area.

The design can be slightly improved. For this you will need two jars.
Cut off the bottom of one, the part with the neck of the second. Turn it over and insert the neck inside the bottle without a bottom, secure it in any reliable way. Now the fry can be removed by unscrewing the cap.

Spider

The spider is a square mesh stretched by two crosswise connected springy, metal or wooden rods. A pole is attached at one end to the intersection of the rods. The pole is taken so long that when lowered into the water, the structure of the mesh with rods is completely immersed. For greater effect, bait in the form of a piece of dough is attached to the center of the mesh with wire. If there is no current, you don’t have to fasten it, but just lay it down.

Muzzle, muzzle, top

Not sports, prohibited tackle. Outwardly it looks like a large wicker barrel, in the form of a bottle with the neck inside.
Braided from wire or willow branches. From the front, the neck is open and directed inward. The back part is woven into an outward neckline. The outer side is closed with a wicker lid.

Before installation, bait or bread is placed inside to attract fish. Sometimes they knead the batter and lubricate the inlet neck with it.

For fishing, the muzzle is cast not far from the shore. It is enough for her to simply disappear into the water. Willow, they are loading it up to drown it. The metal one sinks on its own. A rope with a buoy is tied to the tackle, or the installation site is marked in some other way. In the future, it will be possible to pull the trap with the catch ashore using the rope. The fish is taken out either through the neck or by opening the lid at the back.

Tulle, gauze, piece of fabric

Most The best way, this is a ford. Take a piece of fabric 1m long and 0.5m wide that easily allows water to pass through. Two anglers take the fabric from opposite sides by the corners. They go into the water and from the depths, aground, lowering one end into the water to the bottom of the reservoir, and holding the other above the surface, they lead the fabric to the shore. Near the shore itself, the lower edge rises sharply above the surface. When the water has drained, the caught fines are transferred to a separate container and used for their intended purpose.

You can fish this way alone, but to do this, a piece of fabric needs to be straightened. Take two sticks approximately 1-1.5 m, tie the ends of one side of the fabric to the ends of the sticks. The second ends are to the same sticks, but higher.

How to catch

Having entered the water, spread the sticks as far as your arms can reach and wade. The rest of the steps are the same as in the first case.

Fishing rod

Live bait is also caught with fishing rods; this requires very sensitive light equipment with a short rod, which allows you to fish not far from the shore, since the small fish prefer to live closer to shallow places. Fishing rod up to 4 meters long, with a fishing line of 0.1-0.12 mm, without a sinker with a light float. The hook is very small in a fishing environment (swallow). The load may not be placed at all. A slowly falling bait in the form of a piece of a worm, maggot or raspberry quickly attracts small things.

A little history

There are many people who do not even suspect the existence of such an amazing fish as the spined lance in their rivers. It leads a hidden lifestyle on sandbanks and, at the slightest danger, buries itself in the sand, leaving only part of its head on the surface. It is almost impossible to catch it with a fishing rod, which is why it is more often caught when fishing for live bait in a wade with a cloth. The spined lance is an excellent live bait; all predators adore it. When placed on a hook by the lip, it can live for a long time without falling asleep until it bites.

When I was a child, when I needed live bait, plucked fish. We went to the beach and, having reached about the waist, began to walk with our backs in the current, dragging our feet along the sand, slightly raising our heels. And if, when pressing on the sand under the foot, a movement was felt, they squatted sharply, scooped up the sand under the foot and ran to the shore, where they pulled out a squirming fish from the sand.

There are several other fishing methods (kerchief, screen, clapper), but we’ll talk about this in the section below.

How to catch live bait in winter

Jar

In winter, you can catch live bait with a jar, just like in summer, but this requires a hole size that will easily accommodate a three-liter container.
By the way, if you lower a hermetically sealed glass container with fry to the bottom of the reservoir, in the place where the predator is supposed to be fishing. It will serve as bait, attracting fish.

Kerchief

Scarf - (fine mesh knitted with a triangle of thin fishing line). Not exactly a sporting tackle, but for catching live bait it is popular with some anglers.
Either a wire with a diameter of 5 to 10 mm, or another similar flat object is attached to one of the sides along the entire length. If necessary, it should be reloaded. The wire serves as a load. A cord or thick fishing line (line is preferable) is tied to one of the sides of the wire and the upper corner of the mesh triangle. You can attach a float to the upper corner, but it makes it more difficult to control the tension of the mesh.
To install the scarf, the entire mesh is pressed against the load and, holding it by the cord, the scarf is lowered into the hole. The cord attached to the weight is released, and the net straightens out in the water. Lowering the cord tied to the upper corner, we place the load on the bottom, pulling the cord, straighten and tighten the net. We tie a cord to a branch laid across the hole.
To check the catch, we pull the cord tied to one of the lower corners of the tackle; the net folds and easily passes into the hole.

In summer, the design is simplified, since there is no need to fold the tackle to guide it into the hole. The bottom is made as for winter fishing, and the top is attached through a cord either to a long pole or to a buoy if you are fishing from a boat.

Screen (TV)

Screen – (grid connected by a rectangle). Just like a headscarf is not sports equipment. The principle of fishing is the same as that of a scarf, but to tension the mesh, a wooden block is used, tied to the upper part along the length. To check the catch, a cord is attached to the load. Having folded the top and bottom of the tackle, they lower it, holding it into the hole by the rope. Under the ice, the net expands and the load drops to the bottom. The mesh is checked in the same way as the gusset.

In the summer, like a scarf, the design is simplified. It is enough to secure the top like a scarf, to a pole when fishing from the shore, to a buoy when fishing from a boat.

There are other types of traps, such as spider and clapper, which unscrupulous fishermen use to catch not only live bait, but also large fish.

Firecracker

This type of gear is effective for fishing on the first ice. Or from a boat in the summer.

Appearance

It consists of two arcs of 8-10 mm wire, connected by bent small rings at the ends of the rods. When unfolded, it turns out to be a circle with a diameter of 1-1.5 meters. Inside, part of the circle is filled with a bag-like fine-mesh net made of thick thread tied along the diameter. Two ropes are tied to the top of the arches. Sufficient length to reach the bottom of the reservoir.

How to catch live bait with a clapperboard

The cracker opens. The bait is placed in the middle of the net and the trap is closed. A lane is cut in the ice sufficient to lower the gear into it. The closed firecracker sinks to the bottom where, under the weight of the wire, it opens and lies for some time. To check, the cracker is closed by sharply pulling the rope. and taken out of the water.

Fishing rod

When fishing with a fishing rod, rough gear is used. Line 0.08-0.1. Small devil or jig 4 gr. and a very sensitive nod. Places with depths of 2.5-3 meters are selected.

How to preserve live bait

In summer

You need to understand that in warm water the oxygen content is much less than in cold water. Therefore, in the summer, you need to take this into account and try to store the bait in its natural environment. That is, in cages made of fine mesh and lowered into a pond.
In cannes or other containers, you will need an aerator to saturate the water with oxygen.
When storing live bait in the summer, you should change the water more often and remove dead fish.

For long-distance transportation, it is not a bad idea to transport live bait in a thermos with a wide neck. It can be used in any other container with a closing lid. To prevent the water from heating up quickly, it is good to place a bottle of frozen water in the kana with the fry.

You should know that any fish does not tolerate sudden temperature changes. Before adding, make sure that the temperature of the water matches the water being added.

The container should not be transparent, made of galvanized iron or breakable.

in winter

In winter, live bait is perfectly stored simply in containers with water taken from the hole, the only condition is to ensure that the water does not freeze.
If live bait is caught directly on a reservoir, and there is no container to store it. A hole carved in the ice and filled with water is ideal as a canna.